Saving Energy Is All In A Day's Work
(Energy News - September 2009)
The C.A. Lawton Co. Tackles Compressed Air and Lighting
"We knew there were energy savings to be had and we went after them," said Mark Koza, Facilities Superintendent at The C.A. Lawton Co. in De Pere. "It should be part of what we all do every day."
With that kind of mindset, a business can accomplish great things — from saving energy and money to protecting the environment. After completing several projects this year, The C.A. Lawton Co. is achieving some energy-related goals.
The business began operating in 1879 as a general machine shop and foundry. Today, The C.A. Lawton Co. is an integrated provider of large iron castings and machined parts to a variety of industries, including wind power, mining, water systems and HVAC.
Improvements In The Air
Compressed air is expensive because only up to 20% of the electric energy input reaches the point of end use — the rest of the input energy is converted to wasted heat. Last year when the company built an addition to its foundry, they made compressed air improvements at the same time.
"We had three old air compressors that overheated every summer and would not be able to meet our growing needs with the addition," Koza said. "We realized this was a huge energy user and an area where we could and should make an impact."
The company invested about $150,000 in three new air compressors with greater horsepower, including one with a variable speed drive. They also applied several best practices to help reduce compressed air energy costs. For example, they installed proper sequencing controls and a pressure controller, added heat recovery, detected and repaired leaks, updated piping, eliminated unnecessary compressor uses and reduced system pressure.
"Our new system maintains adequate pressure, meets our demand more efficiently, is more reliable, is quieter and saves us more than 50% in compressed air energy costs, Koza said. "It was definitely the right time to take on this project."
A Bright Idea The C.A. Lawton Co. also upgraded lighting throughout its 50,000-square-foot foundry. They went from old, 1,000-watt metal halide fixtures to energy-efficient, 750-watt pulse-start metal halide fixtures.
"We are pleased with the quality of the lighting — it's much brighter than what we had before," said Katherine Donner, Compliance Coordinator. "It is a big energy saver — potentially cutting more than 220,600 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year."
The company always has taken an active role in monitoring energy use, staying up-to-date on new technologies and participating in Focus on Energy training.
"Our Wisconsin Public Service Account Executive Sue Perz has been a huge asset in terms of sharing ideas, connecting us with opportunities and identifying energy-saving projects," Koza said. "She has really helped us plan and keep projects on track. Now with some major projects wrapped up, we look forward to the ongoing energy savings they will bring."
If you are interested in improving energy efficiency at your company, contact your WPS account executive or the Business Solutions Center at 877-444-0888.