How do utilities save energy? - With `UVC for HVAC`!

A big challenge facing service technicians is how to help building owners reduce energy consumption to combat outages and spiraling power costs. A multi- patented, HVAC-style UVC technology from Steril-Aire, Inc. offers a proven solution while simultaneously addressing another "hot" maintenance topic: how to destroy one of the largest, most prevalent sources of mold. Two major utilities offer dual proof of UVC`s effectiveness:

American Electric Power (AEP), Dallas: "When we purchased Steril-Aire UVC Emitters(tm) in 1998, we weren`t looking for energy savings; our motivation was indoor air quality (LAQ)," says David Lewis, building sendees technician. AEP installed germicidal UVC lights in the air handlers to eradicate microbial growth on a preventive basis.

"Thanks to the lights, we eliminated our four-times-a- year coil, drain pan, and plenum cleaning programs. In fact, we haven`t had to go near the coils in several years," Lewis says. "What we didn`t anticipate was the significant drop in pressure across the coil as the lights cleaned to `like new,` and the resulting net-cooling capacity increase that led to lower fan rpm. This translates into a big reduction in power consumption." Over a monitored two-plus-year period, Lewis estimates annual energy savings at nearly $139,000 (see table).