E2A Launches Energy Management System for Convenience Stores

by | Aug 3, 2011

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Efficient Energy America (E2America) has announced that its retrofit HVAC control system aimed at reducing energy costs and consumption is now available to the convenience store market.

A large portion – in many cases, more than 50 percent – of the total energy used by commercial buildings can be attributed to HVAC systems, the company says. Often companies don’t manage to address wastage using simple measures such as adjusting the thermostat, according to E2America.

The company says its HVAC control system is the only one on the market that takes into account 19 variables, including external weather data, internal and external humidity, solar heat load and building occupancy, to continually monitor, control and optimize the operation of buildings’ HVAC systems.

The company says that customers can save as much as $800 each month, per location, on electricity costs after installation. A typical implementation yields return on investment in 12 months, E2America says.

The company currently partners with a number of utility companies and electric cooperatives across the country, including Touchstone Energy Cooperatives, Progress Energy, Duke Energy, and GreenCo Solutions, Inc., to offer incentive programs for commercial customers. Store owners can also take advantage of federal legislation that provides tax credits for energy efficiency technology installed in 2011, E2America says.

Current users of the automated, wireless HVAC control systems include McDonalds, Bojangles, Taco Bell and Golden Corral franchises, according to E2America.

“Simply by taking steps to make their buildings ‘smarter,’ convenience store owners are finding they can actually increase their bottom line,” said E2America CEO Dara O’Neill. “The E2America system provides the [convenience store] market with proven technology that not only delivers dramatic savings on electricity costs, but also helps optimize HVAC systems and thermal comfort for a number of commercial buildings.”

Golden Corral franchise operator Platinum Corral announced the installation of the system in all 30 restaurants under its control in May this year.  The operator expects to save as much as $252,000 a year, with an eight-month return on investment after installation of the system.

Platinum Corral has restaurants located in Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia and the Carolinas.

Correction: An earlier version of this story referred to Energy Efficient America. The company name is Efficient Energy America, abbreviated E2America. We regret the error.

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