TESTIMONIAL
Convenience Store Energy Solution
SITUATION
Franchise Management Inc. (FMI), has increasingly grown their nationwide footprint to include 270+ restaurants, including Pizza Hut, Panera, KFC and Taco Bell. Managing a large, nationwide network of restaurants is not a small task, and the ability to derive value from more efficient, productive facilities management process is difficult at best. Restaurant franchisees, on-site team members, and corporate decision makers faced many challenges, including depreciating facilities equipment, managing new equipment, maximizing equipment life expectancy and overall facility condition. But, that was before FMI chose Entouch to gain insight and top-quality control over their energy use and maintenance spend. First, let's take a closer look at the true scope and costs of the problems FMI was experiencing.
CHALLENGE
FMI's Development Manager conducted a comprehensive energy evaluation to determine the extent of lost opportunities in existing operations. This evaluation considered energy use, operations and company policies affecting 24/7 runtime of HVAC systems, lights and leaking water fixtures. Walk-in coolers and freezers run and cycles times and iced-over units increased the overall energy costs. The initial evaluation of 12 stores found significant energy consumption and expenses resulting from electricity, natural gas, water, and sewage utility providers. They identified extensive waste in operating and on-demand power, based on a 40-percent cost savings profile for renewed energy management strategy, prompting the need to move to an automated system and upgrade additional facilities' equipment. FMI needed a holistic energy savings partner with a proven implementation process. Upon vetting of companies who met the defined qualifications, FMI's Development Manager enlisted the services of Stirling Energy Management Inc. (SEMi) as a consultant to develop the initial energy management strategy (now called "Smart Green Store" program by SEMi) and supplied the equipment and products necessary to gain control over expenditures. From the four vetted companies to control and monitor the energy (as well as supply out-of-limit alerting), Entouch was the clear choice for FMI.
SOLUTION
Review of the full testing evaluation resulted in executive-level leadership and FMI's chief financial officer agreement to an initial 20-store pilot or "test" to discern actual expenses versus savings over the course of one year for full-deployment of smart building systems to lower facilities costs. ENTOUCH's experience in the restaurant space and their ability to meet the defined qualifications for Energy Monitoring, Equipment Controlling, HVAC Controlling, Equipment Alerting, and ease of use, as well as the ability to continue energy evaluations and increase savings beyond the initial time-line, using the powerful, dedicated account management of smart building solutions of ENTOUCH.360, ENTOUCH's energy management platform allowed FMI to identify weaknesses and strengths to create a strategic action plan that yielded savings and improved operational efficiencies across FMI's distributed portfolio. Following a Quality Service Regulation (QSR) audit, the partnership with ENTOUCH and SEMi generated an immense savings profile and plan for improvement, including: » Automated controls to reduce vacancy energy consumption » Retrofitting of light fixtures with 2x2 LED lay-in panels, round LED lay-in panels, and LED replacement bulbs » Installation of solar-powered lights and LED flood lights in parking areas » Installation of low-flow aerators and toilet water savers Because ENTOUCH measures energy usage in conjunction with HVAC output, ENTOUCH.360™ helped facility managers uncover issues with rooftop HVAC units. The facilities are also able to see the energy usage impacts of foodservice areas being left on during non-peak periods. Lighting loads were connected to lighting controls, automating their schedules. After ENTOUCH.360™ was implemented in the convenience store, management could compare sub-load level energy costs per square foot with other locations, ensuring that facilities are running at optimal levels.
RESULTS
Facilities making delineated improvements to equipment and operations saw an overall decrease of 75-percent in lighting and electrical costs, which include HVAC system operation, 50-percent decreases in water and sewage costs and additional savings from increased equipment life expectancy. These cost savings across a system-wide portfolio of over 270 stores add up to savings between $3,000 and $18,000 per store, amounting to more than $1 million in annual savings. To date, FMI has verified payback on investment costs vary from 9 months to within 2 years of implementation and achieved consistency in maintenance costs, eradicating the maintenance backlog and moving to a near 100-percent preventative maintenance program, as shown below.
Full coverage inside a single quarter
1,745
Stores brought online
20
Weeks from first install to full coverage
16%
Average reduction in annual consumption
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