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In commercial and institutional buildings such as offices, hotels, schools, and hospitals, occupant comfort is top of mind. If occupants do not have comfortable heat, it can impact productivity, safety, comfort and level of care. Constructing buildings that allow for efficient heating is paramount for continued operation and service. While it is difficult to meet individual preferences for a comfortable temperature, maintaining a temperature between 68- and 72-degrees Fahrenheit will usually provide comfort for most people.
Propane heating systems can help meet these demands, as they produce warmer air and can quickly reach the desired temperature for consistent and reliable heat. There are several ways commercial and institutional buildings can utilize propane heat, with the most common being furnaces and boilers.
Choosing the appropriate boiler or furnace for the space is key. In addition, the building location will play a big role in the type of fuel used. While electric heat is more prominent in the southeast and the Midwest favors heating systems fueled by natural gas and propane, “the northern Atlantic region, from Maryland up to Maine, relies more on heating oil than natural gas to heat homes, exposing the region more heavily to global oil price fluctuations.” The stable price of propane makes it an ideal alternative compared to heating oil for regions with heavy heating loads. Areas not served by natural gas will also likely take advantage of the benefits of propane furnaces and boilers.
At Andes Central School in Lake Andes, South Dakota, the heating system was upgraded with two propane boilers to cut energy costs and improve the comfort and productivity of students and staff. This was just one aspect of a larger project to expand the high school, and connect it to the elementary and middle schools while incorporating sustainable design features. Mel Tschumper, Head of Maintenance at Andes Central School said, “The most important part of our heating system has to be reliability and efficiency and as far as I’m concerned, propane is the way to go. We had fuel oil at the old school and it was always difficult to keep it going. We have very minimal issues with this propane heat. If the students are not comfortable in class, they will not be paying attention to what they’re supposed to be doing. They will not learn. We get some 30 below wind chills and all winter long I’ve never had one complaint from any of the teachers or students about being cold.”
Furnaces
Commercial gas furnaces are self-contained units that supply heated air to condition a wide variety of buildings. Many commercial HVAC designs use commonly available propane furnaces to efficiently and effectively heat commercial spaces. There are quite a few benefits, as they offer:
- Flexibility in both type and capacity of equipment, which makes them a good fit for many different commercial buildings.
- Steady, comfortable, warmer heat than electric heat pumps.
- Capacity from 44,000 Btu/h up to more than 1 million Btu/h.
Propane furnaces also offer best-in-class efficiency, with ratings from 90 to 98 percent, and will provide comfortable, even, and consistent heat during even the coldest weather. Smaller capacity propane furnaces can qualify for Energy Star’s Most Efficient label, which translates to energy savings of 20 percent or more on energy costs over a standard furnace. A roof top unit (RTU) with a propane furnace providing some or all of the heating will produce lower CO2 emissions — often 50 percent lower.
Boilers
Propane-powered boilers offer efficiency, space savings, and the versatility to provide space heating, water heating, and even snow melt. Even in the coldest outdoor climates where a dual-fuel hybrid system is used, propane improves the efficiency and comfort of air- or ground-source heat pump systems and further protects property owners from rising utility costs.
At Sanford High School in Sanford, ME, the school upgraded two outdated oil-burning boilers with three smaller condensate propane boilers. The propane boilers and domestic hot water heaters are saving approximately $31K a year. Superintendent David Theodharides notes, “If there’s any way that I can control some of the fixed costs such as heat energy costs, I can allow other areas of my budget to go up. Every dollar we save can be invested back into the kids.”
Project Highlight: Shepherd University
At Shepherd University in West Virginia, occupant comfort prompted the university to take advantage of energy service companies (ESCO) to fund much-needed mechanical upgrades. The ESCO analyzes a facility’s energy performance and recommends upgrades to achieve savings that are guaranteed to fund the upgrades. CMTA, a consulting engineering and performance contracting company, audited the campus and identified four buildings overdue for renovations, one of which was the 80,000 sq ft Butcher Athletic Center. They overhauled the facility’s space heating, installing a four-pipe hydronic HVAC system with an air-cooled chiller and a central plant of condensing boilers served by two 1,000-gallon underground propane tanks. They chose clean-burning propane because Shepherdstown is not served by natural gas and heating oil was too expensive. This new system decreased their utility bills by 31 percent in the first year and saved $30,000 to $50,000 in annual HVAC repairs.
Propane Heating Systems: Consistent and Reliable Heat
Distraction-free and comfortable indoor environments are productive environments for students, employees, and other occupants of commercial buildings. As a builder, think carefully about the most appropriate heating system and fuel type for your project, the region, and its local climate. High efficiency propane furnaces and boilers provide energy, cost, and carbon savings in both new and existing buildings, while a wide range of heating capacities gives builders the flexibility they need to provide consistent and reliable heat for their clients.
