The Hillman Group – Zhongxiang Gary Gao – 2013

Goals

Gary Gao was tasked with analyzing the energy use in warehouse and office facilities for the Hillman Group in Cincinnati.

Solutions

Gao split his time between the corporate headquarters and the nearby distribution center. After analyzing the available energy data and talking with the building management team, he identified several opportunities to improve employee comfort and reduce energy cost. Gao recommended implementing a building management system that could control rooftop units for the offices and regulate fans in the warehouse. In this way, uniform temperature settings could be established for better employee comfort and extend the life of HVAC equipment. In addition, occupancy sensors could be installed in low traffic areas to reduce lighting cost, while photo sensors could be used to take advantage of existing daylight panels. Furthermore, Gao found the culprit of demand peaks to be charging forklifts and recommended looking into conditional charging settings.

Potential Impact

Overall, his recommendations could reduce the Hillman Group’s energy use by approximately 20 percent and reduce carbon emissions by 600 tons annually.