Products & Solutions
Charlotte Convention Chillers

Charlotte Convention Center Exhibits Improved Comfort Control, Energy Savings and Payback

York® chillers and OptiSpeedTM variable-speed drive support will save $45,000 per year while maintaining a consistently comfortable visitor environment.

A Johnson Controls customer since its construction in 1995, the Charlotte Convention Center’s recent energy-efficiency initiative included the installation of a YORK® OptiSpeedTM low-voltage, variable-speed drive (VSD) equipped with the Opti$ave Energy Analyzer and OptiViewTM Graphic Control Center. The new equipment will provide $45,000 in annual energy savings and a 100 percent return on investment in just five years.

Maximizing Efficiency in a Challenging Environment

Large convention centers can pose a challenge for facility managers concerned with energy efficiency. The large spaces and varied uses can make it difficult to capture, monitor and record energy savings. The Charlotte Convention Center comprises 850,000 square feet, which includes more than 280,000 square feet of exhibit space, 90,000 square feet of meeting space and a 35,000-square-foot ballroom.

To meet those unique needs, Johnson Controls installed two YORK® YK 1350-ton chillers and a YORK® YK 1300-ton chiller retrofitted with YORK® OptiSpeedTM variable- speed drive with Opti$ave Energy Analyzer and OptiViewTM Graphic Control Center.

The YORK OptiSpeed VSD (PDF) is the most energy-efficient and reliable variable-speed drive for centrifugal chillers, and can cut chiller energy use and CO2 emissions by as much as 30 percent a year. Its companion software offers these energy-saving features:

  • The Opti$ave Energy Analyzer makes it easy to monitor and record those energy savings.
  • Opti$ave shows where improvements can be made, even in a non-typical operating load profile.
  • The OptiView full screen, full color display makes it easier to operate the chiller. Chiller data from the OptiView Panel can be passed directly to the Metasys® building management system.

A Boost to the Sustainability Initiative

Besides the annual utility savings of $45,000 and five-year payback, the new OptiSpeed VSD will help the Charlotte Convention Center significantly reduce its carbon emissions. Based on calculations made using the YORKCalc™ program, the retrofit will save more than 689,000 kWh each year and reduce emissions by 350 tons of CO2. That equals the emissions output of 64 passenger vehicles in a year and is the equivalent of planting 80 acres of pine forests to capture that carbon and convert it to oxygen.


The HVAC improvements are a huge boost to the facility’s sustainability initiatives, which include using biodegradable cups made from corn products, implementing recycling programs and seeking other energy-saving initiatives. Johnson Controls also oversees maintenance of the Metasys and fire & security systems for the Charlotte Convention Center.

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George Washington University When it comes to creating a comfortable, carbon-neutral campus, Johnson Controls is at the top of its class.

See how we helped George Washington University (PDF) cut energy use and carbon emissions with high-efficiency HVAC equipment, maintenance services, and a Metasys® building management system. Now the university is well on its way to achieving its goal of carbon neutrality by 2040.
Charlotte Convention Chillers
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