Federal facility drives 12% potential savings with smarter chilled water plant performance

The facility’s chilled water plant consumed substantial energy, resulting in annual electricity costs of about $160,000. Limited automation required frequent manual adjustments, making consistent performance difficult. As the plant supports a mission‑critical federal role, reliability and stability were essential.

Operating within an air‑gapped environment, the facility also needed secure solutions that could function without external connectivity. At the same time, it aimed to meet federal emissions‑reduction goals, including a 65% reduction by 2030 and progress toward net‑zero operations by 2050. To advance these objectives, the facility needed clearer insight into plant behavior and a dependable way to uncover efficiency opportunities.

To evaluate improvement opportunities without affecting live operations, the federal facility used a simulated digital twin of its chilled water plant. This analysis identified efficient setpoints and operating strategies through model‑based control and machine‑learning insights.

These optimizations were then implemented through secure, edge‑based control suited to the site’s air‑gapped environment. OpenBlue Central Utility Plant Optimization translated insights into real‑time operational adjustments, while Metasys Building Automation System provided the visibility needed to monitor performance and maintain stability. York chillers supported the optimized strategy by operating efficiently under revised conditions, enabling consistent and reliable cooling.

By applying optimized setpoints and improved controls, the federal facility strengthened daily operations and achieved measurable efficiency gains. Even with the system in AUTO mode for 42% of the year, the facility achieved meaningful reductions in energy use and revealed long-term potential, identifying over $18K per year in savings and nearly 500,000 kWh in additional energy‑saving opportunities.

Outcomes include:

• 4.5% annual energy savings, equal to nearly 190,000 kWh
• 12% potential annual savings with future continuous AUTO operations
• Reduced manual effort and downtime through more consistent and automated plant control
• Improved real‑time visibility for quicker, data‑driven decision making

This unique Federal site supports a critical federal production role in the United States.