I Think You Broke Our Gas Meter

Finding a Better Solution for Heating High Bay Facilities

For over 50 years, the Van Auker Companies have played a dynamic role in the emergence and growth of the Treasure Valley in Idaho. From simple beginnings in Caldwell, Idaho, the Van Auker Companies today lease, construct and manage warehouse, office, and industrial facilities for companies, large or small, throughout the region.

As the folks at Van Auker say, “We’re not just a developer. We design, construct, and manage the leases on all the buildings we own. The intimate knowledge of each facility allows us to provide a superior product and service to the client.” They have constructed and currently manage over 2 million square feet, and have built hundreds of other build-to-suit or speculative projects.

PROBLEM:

One of Van Auker’s core values is that they excel at meeting the needs of their clients. The Van Auker Companies specialize in facilities for warehousing, distribution, food processing, high tech and R&D companies. These industries oftentimes experience rapid growth and changing needs which can create many facility challenges. Because a tenet can’t always predict how fast or how much they will grow, they remain exceptionally flexible with our leases. If a client is growing rapidly, we will find them larger quarters and re-write their lease as often as needed. If necessary, they will develop a new project specifically for that client. They may require larger or more complex facilities and, in most cases, the timeframes are extremely aggressive. Always future-focused, Van Auker anticipates trends well ahead of the curve, putting them in step with their client’s emerging needs.

For several years the manufacturer’s representative firm Robertson’s LLC, has been working with Van Auker Companies – introducing them to new heating technologies that could save their tenets and building owners money on heating costs. And, when you are located in the state of Idaho, the winter comes early, and sticks around till late in the spring. When Van Auker had a client, who needed to double the size of their existing facility from 100,000 s/f to 200,000 s/f, they agreed to use High Temperature Heating and Ventilation (HTHV) technology in the new addition. The promise of substantial energy savings tied with exceptional indoor air quality, warm and even temperatures, were major reasons Van Auker wanted to try HTHV in the new facility.

SOLUTION:

The HTHV solution for this expansion was provided by Cambridge Air Solutions. The four S-800 units have been able to provide even indoor temperatures throughout the 100,000 s/f facility with thermostat settings of 72°F and a design temperature of -20°F.

THEN, THE PROBLEM THAT WASN’T:

It was 3 months into the heating season when Van Auker received a concerning call from the tenet. They were reviewing their utility costs. Due to the dramatic decrease in the cost to heat the new addition, they were certain, “Their gas meter must have been broken when it was installed during construction.” That was the only explanation as to why the utility costs for the new addition were dramatically less than that for the existing building. Nothing had changed. The thermostat was set the same in both facilities, the number of dock doors were the same, the processes taking place in both facilities were also the same. There had to be a problem with the gas meter. They certainly didn’t want the utility company sending them an adjusted bill once they learned the meter had been damaged and wasn’t properly reporting gas usage.

Wanting to provide the best customer experience possible, Van Auker contacted the utility company and the manufacturer of the HTHV units to investigate what could be the problem. Everyone met on site. The gas utility checked the meter, but to everyone’s surprise, except for Robertsons and Cambridge Air Solutions, there was no damage to the meter. The HTHV technology, which uses 100% outside air to heat a facility, used dramatically less natural gas than the standard unit heaters which were in the original location. This is exactly what was promised to Van Auker if they would just try this higher efficient technology.

As HVAC Specialists, Cambridge Air Solutions has been helping warehousing, manufacturing and industrial leaders care for their people for more than 60 years.

We believe providing better HVAC solutions for your environment delivers comfort and improved indoor air quality that increases productivity, enhances recruitment capabilities, and improves retention of the very people committed to the success of your organization — all while reducing your overall energy footprint.

We are dedicated to helping leaders create better working environments for your hard-working people with the primary purpose of “Enriching Lives.”

HTHV Benefits:

• Improved air temperature uniformity due to superior destratification without supplemental fans
• Improved indoor air quality due to use of 100% outside air
• 92% ultra-high efficiency resulting in energy savings and better indoor comfort

Whether it’s providing a comfortable space for a retrofit expansion or heating high-bay manufacturing facilities, HTHV technology is the most energy-efficient solution for these types of structures. To learn more about how this technology could address your facility’s needs, schedule one of our custom Air Solutions tours.

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