Almost 70 years ago, the NYS Legislature created Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) to provide shared educational programs and services to school districts within the state. This led to the establishment of the Oswego County BOCES, now called the Center for Instruction, Technology & Innovation (CiTi), located in Mexico, NY.
Serving over 1000 students in programs that include Adult, Alternative and Exceptional as well as Career and Technical Education, CiTi underwent a just under $40M capital improvement cycle—plus a $2M energy performance contract program from 2013 to 2016 that included all new Fulton boilers as part of its project upgrades.
Great reputation
Wayne Wideman, Director of Facilities at CiTi, initially considered Fulton boilers because of their generally great reputation. But he also had to make sure the new boilers were competitively bid as required by state law. Said Wayne, “We were not allowed to specify a manufacturer, but we were able to spec out the equipment we wanted.”
When we put all of our specs together, we arrived at the Fulton boilers"
Ken Light at Modular Comfort Systems is the local sales rep who helped select the Fulton boilers that CiTi wanted to buy. Lawman Heating and Cooling, Inc. (out of Sackets Harbor, NY) was the construction firm that installed the equipment.
“What ultimately helped us decide on Fulton boilers was the efficiency level they met,” said Wayne. “When we put all of our specs together, we arrived at the Fulton boilers.”
Fulton Modsync Advantage
A total of five Endura (EDR-1500) and two Vantage (VTG-6000) boilers were purchased and installed in two of CiTi’s primary buildings. Two Enduras and two Vantages were installed to heat the main building (120,000 sq. ft.), which includes classrooms in addition to administrative offices. Three Enduras were installed to heat the building where skilled trades are taught, which houses large garage areas in addition to classrooms.
Through the ModSync, we are able to adjust the load level of the boilers in a lead/lag sequence"
ModSync® boiler sequencing controllers were also installed for each set of boilers. ModSync monitors system demand requirements and then determines the most efficient staging and operating mode to meet those demands. It matches boiler output to system load to minimize cycling, further extending equipment life.
The use of the ModSync controller was recommended by Jim Day, the owner of Day Automation Systems. Jim is a consultant hired by CiTi who specializes in increasing the operational and energy efficiency of HVAC equipment installations. “Through the ModSync, we are able to adjust the load level of the boilers in a lead/lag sequence so that we can save energy by not having to fully re-up every boiler,” said Wayne.
No Ceiling at CITI
All of the hallways and classrooms at CiTi were designed with no dropped (secondary) ceilings so that all of the HVAC plumbing and piping is on display. This was purposely done so that students at CiTi could view the actual infrastructure of the school—which includes the latest in condensing boiler technology, represented by Fulton—as an adjunct component of their technology studies.
“The point being that we have multiple technology programs as part of our offerings, so we thought that showing actual technology in operation was important,” said Wayne.
Efficiencies Abounding
Our consumption of natural gas and our electrical cost related to HVAC has gone down from our previous usage"
As top-of-the-line condensing boilers, the Endura and Vantage achieve ultra-high efficiencies as high as 99% by recovering the latent heat of condensation from their own exhaust gases, reclaiming as much as 13% of the energy lost by non-condensing boilers. Both boilers are specially designed to use a simplified piping method called variable primary flow which, different from conventional designs, enhances temperature control, reduces design complexity, and further maximizes efficiencies.
Said Wayne, “Our consumption of natural gas and our electrical cost related to HVAC has gone down from our previous usage. Creature comforts have been improved drastically by using Fulton’s condensing boilers.” CiTi also achieved tremendous added efficiency by its artful mix of different BTU/Hr models of Fulton boilers to accommodate its shoulder seasons.
Shoulder seasons, also called off-peak seasons, are a time of year when temperature fluctuations of more than 30 oF within a single day are common. They generally occur in the Spring and Fall, which are anywhere from 4-6 months of the actual heating season.
Fulton Endura boilers
During these variable-load times, using smaller (low BTU) boilers that operate in tandem (called a modular or on-demand set-up) enables greater efficiencies than larger (high BTU) boilers. Smaller boilers, when used in this way, increase the total system turndown ratio—and thus better match a given load with the capacity that each boiler was designed for—as well as eliminate standby energy waste.
ModSync coordinates what the best firing order is for the weather conditions we’re having"
That’s why, for their main boiler room, CiTi added Fulton Endura boilers rated at only 1.5MM BTU/hr. They serve as Citi’s primary heating source during their shoulder seasons—with Fulton’s 6MM Vantage boilers transferring in as primary during their peak heating season.
Said Wayne, “The Enduras give us the capability to more easily shift boiler loads. They give us a very wide berth of load ability, depending on outside air; while ModSync coordinates what the best firing order is for the weather conditions we’re having.”
Small vertical footprint
The Fulton boilers installed at CiTi also earned praise for their easy access when it comes to maintenance and servicing. Their small vertical footprint lent to the ease of fitting them into a relatively small room as well as the ease with which they were installed. The bottom line, though, is Fulton’s long-term durability and reliable operation.
Said Wayne, “What Fulton did is give us a much more reliable heating system that makes our students a lot more comfortable no matter what size room. Whether it’s a sit-down classroom, whether it’s the cosmetology shop, or whether it’s my heavy equipment shop, Fulton boilers create the heat that we can count on to keep our campus warm.”
