Air-moving technology helps save on energy costs

LONGMONT ? Ray Avedon was not going to watch his company’s energy bills rise without doing something about it. So he and his engineers at Avedon Engineering developed the Airius Thermal Equalizer.

The Thermal Equalizer is a highly efficient turbine fan that takes hot air that has risen to the ceiling and pushes it in a concentrated column to the floor, where it spreads in all directions. A current of warm air then makes its way back up to the ceiling where this process is repeated.

The process is known as destratifying, or mixing the layers of air.

The end result is a more even temperature from floor to ceiling, so the space does not have to be overheated or overcooled to obtain a comfortable temperature in all areas.

Scott Canby, project manager for Avedon’s sister company Airius LLC, said without the Airius system a building with 30-foot ceilings may have a 20-degree temperature difference between the floor and ceiling. With the system, the temperature at the floor and ceiling can be just one or two degrees different. By equalizing the temperature, companies can turn their thermostats up in the summer or down in the winter and have a comfortable work environment.

According to Canby, the Department of Energy states that for every degree you lower the thermostat, you achieve a 3 percent energy savings. In a large facility with high ceilings, this can result in significant energy savings.

When Avedon implemented the system in its building its energy usage went down by 42 percent. Xcel Energy called to see if the building had been shut down or if the meter was broken, Avedon officials said.Ralph Bozella, now retired, was the energy manager of the St. Vrain School District when the Airius system was installed in Silver Creek High School in Longmont He said the unit “absolutely works” and has equalized the temperature in the school.

According to Bozella, the new energy manager plans to lower the set point for heating this coming winter in a school that always has been cold in the winter. “Very conservatively, I estimate we will see a 20 percent savings on the consumption of natural gas,” he said.

Western Disposal in Boulder uses the Airius system in both its offices and maintenance department. “I know we’ve saved because we have been able to keep the thermostat lower in the winter and higher in the summer,´ said Deborah Dabkowski, administrative director.

She said there’s also a visible difference the system made in the building where the trucks are maintained. Prior to installing the system, ice would build up under the trucks in the winter. With trucks constantly going in and out of the large space, the building couldn’t be heated efficiently, and the ice would not melt.

When the Airius system was installed, it forced the warm air to the floor and melted the ice, making it much more comfortable for employees to work. Dabkowski said workers were able to turn the thermostat down from 65 degrees to below 60 and still be comfortable.

The Airius system has a variety of applications, including manufacturing facilities, office environments, greenhouses and pharmaceutical warehouses. Canby sees a huge market for Airius.

“Every building over 10 feet has the potential to be a customer,” he said. “Avedon Engineering currently employs 80 to 100 employees, and if things go right I hope to see that number doubled in the next two years.”
While it was developed by Avedon Engineering and shares the same facility, Airius LLC is a separate entity. Airius is a customer of Avedon Engineering, which manufactures the units, while Airius handles the development and distribution of them.

The Airius Thermal Equalizer is available in a variety of models designed for varying ceiling heights. Airius also offers the PhotoHydroIonization Thermal Equalizer, which purifies the air while destratifying it.

The cost of the unit varies based on ceiling height, but averages between $300 and $400 per unit. The number needed varies depending on the size of the facility. Canby said customers see returns on their investment in about two years or less, and are seeing energy savings of between 25 and 45 percent.

According to Canby, Airius has installed about 5,000 units and achieved roughly $2 million in sales so far. Over the next two years, Avedon projects the company will sell 25,000 to 30,000 units.

So far Airius has been primarily supported financially by Avedon Engineering. “A huge amount of money goes into the development and tooling of the program,” Avedon said. “I expect we’ll be profitable over the next 24 months.” Avedon said Airius is focused on penetration into the worldwide market and has independent sales organizations in Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

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