This case study courtesy of Pennsylvania Power & Light.
Ever since Guy Cali helped to launch a photography business in 1973, he dreamed of one day combing his portrait studio and commercial divisions into one state-of-the-art facility under the name Guy Cali Associates. In 1993 that dream came true.
Cali Photography Studio Gets the Geothermal Big Picture
"I always felt strongly that people should not have to leave the area to receive the highest quality photography services," he said. "Now the best in photography and the best in facilities is right here in their own backyard."
Cali made the decision to build the 8,560-square-foot facility because his portrait business experienced significant growth over the years and so did his involvement in non-traditional areas of photography, such as audio visual-production, digital imaging and computer graphics. This increase of business had also prompted him to make a significant investment in new, cutting edge photography technology and he needed the space to use it.
Floor plans for the new $420,000 facility developed by VS Riggi Architectural Design firm included two large, well-equipped studios, a second-floor mezzanine area, a prep area for commercial/industrial products and vehicles, processing labs for color and black and white film, darkrooms, a workshop for set design, a commercial kitchen for food photography, a computer graphics center, private consultation suits, a reception/display area and children’s playroom.
Pettinato Associate Contractors & Engineers, Inc. took the original plans for the facility and worked with contractors to develop the building’s HVAC systems which included a geothermal heating and cooling system. The system was selected because it had higher efficiency than a gas-fired boiler and air-cooled DX cooling system.
To insure that the selected GSHP system was being installed in a thermally efficient building, a thermal integrity upgrade and inspection was completed by sealing and inspecting the insulation and verifying the level of infiltration with a blower door test.
The system installed at Guy Cali Associates included six individual water source heat pump units to service the building. The ground coupling included a closed-loop of eight (8) six-inch wells (300 feet to 375 feet deep). The wells were placed within the 10 acres of ground surrounding the facility which were then landscaped to provide a variety of settings for outdoor portraiture.
Groundbreaking for the new Guy Cali Associates building took place in November of 1992, and Cali’s staff moved into the new studio during September of 1993.
As a measure of the geothermal system’s performance, the average total annual operating cost for energy at the photography studio, based on the three year period beginning September 1993, is only $0.73 per sq. ft. This compares very favorably to $1.20 per sq. ft., which represents the total annual energy expenditures for commercial buildings in the Mid-Atlantic region, according to the Department of Energy April 1995 report, "Commercial Buildings’ Energy Consumption and Expenditures." Over these three years, the HVAC system has consumed about 50% of the total annual energy usage. "We’re very pleased with our selection of a geothermal system to condition studio space," says Cali. "It’s one less thing to worry about."
Whether you’re constructing a new building or renovating an older one, geothermal technology helps you make the most efficient use of space and reduces heating and cooling costs. Learn More.
Building Data
Location: Clarks Summit, Pa.
Elevation: 1,025 ft.
ASHRAE design temperatures: winter, 1 F, summer 90 F/72 F
Conditioned area: 8,560 sq. ft.
Energy Usage, September 1995 through August 1996
Total energy consumption: 63,280 KWH
Building domestic energy consumption: 30,812 KWH
Building HVAC energy consumption: 32,486 KWH
HVAC energy consumption components-
HVAC heat pump compressors, fans: 28,653 KWH (88.2% of total)
HVAC circulating pumps: 3,815 KWH (11.8% of total)
Project Consultants
Construction Manager: Pettinato Associate
Contractors & Engineers, Inc., Scranton, PA.
Architect: VS Riggi Architectural Design, Dunmore, Pa.
HVAC vendor: IDE Air, Scranron, Pa.
HVAC contractor: Knuth Refrigeration, Clarks Summit, Pa.
The Cali Photography Studio is located in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania.
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