As the largest automotive facility in North America, the GM Campus in Oshawa is massive. And so was its potential for energy savings. Through an in-depth assessment of the 12-million square foot facility, Toronto Hydro Energy Services, working with U.S.- based energy management firm The Benham Companies LLC, was able to uncover the opportunity for an estimated $1.75 million in annual utility savings. The challenge was to implement the improvements without affecting production in a plant where most of the facility operates around the clock.

Downtime not an option
“This project was part of a North Americanwide focus by General Motors on generating cost savings through energy efficiency and modeled after similar initiatives already completed in the U.S. The goal was to realize additional cash flow resulting from energy savings. Production downtime was not an option,” explains Dale Chaplow, who is the Site Utility Manager at GM in Oshawa.

The project, which was projected to cost $5 million, was partially completed during a planned two-week vacation shutdown in July. The remaining work was scheduled over weekends and during regular production periods in a manner that would not impair plant operation. Toronto Hydro Energy Services spearheaded the energy-efficient lighting upgrades and provided support services to Benham for the HVAC improvements.

Upgrading to energy-efficient lighting
Lighting levels are extremely important to the tasks performed in the car and truck assemblies and the stamping plant. Proposed energy efficiency upgrades were designed to deliver the necessary lighting levels while lowering energy consumption. Newer, energyefficient T8 fluorescent fixtures, which use electronic ballasts, were installed to replace 2,500 existing T12 lighting fixtures in the main assembly areas and the stamping facility. In addition, a further 1,500 fixtures were retrofitted with electronic ballasts and more efficient T8 fluorescent lamps.

Targeted elimination of energy waste
Toronto Hydro Energy Services assessment of the facility found that a significant number of High Intensity Discharge fixtures at the ceiling level that weren't necessary and often interfered with the delivery of task lighting. More than 600 ceiling lights were turned off with no affect on lighting performance in the production areas. Further savings were realized by using sensors to regulate lighting in mechanical areas and plant offices where lighting could be turned on and off based on occupancy.

Fine-tuning air intake
During heating season, bringing in cold, outside air can have a sizeable impact on heating costs. Yet the nature of the work performed at GM requires a certain level of air intake to meet exhaust requirements. Controls were introduced to automatically regulate air intake to match exhaust requirements in order to maintain building air balance. The controls also provide the ability to shut fans off when the plant closes down. In addition, several Air Supply Houses, which heat the fresh air on intake, were changed from indirect to direct-fired gas heaters improving energy efficiency from 75% to over 90%.

Project fully completed in nine months
From initial assessment to implementation, the extensive project was completed in just nine months and costs came it at $4-million - significantly less than estimated. Financing was designed to use the $1.75 million in annual utility savings to provide positive cash flow to GM.

Toronto Hydro Energy Services was selected to partner with Benham on the GM - Oshawa project because of its experience and recognized expertise in this area, local presence and in-depth knowledge of the GM facility and operating environment. As Dale remarks, “We have a complex, highly-tuned operation and scheduling the project presented a number of challenges. But Toronto Hydro Energy Services showed that they knew their way around the shop floor and were sensitive to our safety requirements and collective agreements, ensuring the project came in on time and under budget.