Johnson Controls teamed up with Controlco Inc, and Midwest Mechanical Services & Solutions to significantly improve operations at the largest non-profit Foodbank in the St. Louis area. By integrating the Verasys control system manufactured by Johnson into their current system, as a team, they were able to reduce costs and increase energy savings all at once.

In the fall of 2016, the Foodbank contacted the team with the desire to update existing technology in its office area. The three companies were able to offer a beta installation of Verasys system, which was seamlessly integrated into the Food bank’s existing Facility Explorer. Facility Explorer is a building automation system that provides scalable, system-wide supervision and control to improve occupant comfort, reduce energy usage and optimize operating efficiencies.

One of the Foodbank’s goals in this process was to reduce their carbon footprint which the new Verasys system paired with the existing Tactility Explorer can help supply for them. The Foodbank distributes over 116,00 pounds of food and personal care items to those in need each day and the more they can save on everyday expenses the more they can deliver to those in need.

“The Foodbank consistently seeks out ways to reduce expenses in order to provide as much food as possible to families in need,” said Frank Finnegan, president and chief executive officer, St. Louis Area Food bank. “Adding Verasys will not only reduce utility costs, it also ties directly into our ongoing green initiative and commitment to sustainability.”

 

The new system enables the Foodbank to remotely monitor its vital dry goods storage and refrigeration/freezer warehouses. The Foodbank is also now able to set HVAC systems to an unoccupied mode with the employees are away from the office which has increased energy savings by 11 percent. Not only can Verasys better serve the company’s green initiative, but its remote access capabilities can also:

• Provide predictive and preventative controls solutions
• Give the Foodbank the power to design, control and optimize their ecosystem
• Allow for easy access to critical facility information which will minimize the risk of unplanned downtime and costly repairs

In the end, Verasys proved to be the right choice in creating a smarter building for the Foodbank . The St. Louis Foodbank is the first in Missouri to have the Verasys controls system installed and the organization could not be happier with the results. Having access to remote controls has helped them identify HVAC issues early on which have also contributed to cost savings.

Down the road, the Foodbank hopes to take on more retrofit projects and extend Verasys to additional areas inside its distribution center.

“We’re always looking to incorporate the latest technology into our facility which will help us better serve our employees and in turn, better serve those in need throughout the bi-state region,” Farmer said.

Interested in the Verasys Control System by Johnson Controls? Contact Tower Equipment’s Professionals today for pricing, questions, or simply for more information at: