BIG RESULTS FOR EQUITY RESIDENTIAL’S MICRO-CHP PROJECT
Dalkia Aegis, in partnership with Eversource, installed micro-CHP systems, a smaller-scale version of Combined Heat and Power (CHP), at three Residential Equity properties in Cambridge: Church Corner Apartments, The Lofts at Kendall Square, and Third Square Apartments. These systems maximize energy use by using natural gas to both generate electricity and provide heat or hot water.
How Dalkia Aegis, EDF Group Helped Save Equity and Emissions
Quick Facts
- Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Equipment: Three (3) 35 kW micro-CHP systems, one (1) each at three (3) buildings
- In Operation Since: 2017
- Type of Site: Multi-Unit Residential
- Backup Power: No
- Use of Electrical Energy: Displaces building loads previously supplied by the local utility
- Use of Thermal Energy: Displaces heat for use in domestic hot water and comfort space heat
- Environmental Benefits: 430 tons reduction in CO2, the equivalent to taking
Equity Residential is a publicly traded real estate investment trust that invests in apartments—the first apartment company to be included in the S&P 500. With 309 properties consisting of nearly 80,000 apartment units across some of the most lucrative markets including southern California, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., New York City, Boston, Seattle and Denver, one path to the company’s success lies in energy savings.
To that end, the company has committed to reducing energy and greenhouse gas emissions as a fundamental long-term sustainability strategy. With that in mind, Equity Residential seeks out opportunities to make the most of new technology applications that improve both the comfort and performance of its buildings while reducing their environmental impacts. One such technology is micro-CHP. When the opportunity to finance the installation project through the Mass Save® Program, an energy incentive program benefitting customers of Eversource, presented itself, Residential Equity jumped at the chance to take advantage of the opportunity.
Dalkia Aegis’ Role
Equity Residential owns and manages 27 properties in the Metro-Boston area. In 2017, Dalkia Aegis, in partnership with Eversource, installed micro-CHP systems, a smaller-scale version of Combined Heat and Power (CHP), at three Residential Equity properties in Cambridge: Church Corner Apartments, The Lofts at Kendall Square, and Third Square Apartments. These systems maximize energy use by using natural gas to both generate electricity and provide heat or hot water.
All told, these systems have lowered Equity Residential’s energy costs by more than $90,000 a year since their installation. What’s more—Eversource, through the Mass Save program, provided incentives of $102,000 to offset the upfront costs of the projects. This helped Equity Residential realize a return on investment of 20% and a 5-year payback.
These were the first micro-CHP systems Equity Residential installed but after seeing the energy savings of these projects, they have since installed them at other properties throughout their national portfolio.
“While micro-CHP is a relatively new technology, with the incentives provided by Eversource through Mass Save we saw that it not only aligned with our commitment to sustainability but also made business sense. We’re proud to be an early adopter of the micro-CHP and grateful for our partnership with Eversource and Dalkia Aegis that made it possible,” said Sagar Kapadia, equity residential sustainability manager.
Ready to Make a Move on Micro-CHP?
Interested in learning more about CHP, micro-CHP or how Dalkia Aegis can design a system to meet your facility’s unique needs? Contact a Dalkia Aegis representative today for an in-depth energy analysis and comprehensive plan to learn how a Dalkia Aegis CHP system can integrate with your existing building infrastructure.