Kansas City Board of Trade Building –

Proactive building optimization is key to maximizing asset value and reducing operational costs. Area Real Estate Services partnered with Blackfin to modernize Kansas City Board of Trade Building’s infrastructure—a six-story, 165,000-square-foot Class A commercial facility housing both office and retail tenants. This multi-tenant building accommodates a diverse range of businesses, from architectural firms to dining establishments. Together, they implemented Blackfin’s Retro-Commissioning (RCx) process and Active Management services to evaluate and optimize the building’s existing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems for energy and operational improvements.

Challenge

Area Real Estate Services sought to enhance the energy efficiency and overall operation of the Kansas City Board of Trade building. This six-story, 165,000 square foot Class A commercial building, housing office space and retail storefronts with varying operational schedules and a shared mechanical system, presented the challenge of optimizing energy consumption while maintaining consistent tenant comfort.

Solution

Blackfin provided a two-phased solution:

1. Retro-Commissioning (RCx): Blackfin initiated the project with its Retro-Commissioning process to identify initial energy savings and operational improvements. This involved a thorough evaluation of the existing Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems.
2. Active Management: Following the RCx process, Blackfin implemented Active Management services. This ongoing approach allowed Blackfin to “learn the building’s personality” and incrementally modify the system to further optimize performance and reduce additional energy consumption, all while maintaining occupant comfort.

Blackfin’s approach focused on:

• Chiller plant optimization
• Air handling unit optimization
• Hot water plant optimization
• First-year active management with a dedicated employee focused on additional savings

Results

Blackfin’s Retro-Commissioning and Active Management strategies delivered substantial operational and financial improvements.
The project achieved over $70,000 in annual savings (more than double the projections), a 21% reduction in electrical utility consumption, and a peak demand reduction of over 100kW.

These improvements were accompanied by enhanced operational efficiency, including improved alarm management and increased maintenance staff efficiency, while maintaining and improving tenant comfort.

Let’s take a closer look at the impact.

Energy Reduction Results

To achieve substantial energy savings and optimize building performance, Blackfin implemented a series of targeted Energy Efficiency Measures (EEMs):

Blackfin’s expertise in energy management delivered significant reductions in electrical utility consumption and peak demand and achieved a 21% reduction in electrical utility consumption and a peak demand reduction of over 100kW.

Cost Savings Results

Blackfin’s Retro-Commissioning and Active Management strategies delivered significant financial returns, demonstrating a simple payback achieved in just 5 months.

These strategies also generated annual savings of $70,000, and resulted in an annual cost per square foot decrease of $0.43, representing a 21% cost reduction.

Annual electric spend reduced from $343,000 to $273,000

Annual cost per square foot reduced from $2.08 to $1.65  

Improved Operations & Occupant Comfort

Blackfin’s solutions extended beyond energy reduction to enhance overall operational efficiency and the tenant experience. This was achieved through improved alarm management (reducing nuisance alarms), increased maintenance staff efficiency, reduced operational runtime on existing equipment, and a focus on maintaining and improving tenant comfort.

Conclusion

Blackfin’s Retro-Commissioning and Active Management services provided Area Real Estate Services with a comprehensive solution that significantly decreased utility consumption, increased building performance, and maintained tenant comfort, all while respecting the historical significance of the Kansas City Board of Trade building. This case study demonstrates Blackfin’s ability to deliver energy savings, operational improvements, and cost-effectiveness for commercial building owners and property managers, even in landmark properties.

To learn more about how Blackfin can optimize your facility’s operations and achieve similar results, contact Blackfin to discuss RCx and Active Management for your facility and the potential savings available to you.