Engineers with General Dynamics Mission Systems are teaming up with the utility Eversource Energy to improve the energy efficiency at the company's 870,000-sq-foot facility in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The two companies began work last fall, developing and implementing a multi-year plan to reduce the energy used for lighting, heating and cooling operations at the facility by more than two million kWh per year.
Following an extensive analysis of energy use and energy loss, the team prioritized the conservation projects. The work began with replacing 125 exterior light fixtures with LEDs. The team also implemented an energy 'master control' system in the facility's chiller room to continuously monitor and adjust the building's heating and cooling functions based on the real-time demand for energy throughout the building.
Since the 1940's, the US Navy has leased the Pittsfield facility to General Dynamics. The location is a primary site for engineering and development associated with the Navy's Strategic Systems Programs, Littoral Combat Ship and other programs for the US Department of Defense.
