Lochinvar KNIGHT: A Model for Energy Retrofits In Canadian Apartment Complexes

Case Studies

by Lochinvar Marketing Department | 06/26/2013

In Cranbrook, British Columbia, several apartment complexes have recently undergone energy retrofits that have significantly reduced the buildings’ fuel consumption. The team at Wolseley® Canada has worked with contractors such as Bruder Plumbing & Heating to replace the existing boilers in three different apartment buildings – most of which had been in place for 30-50 years and were as large as 1.5 million Btu/hr units.

Based on the success of the first retrofit jobs at area apartment complexes, Wolseley Canada has continued to recommend the KNIGHT™ Heating Boiler from Lochinvar® as a replacement model. “So far with every one of these jobs, the KNIGHT has exceeded our expectations – delivering anywhere from 30% to 35% yearly energy savings with some months exceeding a 50% reduction over previous years’ consumption,” said Derrick Buck of Wolseley Canada. 

Each of these 16-24 unit multi-family apartment buildings have two 285,000 Btu/hr KNIGHT Boilers and a single 119-gallon Squire® Indirect Water Heater. This system provides energy efficient space heating and domestic water heating for residents.

Steve Bruder, owner of Bruder Plumbing & Heating, states, “The compact size of both KNIGHT and Squire, as well as the SMART SYSTEM operating control on the KNIGHT, make for a really clean, easy installation. Add their incredibly high efficiency to the mix, and it’s a really solid combination.”

According to Derrick Buck, “The property managers at these complexes have told us that their residents have taken note of the positive differences, reporting that the buildings no longer overheat during shoulder seasons and their hot water supply has never been better.”

As a result of these successful energy retrofits, the Wolseley team also recently completed another KNIGHT and Squire installation at an area church, and they have five additional jobs currently in the works – all of which will include high-efficiency Lochinvar equipment.