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INDUSTRY NEWS


New F.W. Webb facilities utilize hybrid solar-geothermal system


WATERFORD, CONN. — JM Coull Inc., with offices in Shelton, Conn., is building F.W. Webb’s newest branch facility in Waterford. JMC has teamed with Design Science archi- tects to deliver the design-build proj- ect for April 2011. Construction began in July on the


multi-purpose building, which will feature a showroom for F.W. Webb’s plumbing supply products, office and self-serve areas and a warehouse. An important feature of the project


is the closed loop hybrid solar-geot- hermal system, to be used for heating and cooling the facility and for hot water. The state-of-the-art system combines geothermal and solar tech- nologies to handle 85% of the heating and cooling load for the building. Built-in efficiencies maximize sys- tem performance, saving energy and reducing operating costs. Twelve 500-foot earth-coupled


boreholes — each of which contains a closed-loop, U-tube heat ex- changer — will allow the building to make use of the relatively constant temperatures below the earth’s sur- face, which is warmer than the sur- face in winter and cooler in summer. Variable-frequency-driven (VFD) pumps will circulate water through the system, saving energy by match- ing the pump speed to the fluctua- tions in demand. Fifty roof-mounted thermal solar


panels are integral to the system, har- nessing solar energy and feeding it into the 10,000-gallon underground solar storage tank. High efficiency and lower environmental risk features include the use of a solar panel drain- back configuration using plain water instead of glycol, which eliminates the need for efficiency-robbing heat exchangers or glycol additives. A sin- gle evacuated tube, high-temperature


thermal solar panel will provide do- mestic hot water. JM Coull preconstruction project


manager Andrew McBeth has worked with F.W. Webb to evaluate options for using geothermal and solar technology in several of its re- cent construction projects. A recently completed facility in Hyannis, Mass., and a project that will soon begin construction in Boston both include hybrid solar/geothermal systems. “Technological advancements in


alternative energy have provided us with a variety of options to consider,” said McBeth. “We used an open-loop system in Hyannis because it was well suited to the sandy soil condi- tions. An open-loop system uses water pumped directly from the ground and returns it to the same aquifer via another well. Sandy soil is easily infiltrated and naturally fil- tered, helping the open-loop system


•THE WHOLESALER® — JANUARY 2011


to operate efficiently. “In Waterford, we originally con-


sidered using two 2,000-foot bore- holes, but the cost of drilling proved prohibitive. We settled on the 12 shallower holes because the loss in efficiency was minimal and the re- turn on investment made better sense. F.W. Webb can expect to see a return in six to 10 years, when the cost of the system will be balanced by fuel savings.” An added benefit for F.W. Webb is


the opportunity to showcase the equip- ment they sell for geothermal and


The state-of-the-art system combines geothermal and solar technologies to


handle 85% of the heating and cooling load for the building. Built-in


reducing operating costs.


efficiencies maximize system performance, saving energy and


solar heating and cooling systems. The Waterford project will include a train- ing room for demonstrating F.W. Webb products. An area in the ware- house near the training room will af- ford an open view of the operational geothermal system. Construction of the new facility


will make use of pre-engineered tech- nology, employing a 67,000-square- foot metal building from Butler Manufacturing with split-faced ma- sonry block. A 30-foot clear height, combined with a narrow-aisle rack- ing system, will maximize storage area in the warehouse. The site also accommodates parking and 40,000 square feet of paved, outside storage. The location, easily visible and ac- cessible from I-95, brings F.W. Webb closer to its customer base in south- eastern Connecticut and provides an opportunity to improve its service to the region. “The Waterford location is impor-


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tant to F.W. Webb’s expansion into Connecticut. It provides excellent ac- cess for our customers, in addition to creating 30 new jobs in the area,” said Phil Vultaggio, general manager of the Waterford facility. “F.W. Webb is ex- cited about the opportunity to serve the market in the Waterford area. We’re particularly enthusiastic about having the hybrid solar-geothermal system in our new facility. Webb is committed to helping our customers explore options for alternative energy, and this just makes it easier to demon- strate what these systems can do.”


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