Cintas
Rockford, IL
Thomas Zolper
Northern Illinois University, DeKalb
Cintas is an industrial laundering facility that has many locations throughout
the country, providing uniforms, towels and sanitary equipment services
to thousands of businesses. The Cintas facility in Rockford employs about
105 people and washes uniforms for a variety of services in the region,
including restaurants, mechanics, landscapers and more.
The intern worked on several projects, but primarily focused on determining
methods whereby the utility (water, natural gas, and electricity) consumption
could be reduced or better economized to complete more textile cleaning
processes. Other projects included producing detailed maps of steam, compressed
air, natural gas, and hot and cold water lines.
Result:
- Thirteen EXIT signs bearing pairs of incandescent bulbs were replaced
with seven new LED fixtures and six LED retrofits for an annual electrical
saving of $306.
- The intern recommended that reducing unnecessary lighting by utilizing
occupancy sensors and creating task lights could save approximately
$1080 annually.
- By using ultrasonic leak detection equipment, it was determined that
repairing compressed air leaks and closing lines after shift will annually
save $600 and $360 respectively.
- It was estimated that repairing steam leaks could save $3,916 annually.
- Putting the dryer intakes inside the building near the roof has the
potential to draw higher temperature air most of the year as well as
to prevent the need to heat cold or moist exhaust air drawn from outside
in the winter, providing a 6 percent to 8 percent savings or annual
savings of $11,211.
- The reuse of final rinse water for industrial washers as first rinse
for subsequent cycles offers the possibility of saving up to 50 percent
of the water used in washing for an annual savings of $16,900. With
a more sizable investment, it would be possible to continuously re-circulate
water through a treatment and filtration system, adding make-up water
only when needed. The initial cost of this work would be significant,
but the projected annual savings of $33,800 might justify the project.
- It may be possible to use the hot boiler exhaust to preheat water
from the water softener to the water heater. About 4,000 gallons of
water pass through the softener each day. The potential for savings
was estimated to be $9,230.
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