Money-saving products cut down on costs, time investment and hassles for facilities managers who need to maintain their buildings’ high performance while keeping budgets in check. BUILDINGS’ annual award program helps readers find the solutions that make their jobs easier.
This year, the BUILDINGS staff is highlighting 45 products designed to take the time, expense and headaches out of all aspects of facilities management. These products are the cream of the crop where using budget dollars, time and labor efficiently is concerned.
Like last year, we’ve also selected three products to receive the special distinction of Editors’ Choice. We felt these three standout products made a clear and powerful case for how they can save users money. Learn more below about why we chose these three as 2020 Editors’ Choice winners. We’re also featuring each one in its own podcast.
Check out all the winners below!
3 Editors’ Choice Winners
(in no particular order)
1. InformaCast Fusion | Singlewire | Life Safety/Security
InformaCast Fusion is a cloud-based emergency notification system sends text, audio and images to phones and other devices on the premises, such as desk phones, speakers, computers and digital signage. It integrates with other technologies that many buildings already have, like door locks and panic buttons. The platform can also be used for non-emergency functions like school bells and hospital visiting hours, broadening its use in facilities.
2. Thermoformed Drop-Out Ceilings | Ceilume | Interiors
The Thermoformed Drop-Out Ceiling Panels soften and drop out when sprinklers are activated. This reduces costs during installation by simplifying layout and coordination with the sprinkler installer. The panels are also impervious to water damage and are washable and stain resistant, so they can last longer than traditional ceiling tiles. The panels’ Noise Reduction Coefficient averages up to 0.85.
3. Interlaced Micro-Channel Heat Exchanger | Danfoss | HVAC
The interlaced micro-channel heat exchanger (iMCHE) integrates multiple circuits from a chiller or rooftop unit into a single coil with a shared heat transfer area. Each circuit is still controlled independently, but sharing the heat transfer lets one circuit turn off under part-load conditions while the active one is still able to use the entire heat transfer area.
The design allows existing systems to meet stricter future standards with only minimal redesign costs. Listen to the podcast now.
More Money-Saving Product Winners
Learn more about this year’s Money-Saving Products winners in the galleries below or check out the May/June 2020 issue of BUILDINGS. The products that were not chosen as winners this year will be featured in our magazine, e-newsletter and product database throughout the year.
Thank you to every company who participated in Money-Saving Products 2020. We can’t wait to see what 2021 will bring.
3 Building Automation and Energy Management Product Winners
Building automation and energy management products allow new ways of working for facilities professionals. The ability to gather, analyze and act on data streams from the energy-consuming equipment in your facility lets you make better decisions about where to invest time and money in upgrades and tune-ups. Check out these three building automation and energy management winners from 2020’s Money-Saving Products competition.
These wireless interfaces allow individual occupants to manage a room’s comfort settings. Lowers installation costs by eliminating the need to run wires and conduit. It can also lower lighting and HVAC energy consumption.
EcoStruxure Workplace Advisor | Schneider Electric
This IoT-based suite of digital services allows facilities managers to optimize space in flexible work environments. Detects occupancy and determines which rooms actually need to be heated, lit or cleaned, so facilities professionals can invest time managing spaces that are used most.
Power Defense | Eaton Corporation
That helps reduce the risk of costly downtime and lets personnel proactively target circuit breakers that need service or replacement rather than inspecting all of them. It can also measure energy consumption without investing in added meters, wiring or transformers.
6 Envelope & Roofing Product Winners
Protecting your building starts with the envelope and roof. The expensive assets inside your building depend on a strong, failure-free exterior for protection. Check out these 6 solutions to keep the elements out and rein the spending in.
LiquiTec is a fluid-applied waterproofing system that extends the life of aged modified bitumen, metal and single-ply roofing systems by forming a virtually impenetrable surface on top. It serves as a cost-effective alternative to a total roof replacement. Its fabric reinforcement provides extra protection.
Lapolla FOAM-LOK 750 Spray Polyurethane Foam Insulation | Icynene-Lapolla
Controllable rise of this insulation during application is neat and doesn’t require trimming, which is common with spray foam insulation and requires additional clean-up time on the job. Eliminating the trimming requirement reduces those costs. It can also reduce energy bills due to its high insulation value—it achieves R-22 in 2- by 6-foot wall assemblies.
Bordeaux Anodize | Linetec
It also provides energy savings through reduced HVAC loads and operational savings through reduced requirements for maintenance, repair and replacement.
RHEINZINK Zinc Facade Cladding and Wall Products | RHEINZINK
The zinc material is self-healing, low-maintenance and corrosion-resistant, lowering the envelope’s requirements for maintenance, repair and replacement. It’s 100% recyclable at the end of its useful life.
The ForceFront Storm hurricane and impact resistant entrances help protect people and property from windborne debris and rain, helping mitigate potentially expensive destruction during difficult circumstances.
They can also help lower energy savings through reduced HVAC loads and electrical use when they’re incorporated into matching thermally improved storefront and curtainwall with high-performance glass.
YWW 50 TU Thermally Broken Window Wall | YKK AP America Inc.
This thermally broken window wall system mirrors the look of curtainwall from the exterior while providing high thermal and acoustical performance. Using YWW 50 TU instead of a compatible curtainwall system can save up to 30-50% on installation, metal and glass.
9 HVAC Product Winners
Your HVAC system is one of the most versatile systems in your facility, adapting to the needs of every season. It accounts for roughly 30% of the total building energy consumption, according to the Energy Information Administration, so investing in high-performance HVAC equipment can pay significant financial dividends.
Check out these 9 HVAC solutions that target your heating and cooling spending.
Rooftop Dedicated Outdoor Air System | LG HVAC
HYDROVAR HVL Pump Controller | Bell & Gossett/Xylem Inc.
The embedded THDi filter extends the equipment’s life by improving the quality of grid energy, and the unit can also deliver an energy savings of up to 70%.
O3 Sensor Hub 2.0 | Delta Controls
O3 Sensor Hub 2.0 integrates several sensors into a single device. Connects easily to interactive dashboards and real-time energy analysis tools to enable smarter management strategies.
Live data ensures buildings and systems conform to high energy standards like those set by LEED, WELL, Passive House and net-zero energy status.
York YVAA Variable Speed Drive Air-Cooled Screw Chiller | Mfr
Building Connect+ | Mitsubishi Electric Trane
Building Connect+ requires less programming and fewer additional licenses than other platforms that control multiple units and devices.
MovinCool CM12 | MovinCool
Spot cooling can save thousands of dollars on cooling costs every year by allowing users to chill server rooms and computer systems even when the rest of the building has shut off its air conditioning. Installs quickly and easily with no special electrical connections.
Parity Energy Management System | Parity
Parity Energy management System generates utility cost reductions for multifamily buildings, with users experiencing an average reduction in electrical and gas spend of at least 15% per year. It arrives at its savings estimate after a complimentary building assessment conducted by a certified energy manager.
Thermal Energy Storage | Viking Cold Solutions
Thermal Energy Storage increases refrigeration efficiency by an average of 25% and lets users avoid costly demand and time-of-use charges.
6 Interiors Product Winners
Acoustical materials, ceilings, flooring and other interiors products all play important roles in creating comfortable, productive work environments. These 6 Money-Saving Products winners contribute to occupant satisfaction by improving acoustics, ensuring user comfort and requiring minimal maintenance.
Acoustiblok | Acoustiblok
SimpleCurve Molding | Armstrong Ceiling & Wall Solutions
Installing curved drywall ceilings is challenging and labor-intensive. SimpleCurve Molding doesn’t need to be hand-cut into curves on-site, so installers can get on and off the job faster than with traditional installation methods.
Rejuvenations Restore | Armstrong Commercial Flooring
Rockfon Cinema Black | ROCKFON
The factory-painted panels also don’t require touch-up or much clean-up, helping save labor, time and expense during installation.
Shower Beads | Trim-Tex
They’re designed for high-use, high-moisture bathrooms and install quickly and easily while saving installers money on materials like mud.
QuickFlex Walls | VARI
6 Janitorial, Water & Washroom Product Winners
Keeping your facilities clean and functional is what janitorial, water, plumbing and restroom products are all about. These 6 products keep your spending under control while helping you maintain a clean, comfortable building.
Navigator Thermostatic Mixing Valve | Bradley Corp.
The STP series is a line of fully packaged storage water heaters with a double wall brazed plate heat exchanger that replenishes hot water efficiently.
Features recovery rates of 600 to 10,800 gallons per hour with 180 degree F. boiler water for 100 degree F. temperature rise. Compatible with building management systems. Choose from a standard carbon steel tank with a double glass lining or a duplex stainless steel model.
PIG Water Absorbing Products | New Pig
Lumecel: AutoFoam and Microburst 3000 Dispensers | Rubbermaid Commercial Products
AutoFoam, a touchless foam soap and sanitizer dispenser, and Microburst 3000, an automatic air freshener, both use this technology. Lumecel eliminates the cost of buying, storing and disposing of alkaline batteries.
The extra capacity means staff members don’t have to refill it as often and can focus on other tasks. The three-second dispensing time also encourages fewer restroom delays for users.
Vmax V2 | World Dryer Corporation
It dries hands in 10-12 seconds while using 1,000 watts—roughly 40% less energy than competitors while maintaining high performance. The water tray keeps water from pooling on the floor.
7 Life Safety & Security Product Winners
There’s nothing more important than the safety of people in and around your building. These 7 life safety and security products help you manage access, notification and surveillance in your building quickly and easily.
The EntryDefender Door protects sensitive buildings like government facilities, pharmacies, dispensaries and manufacturing buildings from mob-style attacks for up to 60 minutes, potentially protecting millions of dollars in product, preventing costly repairs and property damage and, most importantly, protecting lives. Architects can include large openings in project designs without risking protection or having to allocate extra money to reinforce the entrance.
ClevercitiCard provides integrated, frictionless permit payment and parking guidance for drivers and can also be used to provide access to gated or secure areas. Reduces the workload for parking administrators and creates a more reliable path of payment.
This cloud-based access control as a service solution offers lower upfront costs, reduced maintenance, enhanced portability and continual, future-proof security updates compared to traditional access control systems. Updates occur automatically so users always have the most complete version of Velocity.
Virtual Security Operations Center | Pivot3
Security teams can securely access video and security information anywhere, which improves situational awareness and enables faster response times. The virtual stations are more cost-effective, resilient and secure than physical workstations and only require maintenance for one system, reducing ongoing expenses.
This IP-based life safety network optimizes system design and installation flexibility while increasing the capacity, speed and performance of the owner’s network. Installers can program every panel from a central location instead of physically visiting each panel. Upgrades can be finished in a few minutes during network expansion, which saves on labor costs.
TYCO LFP Antifreeze can protect users from severe financial loss and property loss by protecting against freeze damage, which can lead to broken pipes and stop a fire protection system from becoming operational during a fire. As an agency-listed antifreeze, it won’t contribute to fueling fire events. Also reduces property damage via corrosion mitigation.
VMS One transforms security operations centers by enabling data-driven security management and response, increasing operational efficiencies and reducing costs.
Solutions and systems integrate into one common platform that provides notifications for increased situational awareness. Investigators streamline work, learn faster and improve the organization’s security performance.
5 Lighting Product Winners
Creating a comfortable and functional building starts with putting the right amount of light in the right places. These 5 lighting products ensure you can meet that challenge without wasting money in the process.
SpectraClean | Hubbell Lighting, Inc.
SimpleSeal CSERO | Kenall Lighting
Blade is a high-output LED luminaire that can replace other task lighting over workstations. The pendant also serves as a cost-effective acoustic solution; both sides of the pendant are exposed, which doubles the surface area that can absorb noise.
Limelight is a wireless lighting control solution that enables remote control and management, saves energy and enhances safety in outdoor spaces and parking facilities.
The high-density mesh technology keeps communication reliable and extends its range.
Want more money-saving products? Here are 65 product winners from 2019.
