Reducing Energy Costs Has Never Been Easier
By Anna Guy
When the property management team at Vancouver’s 789 Pender Street (owned by Triovest Realty Advisors) were looking to reduce the
energy consumption, and bill, on its property, they didn’t realize the solution would be found locally in Vancouver—they didn’t dream it could be done with zero system shutdown or capital costs.
Established in 2011 and going full scale to market in 2013, Kiko Water Systems is the brain child of Jeff Addison, Managing Director, and his team. With an ingrained passion for sustainability, Addison set out to create a product that would help reduce energy consumption in large commercial buildings—the single biggest consumers of energy and cause of related carbon emissions.
The HVAC Solution
The solution is a truly innovative green product that ties into existing building HVAC systems found in the buildings HVAC systems. “No one is really looking at water in terms of physics and the thermal transfer,” he says. “Water has a high heat capacity, and takes long time to heat and cool. This technology is great to lower the heat capacity and improve the thermal transfer.”
The technology Addison describes is the Kiko Water Systems proprietary cartridges. The science behind it is based on kinetic energy which alters HVAC water in order to make HVAC operations as efficient as possible. For those of us who aren’t physicists, it may seem slightly complex, but anyone can understand its benefits: by reducing operational costs, Kiko makes your building less costly to operate, less harmful to the environment, simpler to maintain and operate and more attractive to prospective tenants, all without any capital costs.
“Our cartridges are easily installed in water loops with no system shutdown, and save clients on average, 20 per cent of HVAC energy consumption in first couple of months,” says Addison. “Payback is almost immediate.”
Triovest saw the payback, and quickly added Kiko Water System to its local portfolio. Upon seeing positive results across the board, it expanded throughout their portfolio. Other clients, such as Four Seasons Hotels, Westin Hotels, and large-scale pension funds followed suit, both within Canada and internationally, excited by the immediate savings in energy consumption and cost in a broad spectrum of building types including new and existing buildings.
Award-Winning Product
The industry has also noticed. The Canadian Green Building Council honoured Kiko with the award for 2017’s Product of the Year. “Not only did the CaGBC acknowledge the dramatic results that we have been able to achieve in HVAC energy reduction, they also recognized the importance of how we deliver our technology. Since we started, our mission has been to provide clients with an easy, effective way to reduce GHG emissions, extend equipment lifespans, lower operating costs and monitor equipment performance without disruption.”
The company also received Canada’s Clean50 Top 15 Projects Award for 2017 from Delta Management Group. “We strive to help our clients to be successful,” says Addison, “but also want to save the environment. We have a pressing issue with pollution, and if we create a green solution that requires no system shut downs, low cost, and quick, measurable results, we are happy.”
“That’s how you become successful both in business, and personally. You have to believe in what you are doing.”
KikO Insight
On the topic of measurability, Addison is very excited about the company’s latest product to help clients increase energy savings. Called Kiko Insight, it’s an app that clients can follow along and monitor the HVAC performance improvements and energy consumption through your own property dashboard available online for you and your team. With real time energy and equipment monitoring, you can ensure your entire system is operating and efficiently as possible, 24/7. This service also enables entire BMS (Building Management Systems) to be operated and controlled remotely through Kiko Insight online as well.
“We really believe in transparency in all aspects of our business,” says Addison. “Through Kiko Insight, we are able to deliver our clients the same information we use, in real time, to see their savings and how to take the steps they want to further improve their systems.”
