The owner of a 107-year old home sought an advanced hydronic heating solution.

Wall Street Tower’s managers recently completed a sweeping $4.5 million renovation of the building, which was constructed in 1986.

When implementing high-efficiency boilers in retrofit situations, realizing the anticipated efficiency gains can be elusive. 

For the retrofit of a boiler system installed in the 1960s, the contractor selected Aquatherm Blue Pipe® polypropylene-random (PP-R) piping for the job because of its flexibility and material and labor cost savings.

Microprocessor-based, the Fuel-Mizer™ outdoor reset switching relay control is designed to regulate the supply water temperature of a single boiler, based on the outdoor temperature. With reduced supply water temperatures, substantial energy savings are achieved, the company said.

With residential new construction barely a blip on the radar these days, most contractors have shifted gears toward educating customers about the benefits of retrofitting older HVAC units with new high-efficiency equipment. In the northeast U.S., where hydronic systems are very popular, that often involves replacing older boilers.

Small-business owners in Pennsylvania can apply for 50-percent matching funds of up to $9,500 to adopt or acquire energy-efficient or pollution-prevention equipment or procedures through a Small Business Advantage Grant from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).