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Energy Savings Solutions for Self Storage Facilities
Port Angeles, WA -- Reducing energy costs and preventing heat loss is a constant challenge for owners of self-storage facilities, warehouses and other storage facilities. One company has developed a solution that is specifically geared to the self-storage industry. Warm Storage Units is a division of Temperature Retention Systems, based in Port Angeles, Washington. Warm Storage Units is a complete weatherization and temperature retention system designed to reduce costs by implementing what is referred to as “door curtains”.
The core of the warm storage units system is radiant barriers, which increase the R-Value of existing insulation in the facility. According to the company, studies have shown that a radiant barrier used with R-11 insulation improves the R-value of the insulation to R-30, and using the radiant barrier in combination with insulation is more effective than using a higher R-value insulation alone.
The company has developed technology that works with an insulated and weatherized “door curtain” that is installed behind the roll-up door of the storage unit and features conductive Velcro sensors and monitoring wires to insure closure and create a new revenue stream for the storage facility. The door curtains stop 98% of air flow and leakage through the front wall of the building envelope and roll-up doors, as well as reducing heat loss by 90%.
Marky Moore of Capital Review Group, a specialized consulting firm combining facility engineering with tax accounting to discover and develop high-value projects related to energy efficiency, reports that results of energy modeling completed using the Warm Storage Technology were excellent. “This technology far exceeds government guidelines for energy efficiency,” Moore confirms. “We can see the radiant barrier technology used by Warm Storage Units having a major impact on energy savings for storage facility owners.”
In addition, Moore explains that facility owners may benefit from tax deductions outlined in Section 179D of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. §179D includes full and partial tax deductions for investments in energy efficient commercial buildings that are designed to increase the efficiency of energy-consuming functions. The deduction available is up to $.60 per square foot for lighting, HVAC and building envelope, creating potential for $1.80 per square foot if all three components qualify. These deductions are applicable to buildings that were either built or retrofitted after December 31, 2005. In order to qualify for the deduction, the taxpayer must receive a third party energy efficiency certification.
Douglas Martin of Warm Storage Units outlines further revenue enhancements available to facility owners when using the door curtains. “Our monitoring system (embedded into the blankets) and software allow facility owners to automatically charge tenants a ‘Daily Energy Loss Fee’ if they do not secure the door curtain within their storage unit each time they depart,” Martin explains. “In addition, we have found that tenants are willing to pay more for heated storage units and will take responsibility for securing their unit in order to protect their belongings, resulting in added revenue and reduced energy costs.”
For those considering implementing the Warm Storage Units door curtain technology, Martin predicts a quick ROI through saved energy costs, potential tax savings and ancillary income generated by the optional monitoring system embedded into the door curtains. Moore points out that Capital Review Group routinely helps clients leverage tax solutions to actually implement energy saving solutions, so that business owners don’t need to seek outside financing or reduce valuable equity to get started with energy saving technology. Putting the right strategy into place can result in surprisingly significant savings and painless ways to pay for your project, reduce energy costs and include a new revenue stream for your self storage facility.
For more information on Warm Storage Units, please visit http://www.warmstorageunits.com/ or call (877) 670-WARM. For more information on Temperature Retention Systems, Inc. please visit www.temperatureretentionsystems.com or call (877) 700-5368.
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