Kai·April 14, 2025

When Irieveda Spice Blends faced increasing energy costs, they turned to energy metering. This helped them understand their energy use. Through metering and monitoring, they transformed their operations and saved money.

Emergent Metering empowered Irieveda Spice Blends to become energy-optimized.

The Challenge

Irieveda Spice Blends makes artisan spice blends. Their 15,000-square-foot facility is in Brooklyn. It includes grinding, blending, and packaging areas.

Energy costs had been rising steadily. Electricity bills grew 62% in five years. Natural gas costs also increased significantly. An old steam boiler and inefficient HVAC caused high use.

The company wanted to reduce energy use. But they lacked data on energy consumption. They could not prioritize improvements without this information.

The Approach

Phase 1: Energy Assessment and Metering

Irieveda hired Emergent Metering. We did an energy assessment. We also installed a crucial monitoring system.

Our assessment revealed key issues. Peak electrical demand happened in early afternoon. This was when all equipment ran together. Demand charges made up 38% of their electric bill. Natural gas use was higher than expected. This suggested leaks in the steam system.

Based on these findings, Emergent installed a monitoring system. This included:

• Three-phase electric submeters on main panels. These covered production, HVAC, and lighting.
• Individual circuit monitoring for large loads. This included the main grinder and packaging line.
• Gas metering on the boiler with temperature sensors. This calculated thermal efficiency.
• A cloud-based energy management platform. This collected and analyzed data effectively.

The total cost for the monitoring system was $12,000. This included hardware, installation, and one year of platform subscription.

Phase 2: Data Analysis and Findings

The monitoring system quickly provided insights. Within 30 days, key findings emerged.

How Efficient Was the Walk-in Cooler? The walk-in cooler compressor cycled too often. It ran about 18 hours daily. Expected use was 10-12 hours. Investigation showed bad door gaskets. Evaporator coils were also frosted. The cooler alone cost $850 per month in electricity. This was 12% of the total electric bill.

What About Boiler Losses? Gas meter data showed the boiler was only 68% efficient. It should have been 80-85% efficient. Inspection found steam leaks. A steam trap was also failing. Poor pipe insulation added to losses.

Was Lighting Being Wasted? Interior lighting ran 24/7. The facility only operated 10-12 hours, five days a week. There were no occupancy sensors or time controls. Employees often left lights on.

Where Were Demand Peaks Occurring? Peak demand regularly happened between 1 PM and 3 PM. This was when the grinder, packaging line, and HVAC ran together. Staggering equipment start times could cut demand by 15 kW.

Phase 3: Efficiency Improvements

Irieveda made improvements based on the data. They prioritized cost-effectiveness.

Immediate Actions (Low Cost):

• Replaced walk-in cooler door gaskets ($450).
• Cleaned and defrosted evaporator coils ($200).
• Set a lighting schedule using existing timers ($150).
• Staggered equipment start times to cut peak demand ($0).

Short-Term Investments (Payback Under One Year):

• Repaired steam leaks and replaced a steam trap ($2,800).
• Added pipe insulation to steam piping ($3,200).
• Installed occupancy sensors in certain areas ($1,100).

Medium-Term Investments (Payback One to Three Years):

• Replaced the walk-in cooler compressor ($4,500).
• Installed LED lighting ($6,800 after rebates).
• Tuned boiler combustion ($800 service call).

Total investment across phases was about $20,000. This used operating budget, rebates, and a loan.

The Results

Energy Savings

Energy consumption and costs dropped dramatically. This was 12 months after improvements.

Electricity Reductions:

• Consumption: Down 30% (28,500 kWh to 19,800 kWh).
• Peak demand: Down 24% (95 kW to 72 kW).
• Monthly bills: Down 35% ($6,800 to $4,400).
• Annual savings: $28,800.

Natural Gas Reductions:

• Consumption: Down 31% (1,800 therms to 1,250 therms).
• Monthly bills: Down 31% ($2,400 to $1,650).
• Annual savings: $9,000.

Total Savings:

• Annual energy savings: Approximately $37,800.
• Simple payback: Approximately 6 months. This was on a $32,000 investment.

Operational Benefits

Irieveda also saw other benefits.

• Extended equipment life: The new cooler compressor now runs efficiently. This means less wear and tear. Monitoring helps detect problems early.
• Improved product quality: Stable cooler temperatures improved ingredient storage. This led to more consistent products.
• Sustainability credentials: Irieveda promotes its energy efficiency. This appeals to eco-conscious customers.
• Utility rebates: Efficiency upgrades qualified for about $3,500 in rebates.

Ongoing Monitoring

Irieveda still uses the metering system. It provides monthly performance reports. These track trends and flag issues. Data also helps allocate energy costs to products. This improves cost-of-goods-sold calculations.

Lessons Learned

Irieveda's journey offers lessons for manufacturers.

• You can't manage what you can't measure: Monitoring data was vital. It showed where energy was wasted. The metering investment was key.
• Start with data, not equipment: Understand energy use first. Then invest in improvements. Irieveda's data-driven approach ensured smart investments.
• Low-cost actions have big impacts: Simple fixes saved many thousands. These actions had a low combined cost.
• Metering pays for itself: The $12,000 metering system found $37,800 in savings. It provides ongoing value.

Emergent Metering is proud of this partnership. Contact us to learn about metering for your facility. Energy metering can deliver similar results for you.

The Broader Business Impact of Energy Efficiency Investments

Energy efficiency benefits businesses greatly. It is not just good for the environment.

Energy costs impact profit margins. Especially for food manufacturers. Every dollar saved boosts the bottom line. This can effectively double profit margins.

Efficiency strengthens Irieveda's market position. Retail partners and consumers value sustainability. Energy efficiency helps meet these expectations. This can lead to better shelf placement.

Metering data offers operational insights. It improves production efficiency and quality control. For example, monitoring grinding equipment power reveals consistency. This correlates with product quality.

For other manufacturers, the key takeaways are clear. Technology is accessible. Payback is fast. Benefits extend beyond energy savings.

Rising energy costs make efficiency vital. Companies like Irieveda gain a competitive advantage. They have lower costs and better relationships. Data-driven operations also compound benefits over time.

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About Emergent Metering Solutions

Emergent Metering Solutions provides commercial and industrial metering hardware, installation support, and energy analytics services. We specialize in electric meters, water meters, BTU meters, compressed air meters, gas meters, and steam meters with Modbus RTU, BACnet IP, pulse output, and wireless communication options. Our Managed Intelligence services deliver automated reporting, anomaly detection, tenant billing, and AI-powered consumption forecasting. We support compliance with IECC 2021, ASHRAE 90.1-2022, NYC Local Law 97, Boston BERDO 2.0, DC BEPS, California LCFS, and EU CSRD requirements.

Contact our engineering team for meter selection guidance, system design, and project quotes.