Lisa Markowski, ERS, for Zondits
Two Roads Brewing Co. is expanding its Stratford, Connecticut, operation with a focus on energy efficiency. The craft brewery has purchased 2.5 acres adjacent to its campus to build a separate facility for production of fruit-based sours and barrel-aged beverages without risk of cross-contamination. Construction of the 25,000-square-foot facility is slated to begin early in 2017 and be completed within a year.
Among the energy-efficient technology to be included in the project are highly efficient boilers, LED lights with motion sensors and “smart” controls (via the Internet or a building management system), process heat recovery systems, ample daylighting, and solar roof panels. Two Roads’ existing facility was one of only nine businesses included in a Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) pilot program to install Digital Lumens’ Intelligent LED Lighting System. The highly efficient fixtures incorporate individualized photo sensors and occupancy sensors and dimming control within a networked controls system that uses on-site monitoring, data collection, and analysis to verify energy-efficient performance. The $159,000 cost of these upgrades was covered by Energize Connecticut’s business program and the US Department of Energy. Two Roads realized a 67% energy savings (more than $17,000 per year) since installation of the system and is considering installing it in the new facility. In addition to its beverage production area, the $12 million expansion will include a tasting room for visitors and storage for 2,000 barrels.
New lighting system, campus expansion part of Two Roads’ growth
Connecticut Post, November 3, 2016
At Two Roads Brewing Co., it’s all about trying new things. And that doesn’t just apply to its craft beers.
The attitude is behind the company’s two latest projects: the installation of a new LED lighting system and plans to build a $12 million brewery next to its present facility on Stratford Avenue.
“We’re continuing to grow here,” said Brad Hittle, one of the co-founders. “The Two Roads brand is growing nicely so we need to expand for the capacity to make the beer for the demand we’re seeing.”
Creating an entirely new facility will allow the company to focus on sour and barrel-aging beers in a space that will not cross-contaminate the company’s other beer selection, said Peter Doering, also a co-founder. Doering said there are design details that have not been decided, like whether the new facility will have the same high-tech lighting system as the present space.
That system was installed early this year by Digital Lumens as part of a pilot program in which the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to receive grant funding to show the efficiency of LED lighting.
“We have always invested in energy efficient technology,” Doering said. “One, it’s the right thing to do. And two, you actually earn a rate of return on your investment.”
The company has saved thousands of dollars over the last 10 months the system has been in place, achieving a 67 percent energy savings.