Frequently asked questions about our solutions

When considering DrivePak™ as part of your energy reduction strategy, there are often a few key questions that arise. Here, we’ve collected a few of the most frequently asked questions, to present important information that can help you choose the right solution for your business.

We’re here to help and we’d love to explore your needs – so, please don’t hesitate to get in touch for a one-to-one discussion with our team.

What is DrivePak™?

DrivePak™ is an energy-saving upgrade for existing packaged rooftop air conditioning units, found in quantity on nearly all retail, restaurants, grocery, finance, travel and leisure, entertainment, federal, municipal and Government buildings, schools and universities.

What does “upgrade” mean?

It means that almost all standard rooftop units with years of remaining usable life can be upgraded to the newest variable flow, load-matching technology now being offered by major manufacturers in their newest designs – generating immediate cost savings.

Wasn’t my unit sized properly to begin with?

Yes and no. A rooftop air conditioning unit’s capacity is selected to produce a comfortable environment during the most extreme conditions of heating and cooling for the geographic area. There is only a very small fraction of the time during the year when these extreme conditions actually occur.

Engineers typically use ASHRAE guideline design data at “98%”, which means the design conditions only exist 2% of the time or less. Add into the design process a situation in which the estimated capacity needed falls “in between” sizes offered by the preferred manufacturer, the result is that the larger size is often selected by the design engineer, erring on the side of caution. Don’t forget, manufacturers try to ship the largest number of units, with the lowest possible cost – so they aren’t tuned to individual and specific needs. One size fits all may suit them, but it doesn’t suit your business.

So, standard rooftop unit blower fans have only one speed (100%) and that is the speed required to meet that extreme “design” condition. In effect, even a properly sized unit is “oversized” most of the time.

What happens exactly?

A variable speed drive is installed, along with a control interface board which reduces the speed of the rooftop unit’s blower fan. This standalone control logic “matches” the speed to the actual heating or cooling load as indicated by the “calls” for heating and cooling sent by the EMS system or thermostat. Air flow measurements are taken, and in almost every case, even the maximum cooling mode speed can be reduced from the existing full speed setting. The fan runs no faster than needed to meet the actual load required to condition the space.

How can slowing the fan save enough money to make sense?

Physics! Reduced fan speed dramatically reduces the power consumption of the motor. For a fan, 20% reduction in speed equals 44% reduction in power used, and a 50% reduction in speed results in a power reduction of approximately 83%.

In a real world, retail store example with seven rooftop units (4@ 7.5HP, 1@ 5HP and 2@ 3HP) and occupancy schedule of 9a-9p Monday thru Saturday, Sunday 11a-7p, with electricity cost of $.10/kWh, this speed reduction leads to a reduction of over 75% of the fan energy. This is equivalent to a reduction of over 100,000 kWh used and over $10,000 in cost savings.

What problems can this “over-sizing” cause?

The performance of most standard rooftop units suffers under these commonly occurring “part-load” conditions. In cooling mode, the large capacity of the unit cools the space to the setpoint quickly and the runtime for each cooling cycle is short. This produces a couple of negative results.

One is that short cycling shortens compressor life. Another common side-effect is higher than desired humidity levels in the space.

Some retailers have experienced this to the degree that they have resorted to replacing perfectly good rooftop units with smaller capacity units. Others have resorted to even more expensive units having special dehumidification capabilities… a tough way to spend valuable capital dollars, plus these units almost always use more energy!

How does reducing fan speed help improve the relative humidity?

In cooling mode, especially in stage one, the air moves more slowly across the cooling coil, removing more moisture from the air. The runtime of the compressors is also slightly extended, so that more efficient moisture removal takes place longer for each cooling cycle.

What other effects will DrivePak™ have on the comfort of my stores?

With continuous (but reduced) airflow when the cooling or heating is cycled on and off, the space temperature is also smoother and more consistent – improving customer comfort.

Won’t slowing the fan damage my compressor or freeze my coils?

Done incorrectly, this is certainly a possible result…. all the more reason to choose DrivePak™. Our installation teams combine technicians that have HVAC testing and balancing expertise with those having controls and electrical experience. They follow detailed installation procedures that include taking temperature, RPM and air flow measurements. Speed settings for each mode are then determined and custom-applied to each unit to prevent potential damage.

Wouldn’t it be cheaper to switch to “AUTO” fan mode when not heating or cooling?

No. Aside from the potential indoor air quality issues with turning the fan off when no heating or cooling is taking place, the cost is higher to operate the fan at 100% speed even at the reduced annual hours of operation in most cases. Multiple example calculations have shown that the annual operating cost of the fan with DrivePak™ can be less than half that of simply using AUTO mode and leaving the constant speed operation in place. A case can also be made that setpoints will have to be adjusted to avoid customer discomfort during the “off” cycles of the fan, using more energy.

My units are within 5 years of replacement. Why should I retrofit them with DrivePak™?

Not reaping the benefits of the savings and ROI over those five years is a big reason. The typical payback for DrivePakTM is under two years. Another is portability. When replacement of an RTU becomes necessary, DrivePak™ can be removed and re-installed on the new unit very easily – protecting your investment.

Are all the savings due to reduced consumption?

There should be a positive impact on the demand component of your electric bill as well. There is normally a demand spike when starting constant-speed motors. With DrivePak™, that spike is removed due to the “soft start” of a VFD.

Additionally, in almost every case we will reduce the maximum speed of each fan motor by at least 5%. Thus, each unit’s starting current will be reduced, as well as the overall total demand of the rooftop unit fan motors equipped with DrivePak™.

Does installing DrivePak™ improve my building’s power factor?

Yes. A VFD has a power factor of .96 to .98, while a constant speed motor is typically from .75 to .85. Each VFD installed improves the overall power factor. If you are in a situation where you are paying a penalty to your utility provider because your power factor is too low, your power factor penalty payment should be reduced, or possibly eliminated.

Will installing DrivePak™ cause my units to wear out faster?

No. In fact, longer equipment life can be expected. Starting “softly”, reduced vibration, and running at a lower speed will cause less wear and tear on mechanical equipment, such as bearings and belts.

What other benefits result from installing the DrivePak™ technology?

Quieter operation! Both mechanical and airflow noise will be reduced significantly. This can be especially important in some entertainment and retail facilities.

Any questions? Have we missed something? Just email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. – and we’ll be glad to help!

What is NexRev Freedom?

NexRev’s Freedom is a complete Energy Management System/Building Management System (EMS/BMS) tailored for commercial multi-site building owners, such as those in retail, restaurants, grocery, finance, travel and leisure, entertainment, federal, municipal and Government buildings, schools and universities.

What is an EMS/BMS?

An Energy Management System/Building Management System (EMS/BMS) is a system comprised of both hardware and software components that is put in place to give a building owner control over assets in their building (such as HVAC and lighting), as well as monitor and manage the energy used to run the building.

What is an “open” system?

An open system refers to an EMS/BMS that has the ability to communicate and integrate directly with many different devices. For example, NexRev’s Freedom system can integrate with HVAC units from Trane, Carrier, Lennox, and many others via different communication protocols, such as BACnet or LON.

What devices can be connected to a BMS/EMS?

The list is long and growing larger every day. Currently, any device that supports one of the many standard industry protocols (BACnet, ModBus, LON, etc.) can be connected to a BMS/EMS. This includes, but is not limited to, HVAC units, lighting systems, dimming systems, power generators, trash compactors, high velocity fans, security systems, ticketing systems, and so on.

What kind of savings should I expect from an EMS/BMS?

That depends on the current situation of your building (that is, do you already have some form of EMS/BMS in place?). In cases in which no EMS/BMS is present, energy savings of 40% can be realized by implementing an EMS/BMS. Our sales team would be happy to assess your situation and give estimates specific to you.

Can I manage multiple sites at one time?

Yes! NexRev has an industry-leading enterprise suite that allows the user to view all of their Freedom systems through a single windowpane. Additionally, the NexRev Enterprise Suite allows for users to make system changes to their entire portfolio at once, or even to specific segments of their portfolio, as the need dictates.

Is NexRev Freedom a Software as a Service (SaaS)?

Absolutely! NexRev Freedom uses a cloud-based service architecture which aggregates all system device communication, where each datapoint is processed and learned through time in order to gain full understanding of building performance and applies logic to automate responses.

Does Freedom include any reporting and analytics?

Yes! NexRev Freedom includes a full reporting and analytic software suite. This suite allows the user to build and save custom reports or use any of the pre-defined reports that come with the software suite. Want to know which sites are performing the most poorly? It’s as simple as a click of a button with NexRev’s Reporting and Analytics suite.

Do I have to get my Information Technology (IT) department involved to deploy Freedom?

No. NexRev can deploy Freedom without having any system devices residing on your data network. The NexRev Enterprise Suite is cloud-based, and NexRev can use a cellular gateway in each building to transmit data to and from the Enterprise Suite without ever having to burden your IT team.

Can NexRev DrivePak work with NexRev Freedom?

Yes! NexRev’s DrivePak is the premiere energy savings upgrade for packaged rooftop units (RTUs) and is fully compatible with NexRev Freedom. In fact, connecting DrivePak to Freedom allows you to ensure your investment in DrivePak is protected and yielding maximum benefit.

What sets Freedom apart?

NexRev Freedom is the premiere EMS/BMS for managing multi-site portfolios. Additionally, NexRev provides full nationwide deployments using our own self-performing crews. Throw in energy tools that enable intelligent remote control of your portfolio and a system that is compatible with open IoT integrations, and you have a future-proofed system that stands head and shoulders above the rest!