A new retrofit device that will help businesses save money on the energy used by their air-conditioning or refrigeration units was recently deployed in 13 self-storage facilities operated by Veritage Management Inc. The ECO3, produced by Smartcool Systems Inc. and distributed by Global Energy Services (GES), can be installed on any air conditioning or refrigeration unit with one or two compressors, and will save an average of 15 percent of the energy used by that system.

Prompted to action by record-high temperatures in summer 2010, Vertiage Vice President Matt Lundstrom said the company needed an answer to high electricity bills. The 214-device deployment of ECO3 in its self-storage facilities is part of the companys solution. The device was first evaluated at Bee Ridge Storage facility in Sarasota, Fla., where the 11 air-conditioning units included in the trial experienced a 26 percent gain in efficiency, according to Bob Burton, VP Sales for GES.

According to the GES website, the most significant feature of the ECO3 is its ability to save energy on the cooling and heating cycles of compressor-driven heat pumps, significantly increasing the opportunity for energy savings. The device can be installed quickly in any location without additional protection from the elements. The large display screen allows for easy monitoring of the amount of energy it is saving.

Global Energy Services, headquartered in St. Petersburg, Fla., specializes in sustainable energy, conservation, green initiatives and new technologies.

Smartcool Systems manufactures and distributes the Energy Saving Module (ESM) and the ECO3, which make refrigeration and air conditioning systems more efficient, resulting in proven cost savings, reduced energy consumption, and a smaller carbon footprint. More than 26,000 units have been installed worldwide for customers such as supermarkets, food distributors, telecom, hospitals and hotels.