With energy costs skyrocketing and businesses looking for ways to reduce those bills, the folks at Pentech Solutions are busier than ever.
The San Diego-based firm developed a new technology that closely monitors and controls the temperature settings of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment. Pentech calls its system, which is installed in the equipment and controlled via the Internet, eMAC.
“If there’s a problem with the equipment, the system will tell you what’s wrong so it can be fixed fairly quickly. Also, through the Internet, it provides a facility manager to control and manage those assets, and reduce the energy consumption, as well as extend the useful life of the equipment,” said Tom Crews, Pentech’s CEO.
Last year, the Applebee’s restaurant chain installed the eMAC system at 18 of its locations in the Kansas City area, where the chain is based. After about a year, the sites showed energy savings between 8 and 18 percent, Crews said.
“The system will result in energy savings, no question, but how much is saved depends on a number of factors, including the number of units, geography and the temperature variation,” he said.
Pentech began selling its units commercially late last year, and already has some 20 customers and about 500 devices in the field. The units cost about $1,000 but in a market such as San Diego where electricity is running about 20 cents per kilowatt hour, the investment will pay for itself in about a year, Crews said.
In addition to the retail industry, Pentech has sold its equipment to telecommunications firms, schools, medical facilities and office buildings.
Founded 11 years ago as a developer of independent power projects, Pentech Solutions changed its focus in 1996 as a provider of energy efficiency and management solutions aimed at small- to medium-sized businesses. The energy crisis affecting California is naturally spurring lots of new sales here, but interest is also increasing in New England and some of the mid-Atlantic states, Crews said.
Sales growth has boosted Pentech employment from about 16 staffers a year ago to 30 today. By the end of the year, the head count should reach 40, Crews said. “We’re looking for engineering talent for continued product research and development, sales and marketing people and for business development.”
