Energy Efficient
Commercial Instrumentation Services, Inc. finds ways to save clients money
For K-12 school districts, keeping an eye on energy consumption can save taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars. It’s also a big part of what Commercial Instrumentation Services, Inc. (CIS) does each year through energy performance evaluations.
CIS, a division of HVAC, Inc., employs more than 140 team members made up of steamfitters, plumbers, electricians and sheet metal professionals. Although the staff focuses primarily on the design and installation of building control systems, it can also provide other services to address a full range of mechanical needs for refrigeration, heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems.
“We work with Johnson Controls, a manufacturer of distributed energy storage products that include both hardware and software, to go into the schools and evaluate their energy consumption and make recommendations on the installation of particular equipment to save money over the long haul,” says James Gerardi, COO for CIS. “These energy performance evaluations allow school districts to offset the expenses of major building improvements with operational cost savings.”
Such efficiency improvements could save school districts thousands or even millions of dollars over the coming years, James says. School districts may replace equipment or improve their building automation systems to obtain the maximum benefits.
CIS also works with Johnson Controls to help schools improve control of their building systems by using web- and computer-based programs that make it possible to adjust the temperature of individual rooms, set boiler temperatures, and make other precise adjustments from a phone or a computer. According to James, these building management systems have been a growing part of his company’s business for the past 20 years or so. “The schools are getting a return on their investment when they can put all of their equipment on a schedule. That saves a lot of money when you think about shutting off equipment like fans when they aren’t being used,” he says.
Plus, CIS provides a lot of routine maintenance for 52 school districts, amounting to project work worth millions in annual sales.
History Lesson
CIS started out in the late 1970s as a pneumatic temperature control business, but over the years it has evolved tremendously to the multiplatform firm it is today, James says. “The day-to-day mantra for the team focuses on the company motto: quality doesn’t cost, it pays,” he explains. “Quality is what we expect; we’re not the cheapest company in town, but I consider us one of the best in town.”
The Deer Park, New York-based firm started in 1978 under the guidance of James’ uncle, Lee Finguerra, in Brooklyn. Lee and his former partners dissolved the firm and moved to Long Island in 1984. Lee started the business up again with James and two cousins: Mark Finguerra (who serves as CFO) and Brian Salzano (who serves as Vice President of Systems). Mark’s wife, Jane Finguerra, is also one of the owners. With her leadership, the firm is certified in the state of New York as a Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE).
According to James, Brian is also “the controls guru for the firm.” He designs the controls programs and building management systems for clients. As COO, James oversees daily operations and sales activities.
In the late 1980s, the team members saw a need to add air conditioning systems and equipment to their pneumatic temperature controls business. Soon after, they added installation services to their repertoire. By the mid-1990s, the company went union and joined the Enterprise Association of Steamfitters Local 638; the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 25; the United Association of Plumbers, Fitters, Welders & Service Techs Local 200; and, most recently, the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers Local 28.
“We were already paying the prevailing wage. Being a part of the unions allows us to have an apprenticeship program, which is a great way to teach the technicians and have them graduate as stellar workers,” James says. “We’ve had five valedictorians come out of the union so far.”
Training is very important to the firm, James continues. “I’m big on sending our team members to classes for the equipment we’re installing. Most manufacturers have seminars for their systems. I like for the team to get those certifications. We have sent employees to Texas to get trained from Yazaki Energy Systems on their chillers. We get trained every two years on the equipment we work on to stay up to date,” he says.
Growing the Firm
James says the firm services and installs refrigeration systems and commercial air conditioning systems. CIS also designs, installs and services automatic control systems, and services both commercial and residential boilers and burners of all sizes. High-tonnage air conditioning equipment and all rigging are serviced in-house, he says. Large mechanical projects are also on the menu of services.
“We have about 50 trucks on the road with 45 mechanics and we tend to grow a little more every year by adding more equipment, more projects and more people,” James says. “With a bonding line of $50 million, we’ve never had a blemish on our bond. That reputation is what is helping us to grow.”
The projects CIS has worked on include completing a combined heat and power automatic controls job for New York City’s Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum complex. The educational and cultural nonprofit institution’s museum is located on the aircraft carrier Intrepid. CIS also serviced the boilers and temperature controls for the museum and the aircraft carrier itself, James says.
In addition, CIS provides ongoing services for Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), a multipurpose research institution funded primarily by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. It is located in the center of Long Island. For example, James says CIS recently installed a cooling tower at BNL.
Other organizations for which CIS has performed service or installations include more than 150 school districts, universities and government entities; Stony Brook University Hospital; and Kings Plaza Shopping Center in Brooklyn. CIS also works routinely with a number of New York Sports Clubs.
Business is brisk and James says CIS likes to be a part of the bigger community by supporting charitable causes, such as sponsoring a number of local golf tournaments. But, the biggest event the company does each year is its Thanksgiving turkey giveaway to the Wyandanch Union Free School District. CIS contributes 2,500 turkeys to the cause.
“It’s nice to give back a little,” he says. “We’ve been very fortunate to do so well. My personal philosophy is ‘too blessed to be stressed,’ and I live my whole life like that—even at work.”