EveryCalc

Finance category

Mortgage, loan, investing, tax, and money calculators.

Browse finance

Central Plant Efficiency Calculator

Central plants save energy at scale.

SF
$
%

Annual savings

$190,000

Current energy cost

$950,000

New energy cost

$760,000

How the math works

Current = SF × PSF. Savings = current × improvement %.

$950k current energy cost × 20% = $190k annual savings.

How to Use

  1. Enter building SF.
  2. Enter current energy cost PSF.
  3. Enter efficiency improvement %.
  4. Read annual savings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Central vs distributed?

Central plant: shared chiller, boiler, cooling tower serves building. Distributed: per-unit PTAC/fan coil units. Central more efficient (10-30% energy savings), better maintenance, longer life, higher initial cost.

Typical savings?

250k SF office: central saves $1-3/SF annually in energy = $250k-750k. 300-unit multifamily: $100-300/unit/yr = $30k-90k. ROI typical: 5-10 years on conversion; longer but worthwhile on new construction.

Retrofit vs new?

New construction: central plant adds $5-15/SF cost, pays back in energy. Retrofit: $30-80/SF for full central — payback 10-15 years, often uneconomic. Partial retrofit (modern boilers, controls): better ROI than full replacement.

How often should I rerun this?

Rerun this calculator whenever inputs change materially — new rent roll data, rate moves, loan balance updates, or quarterly operating data. For active deals, monthly refresh is typical. For stabilized assets under monitoring, quarterly is fine. Treat the output as a decision tool, not a one-time answer — market conditions evolve and so should your analysis.

Related Calculators

More Finance Calculators

Browse all finance

Keep exploring

Next steps in Finance

View finance hub →