Small Box Energy™ and Continental Control Systems Team Up to Bring Energy Savings to Restaurants

Chameleon Energy Management™ Utilizes WattNode® Plus Energy Meter and Accu-CT™ Current Transformer for Accurate, Affordable Energy Control

BOULDER, Colo. — April 26, 2012 — Continental Control Systems today announced that Small Box Energy™ has adopted its electric power metering solutions to bring energy savings to small box retail environments. The company has integrated Continental Control Systems' WattNode® Plus energy meter and the Accu-CT™ revenue-grade current transformers into its comprehensive Chameleon energy management solution used by small box retail stores, convenience stores, and quick service, fast casual, and casual dining restaurants.

Chameleon energy management solution adapts to meet the specific needs of small box retailers and restaurant operators. Some operators require more data and others appreciate the set-it-and-forget-it control capacity. Energy management solutions can range from metering only to fully integrated platforms controlling HVAC, lighting, kitchen equipment, refrigeration, and temperature monitoring. By optimizing high energy demand equipment and minimizing unnecessary energy use, a Chameleon user can realize energy reductions of 5 to 20 percent. The system's remote access, side-by-side location comparison capability, and customized reporting empower organizations operating multiple locations to better understand their energy usage.

Chameleon makes remote monitoring a reality, allowing quick service restaurants to easily measure/record production and storage parameters, including energy consumption, temperatures, water/gas counters, and digital inputs/outputs, as well as measuring analog currents/voltages. This real-time data can be used either locally or in the central systems of distributed operational information. The electric power consumption data provided by Chameleon is monetized and published graphically through an easy-to-use, Web-based dashboard, allowing Small Box Energy's customers instant feedback on their current spending. This immediacy with simple, meaningful data improves energy management, reduces consumption, and decreases monthly utility bills.

"This partnership with Continental Control Systems brings a number of benefits to Chameleon users," said Robert Gerdes, general manager of Small Box Energy. "WattNode Plus' comprehensive selection of data points makes it a truly compelling and fully encompassing solution. The Accu-CT current transformer provides an extremely high level of accuracy at an exceptional price point. All of this adds up to support our primary goal — providing energy management at the best possible value for our customers."

The WattNode Plus is a networked, multifunction AC power meter for use on single and three-phase services at voltages up to 600 Vac and currents to 6000 A. The meter communicates over a twisted-pair network using Echelon's LonTalk® protocol. The WattNode Plus provides 27 electric power-related measurements including power (kW), energy consumption (kWh), voltage, current, power factor (PF), frequency, demand, peak demand, and time of peak demand.

With linearity better than 0.5% over the range of 1% to 120% of the rated current, the Accu-CT split-core current transformer complies with the accuracy requirements of ANSI C57.13 class 1.2 and class 0.6 for tenant submetering and billing. Its low-voltage output (333 mVac at rated current) makes for easy installation without shorting blocks. The innovative design enables quick and easy installation, even with gloved hands.

"Chameleon is an innovative solution that brings real energy savings to a market that has largely been overlooked," said Cynthia A. Boyd, director of sales at Continental Control Systems. "We are thrilled to be working with such a well-respected and experienced group of people at Small Box Energy, and proud that they chose our WattNode Plus and Accu-CT to deliver adaptable, affordable benefits to customers in this market."

Small Box Energy will be exhibiting and illustrating additional energy saving innovations at the upcoming National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show 2012, May 5-8 in Chicago. This show is an icon for the industry, drawing over 58,000 industry professionals from the US and more than 100 countries worldwide. Small Box Energy will be highlighting Chameleon energy management within the Franke Foodservice Systems booth. Together, Franke and Small Box Energy are supporting this industry to integrate kitchen equipment into their energy management strategy, in order to increase energy savings and cut unnecessary utility expense.

[an error occurred while processing this directive]About Small Box Energy
Small Box Energy was created to meet the energy management needs of an underserved sector — small box retail businesses, restaurants and convenience stores. By optimizing control of high-energy-demand equipment, substantial energy savings can be uncovered within these retail/restaurant customers' day-to-day operations. With over two decades of experience in supporting the building automation industry coupled with nearly five years of developing integrated kitchen energy management solutions for one of the largest fast food chains, Small Box Energy is becoming known as the small box retail and restaurant energy management solution leader — and more importantly for providing energy-saving solutions that substantially cut their customer's monthly utility expense.  For more information visit www.smallboxenergy.com

About Continental Control Systems
Founded in 1995, Colorado-based Continental Control Systems specializes in electric power metering and monitoring equipment for the measurement of energy and power production and consumption. The company's solutions are designed to provide kW and kWh information in a variety of communication protocols including BACnet, MODBUS, LONWorks and Pulse outputs. Applications for the WattNode® meter include building automation, LEED certification, tenant submetering, performance verification/evaluation/diagnostics, and energy management. All Continental Control Systems products are listed by Underwriters Laboratories Inc. with a Dual Safety Certification for use in both the United States and Canada (cUL).  For more information visit www.ccontrolsys.com

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