CRESCENT CROWN DISTRIBUTING TAPS INTO ENERGY SAVINGS

SRP Commercial Business Case Study: Crescent Crown Distributing
CRESCENT CROWN
DISTRIBUTING TAPS
INTO ENERGY
SAVINGS
Crescent Crown Distributing has always
had a thirst for efficiency, whether it’s
the design of the company’s delivery
routes or its warehousing system. So
when Crescent Crown set out to build its
new 335,000-square-foot facility in Mesa,
energy efficiency was a must. With help
from SRP, Crescent Crown is saving more
than $150,000 a year on its electricity
costs.
Relocating a facility of that magnitude
across town is no simple feat, so James
“Bubba” Moffett, President of Crescent
Crown, was determined to make it
worthwhile. The company had great
success with energy-efficiency upgrades at
its Phoenix facility, and “that experience led
us to design our Mesa facility around the
rebates offered by SRP,” Moffett said.
Crescent Crown was also motivated by
a desire to help the environment. “Being
able to save money on our electric bill
while being more energy efficient and
environmentally friendly was very
important to us,” Moffett added.
James “Bubba” Moffett, President,
Crescent Crown Distributing

ENERGY EFFICIENT BY DESIGN
Crescent Crown’s new building includes 230,000 square feet
of controlled-temperature warehouse, 40,000 square feet of
refrigerated space and 63,000 square feet of office space.
Moffett knew the company would be looking at some steep
electric bills if it
didn’t incorporate
energy-efficiency
measures into the
building design.
Armed with a
vision, Moffett and
Rich Marchant,
Vice President of
Operations for
Crescent Crown,
contacted their
SRP account
manager, Mary
Palomino. Together, they began to identify which energyefficient
features to incorporate in the new facility.
“We were able to tap into resources at SRP to validate our
plans before we jumped in,” Moffett said. “We leaned on SRP
as our energy partner, which gave us peace of mind.”
Crescent Crown participated in both the SRP Standard
Business Solutions and Custom Business Solutions programs.
Although some businesses are intimidated by the prospect
of participating in multiple programs, Moffett explained that
Crescent Crown had very little hesitation.
“We knew the systems would work together and it would allow
us to use the latest technology,” Moffett said.
Lighting was identified as one area to tackle. Moffett and
Marchant elected to install energy-efficient T5 fluorescent and
LED lighting throughout the facility.
Moffett was also keen on installing occupancy sensors in
the warehouse.
“We had been through other facilities that didn’t have sensors,
so we knew that was definitely something we wanted to
incorporate,” Moffett said. The lights now turn off if there isn’t
activity in a warehouse aisle for a specified time.
Crescent Crown Distributing was also fortunate to have
experience with high-efficiency insulation after installing it at its
facility in New Orleans. The company was very satisfied with
the results and wanted to include R-30 wall and roof insulation
at its Mesa facility.
KEEPING IT COOL IN A HOT DESERT CLIMATE
Another obvious choice was high-efficiency package heating,
ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) units to ensure
Crescent Crown’s products would stay cool and its energy
bills would stay affordable.
Ensuring beverages are maintained at the right temperature
is vital to Crescent Crown’s operations. “Because sunlight and
heat can destroy beer, our beverage partners require very
specific temperature settings,” Moffett said.
Crescent Crown’s warehouses are temperature controlled to
ensure zero heat-related damage to the packaged beer. The
company also has large refrigerated coolers, which are kept at
38° for its draught products and some packaged beer.
Most large facilities opt to use chillers rather than package
HVAC units, but that wasn’t the best fit for Crescent Crown.
Should a chiller fail, all of the products would be at risk.
However, with package units, the nearby units can pick up
the slack should one unit fail.
“We wanted to make the building as
efficient as possible. Designing from
the ground up and using SRP rebates
provided us the opportunity to do this.”
— James “Bubba” Moffett, President,
Crescent Crown Distributing

Benefits Worth Celebrating
Including energy-efficiency measures in the design and
construction phase of Crescent Crown’s facility is paying
off for the company.
THE RESULTS
Annual Electricity Cost Savings:
More than $150,000
“Rather than segmenting our new warehouse, we were able to
design the whole building under one envelope,” Marchant said.
With the lighting and occupancy sensors alone, Crescent Crown
will save more than 800,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) a year. All of
the improvements have been better for Crescent Crown’s brand.
“Having more efficient HVAC systems provides us the ability to
maintain specific temperature settings and meet the demands of
Annual Electricity Savings:
2,004,568 kWh
Rebates from SRP:
$138,855
Simple Payback:
2.5 years
our suppliers,” Moffett said.
The company is also realizing an unexpected benefit. Moffett
explained that employees say they feel like they work in a better
“Pointing out these upgrades is also a big part of our facility
tour,” Moffett said. “We look forward to seeing continued
savings with our upgrades.”
environment. Even though Crescent Crown’s new building is a
warehouse, it’s more comfortable than most because it’s more
energy efficient.
Crescent Crown employees also take a lot of pride in the
new building. They brag to their family and friends about the
warehouse’s solar panels and energy efficiency.
SOLAR ENERGY
In 2012, Crescent Crown Distributing installed photovoltaic
solar panels on its Mesa facility through the SRP Commercial
Solar Incentive program. The panels produce 940,000 kWh a
year — enough electricity to power 50 homes for one year.

SRP BUSINESS SOLUTIONS
SRP Business Solutions offers a portfolio of rebate
programs that provide a wide range of energy-efficiency
opportunities, including rebates for technical assistance
and equipment installation. SRP developed these programs
to help commercial customers better manage energy
usage, increase energy efficiency and employ the latest
technologies. There’s a program for every kind and size
of business and industry.
Most measures and projects require preapproval
before new equipment is ordered, purchased or
installed. Specific details and applications for SRP
Business Solutions programs and services are
available through SRP account managers, at
savewithsrpbiz.com or by calling the program
administrator at (602) 236-3054.
Our Standard Business Solutions program provides
rebates for the purchase and installation of common
high-efficiency equipment used in lighting, HVAC,
compressed-air and refrigeration systems, while our
Custom Business Solutions program is more flexible and
allows customers to suggest projects that are unique to
their facilities and operations.
Customers who are building a new facility may even be
eligible for design assistance and free hourly building
simulation through the New Construction Solutions
program. To receive these services, contact SRP while
in the conceptual design phase.
SRP rebate programs are operated on a first-come,
first-served basis until all funding has been committed.
Customers are eligible for as much as $300,000 in
rebates per program year.
CUSTOMER PROFILE: CRESCENT CROWN DISTRIBUTING
Crescent Crown Distributing sells and delivers more than
26 million cases annually throughout its distribution
territories in Arizona and Louisiana, making it one of the
top five largest beer distributors in the country.
Crescent Crown’s unique way of operating — the company
calls it the “Perfect 6 Pack” — puts a focus on Crescent’s
customers and employees.
1. Power of the Portfolio
2. Focus on the Customer
3. Tools and Technology
4. Efficiency in All We Do!
5. The Employee
6. Have Fun!
For more information about Crescent Crown Distributing,
visit the company’s website at ccdaz.com.
12-0752-01 09/12