Testimonials

Our old refrigeration system at the Rochester Ice Arena was a used plant from another rink - it had seen a better days and there was no way to tell at what point any of the major components would fail. Since we have installed Emerald’s ice3 Cube Refrigeration System, I have peace of mind knowing that the system runs smoothly and I can be away from the facility without worrying that I have to go in to fix something. The most obvious advantage the ice3 Cube Refrigeration System offered us was cost, the ability to retrofit our original chiller plant room, an energy conscious/efficient system, smooth operating cost control (ice3 Cubes turn on an off at certain times), and redundancy (back up capabilities in case of failures.) For ice rinks, the biggest driver to stay open is the bottom line - it comes down to saving on operation costs. Emerald was able to show us how the ice3 Cube installation process would work to replace the system and the potential cost savings associated with installing the ice3 Cubes. We have been using Emerald’s ice3 Cube Refrigeration System now since 2012 - our electric consumption has dropped helping us save thousands over the course of each season. We have not had to raise ice rates in the last 5 years, which helps us keep prices down to keep kids playing. Our favorite feature of the ice3 Cube Refrigeration system is ease of use and the support that has been offered since day one. Emerald stands by their product.

I have many years of experience as an ice rink manager, including supervising rink operations at Boston College’s Conte Forum for the past twenty-five years.  Boston College… is home to a well-renowned college hockey program, one which boasts four National Championship titles over the past thirteen seasons.  This requires an ice rink plant that is simple, reliable, and cost efficient. The ten individual “ice cube machines” that constitute our plant exemplify these qualities.  The cubes have the standard refrigeration components: hermetically sealed compressors, expansion valves, and heat exchangers.  The ten cubes are able to operate independently; this allows an individual cube to be offline for repairs or routine maintenance, while having no effect on the quality of the ice surface.  A minimal load is needed when the basketball floor is down or for a team practice, while higher, full-house load is necessary only on a game day with a capacity crowd.  Therefore, the multiple units have significantly reduced our maintenance costs in comparison to those associated with an ammonia plant.  Further, having the ability to quickly command cubes on and off, to support the changing loads, provides substantial energy savings.  Overall, I am very pleased with the technology and the quality of the cubes. Read more about the Boston College Case Study here

For me, power costs are not just about total consumption.  My rate is based on highest use.  I need to keep my peak demand as low as possible to keep my rate down. Of course, I also need to keep my total power consumption down. Let me make this analogy:  When I was determining the amount of lighting I needed above my rink, I looked at both the maximum and the minimum. As a max, I needed 180 fluorescent tubes.  At the least I needed 30.  I wired the system so I could turn on 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, or all 180 lights. I hate running more lights than I need to.  I applied the same logic to my compressor choice. I also hate the idea of running a 150 kw industrial compressor when I only need 35 or 70 kw.  More, smaller compressors mean more options for power.  It’s amazing how many times we are running a single Cube. I can run one Cube (25kw) and all the pumps and fans that go with it on about 52.5 kw.  Each additional Cube bumps me about an additional 25kw.  Just like lights – I hate running more compressor power than I need. -I have redundancy. -I have a simple system to find parts for and repair. -I have a company I can trust for quick response, fair pricing, and honest answers. -I have a system that is safe to be around. And, not a small thing… if someone wants to talk to me about it… they have the option of doing so right in the compressor room.  These Cubes are quiet!  That may not seem like a big deal but it really is.

The Ice Haus at Jay Peak utilize Ice 3 technologies not only for our ice surface, but also for reclaiming heat to send to our 60,000 square foot indoor waterpark.  This is turn saves money for both the arena and the waterpark. The ease of the system has allowed us to bring a majority of our repair and maintenance in-house saving time and money.  Ice 3… has been a win win for Jay Peak. Read more about the Ice Haus Case Study here.