Commercial Motors

Cool Choice

Cool Choice and other programs in the region continued to promote packaged HVAC equipment meeting CEE Tier 2 efficiency specifications, as well as optional controls for economizers and for demand controlled ventilation. Many are now also promoting improved in-field performance for packaged HVAC systems. A two-pronged market research project examining in-field performance and characteristics of the new HVAC equipment market is underway and results are due by summer.

Cool Choice logged its best year yet for HVAC rebates and energy savings. In 2005 the program rebated 2,554 units, reducing peak load by about 7,137 kW. This is more than 20 percent greater than the previous high. These results occurred despite one of the larger participants taking a year off.

Check out Cool Choice’s new look for 2006 and find program news and technical information: www.coolchoice.net

Progress on HVAC Standards

Recent federal activity has advanced the timeline for implementing efficiency standards for packaged commercial HVAC systems. In January 2008 small air conditioning units will have a baseline efficiency standard of 13.0 EER (up from 10.0). In January 2010 the larger units face a new baseline efficiency standard that matches the current CEE Tier 2 level. These market transformation successes were influenced in large part by the efforts of NEEP’s Commercial HVAC Initiative.

For more information, please contact Jon Linn at jlinn@neep.org or 207-338-9705

New Working Group Meets

A new regional working group for NEEP’s Commercial Lighting Initiative held its first meeting in early February, undertaking an equipment promotion project for high performance fluorescent systems (HP T8) funded by the Department of Energy (DOE), and also developing a regional strategy for integrated lighting design. The group also launched a market research study to support the HP T8 project. Results will inform further program development by late spring.

While engaged in the HP T8 project, NEEP’s Commercial Lighting Working Group will also examine a regional strategy for integrated commercial lighting design. The group will consider a number of existing resources, which have reached transition points: DesignLights, Advanced Lighting Guidelines and a proposed feasibility study of daylighting resources.

 

For more information, please contact Melissa Lucas at mlucas@neep.org, or 781-860-9177, ext. 15.

ENERGY STAR Lighting Partners Meeting

A three-day national ENERGY STAR Lighting Partners Meeting, sponsored by San Diego Gas & Electric, Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison, and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District featured updates of the ENERGY STAR lighting market, including both compact florescent lights (CFL) and residential light fixtures. NEEP staff attended the meeting on behalf of the Northeast ENERGY STAR Products Initiative. A session on market barriers offered both program sponsor and manufacturer insight into the impediments that still exist for efficient lighting. The meeting also allowed the opportunity for program sponsors to meet individually with CFL and fixture manufacturers to discuss future cooperative promotions to encourage the sale of ENERGY STAR qualified lighting. Presentations from the meeting are available at www.energystarpartners.net.

ENERGY STAR Appliances

On March 8, 2006, the Department of Energy announced the final ENERGY STAR dishwasher specification, which will be effective January 1, 2007. The specification requires a minimum energy factor (EF) of 0.65 for standard size dishwashers. The dishwasher specification is posted on the ENERGY STAR Web site.

ENERGY STAR is set to launch the 2006 Appliance Campaign consisting of separate initiatives throughout the year to promote ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washers, refrigerators, and dishwashers. Each campaign is designed to help save energy through use of new, qualified products instead of less efficient alternatives, and consumers are encouraged to properly recycle old units. The clothes washer promotion begins in April; it will endorse existing appliance models that meet 2007 ENERGY STAR criteria. More information can be found at on the ENERGY STAR Web site.

ENERGY STAR will launch the 2006 Cool Your World Campaign this May. This nationally coordinated summer promotion kicks off on Memorial Day with a multimedia outreach program providing tips and recommendations to help Americans save energy and money, and stay comfortable this summer by cooling smartly. The initiative will feature ENERGY STAR qualified cooling products, as well as an educational focus on system maintenance and best practices. Please visit the ENERGY STAR Web site for more details.

 

Retailer sales training

The following windows sales training sessions are scheduled in the Northeast for spring 2006:

April 4- Newark, Delaware
April 5 & 6- Columbia, Maryland
April 12- New Brunswick, New Jersey
April 13- Cherry Hill, New Jersey

The interactive training sessions are approximately three hours in length and are available to participants at no charge. Builders, window retailers, and other energy efficiency stakeholders are welcome to attend. Contact Elizabeth Titus for more information.

Windows Workshop

The Building Technologies Program at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) held an open session on March 2, 2006 at the American Architectural Manufacturers Association Meeting. DOE is developing window ratings and seeking input to solidify priorities for future research and development support to the building industry. To learn more about this workshop visit www.govforums.org/e&w or contact Marc LaFrance. 

For more information, please contact Melissa Lucas at mlucas@neep.org, or 781-860-9177, ext. 15.

Quality Installation

On April 1, 2006 the ENERGY STAR specification for central air conditioning and air source heat pumps will increase to the new levels established in September 2005. ENERGY STAR is now researching a quality installation program specification to complement the equipment specification.

Benefits from this proposed specification may include national recognition for quality installation practices, national consumer brand for regional programs and a framework for efficiency program sponsor installation programs. Current options under consideration may include an element of contractor reporting as well as third-party verification.

It is anticipated that the ACCA Quality Installation guidelines which NEEP is contributing to will inform the ENERGY STAR specification. ENERGY STAR will work with a few different program sponsors to pilot some options with the development of draft sales and marketing materials.  EPA’s goal is to announce program details later in 2006. 

For more information, contact Dale Hoffmeyer at the EPA.

 

For more information, please contact Elizabeth Titus at etitus@neep.org, or 781-860-9177, ext. 11.

Residential HVAC Research

NEEP presented the preliminary results of a research project on energy efficiency opportunities for residential HVAC in the Northeast, for Department of Energy sponsored peer review process. The PowerPoint presentation is available from NEEP by request. Please contact Elizabeth Titus for more information.

Commercial HVAC Research

Many sponsors of Cool Choice and other Northeast commercial HVAC efficiency programs are funding research to estimate market shares of high efficiency HVAC products in the region, and assess the effectiveness of programs that offer tune-ups of systems in the field.  Results will be available by May 2006.

 

For more information, please contact Ed Londergan at elondergan@neep.org, or 781-860-9177, ext. 29.

Meetings

NEEP staff met with officials from the Mass. Housing Finance Agency (MHFA) to discuss development of a customized BOC program for the facility managers of their properties. MHFA works with over 200 property management companies and finances over 5,000 housing developments (totaling 100,000 units) throughout the state.

NEEP met with representatives from KeySpan, National Grid, Efficiency Maine, NSTAR, Public Service of New Hampshire, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), Connecticut Light and Power and United Illuminating to discuss their training and education needs and to plan for upcoming BOC courses and NEEP seminars.  A review of the new BOC business model also took place and a draft memo of understanding was prepared. 

BOC staff met with officials at the Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) to discuss NEEP’s training and education initiatives and to determine DCAM’s training needs for 2006. Currently DCAM plans to offer two BOC courses and two one-day seminars for managers of state-run facilities.

Seminars

NEEP worked with the Mass. Facilities Administrators Association, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, Massachusetts School Business Officers, National Grid, NSTAR, KeySpan and Cape Light Compact to develop a Municipal Energy Symposium. The event will provide information and resources- with a strong emphasis on energy efficiency- that municipal officials can use in the design, construction and operation of facilities. The Symposium will be held at the Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School in Franklin, Mass. in April.

NEEP worked with Efficiency Maine to coordinate the first NEEP seminar on Energy Basics for Financial Managers. NEEP is currently working with Phillips Andover Academy to present a seminar on Energy Management Planning for private schools in Southern New England.

BOC Course Development

NEEP received a commitment from Equity Office Management to sponsor two courses for their facilities operations and maintenance staff.  The program is being partially funded by a Workforce Training Grant from the Massachusetts Division of Career Services. Classes will begin in June.

NEEP is also working with the New Business Development Office at Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester, Mass. to apply for additional workforce training grants as a means of funding BOC courses. 
 
In conjunction with NYSERDA, NEEP began working with the New York School Buildings and Grounds Association to develop a BOC training program for their affiliate facility directors in upstate New York.

BOC Instructor Teleconference

The BOC staff participated in the two BOC instructor conference calls coordinated by the Northwest Energy Efficiency Council (NEEC).  The series of calls aims to improve the BOC program by bringing together instructors from partner organizations to discuss updates to the program and materials, as well as to introduce new teaching methods and ideas.  

Trade Shows

In the first quarter of 2006 NEEP managed an exhibit presence at the National Maintenance Facilities & Technology trade show, the Maine Indoor Air Quality conference and the New England Construction and Facilities Management conference.

For more information, please contact Don Fudge at dfudge@neep.org, or 781-860-9177, ext. 20.

Regional Guidelines

NEEP has distributed a “discussion draft” of the Regional High Performance Schools Protocol to representatives of state school construction funding agencies, select members of the design community and members of the Exchange Technical Task Force. The Exchange has asked each group to provide their overall thoughts about the Protocol as a guide for state school construction and for specific comments on the prerequisites and optional points. While based on the MA-CHPS design standard, the Protocol has a different outline, different wording in several sections, changed compliance requirements for other sections and, in some cases, refers directly to other design guidelines. Initial comments have been positive and any suggested edits focus mainly on wording and site prerequisites. The final product will be available by summer.

Presentations

NEEP developed a panel presentation entitled The Facility Manager’s Role in High Performance School Design and Construction for the Fourth Annual Council of Educational Facilities Planners High Performance School Symposium held in early February. NEEP also introduced and moderated presentations by facilities directors from Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational and Technical High School, Newton School District, Waltham School District and Ashland School District.  Each of these districts has recently completed a High Performance Green School based on the MA-CHPS design standard. The presentations outlined lessons learned from the design process and stressed the critical role of the facility manager in the process, concluding that the facility manager should be part of a three-person team comprised of the project manager and the commissioning agent. The presentation can be found on the High Performance Schools Exchange Web site.

NEEP reported on the status and content of the Regional High Performance Schools Protocol at the recent Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) Building Energy Conference as part of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC) team running a daylong session on High Performance Green Schools. NEEP then participated in the rest of the day, which concluded with a two hour planning charrette run by H.L. Turner Construction. NEEP made contact with several schools seeking outreach services including scheduling a presentation to a school building committee.

BOC for High Performance Schools

NEEP’s Building Operator Certification (BOC) instructors have completed five of eight course sessions for facility managers and operators of Massachusetts Technology Collaborative Green Schools Initiative pilot project schools. Modifications to the original BOC curriculum were needed because the participating schools were already designed to capture an average energy savings of 30 percent above the Massachusetts energy code. An important component to the BOC course for High Performance Schools is to implement a process of and procedures for preventive maintenance as well as to track energy use to ensure that the buildings are performing as designed.  The adapted BOC course will be complete and available for use by other states in the fall of this year.  

State Activity

Connecticut:  A bill (RB 5523) has been introduced in the Connecticut state legislature that would require all schools to be built with “…construction standards that are consistent with or exceed the silver building rating of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design's rating system for new commercial construction and major renovation projects, as established by the United States Green Building Council, or an equivalent standard, including, but not limited to, a two-globe rating in the Green Globes USA design program, and thereafter update such regulations as the secretary deems necessary.” 

Vermont:  Senator Matt Dunne (D-Windsor) added a section about green school construction to the Capital Spending Bill that would require schools seeking approval of construction projects to design according to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards or the equivalent. NEEP provided information on the wording of legislation in other states to the Vermont Energy Investment Council (VEIC) and the Vermont High Performance Schools Initiative who in turn provided suggested wording to Sen. Dunne.

 

For more information, please contact Doug Schanne at dschanne@neep.org, or 203-235-0323.

International Code Council Hearings

NEEP is monitoring the International Code Council (ICC) code development schedule for the 2006/2007 cycle.

NEEP supported a series of discussions on potential code change submittals in the first quarter of 2006. Proposals for changes were due to the ICC at the end of March. More information is available on the ICC Web site.

There is a concern that 2006 ICC energy code provisions will allow for less energy efficient construction in Northern climate zones than the 2003 ICC energy code requirements. Until final determination is made and reported by the Department of Energy, states and jurisdictions looking to adopted the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and the 2006 International Residential Code (IRC) should evaluate how the changes in the energy code requirements effect energy efficiency in their climate zones. For more detailed information, please contact Doug Schanne.

Building Energy Code Training

Planning for 2006 code training continues throughout the region with sessions planned in Maryland, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. Schedules for training in Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania are currently under review. Please contact Doug Schanne for more detailed information.

State Energy Program Grant

Due to the reorganization of the U.S. Department of Energy and the closure of their regional offices, the 2006 grant solicitation for the State Energy Program (SEP) special projects opportunity has been delayed. NEEP continues to monitor the situation and will hold a teleconference to discuss the development of a regional, multi-state grant proposal. Providing assistance to states who plan to submit individual grants once more information is available, will also be addressed.

NEEP thanks everyone who continues to participate in and support the grant process, including Rhode Island and Maryland, who hosted the 2005 grant submittals. If you have any questions, please contact Doug Schanne.