Equipment Promotion

NEEP sponsors throughout the region continued to promote packaged HVAC equipment meeting the Consortium for Energy Efficiency’s (CEE) Tier 2 efficiency specifications, through programs such as Cool Choice, New York Smart Equipment Choices and others Sponsors also promoted optional controls for economizers and for demand controlled ventilation.

This year, NEEP & sponsors launched the HVAC Initiative with a focus on the following major objectives:

• Increased selection of qualifying efficient packaged units;
• Efficiency of existing HVAC systems; and
• Exploration of gas savings opportunities on the heating side of packaged commercial systems.  In all activities, the initiative is moving toward upstream cooperation between programs and industry partners.

Collaboration with Industry

In the first quarter, several sponsors began reaching out to HVAC distributors to explore collaborations to increase sales of new high efficient units. Efficiency Vermont made significant inroads; the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) opened conversations with several industry partners; and Efficiency Maine, New Jersey and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) began investigating their outreach plans and opportunities to share resources with neighbors.

National Efforts

NEEP continues to monitor and report on progress by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NPCC) on its development of HVAC in-field performance verification protocols. New Buildings Institute (NBI) has been managing the protocols project for NPCC. Technical, market and weather complications caused a delay in this project, so NBI estimates we will see results in mid 2008, effecting program plans for 2009.

Also, NBI is working with the California Advanced Rooftop Unit (ARTU) project. The team completed an initial benefit cost analysis of the prototype, which found average break even payback in seven years. They and the efficiency community are now working on methods to integrate the ARTU principles into efficiency programs.

Equipment Design and Promotion

NEEP’s Commercial Lighting Initiative hit the ground running in 2008. The regional working group launched the second year of the High Performance T8 (HPT8) fluorescent systems efficiency program, now funded by the region’s program administrators. Meanwhile they are making strides toward a regional strategy for integrated lighting design.

The HPT8 project gained unanimous support from sponsors for a second year. The first year of implementation yielded impressive results. Availability of qualifying equipment doubled in the first year. Program managers estimate that in 2008 the program will significantly complete the transformation, and cement relations with the region’s suppliers. ICF International, program implementer, will continue to maintain the website www.designlights.org and reach out to lighting industry partners.

The Initiative working group continued to make progress on a draft regional strategy for integrated lighting design. The strategy will consider combining activities among the U.S. Department of Energy’s Commercial Lighting Initiative (CLI), the New Buildings Institute’s Advanced Lighting Guidelines (ALG) revisions, and the DesignLights Consortium’s (DLC) regional programs including the HPT8 project. The sponsor group expects to have a strategy ready for program implementation in 2009.

Also, the DOE CLI team continues to significant progress in developing its first segment of lighting solutions. They expect to launch the first market segment of the Initiative resources- retail buildings- at Lightfair International in May. The CLI team plans to next move on to three further segments: office, healthcare and schools.

Project Recognized by AESP

NEEP has been honored by the Association of Energy Service Professionals (AESP)with the Outstanding Achievement via Collaboration for Program Implementation award for its High Performance T-8 Lighting (HPT8) program. AESP bestowed its Energy Awards at its 18th National Energy Services Conference held January 28 – 31, 2008 in Clearwater Beach, FL. For more information, including a full list of project partners, please download the recent press release.

Solid State Lighting

Nationally, NEEP continues its partnership with the DOE Solid State Lighting (SSL) Technical Information Network project. The project, called TINSSL (Technical Information Network for Solid State Lighting) is gaining wide circulation and participation. NEEP has developed an on-line resource for market player outreach.

CFL Market Data Research

NEEP staff and several NEEP sponsors assisted the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) in developing comments to ENERGY STAR on strategies to improve on existing CFL and appliance market penetration data. They also assisted the development of a wish list for the collection of market penetration data on additional ENERGY STAR products. The “wish list” was submitted to EPA in January 2008. The comments on CFL and appliance market penetration are under development and will be submitted in March 2008. 

HVAC Market Study

NEEP shared information about a nationally scoped market assessment effort with many evaluators in the Northeast, and Quantec LLC secured funding to conduct a survey of HVAC dealers to characterize market conditions and assess dealer awareness of energy efficiency programs targeting residential air conditioning. Results are expected in fourth quarter 2008. NSTAR and National Grid US are among the sponsors of this study. Quantec made over 43,000 calls and was able to contact 1,200 dealers. Topics addressed in the survey include: dealers’ awareness of efficiency programs; the percent and number of installers that are NATE certified; installers’ current HVAC sizing practices; and sales and market share of equipment by SEER categories. Regions examined in the study include New England, the mid Atlantic, the midwest, the southeast, and California. Contact jthayer@quantecllc.com for more information.  

Commercial Lighting Initiative Documents

The NEEP HPT8 Program, funded by NYSERDA and the U.S. Department of Energy in collaboration with NEEP and sponsors of the DesignLights Consortium, contracted ICF International to conduct outreach, marketing, and education to enhance the market adoption of HPT8 systems. The Final Summary Report of the NEEP-FEMP-DLC-HPT8 Systems Program, prepared by ICF in December 2007 documents that the program exceeded its target outreach.  Furthermore, findings from an informal survey found that the majority of participating distributor branches stocked the products or were able to supply them within two days, whereas prior to the program, 31 percent of distributors surveyed had two week lead times and less than half of the market actors surveyed did not sell the products.  

Training on “Metering the Unmetered Resource”

NEEP helped develop training for evaluators and regulators and moderated the question and answer portion of a Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) webinar that was presented in February. The recording, resource guide, and Q&A will be made available on CEE’s website as a tool to assist evaluators and regulators interested in an introduction to key concepts and methods used in evaluation of energy efficiency programs. Regulators from five Northeast states – Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, and Pennsylvania – were among those listening to the broadcast.

Solid State Lighting  Research

NEEP is participating in development and outreach activities of the Technical Information Network for Solid State Lighting (TINSSL) project. Through the web link, www.neep.org/TINSSL/index.html  stakeholders can access information on current developments such as information on the ENERGY STAR specification for LEDs, testing updates, CALiPER program (independent product testing) results – and other information resources.

Closing the Loop

NEEP and many of its sponsors contributed to research conducted by Ed Vine of Lawrence Berkeley Labs (LBL) on if and how evaluation results get communicated and acted upon by implementers. A white paper , soon to be released by LBL, notes that many program administrators and evaluators in the Northeast have good strategies to ensure program evaluation results are incorporated into program planning and improvements. Ed Vine can be reached at elvine@lbl.gov for more information. 

AESP Conference and Evaluation Topic Committee

NEEP was an active participant in the Association of Energy Service Professionals (AESP) annual conference January 28-31,2008 in Clearwater, FL. NEEP presented a poster on the Effective Communication of Research Results, based on research conducted with PA Consulting and Shel Feldman. NEEP also moderated a panel on measurement and verification (M&V) protocols that reviewed the National Action Plan (NAPEE) efficiency program evaluation guidelines, California Demand Response Protocols, Ontario Power Authority Evaluation Framework and Protocols, and the ISO-New England Demand Resource M&V Standards. NEEP also gave presentations on upstream promotion strategies for HVAC, and on research on the feasibility of establishing a regional evaluation, measurement and verification center. NEEP chaired the annual meeting of the Evaluation, Market Research and Greenhouse Gas Topic Committee. AESP members interested in greenhouse gas and climate change evaluation and policy are organizing as a subcommittee, with plans to spin off into a formal topic committee in the future. From the Northeast, Steve Bonanno (NSTAR) and Kim Oswald (consultant to the ECMB in Connecticut) are among the vice chairs assisting NEEP on the topic committee. Please contact Elizabeth Titus for more information.

Coordinated Research Project Completed

NEEP managed a study to assess the feasibility of a regional evaluation, measurement and verification center.  Nexus Market Research was contracted to conduct the study. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and Conservation Services Group were co-funders. The study included design and delivery of a web survey to members of the advisory committee for this effort; assistance with design of an interview guide; conducting 20 confidential interviews with a sample of stakeholders in the Northeast; presentation of the research findings to the co-funders; and preparation of a final report. The draft report was provided to members of the project Advisory Committee in a meeting on January 18, 2008.

Energy Efficiency Potential Research Underway

Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts are among the states planning or launching studies to assess a potential expansion of energy efficiency programs. The New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission is managing a study that will evaluate the potential for electricity and gas energy efficiency, as well as considering propane and fuel oil. The Vermont Public Service Commission is managing market characterization studies to assess potential expansion in key sectors. Connecticut and Rhode Island are initiating studies to plan to meet the directive to pursue all cost-effective energy efficiency. The Massachusetts Division of Energy Resources convened a meeting in late March for program administrators and advisers to discuss strategies for increasing the reach of energy efficiency programs. As part of the Policy and Evaluation Network information sharing arrangement, NEEP will continue to monitor and share any updates on these activities with Northeast sponsors.