Equipment Promotion

NEEP Sponsors throughout the region continue to promote packaged HVAC equipment meeting CEE Tier 2 efficiency specifications, through Cool Choice, New York Smart Equipment Choices and other programs. They also continued the promotion of optional controls for economizers and for demand controlled ventilation. Some are in various stages of promotions for improved in-field performance for packaged HVAC systems.

In the fourth quarter, Regional Initiative Sponsors collaborated to develop strategy, qualifications and template materials to engage upstream HVAC industry players (manufacturers and distributors) in regional equipment efficiency promotions. Indications are that at least five territories in the Northeast will be negotiating arrangements with distributors for 2008 program participation. These arrangements are expected to yield significant increases in energy efficient packaged unit market share, and to build promising relationships with industry partners.

In 2008, the Initiative plans to concentrate on further developing relationships with industry in order to advance the upstream program concept and increase market share of efficient products. The Initiative will also pursue opportunities for efficiency on the heating side of packaged systems, generally through gas combustion and delivery improvements.

National Efforts

NEEP continues to monitor and report on progress by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NPCC) related to its development of HVAC in-field performance verification protocols. New Buildings Institute (NBI) has been managing the protocols project for NPCC. By the fall, they had successfully monitored six installations in the Northwest, and begun producing an interim report. Testing identified systemic problems with the industry standard economizer controller. The protocols team is working with the controller’s manufacturer to correct these problems.

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 are next working on methods to integrate the ARTU principles into efficiency programs.

Research and Evaluation

Facilitated through NEEP’s Evaluation and State Program Working Group, NEEP sponsors administrating electric efficiency programs are planning a study for 2008 to estimate the peak coincidence of savings from unitary HVAC units and economizers installed through efficiency programs in the region. This research will assist sponsors develop and document demand savings that may be bid into the ISO-New England Forward Capacity Market. 

Equipment Promotions and Design

NEEP’s Commercial Lighting Initiative hit the ground running in 2007. The regional working group continually managed an equipment promotion project for high performance fluorescent systems (HP T8) funded by the Department of Energy (DOE) and efficiency program administrators. The group also continued to develop a regional strategy for integrated lighting design.

In the fourth quarter the Initiative working group continued to draft regional strategy for integrated lighting design and equipment promotion for future program efforts. The draft considers combining activities among the DOE’s Commercial Lighting Initiative (CLI), the New Buildings Institute‘s Advanced Lighting Guidelines (ALG) revisions, DesignLights Consortium’s (DLC) KnowKow series guides, and the regional programs including the HPT8 project. Strategy development will continue in early 2008.

Finally in the fourth quarter, the DOE CLI team made significant progress in developing its first segment of lighting solutions. They completed design concepts for the retail sector with solutions for big box retail, stand alone retail, specialty grocery, neighborhood grocery and stand alone pharmacy. The team presented templates for a web tool for  industry professionals to apply the CLI solutions to their projects. Several regional sponsors expect to use the solutions packages for pilots or demonstration cases in 2008. Meanwhile the CLI team plans to move on to three further segments: office, healthcare and schools.

DesignLights Consortium

The DesignLights Consortium (DLC) HPT8 project continues to move forward at a rapid pace. The first year of implementation has yielded impressive results. One hundred percent of major lamp and ballast manufacturers have signed participation agreements with the program. All of the major fixture manufacturers have signed-on, and most of the local fixture distributors have participated in training programs.

DLC HPT8 program sponsors decided to continue the promotion for a second year, in order to complete the outreach coverage and cement industry relationships. They will keep ICF International on as program implementer to maintain the Web site www.designlights.org and to service lighting industry partners.

Solid State Lighting

On the national scene, NEEP continues its partnership with the DOE’s 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 on-line resource for market player outreach. The TINSSL Web site offers information on current developments, and it links to appropriate areas on DOE’s site.

In a related effort, NEEP is planning a working session on the topic of SSL market development at the ACEEE Market Transformation Symposium scheduled for April 2008.

Research Opportunity for Energy Attitudes, Preferences, and Behavior

The Energy Center of Wisconsin has developed a survey to assess public attitudes and behaviors related to Climate Change by assessing baseline conditions with the opportunity to conduct longitudinal tracking. This client-funded study is being implemented in the Midwest in 2007. The survey can be delivered as a telephone survey or as a web/telephone survey. Implementation in other regions or at the national level will be available in early 2008. It is an opportunity for utilities, regulatory agencies, and non-profits interested in climate change and energy to assess public opinion, knowledge, practice and preferences. Please contact Ingo Bensch at ibensch@ecw.org for more information.

Evaluation Contact Information Available on the NEEP Web site

The list of evaluation and research contractors that NEEP makes available to its sponsors has now been updated to with information from August 2007’s IEPEC registration list and is posted on the NEEP Web site. Download it by clicking here.

Lessons Learned After 30 Years of Process Evaluation: Research Into Action

A recently released evaluation white paper is a first effort to bring findings from the process evaluation of energy efficiency programs into public discourse. The paper also aims to inform ongoing discussion on behavior, energy and climate change that can shape future program activities. Several evaluators from the Northeast contributed to the paper (Luisa Freeman, Lynn Hoefgen, Lori Megdal, Carol Mulholland, Elizabeth Titus, and Bob Wirtschafter), which is available by clicking here.

Model Energy Efficiency Program Impact Evaluation Guide Available

The Model Energy Efficiency Program Impact Evaluation Guide, sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency, is a broad effort to help program designers, evaluators, and policy makers looking for guidance on the evaluation process and key issues relating to documenting energy and demand savings documenting avoided emissions, and comparing demand and supply side resources. The guide is a product of the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency. More information can be found at: www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/actionplan/eeactionplan.htm.

Evaluation Training Under Development

NEEP’s research and evaluation manager is a member of the team assisting the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) with the development and delivery of a webinar titled “Metering the Unmetered Resource.” The webinar will provide an overview, opportunities for questions and answers, and a directory of regional and other evaluation resources. Development is supported by Department of Energy funding, and the training is intended for regulatory staff and CEE members. It is being planned for February 28, 2008. Please contact Monica Nevius of CEE at mnevius@cee1.org for more information.

Scoping Research on Behavior and Energy Related Decision Making

On December 6, NEEP participated in a research scoping session hosted by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). The two broad goals of the meeting were to identify behavioral research results relevant to energy efficiency program design and evaluation, and to identify critical research still needed for designing more effective programs to influence customer energy-related behaviors. The meeting included presentations based on academic research as well as from practitioners of energy efficiency program marketing and evaluation. The meeting, facilitated by Marsha Walton, is part of NYSERDA’s plan to explore opportunities to leverage current programs, develop new programs, and to partner on future behavioral research efforts. Please contact Marsha Walton  mlw@nyserda.org for more information or Elizabeth Titus for copies of the following powerpoint presentations:

• Insights from behavior research and implications for public policy, John Gowdy, Ph.D. Rensellaer Polytechnic Institute;
• The Application of Behavioral Science Research to Create Effective Messaging, Renee Bator, Ph.D., SUNY Plattsburgh;
• Non-economic models of decision-making: Insights for behavioral change, Charlie Wilson, University of British Columbia;
• Feedback from the Field, Linda Russo, CSG;
• Lessons Learned After Thirty Years of Process Evaluation, Jane Peters, RIA;
• A New Market Paradigm for High-Performance Homes: The Comparative San Diego Case Study, Barbara Farhar, U. of Colorado;
• Belief, Behavior and the Economics of Climate Change: Exploring the art of Possibilities, Skip Laitner, ACEEE;
• The Role of Social Affiliation in Social Dilemmas, Poonam Arora, Center for Research in Environmental Decision-making

New England Evaluation Planning Update

Evaluators of New England’s energy efficiency programs met on October 22 to continue planning to meet regional evaluation and research priorities for 2008 – 2012 and to continue preparations for the next round of Forward Capacity Auction qualification packages.The following topics were discussed:

• Ongoing research to meet information needs that will support the Forward Capacity Market (FCM) measurement and verification (M&V). Status reports were provided on four  studies:
• Residential lighting persistence
• Residential lighting markdown program impacts
• Residential room Air Conditioner peak coincidence
• Metering Compliance with ISO-New England M&V. Research on compliance of commonly used monitoring equipment with ISO-New England M&V manual requirements has been initiated.

• Load Research Data Needs. The subcommittee is searching for any loadshape data from outside of New England that may be applicable and available for use in developing estimates of seasonal peak coincidence factors. It is discussed plans to develop an RFP to identify and manipulate any available and relevant loadshape data for use in developing peak coincidence factors as well as “savings” loadshapes.  

• Scheduling future meetings. The group decided to hold meetings that include sponsors’ evaluation staff and regulators from the region, to meet in-person on a quarterly basis to discuss a combination of policy issues and evaluation planning and updates. The next meeting is scheduled for January 17, 2007 in Waltham, Mass.

• Forward Capacity Market Qualification Issues. The group discussed included an update on the ISO Demand Resources Working Group meetings; discussion of how sponsors plan to address the ISO-New England M&V requirement of annual certification; how sponsors plan to address measure decay; and 2008 deadlines for submission of materials.

• Related NEEP M&V activities. NEEP is tracking efforts by the North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB) to develop national M&V standards for wholesale and retail M&V. NEEP, Conservation Services Group, NYSERDA, and EPA are co-sponsoring a study to explore the feasibility of establishing a regional evaluation, measurement and verification center. Nexus Market Research (NMR) was been retained to assist by facilitating a kick off with an Advisory Board and conducting in-depth interviews with a sample of stakeholders. Results from the research are expected in January 2008.