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A quarterly publication of  |
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| First Quarter 2004 | ||||
Leading Regional Energy Efficiency Organizations Collaborating In Joint National and State Project- Study to Develop, Research and Demonstrate Energy Efficiency of Residential Heating and Cooling Systems -
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Currently under way is a one-year project to develop, research and demonstrate energy efficiency of residential heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, as well as assessing potential and emerging technologies. NEEP, along with study co-sponsors New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, with project partners Conservation Services Group, Proctor Engineering Group, Ltd., and Nexus Market Research, Inc., will also examine the benefits and cost-effectiveness of HVAC contractor training for heating and cooling system installations, as well as determine the relationship between laboratory ratings and actual on-site performance of central air conditioning systems. The study will recommend a duct sealing marketing plan and a regional strategy to significantly increase the role of high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment and services across the region. "This study comes at a time when the Northeast is experiencing huge spikes in energy costs and usage," stated Susan Coakley, executive director of NEEP. "There are tremendous efficiency opportunities yet untapped in the residential HVAC sector. We anticipate that the outcomes will form a foundation of 'best practices' recommendations that will transform the residential HVAC landscape, and further lead to their implementation in various programs even beyond the Northeast region." Federal funding was awarded toward research and demonstration projects related to increasing energy efficiency in residential HVAC systems in the Northeast (New England, New York and New Jersey). Because more than 70 percent of households in the Northeast use electric air conditioning systems, and on average, consume 40 percent more energy for space heating and cooling than the average household nationally (source: Energy Information Administration, 2001), the study holds huge potential for the region's electricity consumers, project collaborators said. The grant is a part of the national State Technologies Advancement Collaborative (STAC), a five-year pilot program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, which in 2003 issued its first-ever solicitation for energy efficiency research, development, demonstration and deployment projects. STAC is directed by an Executive Committee that includes representatives of the Association of State Energy Research and Technology Transfer Institutions (ASERTTI), NASEO, the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and Office of Fossil Energy (FE), and an independent member. The STAC Executive Committee approved funding for 13 projects valued at $16,807,582. The solicitation was administered by the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) on behalf of the STAC Executive Committee. The solicitation supports joint energy research, development, demonstration and deployment of technologies where common federal and state objectives exist. The program and the solicitation emphasize the wide dissemination of results from projects and the transfer of technologies for broad application and impact. To learn more about the STAC project, please contact Elizabeth Titus via email at etitus@neep.org or voice at 781-860-9177, extension 11. |
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