Residential High Efficiency HVAC
The goal of the regional residential HVAC initiative is to permanently change the residential heating, ventilation and air conditioning market in the Northeast to one in which most consumers choose efficient equipment and systems, and most service providers use "quality installation" practices (e.g. proper sizing, proper charging, proper air flow and minimization of duct leakage) when installing and servicing HVAC equipment and systems.
Presentations from the October 2005 Regional HVAC Program Administrators' Meeting with Industry are now available online. Please click here to access them.
- Development of a Regional Quality Installation Protocol
- Coordinated Marketing and Promotions
- Strategic Development and Information Exchange
- Market Research and Analysis
NEEP's activities are funded by initiative sponsors, a grant from the U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR® Program, and the State Technologies Advancement Collaborative (STAC)- funded research project.
For more information contact Melissa Lucas, NEEP's Residential Programs Manager (781-860-9177, ext. 15).
Residential High Efficiency HVAC Initiative Status
Begun in 1999, NEEP manages research and facilitates information exchange between initiative sponsors about strategies to increase energy efficiency in the rapidly expanding demand for central air conditioning systems in new and existing homes in northeast states, and in associated opportunities to increase energy efficiency in gas-fired home heating systems.
Through this exchange, NEEP coordinates program efforts of initiative sponsors to encourage customer selection of high efficiency central heating and cooling equipment with a particular focus on best practices for quality installation of central air conditioning systems – a major opportunity to reduce inefficiency in electric usage. In 2003, these program efforts expanded to promote high efficiency furnace fans including coordination with gas efficiency programs that promote ENERGY STAR boilers and furnaces, and with ENERGY STAR Home Performance and ENERGY STAR Homes (new construction).
In 2004 and 2005, the initiative included coordination with STAC-funded research to address multi-fuel efficiency opportunities in all types of residential HVAC equipment (heating and cooling), including in-field research to assess the savings impacts of high efficiency equipment and best practices, development of duct-sealing protocols and marketing plans, market analysis, and development of a regional market transformation strategy.
NEEP coordinates the initiative with developments in state and national building energy codes and appliance standards with a particular focus on the development of updated appliance efficiency standards for residential boilers and furnaces.
[Top of Page]
Residential High Efficiency HVAC Initiative Goals
The focus of HVAC regional initiative activities in 2006 is to:
- Increase electric energy and demand savings from contractor implementation of consistent quality installation practices.
- Increase gas and electric energy and demand savings by increasing the market share of heating and cooling equipment that meet or exceed the ENERGY STAR specification.
- Reflect the needs and interests of the Northeast in updated HVAC technical specifications set by federal programs (ENERGY STAR and U.S. DOE appliance efficiency standards).
- Develop and pilot test a program to increase gas and electric efficiency in HVAC systems through duct sealing.
- Identify new opportunities and program strategies for cost-effective energy savings in residential HVAC including water heating and oil-fired heating systems.
- Coordinate new gas HVAC efficiency programs with established programs in Northeast states.
Building on initiative developments in 2005 and the results of the STAC research, NEEP will significantly increase initiative activities and resources. New efforts for 2006 include:
- Expanded focus on quality installation protocols and duct sealing to increase energy and demand savings in central air conditioning systems to maintain program cost-effectiveness as the new federal SEER 13 standard takes effect in January 2006.
- Increased opportunities for the HVAC industry to co-promote high efficiency in HVAC systems including quality installation protocols.
- Completion of the STAC research and consideration of recommendations for market transformation for high efficiency residential HVAC including oil heat systems.
- Strategic review of new efficiency opportunities with recommendations for program administrators.
Residential High Efficiency HVAC Initiative Activities
NEEP facilitates the Regional Residential HVAC Working Group and manage the STAC regional research project to achieve these outcomes through:
Development of a Regional Quality Installation Protocol: Informed by STAC research, initiative sponsor programs, on-going national discussions (e.g., U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR specification revision and Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) HVAC Committee certification discussions), NEEP will facilitate development of a common regional, quality installation protocol that establishes consistent expectations for use in HVAC programs across the region for the high efficiency central air conditioning systems. NEEP will seek industry support and input into this process, and coordinate recommendations to CEE and directly to the ENERGY STAR program for its revised specification, which is expected to be implemented by 2007.
Coordinated Marketing and Promotions: NEEP will track program activities across the region, and convene and facilitate quarterly meetings of initiative sponsors to coordinate marketing and promotions for high efficiency HVAC equipment and system installations within the region and with national efforts. With this NEEP will facilitate initiative sponsor development of regionally coordinated co-promotions with HVAC industry interests. NEEP will convene and facilitate semi-annual regional meetings of initiative sponsors with HVAC industry stakeholders to provide information about program plans and activities. NEEP will encourage consistency and regional coordination as new gas efficiency HVAC programs are established in northeast states (e.g., Connecticut, New York).
Strategic Development and Information Exchange: NEEP will manage completion of the STAC research and facilitate initiative sponsor consideration of recommendations to increase energy and demand savings, and to achieve market transformation goals. Research products include a regional multi-fuel, market transformation strategy for high efficiency residential HVAC Systems and a recommended duct sealing protocol and program design. NEEP will examine with sponsors opportunities and priorities for regional and national coordination - including with commercial unitary HVAC programs, and program integration (e.g., with ENERGY STAR Home Performance and ENERGY STAR Homes).
NEEP will inform and encourage initiative sponsor comments to U.S. DOE in its proceeding to establish new minimum federal efficiency appliance standards for residential furnace and boilers.
NEEP will provide strategic briefing memos to initiative sponsors as a follow-up to participation in relevant national forums (e.g., ENERGY STAR Industry Partners Meetings).
NEEP will also develop for initiative sponsors strategic memos regarding new opportunities to increase energy efficiency in residential HVAC systems including information about promising program efforts elsewhere, and develop materials for use by initiative sponsors to help educate other stakeholders (e.g., regulatory and state agency staff) about HVAC efficiency issues, opportunities and programs in northeast states.
Market Research and Analysis: NEEP will coordinate initiative sponsor work with U.S. EPA, CEE and other industry stakeholders to document the success of the sponsors? HVAC programs in overcoming market barriers, including efforts to obtain state-level sales or shipment data. With the completion of STAC research, NEEP will provide to initiative sponsors a characterization of the regional HVAC market and a quantification of the regional technical and program savings opportunities.
Copyright © 2006 Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, Inc.
5 Militia Drive • Lexington, MA 02421
Tel 781-860-9177 • Fax 781-860-9178
www.neep.org • info@neep.org