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The Retro Commissioning Sensor Suitcase 2022 identifies four new energy efficiency opportunities (i.e., plug load energy savings potential, improve system operation schedule, improve setbacks on nights and weekends, and peak load reduction) and this codebase identifies those opportuntiies.
NREL worked with the Bonneville Power Administration's Technology Innovation Office to demonstrate a turnkey, retrofit technology that combines demand response (DR) and energy efficiency (EE) benefits for HVAC and lighting in retail buildings. As a secondary benefit, we also controlled various plug loads and electric hot water heaters (EHWH). The technology demonstrated was Transformative Wave's eIQ Building Management System (BMS) automatically responding to DR signals. The BMS controlled the HVAC rooftop units (RTU) using the CATALYST retrofit solution also developed by Transformative Wave. The non-HVAC loads were controlled using both hardwired and ZigBee wireless communication. The wireless controllers, manufactured by Autani, were used when the building's electrical layout was too disorganized to leverage less expensive hardwired control. The six demonstration locations are within the Seattle metro area. Based on the assets curtailed by the BMS at each location, we projected the DR resource. We were targeting a 1.7 W/ft2 shed for the summer Day-Ahead events and a 0.7 W/ft2 shed for the winter events. While summarized in Table ES-1, only one summer DR event was conducted at Casino #2.
Most building retrofit projects are still component-based in that they typically address only one piece or type of equipment at a time. Systems-based retrofits that seek to address multiple components in an integrated manner have the potential to provide significantly greater energy savings. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) partnered with several utilities to develop and evaluate three different integrated retrofit packages involving lighting systems: automated shading with daylight dimming controls, workstation-specific lighting with daylight controls, and task/ambient lighting with plug load occupancy controls. Specifically, our analysis sought to quantify the marginal benefits of these systems (energy savings as well as lighting performance and visual comfort) relative to component based approaches. The analysis was based on a combination of measured performance data from LBNL’s FLEXLAB® test facility and energy simulations. All three systems were compared to a simple fluorescent-to-LED retrofit, which represents the component-based approach. While the simple LED upgrade provides significant lighting energy savings of 63%, the systems yielded energy savings of 81-93%, which equates to additional savings of 49-82% over the simple LED upgrade. All systems tested provided satisfactory visual comfort as well, indicating good potential for market acceptance.
The Pascua Yaqui Tribe has the goal of reducing energy use and costs in its government facilities and housing. In a proactive effort to meet the Tribe's needs an energy audit was performed to accomplish the following goals: Develop an energy efficiency implementation strategy. Prepare an energy audit to identify cost-effective energy efficiency opportunities. Plan and conduct a level II energy audit in tribal government buildings and tribal housing. The audit encompassed four tribal government buildings and a group of residential structures. The purpose of this project was to assess the various facilities energy use in order to inform a means to lower annual consumption. An evaluation of each facility's historical energy and major energy-consuming equipment was performed, and energy conservation measures (ECM's) were identified. An average of 4 ECM's where recommended for each facility. If each facility's recommended ECM's are implemented, the average calculated yearly benefits to the government and residential buildings would result in a 48.3% reduction in electrical energy/costs savings and a 14.4% reduction in natural gas energy/costs savings. Recommended projects for implementation include: Interior Lighting Upgrade, Exterior Lighting Upgrade, Solar Pool Covers, Retro-Commissioning, Low Volt Fixtures, Plug Load Management System, Occupancy Sensor Control, and Solar PV for government/casino buildings and appliance, window, HVAC, Weather Stripping, and water heaters replacement in residences.
Despite recent efforts to reduce standby power consumption in plug loads, new trends in the miniaturization and wide distribution of electronics necessitates devices with zero standby consumption. This work introduces two zero standby solutions that wake a device using an external input of energy harvested from a 5 mW laser pointer. These solutions are applicable to electronics that are remotely activated or have a fiber optic connection. The first utilizes a cascoded header switch to allow for simultaneous low-voltage harvesting and high-voltage blocking. The second involves the use of a charge pump to boost the harvested voltage to a level appropriate for the gate of a high-voltage switch. Prototypes for each method are developed in order to demonstrate functionality and identify the associated benefits and drawbacks. The results show that combining the two methods allows for optimal activation range (up to 25 m) and component count.
This brochure details common sustainability actions taken by universities to reduce their energy consumption. Some of the most common actions include energy efficiency (existing building commissioning; lighting; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning upgrades; plug loads) and renewable energy (RE) (on-site or off-site solar deployment, RE procurement). We focus on the costs and benefits of energy efficiency measures and RE through the brochure while highlighting resources where readers can find more information.
Energy efficiency upgrades to buildings to date through avenues such as utility incentive programs have been largely limited to component-based products (e.g., lamps, RTUs). While some utilities do provide ‘custom’ incentive programs with whole building and system level technical assistance, these programs require deeper levels of analysis, resulting in higher program costs. This results in custom programs being restricted to utilities with greater resources, and are typically applied mainly to large or energy-intensive facilities, leaving much of the market without cost effective access and incentives for these solutions. In addition, with increasingly stringent energy codes, cost effective component-based solutions that achieve significant savings are dwindling. Integrated building systems (e.g., integrated façade, HVAC and/or lighting solutions) can deliver higher savings (Regnier et al. 2017) that translate into large sector-wide savings if deployed at the scale of these programs. However, systems application poses a number of challenges – energy savings assessments are inherently more complex and are not easily suited to the deemed measure model, and implementation of systems can be more disruptive. This paper presents the outcomes of a project to develop validated utility incentive program packages for three specific integrated building systems, in collaboration with ComEd, a consortium of California Public Owned Utilities (CA POUs) (Northern California Power Agency(NCPA) and the Southern California Public Power Authority(SCPPA)), and Xcel Energy (CO, MN). Previous work described the potential for energy savings of these systems at the individual and market level, early test findings for the task-ambient lighting system, and described the work products to develop utility incentive programs (Regnier et al. 2016). This paper presents validated end use energy savings of all three systems showing energy savings of ~20% for automated shading combined with daylight dimming (does not include light fixture retrofit savings); 30-46% for task-ambient lighting systems combined with plug load occupancy controls, depending on technology package and office building size (no daylight dimming impacts); and ~94% in the south-façade daylit zone for workstation specific lighting systems with daylight dimming (including lighting retrofit and task tuning). Using a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) reference building model (DOE 2018), this translates to whole building savings of 2-5% (large-medium commercial), 12-23% (large-small commercial), and 13-15% (medium-large commercial) for these systems respectively. Early findings from the utilities in deploying these systems through their incentive programs indicate that deployment methods such as direct install programs might be best suited for these integrated systems. Further, early findings from a scoping study across custom utility programs and federal retrofit programs indicate that component level retrofits are still prevalent even in these programs, pointing towards an opportunity for deeper energy savings deployment. High performance retrofit case studies demonstrate that deeper energy savings is possible through integrated approaches. Market stakeholder interviews indicate however that there is generally a low level of awareness of the potential for energy savings of these three integrated systems.
Plug loads account for approximately 30% of commercial whole-building energy use, and this percentage is growing. That means the United States spends about $60 billion per year on energy to keep our devices running. About 10% of this is attributed to computing resources, which includes both traditional laptop and desktop computers, as well as data centers that can host virtual machines (VMs) and enable teleworking trends. Teleworking and more flexible work environments are becoming increasingly popular options, and many business and building owners wonder whether hosting VMs on data center servers has the potential to save energy. To answer this question, researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) conducted a study comparing energy and usability of remote VMs (accessed through zero-client devices) with traditional laptop computers. The findings were published in the Journal of Sustainable Cities and Society in 2017.
Creating zero energy (ZE) mid- to high-rise multifamily buildings represent significant challenges in the design world. Tenants often take responsibility for some of the utilities and are responsible for consumption of some of the largest end uses: hot water and plug loads. Furthermore, designers can experience risk in creating new sets of details and recommending new strategies to reach aggressive EUI targets. To assist in a more streamlined and successful design approach to ZE multifamily buildings, five major professional societies and experts from the multifamily space created a Zero Energy Advanced Energy Design Guide (AEDG) for multifamily buildings based on data driven results coupled with actual design experiences and case studies. Pathways to achieve ZE design were established including whole building energy use intensity targets coupled with details on how to achieve success in implementing individual efficiency measures. The guidance strives to overcome design barriers and this paper provides an overview of the recommended process to achieve ZE or ZE-ready status, along with details on selecting energy targets, and strategy pathways to achieve the targets.
This project explored an innovative modeling approach for assessing the energy efficiency potential of the existing low-income Oceano neighborhood, in unincorporated San Luis Obispo County, and its effects on renewable generation requirements for achieving zero net energy (ZNE). One particular challenge faced was ascertaining the technical energy savings potential across a large neighborhood in a timely manner. The project overcame this challenge through the use of the URBANopt simulation platform, developed at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. URBANopt manages the automated model creation, simulation, and result aggregation for different design scenarios of existing or candidate buildings in a large neighborhood. Customized energy efficiency packages considered for the residential and commercial sector in the neighborhood included lighting, HVAC, plug load, water heating, envelope, and energy education measures. As a result of the analysis for the Oceano community, energy efficiency measures that are available through incentive programs may provide a 7.4% reduction in the required distributed energy resource (DER) size, corresponding to a 25,000 ft2 decrease in PV array area, to achieve ZNE. Through this work, a computational tool was developed and is being leveraged by the County of San Luis Obispo (CoSLO). The tool has enabled the CoSLO staff to perform similar analysis of the technical potential for energy efficiency, and an understanding of the DER asset requirements and potential savings in other communities within the county.
For the last few years, networked lighting controls (NLCs) have promised significant energy savings beyond what is achieved through a basic LED retrofit. At the same time, NLCs can substantially increase the cost and complexity of the lighting retrofit. And as lighting system wattage declines because of the increasing efficiency of LEDs, advanced controls have less lighting energy to save and the cost-effectiveness of the NLC investment decreases. But NLCs can be leveraged to achieve significant energy savings and value by enhancing control of other building systems. Integrating NLC with control of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), plug load control, space utilization, and grid services all enhance the value of your NLC investment. There are already a few NLC products on the market that are capable of providing these enhanced benefits. Manufacturers and entrepreneurs are working hard to expand the impact of these products. But does system interoperability work? Can it be deployed at scale? Slipstream, NEEA and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have all been attempting to answer these questions in recent pilot projects and describe the outcomes in this paper.
Lighting energy use has significantly declined as a portion of overall building energy usage due largely to the uptake of more efficient light-emitting diode technology. Although the per unit cost of lighting controls has declined, the installation and use of lighting controls are low and the installation and use of advanced controls are abysmally low. Increased use of advanced and connected lighting controls, and the ability to integrate lighting with other building systems (e.g., heat and air, plug loads, miscellaneous loads) that make the building “smarter,” offer the potential for additional energy savings. Studies into the performance of new, advanced lighting control technologies in commercial buildings have generated new findings. Although each field evaluation has interesting results individually, an analysis of their collective findings across a spectrum of commercial building types will help establish the current state of the technology and implications related to market readiness. This paper will analyze results from available field evaluation studies (recently completed as well as ongoing) of retrofit sites and share findings and insights including: • The amount of energy savings that may be expected from these systems. • Cost effectiveness, monetization, and cost points of these systems. • Ideal characteristics of these systems the most viable. • Lessons learned from the installation, commissioning, and occupant response of these systems. The results will support Department of Energy research investments and help inform efficiency programs of the potential of these emerging technologies and how they may fit within the clean energy future.
PoE technologies are currently ubiquitous in offices in the form of phones, access points, and IP security cameras and managed by on-site IT staff. As low voltage DC-power capabilities have increased with network switches, PoE devices are now being integrated across additional building systems, including lighting, computers, and HVAC controls. Since PoE devices are connected to network switches, energy monitoring and management can be performed through the IT network management software. Data and results from technology validations are still very limited for PoE equipment. This lack of information hinders higher adoption as its benefits and challenges have been insufficiently quantified in real-world scenarios. The use of IT network switches to power and control lighting, plug loads, and HVAC were demonstrated at a variety of sites including offices, schools, and a hotel. This paper presents the findings of a three-year DOE-/State of Minnesota-funded project that demonstrated and assessed the energy and non-energy benefits of Power over Ethernet (PoE) technologies at four commercial/institutional sites. The goals of the demonstrations were to: (1) assess the receptiveness of commercial and institutional markets to these new technologies, (2) demonstrate the feasibility of PoE technologies within standard design/construction practices and commercial codes, (3) assess the energy and cost savings opportunities of these technologies, (4) provide energy management opportunities where they typically are not available, and (5) formulate approaches to spur adoption of these technologies in the marketplace.
PoE technologies are currently ubiquitous in offices in the form of phones, access points, and IP security cameras and managed by on-site IT staff. As low voltage DC-power capabilities have increased with network switches, PoE devices are now being integrated across additional building systems, including lighting, computers, and HVAC controls. Since PoE devices are connected to network switches, energy monitoring and management can be performed through the IT network management software. Data and results from technology validations are still very limited for PoE equipment. This lack of information hinders higher adoption as its benefits and challenges have been insufficiently quantified in real-world scenarios. The use of IT network switches to power and control lighting, plug loads, and HVAC were demonstrated at a variety of sites including offices, schools, and a hotel. This paper presents the findings of a three-year DOE-/State of Minnesota-funded project that demonstrated and assessed the energy and non-energy benefits of Power over Ethernet (PoE) technologies at four commercial/institutional sites. The goals of the demonstrations were to: (1) assess the receptiveness of commercial and institutional markets to these new technologies, (2) demonstrate the feasibility of PoE technologies within standard design/construction practices and commercial codes, (3) assess the energy and cost savings opportunities of these technologies, (4) provide energy management opportunities where they typically are not available, and (5) formulate approaches to spur adoption of these technologies in the marketplace.
Almost two thirds of the residential homes in the U.S. were constructed before the Department of Energy implemented energy conservation measures that were later formalized in the building codes. To reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions from the built environment, improvement to the existing housing stock is a prerequisite. However, improvements that lower energy consumption address carbon emissions related to heating, cooling and plug loads but not the embodied carbon of the building materials that also contribute to global carbon emissions. As the enclosure is made more efficient a larger portion of total carbon emissions is embodied carbon from the building materials. To mitigate carbon emissions, a holistic approach is required so that any improvement to the home results in a net reduction in carbon emissions. To understand the overall environmental impact of building enclosure improvements, the embodied and operational carbon emissions are calculated in this investigation and compared to the overall energy savings associated with enclosure improvements. The energy savings together with a reduction in operational carbon emissions are calculated using a novel building envelope metric. The net carbon emissions are then determined before and after the energy improvement measures. This approach allows or enables architects and builders to select designs that result in maximizing the overall reduction in energy and carbon emissions.
Plug and process loads (PPLs) consume approximately one third of U.S. buildings' energy budget. As other equipment becomes more efficient, and plug-in devices diversify in the market, the percentage of PPL energy consumption is forecasted to grow. To help combat this growth, new wireless metering and control technologies (also known as 'smart outlets') are helping building owners to collect plug load data, understand usage patterns, and implement controls. Adoption of these new connected technologies motivates serious cybersecurity consideration. Because these new technologies are developing at such a rapid pace, the aim of this paper is to inform thinking about cybersecurity issues and the risks that they impose. Through this lens, we explore the pros and cons of plug load controllers, provide a framework for assessing cybersecurity of connected devices such as plug load controllers, and offer an example of how commercial building owners could use this framework to minimize their cybersecurity risks when adopting smart products. In providing this framework, this paper aims to remove some barriers to implementation of these energy efficient technologies in the built environment.
Aperture-admittance expression for waveguide-fed rectangular aperture antenna, loaded with dielectric plug
This document details how Advanced Power Strips (APSs) work and their energy savings potential, while addressing common myths that can present a barrier to wider market adoption of this technology.