High-Efficiency Rooftop Air Conditioners: Small Commercial ACs Could Add Up to Big Energy Savings

摘要

This article describes a technology proc urement conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and the Defense Logistics Agency to increase the availability of energy-efficient, packaged unitary "rooftop" air conditioners. The procurement encourages air conditioner manufacturers to produce equipment that exceeds federal energy efficiency standards by at least 25 percent at a lower life-cycle cost. Program developers have also sought to aggregate market demand by organizing groups of large-volume buyers of air-conditioning equipment. A cost estimator tool developed by PNNL to help consumers determine the cost-effectiveness, based on local climate conditions, of purchasing energy-efficient air conditioners for their own facilities also is described.