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Plug-In Electric Vehicles
September 25, 2009 | Updated: April 15, 2013
Commercial sale of production-line plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) commenced in 2009 and will increase steadily in the coming years. This resource guide covers PHEV performance, benefits, and limitations, and discusses the potential challenges they pose for electric utilities.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: TAS-RG-20 | Author: Dan Greenberg, Bryan Jungers
Residential Radiant Barrier Systems
August 8, 2012
Radiant barriers can save significant amounts of energy in cooling-load-dominated climates. However, some vendors’ claims are exaggerated or confusing. Arming yourself or your customers with a basic understanding of how they work and what to look for can help ensure effective product selections.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: TAS-RG-27 | Author: Peter Criscione
Residential-Scale Water Heaters
July 3, 2012
Residential-scale water heaters are widely used in homes and small commercial buildings and represent an immense source of energy consumption. We look at the different options currently available, along with barriers and opportunities for utility demand-side management and demand-response programs.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: TAS-RG-29 | Author: Essie Snell
Water-Cooled Electric Chillers
March 26, 2009 | Updated: May 29, 2012
Although a chiller’s annual energy costs can amount to one-third of its purchase price, choosing one that is most efficient at full or part load might be counterproductive because the ratings don’t measure the efficiency of the overall cooling system.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: CEMC-RG-7 | Author: Peter Criscione, Jarett Zuboy
Air-Cooled Electric Chillers
December 28, 2011
Air-cooled electric chillers can be more attractive in hot, humid climates and certain applications in other climates compared to water-cooled chillers and rooftop units. However, in most of North America, water-cooled chillers are more efficient and have a lower life-cycle cost.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: TAS-RG-28 | Author: Peter Criscione
Regional Technologies Guide
May 24, 2010
This guide is intended to help you identify energy-efficient technologies that could be of particular benefit in a given climate region.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: TAS-RG-23 | Author: Kitty Stevenson and Peter Criscione
Variable Refrigerant Flow Systems
March 26, 2010
Variable refrigerant flow systems promise higher efficiencies and other benefits compared to other heating and cooling solutions. However, the jury is still out as to how well they perform. We discuss both the theoretical and evaluated evidence supporting this up-and-coming technology.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: TAS-RG-19 | Author: Peter Criscione and Joe Shekiro
Commercial Condensing Boilers for Space Heating
March 8, 2010
Commercial condensing boilers cost one and a half times as much as conventional boilers of similar size, but their high efficiency lets you recoup that cost premium quickly through energy savings. They also offer future savings if they’re matched with a properly designed distribution system.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: CEMC-RG-15 | Author: Mary Horsey
Energy-Efficient Track Lighting
February 8, 2010
Metal halide, compact fluorescent, light-emitting diode, and advanced halogen reflector lamps can be used to provide more efficient track lighting than is possible with conventional track lighting.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: TAS-RG-24 | Author: Ira Krepchin
Air-Source Electric Heat Pumps
December 17, 2009
Air-source electric heat pumps are year-round space-conditioning systems capable of providing heating, cooling, and domestic hot water in a single piece of equipment. They often offer a lower capital cost and lower operating cost than electric resistance heating and, in some cases, gas heating.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: TAS-RG-22 | Author: Peter Criscione
Geothermal Heat Pumps for Commercial Applications
August 24, 2009
Geothermal heat pumps use the relatively constant temperature of the earth to provide efficient heating and cooling. This Resource Guide looks at applications in commercial buildings.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: CEMC-RG-11 | Author: Ira Krepchin
Cool Thermal Storage for Unitary Air Conditioners
July 17, 2009
After a decade of development, ice storage for small unitary air conditioners is still expensive but has the potential to be competitive with several utility-scale electricity storage technologies. It remains to be seen if the latest generation of equipment can live up to manufacturer projections.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: TAS-RG-17 | Author: Mary Horsey
Air-Side Economizers
June 12, 2009
Air-side economizers can save 8 to 20 percent of HVAC energy use. However, they are also well known for malfunctioning and wasting significant amounts of energy. You can avoid this by adhering to requirements for properly installing and maintaining economizers.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: CEMC-RG-10 | Author: Peter Criscione
Demand-Response Thermostats
April 1, 2009
Demand-response thermostats that control HVAC systems in residential and small business applications can be very effective at reducing peak demand and engaging the customer. In fact, some of these thermostats can even display text messages and energy-use information.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: TAS-RG-15 | Author: John Sustar
Lighting Controls
February 1, 2009
Controls that vary the time of operation and the intensity of electric lighting can cut energy use, reduce peak demand, improve occupant comfort, and increase productivity.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: TAS-RG-16 | Author: Ira Krepchin
Building Automation Systems
January 21, 2009
Installing a building automation system (BAS)—also known as an energy management system—or upgrading an existing BAS can reduce building operating costs by controlling energy-consuming building equipment so that it operates more efficiently and effectively.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: TAS-RG-13 | Author: John Sustar
Small Gas Condensing Boilers
January 1, 2009
Residential-scale gas-fired condensing boilers (heating capacities of less than 300,000 Btu per hour) can provide efficient space and water heating in homes and small commercial buildings.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: TAS-RG-14 | Author: Jessica Rivas
Hotel Room Automation
December 30, 2008
Lights and HVAC are the two biggest users of energy in limited-service motels. Available studies suggest a 25 to 44 percent energy-savings potential per room for automation products and can be used in virtually any hotel or motel to some degree.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: TAS-RG-11 | Author: Peter Criscione and Ira Goldschmidt
Lighting Maintenance
November 30, 2008
All lighting systems experience a decrease in light output and efficiency over time—lamp light output decreases, dirt accumulates on fixtures, lamps burn out, and control systems drift out of spec or are overridden by occupants.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: CEMC-RG-5 | Author: Ira Krepchin
Energy-Use Displays
October 8, 2008
As energy costs soar, utilities and their customers are looking for ways to cut energy use and power demand. Energy-use displays typically feature a small, often portable display that communicates the instantaneous electric power demand of the household.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: TAS-RG-12 | Author: John Sustar and Ira Krepchin
Lighting for Parking Lots and Garages
October 1, 2008
Well-designed lighting for parking lots and garages is cost-effective, efficient, and enhances the safety of drivers and pedestrians by directing light where it is needed, minimizing glare, distributing illumination evenly, and reducing light trespass.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: CEMC-RG-2 | Author: Jessica Rivas and Ira Krepchin
Network Computer Power Management
July 1, 2008
Billions of kilowatt-hours are wasted every year by idle networked computers in offices, libraries, computer labs, and research facilities. Building managers and network administrators can significantly reduce computing costs if these idle machines are switched off.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: TAS-RG-10 | Author: John Sustar and Spencer Sator
Rooftop Units
March 20, 2008
A single-packaged air-conditioning rooftop unit (RTU) is a type of unitary air conditioner, a category that includes both single-packaged and split systems. RTUs are sometimes referred to as packaged units because they are self-contained.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: TAS-RG-8 | Author: John Sustar and Peter Criscone
Residential Grid-Tied Photovoltaic Systems
March 13, 2008
The residential grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) industry has grown rapidly since the late 1990s, due in large part to gradually declining system prices, improved equipment, growing consumer concerns regarding climate change, and a proliferation of government and utility incentive programs. ...
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: TAS-RG-7 | Author: Spencer Sator, Dan Greenberg
High-Performance T8 Fluorescent Lamps
January 22, 2008
Fluorescent lighting technology has achieved new levels of efficiency, color quality, and longevity in a class of products called high-performance T8s. Most carry a price premium, but they are typically more cost-effective replacements for T12s than standard T8s.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: TAS-RG-6 | Author: Peter Criscione
Daylighting Controls
January 8, 2008
Daylighting controls can avoid the common daylighting hazards of underdimming, overdimming and rapid cycling. This Resource Guide covers design and technology fundamentals and alternatives, economics, maintenance, efficiency, market information, and utility program models.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: TAS-RG-3 | Author: Christie Rewey and Ira Krepchin
Compact Fluorescent Lamps
January 7, 2008
Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) use about one-third as much energy as comparable incandescent lamps. They also offer dramatic labor savings because they last up to 10 times longer.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: TAS-RG-5 | Author: Tertia Speiser and Ira Krepchin
Light-Emitting Diodes
November 19, 2007
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are small solid-state light sources that are an energy-efficient choice in many applications. LEDs have substantially increased in efficiency and decreased in price over the past several years.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: CEMC-RG-1 | Author: Spencer Sator and Ira Krepchin
High-Bay Lighting: HID versus HIF
November 7, 2007
Metal halide and high-pressure sodium lamps have dominated the market for lighting indoor spaces with high ceilings. But high-intensity fluorescent light sources have improved significantly, making them the most cost-effective solution for most high-bay applications.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: TAS-RG-4 | Author: John Sustar and Ira Krepchin
Occupancy Sensors
October 15, 2007
Occupancy sensors detect the presence or absence of people and turn lights on and off accordingly. Used properly, occupancy sensors can be a cost-effective tool for reducing the operating time and/or light output of lighting systems, cutting energy consumption and peak demand.
Content type: Resource Guide | Document ID: TAS-RG-2 | Author: Kristin Kamm
