June 6, 2014: HVAC Electricity Use Slashed with Energy Efficiency Controls
Field Test of Advanced Controls in Commercial Buildings Reveals More Savings Than Expected
RICHLAND, Wash. — Commercial buildings could cut their HVAC electricity use by an average of 57 percent with advanced energy efficiency controls, according to a year-long trial of the controls at malls, grocery stores, and other buildings across the country. The study demonstrated higher energy savings than what was predicted in earlier computer simulations by the same researchers.
“We’ve long known that heating and cooling are among the biggest energy consumers in buildings, largely because most buildings don’t use sophisticated controls,” said the study’s lead researcher, engineer Srinivas Katipamula of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). “But our tests of controls installed at real, working commercial buildings clearly demonstrate how much more energy efficient air conditioning systems can be.”