The CEC's Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program has been working to develop possible solutions, including the use of ventilation cooling to reduce compressor-cooling energy consumption. After several years of research by Davis Energy Group and other collaborators, the NightBreeze system was developed to integrate ventilation cooling with heating and air conditioning, as well as to provide fresh-air ventilation for maintaining indoor air quality (IAQ).
"It has become common practice for California home builders to install air conditioning equipment in all new homes, even in mild coastal climates where air conditioning is typically only needed a few days of the year," said Jerry Best of Advanced Energy Products (AEP), a new business venture for Davis Energy Group, lead investigator for the PIER project.