PNNL

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)—in collaboration with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), and dozens of other key research organizations—has established a national Field Validation Partnership to ensure US leadership in HVAC and water heating technology research for residential and commercial buildings, and coordination of that research across the country.

Objectives

The objectives of this multi-year project are: 

• Develop and maintain a structured Field Validation Partnership between the Department of Energy (DOE) and the national laboratories, along with research and other industry organizations. This will result in a unique way to coordinate field validation plans and collect relevant data from around the country of high-performance HVAC and water heating data.
• Maintain a continuous pipeline of information exchange between DOE and the major industry players the high-performance HVAC and water heating space. 
• Serve as a national clearinghouse for field test information from all relevant stakeholders. 
• Identify and inform DOE of remaining gaps and research questions associated with field validation.
• Develop and coordinate collaborative field test efforts among relevant stakeholders throughout the nation.
• Work with manufacturers and trade organizations to collect or develop training materials required for new technologies. 
• Determine relevant regional aspects associated with HVAC and water heating technologies.

Project Organization

The project is funded by DOE’s Building Technologies Office and led by a steering committee with representatives from DOE and four national laboratories. Each national laboratory also manages a core committee focused on different topic areas within HP and HPWH technology adoption.

The core committees led a national gaps analysis and prioritization process, which included hundreds of contributions from diverse organizations across the country. The process resulted in a set of sub-activities under each core committee that will work toward closing the highest-priority gaps. Listed below beneath each core committee are the challenges that will be addressed by sub-activities:

• Research, Development, and Demonstration (ORNL)
  1. High-performance HVAC equipment price reduction
  2. High-performance water heating equipment price reduction
  3. Lack of field test data/field performance
  4. Central/commercial sized high performance water heating technology development
• Building Integration Barriers (NREL)
  1. Cold-climate HVAC selection criteria, load calculations and system design, and data needs and availability; sizing heating pumps with existing ductwork
  2. Retrofit sequencing needs, determining when weatherization and/or duct improvements are necessary, and addressing whole-building integration issues
  3. Cost to upgrade electrical panels and need for lower-cost options
  4. Need for integrated and dual fuel heat pump controls, better on-board controls, and onboard automated fault detection devices and performance monitoring 
  5. Integrating the sensors and controls necessary to enable central high-performance water heaters to shift their hours of operation 
• Workforce Development (PNNL)
  1. Addressing skilled labor shortage
  2. Curating residential pre-field training for installers/service technicians 
  3. Curating residential in-field on-the-job training for installers/service technicians 
  4. Curating residential training for distributors
  5. Providing resources to ensure contractor comfort with high-performance HVAC technologies in any climate (especially cold climates) 
• Regional Elements (LBNL)
  1. Clarify the value proposition for high-performance HVAC and water heating 
  2. Misalignment of goals in some regions 
  3. Utility rates
  4. Installed costs

Contributing Organizations

This project relies on collaboration among a variety of organizations. We would like to acknowledge the incredible efforts of the organizations that are leading committees or working groups. We could not do it without you!

• Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute 
• Brookhaven National Laboratory
• Center for Energy and Environment
• Ecotope
• Hummingbird Firm
• Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 
• Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory 
• New Buildings Institute
• Newport Partners
• Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships
• Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory
• Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
• Slipstream
• Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance
• Southwest Energy Efficiency Project
• SPEER
• TRC
• Tre’Laine Associates
• U.S. Department of Energy
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

Contact Us

Please email Fredericka Brown if you are interested in joining the partnership or specific working group(s).