This subcommittee is forming and currently recruiting new members. For more information, please email info@performancealliance.org.

The Milestones and Key Actions in the table below will help illuminate and guide the work of the Subcommittee. They are documented in the Whole-Building Design section of the Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Action Plan. The Action Plan was developed with input from the Investor-Owned Utilities, the Western HVAC Performance Alliance, and other stakeholders to help California’s HVAC sector achieve the goals described in the California Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan published by the California Public Utilities Commission.

Strategy 3.1: Aggressively promote whole building design concepts that improve the overall thermal integrity of new and existing structures.

Air conditioning does not work in isolation; buildings themselves dictate the occupant’s experience of comfort and efficiency. Whole building design that integrates thermal integrity is essential to achieve all potential energy savings identified in the Strategic Plan. While HVAC has historically been treated as a “box” or a “widget,” national organizations such as ACCA (Air Conditioning Contractors of America), ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers), BPI (Building Performance Institute), SMACNA and EPA’s ENERGY STAR Buildings Program have also begun to elevate the importance of right-sizing and proper control of HVAC equipment, which are key to successful integrated building designs and performance.  To maximize the effectiveness of the systems approach in many 2010-2012 IOU programs, support for whole building design concepts has been a priority since 2010.