October 2012 Newsletter

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OCTOBER 2012

In-Person WHPA Meeting and Public Forum Slated for November 14 in Pasadena

James Tuleya (left) of PG&E, Chair of the WHPA Executive Committee; Mark Lowry (right) of RSES, Chair of WHPA Council of Advisors.

The WHPA Executive Committee (EC) and the Council of Advisors (COA) will meet for a joint morning session on
Wednesday, November 14, in Pasadena, California at the annual trade show of the Institute of Heating and Air
Conditioning Industries (IHACI).

In the afternoon there will be a Public Forum hosted by California’s Investor-Owned Utilities (IOUs) for the California Public Utility Commission Energy Division (CPUC ED). This highly-anticipated session will feature a panel of CPUC and IOU representatives as well as WHPA member organizations.

The WHPA launched in May 2009 and is the official HVAC energy efficiency stakeholder advisory group for the Investor-Owned Utilities and the California Public Utility Commission.

James Tuleya, PG&E and Chair of the WHPA Executive Committee, said, “The California Investor-Owned Utilities
are pleased to host this event. We especially encourage participation in the Public Forum, which is not just about the WHPA, it is about HVAC energy efficiency issues in California, policy, and programs. This forum will provide valuable public input to the IOUs, the California Public Utility Commission, and the WHPA leadership.”

Additional information about the Public Forum, including call-in information for the 1:30 to 3 p.m. meeting, will be posted on the homepage of the WHPA website as it becomes available.

HVAC Contractor and Technician Behavior Study Provides Hard Data on Residential and Commercial QI and QM Practices in California

This report presents findings from the California HVAC Contractor & Technician Behavior Study undertaken by Energy Market Innovations, Inc. (EMI), Western Cooling Efficiency Center (WCEC), Verified, Inc., and Better Buildings, Inc. (BBI), on behalf of Southern California Edison (SCE) and Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E).

The purpose of the study was to gain a greater understanding of the HVAC market and to inform future California IOU HVAC program design. This project addresses the behavioral research area, Phase II, as recommended by Phase I, of the “HVAC Maintenance Energy Efficiency Study”.

Among the findings:

Surveyed contractors tend to agree that there are many benefits of proper HVAC maintenance and installation. Over 80% of respondents indicated that proper maintenance and installation can improve air quality, increase customer comfort, increase energy savings/reduce electric bills, prolong the system’s lifespan, prevent the need for repairs, and improve reliability.
Roughly 40% of contractors reported that they are aware of ACCA and ASHRAE industry standards for QM and QI, and most of those that were aware reported that their companies use the specifications. However, none of the technicians’ maintenance practices in a residential setting came close to complying with ACCA Standard 4, according to trained observers.
Sixty-two percent of contractors believe that the primary barrier to implementing high quality installation services is that customers are not willing to pay for it. Overall, technical performance of the field-observed technicians providing typical “maintenance” services was below the standards of ACCA 4, utility “quality maintenance” program goals, and industry best practices as judged by the expert technician.
Results of field observations suggest that the requirements of conducting “quality maintenance” often conflict with other demands that technicians face.

CLICK HERE to read the report.

The Residential Quality Maintenance and Commercial Quality Installation subcommittees are seeking nominations for chairs to form productive teams and help accomplish California’s energy efficiency goals.

Details about their missions are available on the Residential Quality Maintenance and Commercial Quality Installation webpages.

For further information, contact Committee Chair Mel Johnson (mel.johnson@sce.com; mobile:626-863-3610) and copy Committee Staff Bob Sundberg (bob.sundberg@yahoo.com; office: 763-478-8801).

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WHPA Effectiveness Report

An Independent Report on WHPA Effectiveness for the years 2009 through 2011 has been completed. This report, requested and funded by Southern California Edison (SCE), was intended to assess the WHPA and offer recommendations for the future.

CLICK HERE to read the full report.

News of the State

CEC Energy Efficiency Workshop Presentations Now Available

The California Energy Commission held comprehensive energy efficiency public workshops on October 8 and 9 on “Comprehensive Energy Efficiency Programs for Existing Buildings”. The attached link to the CEC website provides the documents, presentations and public comments from the workshop. This material is relevant to many WHPA members. CLICK HERE to visit the CEC website.

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CPUC Proposed Decision for Energy Efficiency Programs Is Published

Oct. 9, 2012 – The Proposed Decision of the California Public Utility Commission on the Applications of the California IOUs for Approval of 2013-2014 Energy Efficiency Programs and Budget has been published and is in the comment period. The 128-page decision includes comments on HVAC programs in pages 23, 26, and 70-72.

Nov. 2, 2012 – The HVAC Commercial Quality Maintenance Sector Strategy Kick-off, sponsored by the IOUs, is from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 505 Van Ness Ave., Golden Gate Room, San Francisco, CA 94102. This is an on-site meeting with call-in and video conferencing. Contact Lisa Shell with PG&E at L1Sb@pge.com if you would like to attend the meeting.

November 14, 2012 - WHPA Executive Committee (EC) and the Council of Advisors (COA) and Public Forum. See top article in this newsletter.

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The WHPA Meeting Calendar has the times, locations, and call-in information for WHPA committee, subcommittee and working group meetings. Open meetings provide all information to attend the call. Closed Meetings provide contact information to request permission to attend.

CLICK HERE to view the WHPA Master Calendar.

Our HVAC Trade Shows and Events Calendar is the most popular page on the WHPA website. Bookmark it and you will have easy access to a comprehensive list of HVAC- and energy-related trade shows and events through 2013.

If you know of an event that is not listed that you think should be, please send us an email.

CLICK HERE to view the 2013 Trade Show Calendar.

The Western HVAC Performance Alliance was established in 2009. More than 140 organizations in 22 stakeholder categories are working together to help transform from the residential and small commercial HVAC industry to ensure that technology, equipment, installation and maintenance are of the highest quality to promote energy efficiency and peak load reduction. In this role the WHPA provides input to California Investor-Owned Utilities. For more information, contact info@performancealliance.org.