System Retrofits in Efficiency Programs: Track Record and Outlook

Webinar 8-12-20

https://buildings.lbl.gov/cbs/getting-beyond-widgets-enabling-utility-incentive

Cindy Regnier, P.E. Paul Mathew, Ph.D.CMRegnier@LBL.GOV PAMathew@LBL.GOV

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Challenge

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The opportunity:System retrofits can provide 50%+ additional whole building energy savings in existing buildings over ‘widget’ retrofits.

However, barriers exist:

• Systems are inherently more complex and disruptive; need simplified approaches to access savings, understand interactions

• Lack of industry awareness of how systems provide deeper savings, about the state of systems deployment in industry, and the R&D needed to increase uptake

Figure – Regnier et al, Energy and Buildings, 2017 (Regnier et al, 2017)

What is a System?

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“A building system is a combination of equipment, operations, controls, accessories and means of interconnection that use energy to perform a specific function.“ (ASE, 2016, 2017)

Industry System Retrofit Study –System Definitions

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End Use Systems:Consist of equipment, supporting devices, distribution, termination and sensors/controls• e.g. HVAC, lighting, DHW etc.

Interactive Systems:• No physical communications link

between end use systems• One system responds to behavior of

another via impacts to the space• e.g. Lighting dimming systems responding to lower daylighting due to shade operation

Integrated Systems: • Active controls communications between end use systems • e.g. Automated shading controlled to reduce HVAC energy use while optimizing daylight availability

(communicates with HVAC system to determine mode of operation, cooling or heating)

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2

3

End Use System Retrofit Examples

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e.g. Air Source Heat Pump with Demand Control Ventilation

e.g. Thermal storage and Time Of Use controls

e.g. ASHP with Heat Recovery on Relief Air

e.g. Hydronic fan coil with occupancy controls

e.g. ASHP with hydronic storage and Time Of Use controls

Motivating questions

u What is the extent of systems retrofits compared to component retrofits?

u Do systems retrofits save more energy than component retrofits?

u What types of measures are used in systems retrofits?

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Data and Approach

12,255 projects10 building types | 7 climate zones

Cohort Analysis

8

Data sources

Cohort Attribute Attribute CategoriesRetrofit Type Non-System retrofits

End-Use System retrofitsInteractive System retrofitsIntegrated System retrofits

Project Savings Low Energy Savings projects High Energy Savings projects

Program Type FederalNAESCOUtilityOther

What is the extent of systems retrofits compared to component

retrofits?

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Systems retrofits relatively uncommon

10

82%

17%

6%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Non-SystemRetrofits EndUseSystemRetrofits InteractiveSystemRetrofits

%ofR

etrofitProjects

DistributionofSystemRetrofits

Systems retrofits less prevalent in utility programs

11

91%

71%

33%

9%9%

26%

60%

84%

0%

13%

38%

74%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Utility Federal ESCO Other

%ofP

rojectsforEachDataset

DistributionofSystemRetrofitsinDifferentProgramTypes

Non-SystemRetrofits

EndUseSystemRetrofits

InteractiveSystemRetrofits

Do systems retrofits save more energy than component

retrofits?

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Systems more prevalent in high savings projects

13

86%

65%

13%

32%

3%

18%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

LowEnergySavingsProjects HighEnergySavingsProjects

%ofP

rojectsforEachDa

taset

AllPrograms>HighandLowEnergySavingsbyRetrofitType

Non-SystemRetrofits

EndUseSystemRetrofits

InteractiveSystemRetrofits

ESCOs have more high savings system projects

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Utility Projects

Federal ProjectsESCO Projects92%

83%

8%

17%

0% 0%0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

LowEnergySavingsProjects HighEnergySavingsProjects

%ofP

rojectsforEachDa

taset

Utility>HighandLowEnergySavingsbyRetrofitType

Non-SystemRetrofitsEndUseSystemRetrofitsInteractiveSystemRetrofits

73%

62%

24%

32%

9%

28%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

LowEnergySavingsProjects HighEnergySavingsProjects

%ofP

rojectsforEachDa

taset

Federal>HighandLowEnergySavingsbyRetrofitType

Non-SystemRetrofitsEndUseSystemRetrofitsInteractiveSystemRetrofits

38%

29%

56%

64%

29%

45%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

LowEnergySavingsProjects HighEnergySavingsProjects

%ofP

rojectsforEachDa

taset

ESCO>HighandLowEnergySavingsbyRetrofitType

Non-SystemRetrofitsEndUseSystemRetrofitsInteractiveSystemRetrofits

What types of measures are used in system retrofits?

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Non-system projects highly dominated by lighting

16

58%

18%

15%

7%

1%0% 0% 0%

59%

18% 18%

4%1%

0% 0% 0%0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Lighting Cooling Heating Ventilation Envelope PlugLoads DHW Refrigeration

%ofT

otalEEM

sforEachDataset

Non-SystemRetrofits>EEMEndUseCategoriesforHighandLowEnergySavingsProjects

LowEnergySavingsProjects

HighEnergySavingsProjects

Non-SystemRetrofits>EEMEndUseCategoriesforHighandLowEnergySavingsProjects

End-use system retrofits dominated by lighting and HVAC

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0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

%ofP

rojectsinEachDataset

EndUseSystemRetrofits>EndUseCategoriesforHighandLowEnergySavingsProjects

LowEnergySavingsProjectsHighEnergySavingsProjects

Lighting HVAC-Cooling

HVAC-Ventilation

HVAC-Heating

Envelope PlugLoads

DHW Refrigeration

WatersideHVACmeasures(AirsideHVACmeasuresshownassolid)

EndUseSystemRetrofits>EndUseCategoriesforHighandLowEnergySavingsProjects

Interactive system retrofits include lighting, HVAC and envelope

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41%

29%

20%

7%

3%

36%

26%

19%

11%

7%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

LightingandHVAC EnvelopeandHVAC Lighting,EnvelopeandHVAC

PlugLoadsandHVAC

LightingandEnvelope

%ofP

rojectsinEachDataset

InteractiveSystemRetrofits>EndUseCategoryCombinationsforHighandLowEnergySavingsProjects

LowEnergySavingsProjects

HighEnergySavingsProjects

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0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

LEDFixtures,O

ccup

ancySen

sors&Con

trol

LEDLamps,O

ccup

ancySen

sors&Con

trol

LEDFixtures,B

i-LevelSwitching

LEDLamps,B

i-LevelSwitching

Non

-LED

Lam

ps,O

ccup

ancySen

sors&Con

trol

Non

-LED

Fixtures,Occup

ancySen

sors&Con

trol

Non

-LED

Lam

ps,B

i-LevelSwitching

Non

-LED

Fixtures,Bi-LevelSwitching

Equipm

enOther/U

nkno

wn,Occup

ancySen

sors&Con

trol

Equipm

entO

ther/U

nkno

wn,Bi-LevelSwitching

HeatingAirH

andlerM

odificatio

ns,SmartV

alvesa

ndCon

trols

HeatingAirH

andlerM

odificatio

ns,V

FDCon

trols

CoolingAirH

andlerM

odificatio

ns,SmartV

alvesa

ndCon

trols

CoolingAirH

andlerM

odificatio

ns,V

FDCon

trols

New

Chiller,VF

DCo

ntrols

Distrib

utionCo

ldAisleAirC

ontainmen

t,VF

DCo

ntrols

Distrib

utionCo

ldAisleAirC

ontainmen

t,En

ergyM

anagem

entC

ontrols

Distrib

utionCo

ldAisleAirC

ontainmen

t,StaticPressureCo

ntrols

New

Boiler,VF

DCo

ntrols

New

Chiller,Watersid

eEcon

omize

rCon

trols

%ofE

EMCom

binatio

ns

Num

bero

fEEM

Com

binatio

ns

EndUseSystemRetrofits>Utility>HighEnergySavingsProjectsUtility System Retrofit Distribution by Type –High Energy Saving Projects

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Pumps&Prim

ingSystem

s,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

New

/Rep

lacemen

tChiller,En

ergyM

gmtS

ystem

Lightin

gRe

trofit,Con

trols/MotionSensors

AirH

andlingUnitR

etrofit,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

Pumps&Prim

ingSystem

s,VFD

HVAC

Gen

eral,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

New

/Rep

lacemen

tChiller,VF

D

New

/Rep

lacemen

tBoiler,En

ergyM

gmtS

ystem

AirH

andlingUnitR

etrofit,V

FD

Pumps&Prim

ingSystem

s,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

New

/Rep

lacemen

tMotor,V

FD

New

/Rep

lacemen

tMotor,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

AirH

andlingUnitR

etrofit,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

AirH

andlingUnitR

etrofit,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

Pumps&Prim

ingSystem

s,The

rmostat

EnergyM

gmtS

ystem,H

eatR

ecovery/Storage

AirH

andlingUnitR

etrofit,Equ

ipmen

tSched

uling

Pumps&Prim

ingSystem

s,VFD

New

/Rep

lacemen

tBoiler,VF

D

HVAC

Gen

eral,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

%ofE

EMCom

binatio

ns

Num

bero

fEEM

Com

binatio

ns

EndUseSystemRetrofits>ESCO>HighEnergySavingsProjects

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140Distrib

utionOther/U

nkno

wn,Con

trolsO

ther/U

nkno

wn

Equipm

entO

ther/U

nkno

wn,Distrib

utionOther/U

nkno

wn

Non

-LED

Lam

ps,O

ccup

ancySen

sors&Con

trol

Non

-LED

Lam

ps,D

aylightDim

mingCo

ntrols

Non

-LED

Lam

ps,Sched

uling

Non

-LED

Fixtures,Occup

ancySen

sors&Con

trol

Non

-LED

Fixtures,Sched

uling

Non

-LED

Fixtures,DaylightDim

mingCo

ntrols

Non

-LED

Lam

ps,B

i-LevelSwitching

Equimen

tOther/U

nkno

wn,Occup

ancySen

sors&Con

trol

Distrib

utionOther/U

nkno

wn,VFD

Con

trols

Distrib

utionOther/U

nkno

wn,VFD

Con

trols

DedicatedOutdo

orAirSystem

,Dem

andCo

ntrolV

entilation

Distrib

utionOther/U

nkno

wn,VFD

Con

trols

TaskLights,Occup

ancySen

sors&Con

trol

CoolingAirH

andlerM

odificatio

ns,V

FDCon

trols

HeatingAirH

andlerM

odificatio

ns,V

FDCon

trols

Non

-LED

Fixtures,Bi-LevelSwitching

TaskLights,Sched

uling

New

Chiller,VF

DCo

ntrols

%ofE

EMCom

binatio

ns

Num

bero

fEEM

Com

binatio

ns

EndUseSystemRetrofits>Federal>HighEnergySavingsProjects

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Federal Retrofit Program System Retrofit Distribution by Type – High Energy Saving Projects

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Pumps&Prim

ingSystem

s,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

New

/Rep

lacemen

tChiller,En

ergyM

gmtS

ystem

Lightin

gRe

trofit,Con

trols/MotionSensors

AirH

andlingUnitR

etrofit,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

Pumps&Prim

ingSystem

s,VFD

HVAC

Gen

eral,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

New

/Rep

lacemen

tChiller,VF

D

New

/Rep

lacemen

tBoiler,En

ergyM

gmtS

ystem

AirH

andlingUnitR

etrofit,V

FD

Pumps&Prim

ingSystem

s,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

New

/Rep

lacemen

tMotor,V

FD

New

/Rep

lacemen

tMotor,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

AirH

andlingUnitR

etrofit,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

AirH

andlingUnitR

etrofit,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

Pumps&Prim

ingSystem

s,The

rmostat

EnergyM

gmtS

ystem,H

eatR

ecovery/Storage

AirH

andlingUnitR

etrofit,Equ

ipmen

tSched

uling

Pumps&Prim

ingSystem

s,VFD

New

/Rep

lacemen

tBoiler,VF

D

HVAC

Gen

eral,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

%ofE

EMCom

binatio

ns

Num

bero

fEEM

Com

binatio

ns

EndUseSystemRetrofits>ESCO>HighEnergySavingsProjects

21

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Pumps&Prim

ingSystem

s,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

New

/Rep

lacemen

tChiller,EnergyM

gmtS

ystem

Lightin

gRe

trofit,Con

trols/MotionSensors

AirH

andlingUnitR

etrofit,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

Pumps&Prim

ingSystem

s,VFD

HVAC

Gen

eral,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

New

/Rep

lacemen

tChiller,VF

D

New

/Rep

lacemen

tBoiler,EnergyM

gmtS

ystem

AirH

andlingUnitR

etrofit,V

FD

Pumps&Prim

ingSystem

s,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

New

/Rep

lacemen

tMotor,V

FD

New

/Rep

lacemen

tMotor,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

AirH

andlingUnitR

etrofit,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

AirH

andlingUnitR

etrofit,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

Pumps&Prim

ingSystem

s,The

rmostat

EnergyM

gmtS

ystem,H

eatR

ecovery/Storage

AirH

andlingUnitR

etrofit,Equ

ipmen

tSched

uling

Pumps&Prim

ingSystem

s,VFD

New

/Rep

lacemen

tBoiler,VF

D

HVAC

Gen

eral,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

%ofE

EMCom

binatio

ns

Num

bero

fEEM

Com

binatio

ns

EndUseSystemRetrofits>ESCO>HighEnergySavingsProjects

ESCO Project System Retrofit Distribution by Type –High Energy Saving Projects

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Pumps&Prim

ingSystem

s,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

New

/Rep

lacemen

tChiller,En

ergyM

gmtS

ystem

Lightin

gRe

trofit,Con

trols/MotionSensors

AirH

andlingUnitR

etrofit,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

Pumps&Prim

ingSystem

s,VFD

HVAC

Gen

eral,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

New

/Rep

lacemen

tChiller,VF

D

New

/Rep

lacemen

tBoiler,En

ergyM

gmtS

ystem

AirH

andlingUnitR

etrofit,V

FD

Pumps&Prim

ingSystem

s,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

New

/Rep

lacemen

tMotor,V

FD

New

/Rep

lacemen

tMotor,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

AirH

andlingUnitR

etrofit,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

AirH

andlingUnitR

etrofit,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

Pumps&Prim

ingSystem

s,The

rmostat

EnergyM

gmtS

ystem,H

eatR

ecovery/Storage

AirH

andlingUnitR

etrofit,Equ

ipmen

tSched

uling

Pumps&Prim

ingSystem

s,VFD

New

/Rep

lacemen

tBoiler,VF

D

HVAC

Gen

eral,Ene

rgyMgm

tSystem

%ofE

EMCom

binatio

ns

Num

bero

fEEM

Com

binatio

ns

EndUseSystemRetrofits>ESCO>HighEnergySavingsProjects

Stakeholder Insights

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Stakeholder Insightsu Less than 10% of implementers/programs currently

address systems

u Lighting most common retrofit due to ease and cost

u Larger buildings more likely to do system retrofits

u Key sectors: offices, schools, healthcare, datacenters, biotech

u Barriers real and perceived:q Systems are too complexq Systems have poor cost effectivenessq Utility programs still highly ”widget” orientedq Lack of training for vendors and service providers

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Recommendationsu Bundle with low-cost measures for cost-effectiveness.

u Systems that ”work right out of the box”

u Reduce complexity and cost of design and implementation

u Ease controls integration with standards, plug and play.

u Lower touch “deemed”-style programs

u Expanding financing options

u Incentivize based on lifetime savingsu Flexibility in existing building baselines

u Case studies comparing systems vs. component approaches

u Awareness through professional and trade associations

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Technology

Policy and Programs

Education

Takeawaysu Systems are an underutilized EE strategy, that can

provide substantial energy savings over individual widgets.

u Utilities remain a largely untapped resource for systemsand they are motivated to deploy them.

u Systems can be cost effective, but demand assistance to reduce complexity, increase ease in deployment. Need R&Din technology development and methods to reduce transaction cost

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3 Systems: Simplified, validated assessment tools(excel based) available for all three systems, including system specifications and test results:cbs.lbl.gov/beyond-widgets-for-utilities

ACEEE 2018 Summer Study paper: ‘Beyond Widgets: Validated Systems Energy Savings and Utility Custom Incentive Program Systems Trends’ https://aceee.org/files/proceedings/2018/index.html#/paper/event-data/p122

3 Systems vs Component based upgrade comparison paperhttps://eta-publications.lbl.gov/publications/energy-cost-savings-systems-based

Systems Resources – Beyond Widgets Program