wise paper ashrae andrew schranck ! 2! tableof&contents! aboutwise 3! aboutashrae 3!
TRANSCRIPT
Residential Energy Efficiency Advancing New Technologies Through Public
Policy
Andrew Schranck ASHRAE
Missouri S&T, 2013 August 2013
2
Table of Contents
About WISE................................................................................................................................ 3 About ASHRAE.......................................................................................................................... 3 About the Author..................................................................................................................... 3 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................ 4 Executive Summary ................................................................................................................ 5 Acronyms and Other Abbreviations ................................................................................. 7 Introduction.............................................................................................................................. 8 What is Home Automation...........................................................................................................10 Benefits of HAS’s..............................................................................................................................12
Background .............................................................................................................................15 Origins of Home Automation ......................................................................................................15 Legislation and Standards ...........................................................................................................16 Looking Ahead to the Smart Grid ..............................................................................................17
Key Conflicts and Concerns................................................................................................18 Legislative Barriers........................................................................................................................19 Economic Barriers ..........................................................................................................................19
Policy Analysis and Alternatives......................................................................................20 Identification of Alternatives......................................................................................................20 Current Legislation.......................................................................................................................................21 Pending Legislation......................................................................................................................................21 Research............................................................................................................................................................25 Standards and Guidelines..........................................................................................................................26
Evaluation of Alternatives ...........................................................................................................27 Comparison and Evaluation of Alternatives ..........................................................................28
Recommendations ................................................................................................................30 Bibliography ...........................................................................................................................32
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About WISE Washington Internships for Students of Engineering (WISE) is a summer internship program located in Washington, D.C. The program is sponsored by seven engineering societies who select engineering students to take part in the nine-‐week program. The program seeks to introduce the students to public policy through a variety of experiences. While in Washington, the students learn about public policy by meeting with various government agencies and policy related organizations as well as interacting with legislators and other policy influencers. During the program the students also author a research paper that explores the intersection between an engineering topic of interest to their sponsoring society and public policy. The program concludes with summary presentations of the students’ papers. About ASHRAE ASHRAE was founded in 1894, and now serves over 54,000 members worldwide. Areas of interest to ASHRAE include: building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration, and sustainability within the industry. ASHRAE utilizes research, standards writing, publishing, and continuing education to shape tomorrow’s built environment today. ASHRAE conducts all its work while adhering to the organization’s core values of excellence, commitment, integrity, collaboration, and volunteerism. About the Author Andrew Schranck graduated from Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) in May 2013 with a dual degree in Civil and Architectural Engineering and a minor in Sustainability. While attending Missouri S&T, Andrew competed at the NCAA Swimming and Diving National Championship meet four times; earning All American honors three of the four years. He was selected as the team captain his senior year, and awarded the Athletic Department’s Gale Bullman Award. In addition to athletics, Andrew volunteered through service outlets on campus. He is a member of ASHRAE and Chi Epsilon. He was a member of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) for three years, and served as the Executive Treasurer his senior year. He also traveled once to Brazil while working on undergraduate research. Andrew chose the WISE program to further his interests in sustainability, architectural engineering, and residential housing by studying the role of building automation systems and energy efficiency in public policy.
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Acknowledgements I would like to thank ASHRAE for the opportunity to be a part of the WISE program. Mark Ames and Doug Read of ASHRAE were a driving force with their encouragement and advice during my research. Dr. Gail Marcus presented great commitment as the Faculty Member in Residence for the WISE interns this summer, and helped guide me in learning about public policy and how to write a policy paper. I would like to thank Chris Wilkins and the ASHRAE Document Review Subcommittee for their help in developing my paper. I would like to thank all the WISE interns for their role in enhancing my experiences in Washington, D.C. Mark Ames, Erica Wissolik, and Melissa Carl were instrumental in coordinating many of the logistics that contributed to the success of the WISE program as well. I would also like to thank John Holguin for all his help and guidance around the office while working on my policy paper. A special thanks also goes out to the people who either granted me personal interviews regarding my research or provided information for my paper: John Buydos, Emily Vandivert, John Tegtmeyer, Dr. Bruce McMillin, Herb Congdon, Billie Kaumaya, Farhad Omar, Mark Davis, and Kate Brinks. Lastly, I would like to thank Mrs. Polly Scott-‐Showalter and Dr. Richard Stephenson for their influence on my educational experiences at Missouri S&T. The influence of all these individuals and groups has been instrumental in my success in Washington, D.C.
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Executive Summary Energy consumption is a topic of considerable concern considering the
energy demand of the United States. Accounting for almost 20% of the world’s
energy consumption and less than 5% of the world population, energy consumption
of the U.S. is worth addressing. With 54% of the building energy consumption in the
U.S. seen in residential buildings, a new emphasis may be needed on the residential
housing sector (U.S. Department of Energy: Office of Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy , 2012). Building automation is one factor, which plays a role in
the continued improvement of building energy efficiency as it relates to homes. As
telecommunication and computing technologies continue to improve, home
automation systems may give building efficiency the opportunity to strive for a
realistic potential sooner rather than later.
Home automation is a complex area within building energy efficiency and
there is no simple solution. The process of making the solution as simple as possible
is important though. Defining the scope within home automation system technology
was critical in compiling this report. Home automation technology can apply to
many building systems and produce multiple benefits for the consumer. This report
focused on the issue of energy consumption and the need to reduce it. Home
automation technologies were identified as a possible way to address the issue.
Home automation technologies have other benefits outside of the environmental
benefit of reduced energy usage such as potential cost savings and the ability to
make the American lifestyle more comfortable and efficient.
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This study addressed what home automation is and sought to identify the
public policy barriers that may inhibit the implementation of the technologies
involved. Public policy alternatives to address the issue were presented and
evaluated based on the impact on three criteria: people, planet, and profit. The
evaluation was concluded with a four-‐point recommendation for implementing
home automation technologies through public policy.
7
Acronyms and Other Abbreviations
ANSI American National Standards Institute
BACnet Building Automation and Control Networks
BAS Building Automation System
BMS Building Management System
BTO Building Technologies Office
DDC Direct Digital Control
DOE Department of Energy
domotics DOMus infOrmaTICS (domus is Latin for home)
EERE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
HAS Home Automation System
HOMES Home Owner Managing Energy Savings
HVAC Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning
HVAC&L Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Lighting
IESNA Illuminating Engineering Society of North America
IRC Internal Revenue Code
ISO International Organization for Standardization
NSF National Science Foundation
NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology
TBL Triple Bottom Line
U.S. United States
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Introduction
This paper will explore the residential application of building automation
systems (BAS’s), commonly referred to as home automation systems (HAS’s). The
purpose of this research paper is to present public policy avenues for residential
building energy efficiency improvement by advancing new technologies. This report
will specifically target home automation technologies. This report will also present
benefits of building automation technologies other than reduced energy
consumption that make building automation attractive to consumers. There are
different types of dwellings to be considered within the residential housing
category. Single-‐family houses, multi-‐family structures, and modular houses were
considered for this evaluation of home automation technologies. The
recommendations in this report will not apply to transient housing such as hotels,
motels, or jails.
Collectively, residential buildings in the United States (U.S.) consume large
quantities of energy. These buildings have the potential to decrease their energy
consumption by increasing building energy efficiency using new technologies.
According to the United States Department of Energy (DOE), The U.S. consumed
approximately 19% of the 2010 world energy consumption. Buildings in the U.S.
consumed 41% of the primary energy consumption. That 41% consists of 19%
commercial and 22% residential buildings as seen in Figure 1: Energy Consumption
Breakdown, so residential consumes 54% of the building total (Department of
Energy: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy).
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Regardless of the time spent inside buildings, most buildings are always
being conditioned to some extent, even when unoccupied (Arbitron). This is well
known to those paying the energy bills, yet an important piece of information in
indentifying residential building energy efficiency as an area of concern when
evaluating U.S. energy consumption. As can be seen from Figure 1, there are four
primary sectors of energy consumption: transportation, commercial, residential,
and industrial. Residential buildings consume 22% of the total U.S. energy
consumption, and Figure 2: Residential Site Energy Consumption by End Use,
illustrates the breakdown of residential building energy consumption by usage (U.S.
Department of Energy: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy ).
Energy efficiency is one topic within energy consumption that relates to all
sectors. Home automation technology is among other building improvements, such
as weatherization and appliance and fixture upgrades that can contribute to
improving building energy efficiency. Sixty percent of heating, ventilation, air
conditioning, and lighting (HVAC&L) is accounted for in space heating, space
cooling, and lighting as seen in Figure 2 (U.S. Department of Energy: Office of Energy
Figure 1: Energy Consumption Breakdown
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Efficiency and Renewable Energy). As mentioned before, residential buildings may
have periods of non-‐occupancy. Also, residences may sometimes have more variant
temperature settings compared to commercial buildings due to varied activities and
settings at home as opposed
to at work. This presents a
need for smarter systems
that are more easily
adaptable to the needs of the
occupants. Excessive and
unneeded energy
consumption in the three
aforementioned residential
energy usage categories can
potentially be reduced with new technologies. Increasing the automation
capabilities of systems inside the home is the first step. HAS’s that can address both
financial savings and increased energy efficiency were specifically researched to
keep the focus of this report on energy efficiency improvements that are economical
for as many consumers as possible. This specifically included systems that address
HVAC&L.
What is Home Automation
HAS’s, often associated with other related terms such as building
management systems (BMS’s) (Mesenbrink), domotics from the Latin DOMus
Figure 2: Residential Site Energy Consumption by End Use
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infOrmaTICS (The Free Dictionary by Farlex), building automation and control
networks (BACnet), and direct digital control (DDC), can be interpreted to mean a
variety of things. In general, HAS’s seek to improve personal comfort, convenience,
and security in a home. This is achieved via a centralized control panel that is also
intended to reduce the need for manual control of building systems by automating
them (Harper). Common home automation categories that contribute to a HAS’s
include: energy management and HVAC, entertainment, integrated (or
multifunction), lighting management, and security and access control (BCC
Research).
A range of technologies and products allow the systems covered by these
categories to be transformed from ordinary, manual-‐use systems into automated
systems. A list of general technologies and product types that allow this
transformation may include but is not limited to: actuators, controllers, network
devices, output devices, sensors, wiring, and user-‐interface devices. These
technologies are used to combine the operation of all the included systems into one
central control such as a wall unit or portable electronic device like a smart phone
or tablet. Home automation systems are often very customizable and may utilize
many building system components within the aforementioned home automation
categories that contribute to energy efficiency, convenience, and security such as:
lighting, windows and window shades, televisions, music players, other
entertainment media, cleaning processes and appliance usage, weather monitoring
capabilities, water fixture use, robots, internet connectivity, motion sensors and
12
cameras for occupancy and security, green energy production technologies, and an
array of HVAC systems and products (BCC Research).
Benefits of HAS’s
HAS’s may benefit consumers in multiple ways, such as reduced energy
consumption, savings on energy bills, and time savings. The systems involved in
HAS’s can be partially operated manually for maintained autonomy over the system,
but greater automation based on set points, schedules, duty cycling, and other load-‐
shedding measures help achieve greater energy efficiency for HVAC&L systems
(ASHRAE, June 2013). Some HAS’s provide feedback to users in the form of energy
reports, financial reports, recommended maintenance, and suggested system setting
alterations for more efficient energy usage and optimization of the associated
building systems (Mesenbrink; ASHRAE). With so many different functional
possibilities for HAS’s comes varying levels of sophistication, complexity, and price
tags. (BCC Research).
Energy bill savings can be seen monthly through lower electric and gas bills.
Depending on the cost and purpose of the technologies and products used, a
payback period may be realized that makes a HAS economically sensible for
consumers. Some payback periods have been less than one year (ASHRAE; Harper;
Nest Labs). Consumers have attested to a willingness to pay higher upfront costs for
energy efficiency upgrades as long as there is a reasonable payback period and
potential future savings (Consumer Federation of America). HAS’s may also be
marketed to make life more convenient or to save the consumer time by automating
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their home systems. Each consumer may use their HAS differently and time saving
benefits may vary. No data was found in this research that provided information
regarding time savings from using HAS’s.
Though HAS’s have saved energy and money for some, home automation
technology is not used in the majority of American residences. There is not
extensive data on the amount of home automation use in the U.S., but approximately
one million HAS’s were sold in North America in 2011 (Overly). Table 1: Home
Automation Technology Price Comparison, presents nine companies and products
that are offered. There are other companies that produce home automation
technologies, and this group was selected to represent a range of available
technologies and associated price ranges.
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Table 1: Home Automation Technology Price Comparison
Company Product Price Monthly Fee
ADT Pulse Energy package $800 $50 Belkin WeMo N/A Light switch $50 Outlet switch $50 Motion sensor $60 Outlet switch + Motion sensor $80 Crestron Prodigy N/A Home Control Plus Climate -‐
Package 3 $2,000
Thermostat $400 Light switch $160 Outlets $160 Lennox icomfort programmable Wi-‐Fi
thermostat $350 N/A
Lowe's/ AlertMe
Iris Basic Service Free Premium service $9.99 Comfort and Control package $179 Smart Kit Package $299 Thermostat $100 Smart plug $30 Motion sensor $25 Light switch $45 Electricity meter reader $150 Nest The Learning Thermostat $250 N/A Savant Total System $7,000 N/A Vivint Energy Management Energy management plan $58 Activation $149 Touch screen panel $700 Smart thermostat $100 Fixed video camera $150 Pan and tilt video camera $200 Lighting and smart appliance
control $50
Super switch $60 Other products
Programmable thermostats < $100 N/A
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Background
Origins of Home Automation
Multiple technologies have contributed to the viability and successful
implementation of HAS’s throughout the history of the technology. Home
automation is essentially a concept or system represented by a consolidation of
multiple electrical and mechanical systems, and thus home automation has been
dependent on the development and advancement of multiple technologies. Many
HAS’s bring numerous building systems together to be controlled in one central
location and potentially from many locations. The emergence of advanced
telecommunications, software, and computing technologies has played a significant
role in bringing down the cost and increasing consumer appeal for HAS’s (Congdon).
As stated previously, HAS’s may have many different components, and there
have been multiple innovations in history that have contributed to the advancement
of HAS’s. Nikola Tesla introduced remote control technology late in the 19th century
(Encyclopaedia Britannica), yet there was not widespread consumer use of remote
controls until the proliferation of cable television in the 1980s and 1990s
(Encyclopaedia Britannica). The inception of the microcontroller in 1971 (IEEE) and
possibly most notably the proliferation of the internet at the end of the 20th century
(The History Channel) have led to a potential for elaborate computing and
communication. Recent advances in software, sensors, and communication
technologies have opened up more cost appropriate solutions for many
homeowners to obtain HAS’s for their homes (Brinks, Congdon).
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Legislation and Standards
Federal legislation directly mentioning home automation is not currently in
place, but Congress has considered commercial, federal, and residential buildings;
weatherization; non-‐profit organizations; and Energy Star related policies that
address building energy efficiency. HAS’s may be covered in future legislation that
provides tax rebates to homeowners and homebuilders for energy efficiency
installations and retrofits. Three current tax incentives in the Internal Revenue Code
(IRC) for energy efficiency installations that may apply to residential buildings are
45L, the energy efficient home credit for contractors; 25C, the non-‐business energy
property credit; and 25D, the residential energy efficient property credit
(Kaumaya). Unfortunately, these tax credits do not give any attention to home
automation systems. Credit 45L gives contractors up to $2000 for constructing
qualified energy efficient homes. Credit 25C specifically pertains to increasing
energy efficiency by improvement of the building envelope, and has varying levels of
credit for improvements (Crandall-‐Hollick et al.). Credit 25D provides tax credits for
specific residential on-‐site energy production, storage, and delivery technologies,
and also has varying levels of credit for improvements (Dixon Hughes Goodman,
LLP). Standards developing bodies in the U.S. and around the world have also
developed standards regarding residential energy efficiency and technologies
associated with HAS’s.
Standards have been cited in legislation and used to further the
implementation of practices for building and product design. This legislation, along
17
with Congressional and industry support, is important when looking to future
advancements of home automation technology through legislation. The ability of
standard setting organizations to create standards and guidelines has created an
atmosphere for development of advanced technology, home automation systems,
and other related HVAC and building technologies. ASHRAE is one notable
organization that produces standards and guidelines for heating, ventilation, air
conditioning, and refrigeration. ASHRAE has produced standards independently,
and in conjunction with other standards organizations. ASTM International, the
American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and the International Organization
for Standardization (ISO) are organizations that specifically operate to develop and
promote voluntary consensus standards relating to multiple areas of production,
safety, and commerce. ASHRAE works with these organizations to promote the
adoption of ASHRAE standards. These organizations have developed considerable
credibility in the area of energy efficiency advancement since the Oil Embargo in
1974 and the corresponding energy price increases (U.S. Department of State: Office
of the Historian).
Looking Ahead to the Smart Grid
Another aspect that has played a role in the increased implementation of
home automation technology recently is the introduction of Smart Grid technology.
The Smart Grid can potentially connect all homes together and allow system
communication between houses regarding the use and availability of electricity.
Smart Grid technology also allows for two-‐way communication between household
18
electric meters and utility companies using smart meters. In the past, the consumer
received information at the end of the billing period regarding their usage summary
for the billing period, but Smart Grid and smart
meter technologies allow for more instantaneous
information sharing. This gives the consumer
more information about their energy usage and
how to be more efficient (The Smart Home). HAS’s
may utilize Smart Grid technology by providing
options to customers, such as time-‐varying pricing,
which includes time-‐of-‐use pricing and Peak Day
Pricing (The Smart Home; Pacific Gas & Electric).
HAS’s can use the potential of Smart Grid
technology to operate a residence and its systems
at times when energy production is more efficient
for the producer and less expensive for both the
producer and the consumer (The Smart Home).
Key Conflicts and Concerns
Home automation technologies may not be successfully implemented before
giving regard to potential barriers to achieving this task. Multiple conflicts and
concerns were addressed regarding home automation technologies and their
implementation. Legislative and economic barriers are addressed in the next two
sections of this report.
Smart Grid
The “grid” refers to the electric grid made up of transmission lines,
substations, transformers, and more that are used to deliver electricity from a power plant to the point of use.
The “Smart Grid” increases the
functionality of the “grid” to include digital communication between
the utility and the consumer. This is
accomplished through controls, computers automation, and new equipment that works together to make the grid more efficient and reliable (The Smart
Home).
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Legislative Barriers
There are many ways legislation can contribute or hinder the progression
any idea, especially technological advancement. Government support is one way to
push for the advancement of technology. This has been true as seen in the use of
mandates, research funding, and the use of tax incentives in legislation. The major
legislative barriers identified for implementation of home automation technologies
revolve around achieving bipartisan support, seeking priority on the political
agenda, and identifying the absence of legislation that supports the specific
technology. Convincing both political parties and both houses of Congress to agree
on an idea or plan may be a difficult task if it is not keen to the agendas of all parties
involved. Whether talking about research funding, tax rebate programs, or adopting
standards into law, plans that make everyone content are the goal, but hardly a
reality. Coming up with a plan that appeals to the majority of the lawmakers and
constituents is a considerable barrier. Energy is one of many topics addressed in
Congress and the budget of the federal government. The area of home automation
technologies is a very specific and small piece within the topic of energy. Possibly
the biggest barrier is the current absence of any legislation that addresses home
automation directly. This may be due to the emerging nature of the associated
technologies and the issue of their economic feasibility.
Economic Barriers
Home automation is not present in the majority of American homes.
Necessary data to gauge the feelings of Americans on home automation systems was
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not found during this research. One obstacle for home automation technologies is
their sophistication and cost as seen in Table 1 previously in this report. Because
home automation technologies have varying levels of operability and sophistication,
less expensive solutions need to be identified and continued to be made available to
consumers. Low energy costs for buildings in the U.S. make implementation of home
automation technology prohibitive for many Americans. The average utility bill in
the U.S. during 2011 was $110.14 (U.S. Energy Information Administration). Many
home automation technologies have upfront costs that prevent consumers from
considering the implementation. The payback period considered for the investment
in home automation is uncertain due to the uncertainty of weather and the potential
for changes in utility prices. Energy prices may need to significantly rise for home
automation technology to be more widely adopted. Also, research and development
may continue to contribute to bringing down the cost of the technology and may
bridge the economic gap, which is making HAS’s unfeasible for so many.
Policy Analysis and Alternatives
Identification of Alternatives
Four areas were addressed to determine alternatives that provide avenues
for advancing home automation technology through public policy: current
legislation, pending legislation, standards, and research. Some of the alternatives
outlined are specific in their scope and some are broad, but all seek to address the
main goal of this report: advancing new technologies to improve residential energy
efficiency.
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Current Legislation
The three IRC tax credits 45L, 25C, and 25D mentioned previously in this
report are important to note when looking to the future of home automation
technology in legislation. These three current energy efficiency tax credits do not
extend to a full range of technologies that contribute to energy efficiency
improvement. The amendment of these tax credits to include home automation
technologies, or the use of them as models for legislation for a more specific tax
credit that applies to home automation technologies is one alternative.
Pending Legislation
S. 761 and H. R. 2128 are two federal bills that address energy efficiency and
the residential building sector. They were reviewed and evaluated based on their
potential to contribute directly to the implementation of home automation
technologies. The review of these two bills and the suggested amendments are two
possible alternatives. These bills do not have “home automation” explicitly in their
language, but the rebates included in H. R. 2128 may already include home
automation, depending on the interpretation.
S. 761 -‐ Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act of 2013
“The purpose of the bill is to promote energy savings in residential and
commercial buildings and industry, and for other purposes” (Shaheen and
Portman). The following amendments to the bill may allow it to more directly
address home automation technology:
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1. On page 24, under TITLE I – BUILDINGS, under Subtitle B – Worker Training
and Capacity Building, under Section 111. – Building Training and
Assessment Centers, on line 3, strike “;” after “buildings” and insert “, such as
home automation technology.”
2. In order to define the term in legislation, a definition should be added to
S. 761 for home automation technology. On page 3, after Section 2., insert
“Section 3. DEFINITION OF HOME AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGY. In this Act,
the term “home automation technology” means electrical, mechanical, or
computer software systems that centralize the operation of heating,
ventilating, air conditioning, and lighting systems, while allowing for wireless
control and contributing to increasing the energy efficiency of a residential
building.”
An alternative amendment that would require more drastic additions to the
bill would include inserting “Subtitle E – Home Automation Technology
Rebate Program” under TITLE III – INDUSTRIAL EFFICIENCY AND
COMPETITIVENESS, after the subsection called Subtitle D – Transformer
Rebate Program. Included in this amendment section would be the definition
of qualified home automation technology that is consistent with the
definition above. Establishment requirements of the program, program
requirements, authorized amount of rebate, and authorization of
appropriations would all be addressed in the amendment. The structure of
this amendment would be similar to the preceding rebate programs in the
23
bill regarding electric motors and transformers. The amendment would
provide rebates calculated based on two factors:
1. Proof of energy efficiency improvement as a result of home automation implementation
o Proven via a standardized energy consumption audit
o Improvement would be represented as a percentage
2. Home automation implementation costs including: equipment, installation, and monthly service fees
An energy consumption audit would reflect the consumption from one year
to the next, and reflect a twelve-‐month period beginning the first month in which
the new technology was first used. The audit would have to show that an
improvement in energy efficiency was made due to a home automation energy
efficiency upgrade made to the home. The rebate program would address specific
home automation technologies covered under the legislation in accordance with the
provided definition for home automation technology to limit the technologies used
to acquire the rebate. The rebate amount would be determined with a chart that
includes a left-‐hand column for percentage of energy efficiency improvement and a
top row for the cost of the energy efficiency upgrade. The consumer would then find
the two corresponding values to their situation and find a rebate value that applies
to them. A member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources who
resides on the Energy Subcommittee should introduce one of these amendments.
Senators Shaheen, Portman, Coons, and Collins should be approached with this
amendment, as they are the original Senators who introduced and cosponsored the
bill.
24
H. R. 2128 -‐ Home Owner Managing Energy Savings (HOMES) Act
“The purpose of this bill is to provide for the establishment of a Home Energy
Savings Retrofit Rebate Program, and other purposes” (McKinley and Welch). The
following amendments to the bill may allow it to more directly address home
automation technology:
1. In Section 2. DEFINITIONS, after the definition for HOME, insert on line 23,
“(5) HOME AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGY. – The term “home automation
technology” means electrical, mechanical, or computer software systems that
centralize the operation of heating, ventilating, air conditioning, and lighting
systems, while allowing for wireless control and contributing to increasing
the energy efficiency of a residential building.”
2. In Section 8. HOME ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT REBATE PROGRAM (c)(1)
on page 16, line 23, strike “and modeling;” and replace it with “modeling, and
home automation technology;”.
A member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce who resides on
the Energy and Power Subcommittee should introduce this amendment. This
subcommittee has approximately thirty members, but Representatives McKinley
and Welch are champions for energy efficiency in the House of Representatives, they
introduced the original bill, and should be approached first with this amendment.
These two amendments to S. 761 and H. R. 2128 were recognized as steps to
introduce home automation technology into pending federal legislation, and make
home automation implementation in homes more affordable for consumers. The
25
Communications and Technology Subcommittee in the House of Representatives
may also be interested in H. R. 2128 due to the telecommunications aspects of home
automation technology.
Research
Research focused on home automation technologies gives potential for
making home automation technology more energy efficient and more affordable for
consumers in the future. Three entities that contribute to research regarding energy
efficiency and home automation technologies are the U.S. Department of Energy’s
(DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), the National
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the National Science Foundation
(NSF). The Office of EERE’s Building Technologies Office (BTO) currently oversees
research regarding residential building energy efficiency (U.S. Department of
Energy, Building Technologies Office). The research at NIST contributes to the
development of standards for technology. The NSF funds many different kinds of
research and may have the broadest spectrum of research topics covered of the
three. The future of these three research entities and the research topics they
choose to focus on will be important for the advancement of home automation
technologies.
This alternative is not specific to the budgets of these entities, and functions
solely to recognize the importance of these entities in home automation technology
and energy efficiency research. The alternative, more or less, is to continue to
support these institutions without cutting research budgets.
26
Standards and Guidelines
Standards and guidelines also have a role to play in the future
implementation of home automation technology. They are the fourth alternative
area analyzed in this report. Standards are frequently voluntary and consensus-‐
based, but are often implemented into law to ensure their effectiveness. Standards
and guidelines may be needed to streamline the implementation of home
automation technologies. Below is a list of notable standards and guidelines that
have contributed to energy efficiency:
o ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 90.2
o ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 100
o ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 135
o ASHRAE Guideline 13
These standards and guidelines were selected because they have relevancy
to home automation technologies, although they do not require the use of HAS’s.
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 90.2 and ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 100 are written
to address energy efficiency in residential buildings. ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 135
and ASHRAE Guideline 13 both address building controls (ASHRAE, July 2013).
Although none of these standards and guidelines require the use of home
automation technology in residential buildings, their purposes are still related to
energy efficiency and building controls, and as a result, they can be used to set
precedents for energy efficiency and building control technology that will enable
27
more home automation technology to be implemented to benefit increases in
residential energy efficiency. Table 2: Review of Standards and Guidelines,
illustrates the three standards and one guideline reviewed, including their
corresponding titles and purposes.
Table 2: Review of Standards and Guidelines
Standard/Guideline Title Purpose
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 90.2
Energy-‐Efficient Design of Low-‐Rise Residential
Buildings
To provide minimum requirements for the energy
efficient design of residential buildings, new
and existing
ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 100
Energy Conservation in Existing Buildings
To provide criteria that will result in the conservation of energy resources in existing
buildings
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 135
A Data Communication Protocol for Building
Automation and Control Networks
To define data communications services and protocols for computer
equipment used for monitoring and control of HVAC&R and other build systems to facilitate the application and use of
digital control technology
ASHRAE Guideline 13 Specifying Direct Digital Control Systems
To provide recommendations for
developing specifications for DDC systems in HVAC
Evaluation of Alternatives
Evaluation criteria need to be established before any alternatives can be
recommended. One obstacle in convincing people to adopt a new technology is
28
appealing to the question of why they should do it. Preserving a condition for
current and future generations in which humans and nature can effectively coexist
is one reason, and this can be summed up in one word, sustainability (U.S. EPA).
John Elkington’s triple bottom line (TBL) is one evaluation model that attempts to
holistically analyze a situation. The TBL approach assesses the collective impacts of
a given process, product, or organization on people, planet, and profit. This
approach seeks to evaluate more than just financial responsibility, but also social
and environmental responsibility (The Economist Newspaper). Each of the four
alternative areas considered in this report will be evaluated for feasibility based on
potential social, environmental, and economic impacts.
Comparison and Evaluation of Alternatives
The four alternatives presented have the same goal of advancing new
technologies for the purpose of energy efficiency improvements; specifically in the
area of home automation technology, but they have some differences that need to be
addressed. The respective alternative numbers listed in Table 3: Alternatives, will
be used to refer to each alternative in the evaluation.
Table 3: Alternatives
Alternative 1 Amend current tax credits
Alternative 2 Amend pending legislation (S. 761 & H. R. 2128)
Alternative 3 Continue financial support of federally funded research
Alternative 4 Increase the adoption of ASHRAE standards into legislation
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A lack of data regarding home automation technologies and the social,
environmental, and economic impacts they have already made on society made it
difficult to evaluate the alternatives. The evaluation was very qualitative in nature.
Each alternative will likely have both intended and unintended consequences.
The use of HAS’s are intended to have a positive environmental benefit, as
energy consumption reduction is achieved by their use. The reduced energy
consumption spurred by HAS’s may see benefits in pollution reduction and reduced
power generation demand for electricity. This would directly make Alternative 1, 2,
and 4 immediately appealing. The end products of Alternative 3 will hopefully
contribute to positive environmental impacts in the future, but will have no
immediate environmental benefit due to the research process.
Direct implementation incentives such as tax credits and the use of standards
to promote, or even require, the use of HAS technologies will likely see more
immediate social impacts. Alternative 3 is often unseen and out of public attention.
This means less social impact on society until the results of the research are
published, and any technological breakthroughs are put into production. HAS’s can
save people money once the upfront costs are overcome through a payback period
which varies widely depending on the implementation. Alternatives 1 and 2 are
designed to provide consumers the opportunity to invest in home automation,
whether to try and save money, to be more environmentally responsible by saving
energy, or by making their lifestyle more convenient and efficient. The most
important benefit of Alternative 1 and 2 is the energy reduction, which hopefully
30
yields cost savings. A downside of the various rebate programs is not every citizen
will benefit if they do not invest in home automation technologies in their homes.
This downside applies across the board for all the alternatives.
Recommendations
Recommendations that considers all the alternatives and provides a solution
that is most economical, environmentally friendly, and convenient for as many
consumers as possible was sought. A policy that will affect positive change in the
area of residential building automation for as many people as possible was part of
the end goal of the proposed policy. The first recommendation is to maintain
research funding for DOE, NIST, and NSF, but not increasing the funding levels in the
near future. The implementation of home automation technology may not be
feasible yet for many consumers, and the continuation of research may bring the
advent of economically feasible home automation technologies for the vast majority
of consumers. The second recommendation is to implement a Home Automation
Technology Rebate Program in S. 761 that specifically defines the home automation
technology, and lays out a rebate program for consumers. The third
recommendation is to use the model tax credits currently in the IRC and the rebate
programs addressed in S. 761 and H. R. 2128 to present the Home Automation
Technology Rebate Program in a succinct way that efficiently provides incentives to
consumers who produce energy efficiency reductions in their homes. The fourth and
final recommendation is to utilize standards that specify the use of home
automation technology, such as those written by ASHRAE and other standards
31
organizations, to streamline the implementation of HAS’s into residential buildings
in the U.S. Standards implementation should be approached in a way that allows for
a smooth transition from older building system approaches to new ones. The
transition should be sensitive to the needs of citizens, while giving them a timeline
of when to expect more stringent requirements for home automation controls and
energy efficiency in residential buildings. All four recommendations should be
considered as one recommendation with four components that could be
independently evaluated for their contribution to the whole.
Home automation systems are one of many different ways America can
reduce its energy consumption in residential buildings. The ongoing emergence of
advanced telecommunications, software, and computing technologies continues to
contribute to the cause of increased residential energy efficiency. The use of public
policy to streamline the implementation of HAS’s has not been done before, but may
be a viable solution as technological advancements allow. This report has assessed
multiple alternatives and provided a recommendation for allowing such an
implementation to occur when the market allows and consumers determine they
need it.
32
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