RTF Quarterly Newsletter: Quarter No. 52 April-June 2023
- July 07, 2023
- Laura Thomas
The RTF spent the second quarter of 2023 primarily focused on considering updates to existing measures, approving changes to nine UES measures. These measures covered a broad range of technologies from pumps to thermostatic shower restriction values to the majority of the RTF's suite of weatherization measures. The RTF also reviewed the completion of the first calibration task of the new Residential Energy Efficiency and Demand Response (REEDR) tool. Two of the non-measure specific subcommittees, the Implementers Group and Small and Rural Utilities, also convened this quarterly to discuss recent RTF decisions and share member priorities.
The remainder of this newsletters highlights some of the topics discussed this quarter. For questions on the work in the first quarter or more details on the current efforts, please continue to check out the RTF website or reach out to Laura Thomas, RTF Manager to learn how to continue to stay connected.
Existing UES Measure Highlights
Display Case Lighting
In April and May, the RTF discussed the Display Case Lighting UES measure, which includes measures for both the LED and motion sensor. The RTF made two key changes to the measure with this revision. First, the RTF adopted new, easier to implement identifiers which align with the refrigeration equipment terminology. Second, the RTF consider how to better account for the interaction between the LED and the HVAC both inside and outside the refrigerated space. For this Proven and Small Saver measure, the RTF set a five year sunset date to May 2028.
Weatherization
The RTF updated three existing UES measures for weatherization in the second quarter, including Single Family Weatherization UES, Manufactured Homes Weatherization UES, and Multifamily Weatherization UES. These measures focus on the installation of envelope improvements in single family, manufactured homes, and low rise multifamily buildings. These improvements can include attic insulation, wall insulation, floor insulation, duct insulation, prime window replacement, etc. The three measures are all planning, with some applications being small saver, and due to the measure status of planning each have a research strategy.
Single Family and Manufactured Homes Weatherization
These two UES measures were considered concurrently, and the RTF adopted updates to the savings for insulation installed in homes with gas HVAC systems using recently completed evaluation data from Energy Trust of Oregon. The RTF updated the costs to take into account recent cost increases that have occurred in the market utilizing program cost data where available. In addition, the RTF considered opportunities to apply the tax credit to individual measures and determined that no tax credit should be applied for window applications and determined that the UES should only apply the tax credit to 50% of homeowners given that eligibility will vary based on income and other deductions. The RTF set a three year sunset date to May 2026.
Multifamily Weatherization
This weatherization measure focuses on low rise multifamily buildings, which at the RTF are defined as buildings with three stories or less and five or more units/buildings. The RTF adopted changes to the costs, including both costs for installing the measure based on cost updates made to the single family weatherization measure and applying the tax credit to insulation measures. Additionally, the RTF corrected the research strategy for this measure adding an identifier for gas HVAC. The RTF set a three year sunset date to June 2026, as it expects new data to be available and closely corresponds to the sunset date of the other weatherization measures to allow for consideration of crosscutting topics.
Non-Measure Work Highlights
REEDR Calibration
In May, the RTF heard an update on the progress of the Residential Energy Efficiency and Demand Response (REEDR) tool calibration. The RTF contract analysts provided the RTF with the findings and conclusions from completion of task one, which compared REEDR to SEEM the previous modeling tool. Task one showed that overall, SEEM and REEDR using EnergyPlus appear to be very similar models with strong correlation in the hourly energy consumption shapes. In addition, this comparison highlighted a difference in the how SEEM estimated heating and cooling compared to REEDR. The RTF discussed next steps in the calibration process, which includes starting task two a comparison of REEDR to the Home Energy Metering Study (HEMS) data and launching a subcommittee to support the final three tasks.
Subcommittee Roundup
A Special Subcommittee convened in May to discuss the Display Case Lighting UES measure based on a recommendation from the RTF during the April meeting. This subcommittee was specifically convened to discuss the measure identifiers and HVAC interaction aspects.
Weatherization Subcommittee convened in May to review potential ways to incorporate the most recent evaluation results from the region into the measure update.
Implementers Group convened in May to discuss recent and upcoming RTF topics, share what members are currently focused on, and gather feedback on the subcommittee to inform upcoming meeting discussion topics.
Small and Rural Utilities convened in June to discuss recent events at the RTF, share about relevant sessions from Efficiency Exchange, and look at upcoming work planned at the RTF based on the recommendations previously provide by the subcommittee.
Upcoming at the RTF
In the third quarter, the RTF will be advancing and considering the following:
July
- Air Source Heat Pumps
- Engine Block Heater Controls UES
- Forced Circulation Generator Engine Block Heaters for Nonresidential Standby Generators UES
- Deep Energy Interventions work
- Draft 2024 RTF Work Plan
September
- Non-residential Lighting Code Compliance Standard Protocol
- Residential Lighting UES
- Packaged Terminal Heat Pumps for Lodging and Residential Care UES - New
- Proposed 2024 RTF Work Plan
Measure Updates Approved in Q2
- Approved updates to the On-Demand Overwappers UES Measure as presented, kept the status as Active and category as Proven, and set the sunset date to April 30, 2028.
- Approved updates to the Efficient Pumps UES Measure as presented, kept the status as Active and category as Proven, and set the sunset date to April 30, 2026.
- Approved updates to the Display Case Lighting and Motion Sensor UES Measure as presented, kept the status as Active and category as Proven for lighting and Small Saver for motion sensors, and set the sunset date to May 31, 2028. Additionally, changed the closed case interaction for remote condensing cases with HVAC to 15%.
- Approved updates to the Single Family Weatherization UES Measure and Manufactured Home Weatherization UES Measure as presented and did not apply any tax credit to windows, apply the tax credit to 50% of homeowners, kept the status as Active, kept all the categories as they are except SF Gas HVAC insulation which is changed to Planning, and set the sunset date to May 31, 2026.
- Extended the sunset date to November 2024 for the New Manufactured Home and HVAC UES Measure with no changes, kept the category as Planning, and changed the status to Under Review.
- Approved updates to the Thermostatic Shower Restriction Valve UES Measure as presented, kept the status as Active, kept the category as Planning, and set the sunset date to June 30, 2027.
- Approved updates to the Multifamily Weatherization UES Measure as presented, kept the status as Active, kept all categories as they are, and set the sunset date to June 30, 2026.
- To support management of the RTF workload, the RTF extended the sunset date of the Circulator Pumps UES Measure to December 31, 2023 and Forced Circulation Generator Engine Block Heaters for Non-residential Standby Generators UES Measure to October 31, 2023.