Lead Performer: Oak Ridge National Laboratory - Oak Ridge, TN
DOE Funding: $1,770,000
Project Term: October 1, 2022 - September 30, 2025
Funding Type: Lab Award

Project Objective

DOE/BTO’s strategic goal is to reduce buildings energy use by 50% vs. 2010 levels by 2030. Meeting this target will require development and market implementation of advanced, highly efficient building equipment options. This project helps the technology development programs of BTO’s Emerging Technology (ET) group meet this challenging goal by providing insight on the latest related HVAC/R technology developments directed toward improved building equipment energy efficiency in Europe and the Far East through participation in the International Energy Agency (IEA) Heat Pump Programme (HPP) and also through the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR).

The primary project objective is to maintain collaborative contacts with other IEA and IIR participants engaged in technology developments of core interest to BTO. IEA/HPP participation is primarily conducted through the U.S. National Team (USNT) for the IEA HPP and the IEA Heat Pump Centre (HPC). The USNT has been in existence for more than 25 years and enjoys the voluntary participation of senior representatives of major U.S. HVAC manufacturers, research organizations, utilities and manufacturer and professional organizations. It provides input on proposed IEA HPP Annexes (collaborative international projects) and provides an effective dissemination channel for information developed through the IEA HPP. IIR participation is primarily through the U.S. National Committee for the IIR (USNC/IIR).

Project Impact

Benefits to U.S. industry and consumers accrue through information dissemination to manufacturers, university and national lab researchers, utilities and professional organizations via the USNT and the USNC/IIR. Flagship HPP activities include the high-quality quarterly HPC Heat Pump Newsletter, the opportunity for member country representatives to work collaboratively under HPP Annexes of mutual interest, and the triennial IEA International Heat Pump conference series (held every three years since 1984).

The U.S. leads Annexes 36 “Quality Installation/Quality Maintenance of Heat Pump systems” and 41 “Cold Climate Heat Pumps” and also participates in Annexes 39, 40, 42, and 43. Annex 39 “Seasonal Performance Factor (SPF)” is oriented to provide proposed standard methods for characterizing residential heat pump and air conditioning year-round performance. Annex 40 “Heat Pumps for Net Zero Energy Buildings (HP4NZEB)” deals with demonstrating/promoting advanced heat pump systems and technologies for very highly efficient buildings. Annex 42 deals with evaluation of methods for (and impacts of) integration of heat pump systems with emerging electric utility smart grid systems. Annex 43 deals with thermally driven (e.g. natural gas powered) sorption cycle based heat pump technologies for space and water heating.

Key USNC/IIR activities include organization of HVAC/R related short courses held in conjunction with the biennial International Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Conference held at Purdue University The Purdue conference and other IIR conferences generally deal with both the basic arts and sciences underlying HVAC&R systems and with early stage system and component prototype testing and development (approximately TRL 1-5).

Contacts

DOE Technology Manager: Payam Delgoshaei
Lead Performer: Brian Fricke

Related Publications

IEA Heat Pump Centre

International Institute of Refrigeration