Benefits for California Ratepayers
Ventilation consumes roughly one-third of all heating and cooling energy. We estimate that air-tightening, and implementing advanced ventilation systems could reduce energy consumption by half. Statewide, this represents potential savings of 370 million therms/yr and a reduction of 4,330 million pounds CO2 annually from fossil fuels. Air-tightening and smart ventilation reduces electricity consumption 1,700 gigawatt-hours per year with 1,410 million less pounds CO2 released into the atmosphere. These values depend on the number of homes retrofitted.
Smart ventilation systems offer ratepayers additional qualitative benefits by allowing greater user control over ventilation systems and IAQ. SVACH will provide information for utilities and other programs to evaluate home energy retrofits. We want to help ensure that they meet IAQ requirements.
Benefits from the Perspective of Stakeholders
Smart ventilation is an enabling technology that saves energy in a whole-building context and facilitates other energy-saving technologies. For example, smart ventilation can shift the ventilation load so that air conditioning requires much less energy compared to continuous ventilation. A smaller air conditioner may be sufficient, and peak demand would be reduced—all without negative health or comfort impacts.
All of the following stakeholder groups need to invest in smart ventilation to provide the intended benefits for the state of California.
- Utility companies to offer incentives for smart ventilation
- Regulators to give monetary credit for reductions and peak power
- Homebuilders who understand smart ventilation and know how to implement it
- Ventilation manufacturers to manufacture smart ventilation equipment for sale to homebuilders and homeowners
- HVAC manufacturers and distributors educate installers to install smart ventilation correctly