HVAC Energy Efficiency Maintenance Study

HVAC Energy Efficiency
Maintenance Study
Issued: December 29, 2010
Presented To: Brett Close

Southern California Edison
Prepared By: Marshall Hunt, PE, Davis Energy Group, Inc.

Kristin Heinemeier, PhD, PE, UC Davis, WCEC
Marc Hoeschele, PE, Davis Energy Group, Inc
Elizabeth Weitzel, Davis Energy Group, Inc.
CALMAC Study ID SCE0293.01
2010 Davis Energy Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Brett Close of the SCE for his valuable insights, support and
facilitation of the project process, and project management.
We would like to acknowledge the assistance of the Project Management Team, our Project
Advisory Panel, and attendees of our Technical Forum. Finally, the report benefited from
detailed comments on the review draft by experts in the field who took the time to delve into the
details of the report calculations and analysis. We had significant help on this report from
Jennifer White and Campbell BrownKorbel.
HVAC Energy Efficiency Maintenance Study
Executive Summary
Research has shown that the performance of existing residential and small-commercial heating
ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems is far from optimal. In many cases, the
systems were never installed correctly and have never operated optimally, resulting in lower
efficiency than implied by the nameplate rating. In other cases, the performance has degraded
over time, either because of faults or improper service, causing the equipment to malfunction or
to perform poorly. Measures such as duct sealing and repair, condenser and evaporator coil
cleaning, refrigerant charge and air flow adjustments, economizer retro-commissioning, and
HVAC controls can potentially produce significant savings.
The California investor-owned utilities (IOUs) have shown a great deal of leadership in initiating
maintenance-based HVAC programs. These and other energy efficiency programs have been in
existence since the 1980s, and have reached millions of homes and small businesses. Despite
their success in reaching the market, however, the energy savings attributable to HVAC
maintenance programs have been called into question. For example, one evaluation of savings
for residential charge and air-flow adjustment programs in the 2006-2008 program cycle found
quite low savings rates, but also found wide variations in the different program impact
parameters. These studies raised the possibility that some of the Evaluation, Measurement and
Verification (EM&V) questions being asked and answered have such large uncertainties that
conclusions and recommendations based on them should be considered carefully.
In the long run, achieving the ambitious California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Big-
Bold HVAC goal of 50% improvement in residential and small commercial HVAC system
efficiency will require new, more comprehensive programs that have the potential for greater
impact. For these programs to constitute a prudent use of ratepayer money, however, they must
be designed based on a good understanding of the impacts and interrelationships of individual
and combined system faults (i.e., abnormal conditions that may lead to system performance
degradation or failure) and maintenance measures. A simple widgets approach that focuses on
individual measures that save 10% here and 5% there will not achieve the level of savings that is
needed to meet the CPUCs ambitious goal. HVAC technologies should benefit from a broad
based systems approach.
Highlights of our analysis include the following key observations, each of which is discussed in
depth in the report.
Uncertainties are inherent in programs such as these and are not well accounted for. There
are many interrelated sources of uncertainty, including measurement errors, uncertainties in
predicting human behavior, and the compounding effect of performing calculations on imperfect
data. Perhaps the most important observation here is that, with the program specifications,
methods, and tools commonly used today, it is difficult for a simple refrigerant charge
adjustment to be implemented, measured, and verified to the level of confidence that is required
by the CPUC. It is impossible to eliminate all sources of uncertainty, but they should be
mitigated where possible (e.g. if the technician stops when a target superheat or subcooling value
is reached there will be a 50% chance that the charge will be within the desired range, and a 50%
Davis Energy Group, Inc. Page E-1 December 29, 2010

chance that it will not). A good understanding of uncertainties by program designers, contractors,
and technicians is important.
Additional screening and more sophisticated diagnostic/servicing approaches would benefit

future programs. Quality maintenance programs have the potential to be successful, but their
design and structure could be improved. For example, if technicians perform basic screening of
HVAC systems to determine whether (and which) services are likely to improve efficiency
before implementing charge adjustments, additional energy could be saved. Furthermore,
implementing multiple measures can potentially save much more energy than the current strategy
of implementing single, simple measures, particularly when multiple faults are present. The costs
of providing such a comprehensive service may be higher. However, the additional savings
might justify the cost at a large number of sites. The presence of multiple faults and the need for
multiple measures complicates diagnostic/service protocols in ways that are not well understood.
There is not a thorough, up to date, and independent assessment of the baseline fault conditions
of the over 10 million unitary air conditioners in California. Further study would help to develop
appropriate diagnostic and service strategies that can be guided by the principles of making sure
that no harm is done to the system, that energy efficiency is improved, and that to the greatest
extent possible every site visit results in an energy efficiency improvement.
Human factors are significant but are poorly understood. The behavior, motivations,
preparation, and constraints on technicians, owners, tenants, contractors, and EM&V specialists
can make or break a program. This is an area that has been overlooked in the field of behavioral
research, and a better understanding of why people do what they do is critical. If broad CPUC
energy efficiency policy goals are to be achieved, the measurement of "free-ridership" needs to
be improved to recognize that HVAC quality maintenance measures and services do not exist
without the support of energy efficiency programs.
Measurement and verification processes must be improved. EM&V processes and

instrumentation need to be improved and integrated with program delivery, quality control and
reporting. One-time field EER measurements appear to be of marginal value since uncertainties
can approach 20%. Even with high-quality, time-series EER measurements, there is
uncertainty in simulating the annual kWh savings, in part due to behavioral factors affecting
occupancy and thermostat patterns. Longer term, broadly implemented pre- and post-
measurements of kWh consumption would reduce uncertainty, and could be implemented using
utility smart meters and/or web based sub metering.
Over the long term, achieving large energy savings might be possible with replacement of
existing systems and integration with whole-building energy efficiency measures.
Intuitively, the whole-building approach to energy efficiency should be much more effective
than implementing energy efficiency measures in a piecemeal fashion, with the potential to
achieve savings of over 50%. Past attempts at this approach have enjoyed limited success. The
theory is that a new HVAC system can be sized for the reduced load that results from
improvements in ducts, windows, insulation, lighting, infiltration, etc. Equipment kW savings
are achieved, although kWh savings are less certain. In the long term, the HVAC industry and
utility energy efficiency programs will continue to improve and will likely include providing
quality installation, commissioning, automated diagnostics, demand response, and whole-

building integration, in addition to maintenance. There will probably always be a need for
maintenance-based programs to address the HVAC systems that can become efficient when they
receive quality maintenance and the repairs that are needed.
In the short run, the authors feel that maintenance-based programs continue to be refined,
improved, and redesigned. The focus of this study is on how the industry can be moved from
current programs to better programs in the future. This project was sponsored by Southern
California Edison (SCE), Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), San Diego Gas and Electric
(SDG&E) and Southern California Gas (SCG) EM&V funds and managed by SCE to evaluate
the current state of knowledge on the impact of HVAC maintenance measures, analyze potential
sources of uncertainties, and develop recommendations for additional research. We hope this
report will provide a common framework for discussion and facilitate better communication
among program stakeholders, while providing insight into potential areas for improvement.

Table of Contents
Executive Summary .....................................................................................................................E-1
1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1
2 Project Objectives ................................................................................................................... 5
3 Methodology ........................................................................................................................... 6
4 Refrigeration Cycle Analysis and RCA Programs.................................................................. 8
5 Duct Systems and DTS Programs ......................................................................................... 18
6 EER, Energy Savings, and Peak Demand Reduction ........................................................... 24
7 Uncertainties in Site Measurements...................................................................................... 32
8 Uncertainties in kWh Calculations ....................................................................................... 43
9 Other Uncertainties ............................................................................................................... 45
10 Implications of Uncertainty .................................................................................................. 53
11 Roadmap to CPUC Goals ..................................................................................................... 59
12 Research Plan ........................................................................................................................ 63
13 Conclusions and Recommendations ..................................................................................... 69
14 References ............................................................................................................................. 73
Glossary ........................................................................................................................................ 77
Tables
Table 1. Example R-22 Superheat Calculation..16
Table 2. Data for Sensitivity Coefficient Calculations.....36
Table 3. Calculated Sensitivity Coefficients.............37
Table 4. Impact of Test Conditions on Uncertainty..38
Table 5. Instrumentation Uncertainty...39
Table 6. Summary of Uncertainties in Measured Values and Energy Metrics. 53
Table 7. Allowed Range as a Function of Superheat or Subcooling Measured Uncertainty...55
Table 8. Changes to 2004 AEC Specification Recommended at Technical Forum..56
Figures
Figure 1. Unitary Refrigeration System Schematic...10
Figure 2. Taxonomy of Refrigeration System Faults.11
Figure 3. Condenser Coil Fouling......12
Figure 4. Evaporator Coil Fouling.13
Figure 5. Variance of Normalized Sensible EER v. Subcooling...17
Figure 6. Complex RTU System Interactions18
Figure 7. Duct Leakage Impacts on Distribution Efficiency.20
Figure 8. Percent of AHRI Tests v. Nominal Duct Leakage for Ducts Located in Attics.21
Figure 9. Range of EER Lab Test Data.25
Figure 10. DEER Projected Annual Savings for a Climate Zone 10 Home..29
Figure 11. Normalized Efficiency Plot..31
Figure 12. Normalized Efficiency Impact Charge at Dry Conditions...32
Figure 13. Response Time of Temperature Probes34
Figure 14. Time Series Analysis Results.42
Davis Energy Group, Inc. December 29, 2010

Figure 15. Age of California Residential Air Conditioning Systems...50

Figure 16. Illustrations of Interaction of Measurement Uncertainty and Measured Superheat.54
Figure 17. Illustrations of Adjusted Allowed Superheat Range54
Figure 18. Real-time Condensing Unit and Blower Demand Tracking.68
Davis Energy Group, Inc. December 29, 2010

1 Introduction
Energy use is increasing in California, with current projections indicating that by the end of the
century household energy use will grow by as much as 55% in the hotter regions of the state1.
Peak demand is also growing, resulting in the use of high-cost peaking power plants that operate
only a few hours every year. Residential and commercial unitary HVAC units contribute
significantly to peak demand, with residential units accounting for 24% of peak demand in
2006.2 Before the widespread use of vapor compression cycle air conditioners the cooling peak
did not exist or was small driven by use of circulating fans. Unitary air conditioners typically do
not achieve rated efficiency because of improper installation or lack of servicing: lab testing
suggests that service and replacement programs can yield energy savings on the order of 30-
50%3. For these reasons, HVAC units have become a focal point for energy efficiency programs.
In 2006, Assembly Bill 2021 directed the California Energy Commission (CEC) to develop a
strategic plan designed to improve energy efficiency and reduce peak energy use of central air-
conditioning systems in California. The CECs strategic plan focused on new systems covered
by Title 24, and on the building permit process. In September 2008, the California Public
Utilities Commission (CPUC) adopted the California Long-Term Energy Efficiency Strategic
Plan, referred to as the "Big-Bold" plan. The Big-Bold plan built on the CEC's strategic plan and
envisioned a radical transformation of the residential and small commercial HVAC industry. The
Big-Bold plan set very aggressive energy reduction targets: a "50% improvement in efficiency in
the HVAC sector by 2020, and a 75% improvement by 2030."4
To achieve the goals of AB 2021 and the Big-Bold plan, there have been a number of HVAC-
related energy-efficiency measures and incentive programs implemented in California. From
2006 to 2009 the CPUC approved and monitored a variety of Duct Test and Seal (DTS) and
Refrigerant Charge and Airflow or Adjustment 5(RCA) service programs, which were
administered by Investor Owned Utilities (IOUs). The DTS and RCA programs used estimated
energy savings and estimated incremental measure costs to create incentive payment schedules.
There is controversy surrounding the question of whether the programs were cost effective when
evaluated using ex ante (estimated before the program) deemed kWh/year savings based on the
"Total Resource Cost Effectiveness" method.6 Savings values based on Evaluation Measurement
& Verification (EM&V) studies (ex post) were so low that the programs are not considered cost
effective by the study authors. Experts in the field point out the necessity of distinguishing
1
p. 13, Auffhammer, M., Aroonruengasawat, A., "Uncertainty over Population, Prices or Climate? Identifying the
Drivers of Californias Future Residential Electricity Demand," Energy Institute at Haas, WP 208, August 2010.
2
p. 5, Messenger, M., "Strategic Plan to Reduce the Energy Impact of Air Conditioners," CEC-400-2008-010, June
2008.
3
p. 20, Messenger June 2008.
4
p. 58, Section 6, California Long Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan, California Public Utilities Commission,
September 2008.
5
Different interpretations of what A in RCA means. Adjustment is the technically accurate meaning since
airflow is not measured but is determined to be adequate based on the temperature split. EM&V studies and some
programs call out Airflow.
6
http://www.ethree.com/public_projects/cpuc4.html
Davis Energy Group, Inc. Page 1 December 29, 2010

between cost effectiveness of the measures and cost effectiveness of the programs that
implement them on a broad scale.
The key EM&V studies are as follows:
August 2006 EM&V Final Report, RCA Verification Program for New and
Existing Residential and Commercial Air Conditioners; CPUC # 1385-04, 1395-04,
and 1437- 04, CALMAC Study ID RMA 0001.01; Aloha Systems.
The Refrigerant Charge and Airflow Verification Program (RCAVP) implemented by
Robert Mowris & Associates is assessed. The net energy savings achieved by the
statewide program were 113% of the energy savings goal and 136% of the demand
reduction goal 7 The program supported improvements in Title 24 RCA
requirements. Participating contractors agreed with a report recommendation that the
program should continue. The study was not designed to provide an assessment of
measurement precision or confidence intervals and no field measurements were
performed.
November 2008 Residential Retrofit Contract Group First Draft Verification

Report; CPUC Energy Division; The CADMUS Group.
An assessment of programs during implementation without final program results was
performed by CADMUS. This study is used as an input to the February 2010 KEMA
study. The report introduced Monte Carlo analysis of the probability of accurately
measuring refrigerant superheat and subcooling. The study found that 47% of the duct
sealing sites surveyed did not pass the program criteria8 and 58% of the RCA sites
surveyed failed. Concerns about the sample size and analytic methodology have been
expressed.
March 2009 Process Evaluation: CPACS Program 2007-2008; SCE0265.01; EMI
The report assesses the process and makes recommendations. A Rapid-Feedback

evaluation was done in 2007 during the 2006-2009 implementation timeframe and then
followed up beginning in mid-2008. This second assessment identified if and how the
initial recommendations were addressed as well as any additional program performance
issues.9 Problems with planning, goals projection, and production meeting the goals
occurred. Concerns about savings estimates, work papers, cost effectiveness calculations
and the uncertainties of the VSP applied technologies led to the recommendation10 that
"SCE should coordinate with the other IOUs, California Energy Commission, CPUC, and
7
p. I, EM&V Final Report, RCA Verification Program for New and Existing Residential and Commercial Air
Conditioners; CPUC # 1385-04, 1395-04, and 1437- 04, CALMAC Study ID RMA 0001.01; Aloha Systems.
Robert Mowris Associates (RMA) is now Verified, Inc.
8
Criteria are disputed by implementers as based on erroneous interpretation of the Duct Sealing program.
Implementers claim that passing requires15% total leakage or a 15% reduction of total leakage. EM&V contractors
only used 15% total leakage with no credit for reduction in leakage.
9
p. 3, March 2009 Process Evaluation: CPACS Program 2007-2008; SCE0265.01; EMI
10
p. 5, EMI March 2009

verification service providers (VSPs) to quantify system and process uncertainties. These
studies should lead to the development of processes or protocols that support improving
the reliability of VSP field verification and ensure that measures are installed
appropriately via post-installation review/inspection."
April 2009 CPACS RCA Billing Analysis Report, EMI for SCE
In the Executive Summary the report concluded: "The billing analysis-based assessment
of SCEs RCA measure showed no statistically significant energy savings for the general
populations of participants studied (26 28 kWh/year). The great difference between the
confidence interval of expected savings found from this statistical analysis of
participants bills and the 2005 DEER calculated savings (233 kWh/year) provides a
high degree of certainty that the DEER calculation requires re-calibration."11
This analysis of billing data has been criticized as inappropriate because it does not
follow the IPMVP guidance that "typically savings should be more than 10% of the base
year energy use if they are to be separated from the noise in base year data"12 when using
billing analysis for measurement and verification. But, the California Energy Efficiency
Evaluation Protocols do not include that guideline in the Gross Energy Impact Protocol.
13
July 2009 Market Assessment and Field M&V Study for Comprehensive
Packaged A/C Systems Program, ADM Associates, SCE0286.01, July24, 2009
This study evaluated 109 units in the field and found that 89 had fault conditions, with 31
having two or more faults.14 A rule-based diagnostic protocol adapted from work by
James Braun and his colleagues at Purdue University was used to good effect: "The
average EER for the units increased from 6.64 before servicing to 7.05 after servicing, an
average increase of 6.1%. However, the results of a paired t-test showed that the
hypothesis of no difference between the pre- and post-servicing averages can be
rejected only with a confidence level of 80%."15 Duct test and seal protocols and
measurement techniques were included, and showed that airflow dropped when ducts
were sealed for a group of 35 houses. Accuracy of instrumentation and uncertainty of
EER calculations were not discussed and the sample size was limited. Finally, the
protocol developed at Purdue is not universally accepted by experts in the field.
February 2010 Evaluation Measurement and Verification of the California Public

Utilities Commission HVAC High Impact Measures and Specialized Commercial
11
p. 1, CPACS RCA Billing Analysis Report, EMI for SCE, April 2009.
12
p. 28, International Performance Measurement & Verification Protocol Concepts and Options for Determining
Energy and Water Savings Volume I, DOE/GO-102002-1554, March 2002.
13
p. 28-30, California Energy Efficiency Evaluation Protocols: Technical, Methodological, and Reporting
Requirements for Evaluation Professionals, Prepared for the California Public Utilities Commission by The
TecMarket Works Team,April 2006.
14
p. 4-9, ADM July 2009
15
p. 6-1, ADM July 2009

Contract Group Programs, 2006-2008 Program Year, Volume 1, KEMA, CADMUS

and Summit Blue, CPUC, February 10, 2010 and Volume 2, Appendices.
Refrigerant Charge and Airflow (RCA) and Duct Test and Seal (DTS) were two of the
high impact measures covered by the study that considered them as contained in
programs administered by the IOUs. The estimated savings, or ex post savings estimates,
were so much lower than normally encountered in EM&V studies that the validity of the
programs has been challenged. In Table 3-116, of the nine programs studied, the best
had an ex post that was 45.6% of ex ante and the worst was at just 5% (weighted average
of 20.1%). In Table 3-517 of the five DTS programs the worst ex post was 26.5% and the
best was 49%. With over half of the savings coming from the worst program the
weighted average was only 29.8%. The study did not attempt to measure the annual
kWh savings. Ex ante deemed savings were significantly reduced due to finding low
rates of proper installation and higher than expected free ridership. A Monte Carlo
technique was used to compare the uncertainty of HVAC contractor superheat and
subcooling results with the findings of the EM&V team. But, there were no uncertainty
estimates given for the EERs that were calculated from field measurements. The study
was also burdened by lower than planned sample size. There is an intense controversy
about the validity of the study that is not the focus of this report but that is indicative of
the uncertainty that surrounds HVAC Quality Maintenance (QM) programs.
Taken together, these six EM&V studies raised serious questions about the design and efficacy
of the implementation of current DTS and RCA energy efficiency measures. For this reason, as
of August 2010, the California IOUs HVAC Quality Management programs are largely on hold,
with many demand-side management (DSM) experts being concerned about their viability. A
few third-party programs (which make the implementer more responsible for achieving the
predicted energy savings, rather than the IOU) are still active but the mass market SCE core
programs for 2010 do not include the RCA and DTS programs of 2006-2009. PG&E and
SDG&E presently offer scaled down revised RCA and DTS programs. Pressure is building to
get programs restarted as soon as possible, but only with a good understanding of how to
improve them to ensure their effectiveness. While it may not be possible to arrive at consensus
among the stakeholders, it could be beneficial to convene a forum for the purpose of forging
consensus. The forum would be successful if it clearly defines areas of disagreement, areas
needing more research and how to get the work done. For example, the problems of small field
sample size and the paucity of detailed field test data are widely recognized as a high priority
issues.
It's unclear whether the current programs' disappointing results were due to ineffective program
design, overly optimistic projections, or inaccurate pre- and/or post-implementation evaluation
techniques. What is clear is that the DSM industry needs a sound strategy for designing
programs and evaluating their effectiveness.
During this same time frame a set of four national consensus standards were adopted and
published. The concepts of quality maintenance (QM) and quality installation (QI) are clarified
16
p. 13,Volume 1, KEMA February 2010
17
p. 16, Volume 1, KEMA February 2010

by the standards and are utilized by this report. Without the QM standards, RCA and DTS stand
alone as energy efficiency measures. With QM standards, RCA and DTS are integrated into
HVAC contractor business practices while raising new questions about how to handle levels of
QM that progress from simple service activities, to complete diagnostics, to adjustments, and
finally to recommendation of repairs. Discussion at the August Technical Forum and elsewhere
points to stakeholder concerns that the standards are too complicated and will be generally too
costly to be implemented.
The four standards that influence HVAC maintenance are:
1. ACCA Standard 4: In 2008, ACCA published ACCA Standard 4: "Maintenance of

Residential HVAC Systems" (ANSI/ACCA 4 2008). This standard includes a set of
screening tasks that could form the basis for a maintenance program.
2. ACCA/ASHRAE Standard 180: In 2008, in support of commercial system screening, the

following ANSI/ASHRAE/ACCA Standard 180 2008 was approved: "Standard
Practice for Inspection and Maintenance of Commercial Building HVAC Systems." This
standard covers the full range of commercial equipment. A proposed Economizer Table
developed by the Western HVAC Performance Alliance is being considered for
inclusion.
3. ACCA Standard 5: In 2007, the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA)

published Standard 5: "HVAC Quality Installation Specification" (ANSI/ACCA 5 QI
2007). This standard covers the installation of air conditioners and ducts, and
emphasizes duct quality.
4. ACCA Standard 9: In 2009, ACCA published Standard 9 (ANSA/ACCA 9 QIVP

2009): HVAC Quality Installation Verification Protocols which sets forth the
procedures for verifying adherence with Standard 5.
2 Project Objectives
In the aftermath of the recent EM&V studies, fundamental differences of opinion have emerged
on what, if anything, went wrong with previous programs (and why), and on how to move
forward with future energy efficiency programs. In this report, we hope to provide a common
framework for discussion and to facilitate better communication among program stakeholders,
while providing insight into potential areas for improvement. It is impossible to eliminate all
sources of uncertainty -- whether they are in measurement and analysis or human behavior -- but
it is critical to design programs with a better understanding of the sources of uncertainty and their
potential impacts. With this in mind, the key objectives of this project were to:
1. Assess the current state of knowledge about the impact of unitary HVAC
equipment maintenance measures, including potential savings and long-term
persistence of these savings. The technical focus is on the efficiency of the cooling

system (i.e., the refrigeration and duct systems) and not on the heating and ventilation
systems.
2. Identify key uncertainties that affect the energy and demand savings potential of these
measures, and that affect the ability to measure these savings.
3. Assess current information on the roles of these uncertainties in reducing the savings
from these measures.
4. Propose research activities to help fill in the gaps in our understanding of factors
affecting savings.
This project is not intended to provide a complete analysis and critique of current measurement
and diagnostic procedures or program designs. Instead, our focus is on developing the next steps
that will lead to better program design and implementation resulting in verified savings.
3 Methodology
A project of this nature is challenging since there are many stakeholders and a broad range of
issues to be addressed, ranging from technical details to broad CPUC policy goals. There is
significant interplay between technical issues (e.g., sensor installation procedures) and human
factors (e.g., how the contractor directs the technician to implement the program requirements).
This project was designed to better understand the issues related to uncertainty and EM&V
issues and to develop a roadmap to provide direction on future research and program needs.
The following activities were conducted in this study:

Assembled and developed a summary review of key publications and reports over the
past 20+ years that provide a basic catalog of information relevant to HVAC energy
efficiency.
Analyzed laboratory test data from HVAC systems operated with and without faults.
Worked with verification service providers (VSPs) and the EM&V contractors to better
understand their processes, quality control procedures, and diagnostic protocols.
Assessed implementation of VSP processes in the field.
Utilized the knowledge and perspective of an experienced refrigeration engineer in
reviewing current VSP procedures, sensor specifications, identification of multiple faults,
etc.
Interviewed stakeholders, industry experts, and diagnostic equipment manufacturers to
gather input on data collection procedures, calibration issues, and measurement
repeatability.
Incorporated fundamental analysis of uncertainty statistics in better understanding how
program specifications need to be set to ensure that a meaningful result is generated.
Gathered input from utilities, industry groups (such as the Western HVAC Performance
Alliance), VSPs, and researchers.

In this project, we did not delve into the databases generated by the VSPs in the process of
tracking the delivery of the 2006-09 programs; this work has been done by others. Instead, we
focused our efforts on the programs' technical foundations.
As the project evolved over the past seven months, it became increasingly clear that it would be
critical to solicit stakeholder input and work towards consensus building in order to keep HVAC
maintenance focused programs moving forward. To that end, we organized and facilitated two
meetings that brought together a wide range of industry stakeholders. The first was a day and a
half Tech Forum held at PG&Es Stockton Training Center on August 4th and 5th, 2010. The
second was a mid-August informal session held at ACEEEs biennial Summer Study, titled
Unitary HVAC Quality Maintenance Project: Fault Detection, Diagnostics and Repair; and
Duct Test and Seal. Input from the meetings has been integrated into this report.
The Davis Energy Group team was comprised of Project Manager Marshall Hunt, PE; Marc
Hoeschele, PE; Beth Weitzel; Bill Dakin, PE; and David Springer. The Western Cooling
Efficiency Center effort was lead by Kristin Heinemeier, Ph.D., PE. To assist the core
consulting team, a small group of outside consultants were added to the team to provide
additional expertise. These consultants included:
Allen Amaro, Amaro Construction. Mr. Amaro is a practicing HERS rater who
completes RCA inspections under current Title 24 processes.
Jennifer White provided technical writing and editing.
Mark Cherniak, New Buildings Institute. Mr. Cherniak is the Senior Program
Manager with New Buildings Institute, and has over 25 years of experience in the field of
energy efficiency.
Jim Phillips, The Energy Savers. Mr. Phillips has over 45 years of hands-on and
training experience in the HVAC industry working on both residential and commercial
systems and is a NATE certified technician.
Dr. Neil Willits, UC Davis Statistics Lab. Dr. Willits provided support in
understanding the statistical basis of measurement uncertainty.
Hugh Henderson, PE, CDH Energy. Mr. Henderson contributed to the discussion of
normalization in Section 6.
Campbell BrownKorbel. Ms. BrownKorbel provided writing and editing skills.
The project also convened a Project Advisory Panel (PAP) to provide review input to the team
on key deliverables. The panel was selected from HVAC industry leaders with a broad range of
expertise. Participating PAP members included:
Edward Vine, Lawrence Berkeley National Labs (LBNL). Dr Vine is a Staff Scientist
at LBNL and is the Manager of the Environmental Program at the California Institute for
Energy and Environment (CIEE).
Mike Lubliner, Washington State University (WSU). Dr. Lubliner is a researcher at
WSU and co-chair of the ASHRAE 6.3 Residential Central Forced Air Heating and
Cooling Equipment committee.

Loren Lutzenhiser, Portland State University (PSU). Dr. Lutzenhiser is a Professor of

Urban Studies and Planning at PSU with a focus on behavioral studies related to energy
and water use.
Hugh Henderson, CDH Energy. Mr. Henderson has an extensive background in the
monitoring and modeling of unitary HVAC equipment.
Piotr Domanski, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Dr.
Domanski is the HVAC&R Equipment Performance Group Leader at NIST.
Marc Newman, Standard Refrigerators Inc. Mr. Newman is President of a firm that
provides design, installation, and HVAC service to commercial and residential customers
in New York City.
Jim Braun, Purdue University. Dr. Braun is a professor in the School of Mechanical
Engineering and has worked in the field of air conditioning and refrigeration for over 30
years in both university and industrial settings.
Adrienne Thomle, Honeywell, Inc. Ms. Thomle is a Product Market Manager of
Economizer Systems & Motors at Honeywell.
A draft of this study was circulated to stakeholders for review and many substantive and helpful
comments were received. All substantive comments were carefully considered and changes have
been made for this final draft. Out of respect for input from stakeholders and in the interest of
transparency, footnotes are used to give credit to sources that are not in published documents.
This allows the report to be current. Care was taken to ensure that the comments came from
legitimate sources. Given the controversial nature of the subject and the need for more research,
reasonable experts disagree. This report takes note of the disagreements but does not try to make
final judgments as to who is right and who is wrong.
4 Refrigeration Cycle Analysis and RCA Programs
The refrigeration cycle is a complex thermodynamic process that is well understood in a

laboratory setting resulting in the design and production of high-quality systems of increasing
sophistication. Despite the fact that several studies of field performance have been done18,19,
20,21,22,23,24
, field problems are still not as well understood as lab performance, given the wide
18
Davis, R. 2001. Influence of Expansion Device and Refrigerant Charge on the Performance of a Residential
Split-System Air Conditioner using R-410a Refrigerant, Report No.: 491-01.7. San Francisco, Calif.: Pacific Gas
and Electric.
19
Downey, T., Proctor, J., 2002. What can 13,000 Air Conditioners Tell Us? Proceedings of the 2002 American
Council for an Energy Efficient Economy Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings.
20
Li, H.. A decoupling-based unified fault detection and diagnosis approach for packaged air conditioners. Ph.D.
Thesis, West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University, 2004.
21
Farzad, M., ONeal, D. 1993. Influence of the Expansion Device on Air Conditioner System Performance
Characteristics Under a Range of Charging Conditions. Paper 3622. ASHRAE 2004 ACEEE Summer Study
Proceedings I-226 Transactions. Atlanta, Ga.: American Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning
Engineers.
22
Rodriguez, A., "Effect of Refrigerant Charge, Duct Leakage, and Evaporator Air Flow on the High Temperature
Performance of Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps," Master's Thesis, August 1995.
23
Siegel, J., Wray, C., "An Evaluation of Superheat-Based Refrigerant Charge Diagnostics for Residential Cooling
Systems," ASHRAE TRANSACTIONS 2002, V. 108, Pt. 2.

variety of installation issues, occupant impacts, improper service over time, and component
degradation which contribute to a large degree of performance uncertainty. This section
provides an overview of refrigeration system operation and performance issues, along with an
analysis of current RCA program specifications and challenges.
Figure 1 illustrates the key components of a unitary refrigeration system25. These components
(compressor, condenser, evaporator, expansion device, fans, and controls) are generally separate
in residential systems (split system with indoor and outdoor equipment), and typically
packaged for commercial rooftop units (RTUs). The numbers in Figure (1-4) refer to the four
system states: 1) low pressure, cool vapor; 2) high pressure, hot vapor; 3) high pressure, warm
liquid; and 4) low pressure, cold liquid that in turn becomes vapor again after the evaporator coil.
Outdoor air cools the hot refrigerant gas at the condensing unit, causing the refrigerant to change
phase from gas to liquid. The liquid refrigerant is forced through the expansion device (orifice or
TXV) at which point the low pressure causes a fraction of the liquid to flash to vapor. At the
indoor coil (evaporator), warm return air causes the rest of the liquid refrigerant to change to a
gaseous state. During this phase change process, the return air is cooled at the evaporator,
typically on the order of 18-22 F. The low temperature refrigerant gas then enters the
compressor where mechanical work raises the pressure and temperature of the gas.
24
Temple, K., Rossi, T., Field Diagnostics Services, Inc., Enhanced Refrigeration Diagnostics for an Improved Air
Conditioning Tune-up Program, ACEEE Summer Study, 2006Mowris, R., Blankenship, A., et. al, "Field
Measurements of Air Conditioners With and Without TXV's," ACEEE Summer Study Proceedings 2004.
25
Figure adapted from EES, http://www.fchart.com/ees/

Vapor Compression Cooling

System Schematic with Measurements
Ambient
Inlet T
SuctionP/T
LowPressure
Indoors
Airflow
Supply T LiquidP/T
dry and RH High
SurfaceT
or T wet Pressure
bulb
Condenser
SurfaceT Discharge
Airflow T
Electrical (True RMS Watts):

Blower, Condenser Fan,
FixedOrificeorTXV Compressor
Return T Outdoors
dry and RH
or T wet
bulb
Figure 1. Unitary Refrigeration System Schematic.
A key challenge in understanding refrigeration system performance is that there are many
possible sources of degradation, some of which are more significant than others, and there is
rarely an obvious indication which part (or often, parts) of the system is failing. Furthermore,
there is a wide range of system performance characteristics encountered in the field which
depend on ambient conditions, the load on the evaporator, and the fault status. In spite of the
complexity of multiple faults and highly variable performance, HVAC technicians providing
service calls are expected to improve system efficiency, often within a short scheduled time
window. A systematic approach is needed to fully assess the current state of any HVAC system
in the field. The flow chart shown in Figure 2, adapted from Dr. Haorong Li's dissertation on
addressing multiple system faults26, illustrates the taxonomy of faults in an existing unitary
HVAC system.
26
p. 49, Li, Haorong, "A Decoupling-Based Unified Fault Detection and Diagnosis Approach for Packaged Air
Conditioners," PhD Thesis, Purdue University, August 2004.

Unitary AC System Faults
Ducts: Sizing, Leakage, Insulation
Installation &
Degradation
Filter: Type, Merv
Economizer
Fouling Related
Condenser Fouling
Evaporator Fouling
Liquid Line Restriction

Recovery Related
Compressor Valve Leakage
Non-Condensable Gas
Refrigerant Leakage
MUTUALLY
Over Charge EXCLUSIVE
Related
Charge
Under Charge
Figure 2. Taxonomy of Refrigeration System Faults
Multiple, simultaneous faults are possible, although some faults are insignificant and can be
ignored. The extent of the problem with multiple faults is not well described in the literature,
and experts disagree on the importance of multiple faults. Fortunately, there are commonly
encountered faults such as coil fouling, contactor failure, capacitor failure, and, in the case of
commercial RTUs, economizer failure that reduce the range of possible faults to a more
workable list. A baseline study would serve to establish the range and distribution of fault
conditions. Technicians ideally need a hierarchical screening process that starts with an
assessment of installation and degradation, continues with visual inspections, and eventually
addresses refrigerant charge. The process must be fast and cost effective. A technician in a
comprehensive maintenance program, or a diagnostic system directing the technicians efforts,

would need to be able to do all parts of the screening and not just the charge-related items. Such
a system needs to save time while minimizing misdiagnosis.
This process is complicated by the fact that technicians often do not have remote access to
manufacturer data specific to the system, which would save time and potentially improve the
accuracy of the diagnosis. Examples of data from manufacturers are: compressor performance
map; superheat values; subcooling values; rated EER; blower performance; amperage draw for
various components; charge for weighing in with long line adjustments; fault codes; and wiring
diagrams. Some of this data is on the equipment or in a document that is intended to be left with
the unit but, especially on older units, the data is missing. Service is competently done everyday
without complete information but this is not the preferred situation. Energy efficiency programs
add the challenge of optimizing system energy efficiency, which is not standard practice for
technicians who often lack the training and instruments required to perform the necessary tasks.
4.1 RCA Program Issues
In past RCA programs the only service required to be performed was to check and adjust the
refrigerant charge after verifying the supply airflow27 across the evaporator coil is adequate.
Some VSPs require their contractors and technicians to do more than the program minimum and
require that technicians are competent to do the complete range of service functions. The charge
is checked by considering only one of a half dozen key indicators of refrigerant cycle
performance.
Other factors such as condenser and/or evaporator coil fouling (as shown in Figures 3 and 4)
have significant impacts on system efficiency and whether the charge is correct. Figure 3 shows
an extreme example of a residential condenser coil fouling from lawn clippings28, followed by
pet hair and dirt.
Figure 3. Condenser Coil Fouling
27
Using the temperature split method (difference between supply and return air temperature)
28
Image from http://desertcomfortmechanical.com/air_conditioning_repair_and_maintenance

Figure 4 shows heavy evaporator coil fouling29, which is most common on systems with floor (or
low wall) returns, especially in homes with cats and dogs. It can be difficult if not impossible
for technicians to access and clean evaporator coils; contractors report having to cut access holes
when none are provided. A VSP estimates that less than 1% of residential split system
evaporator coils are accessible and that only 0.4% of the evaporator coils get cleaned even
when there is a $40 incentive available30. There are various spray products that work with
condensate to clean and wash away debris on the evaporator coil. Technicians need a simple
diagnostic to determine whether either coil needs to be cleaned and then a procedure that
instructs them on how to clean coils as part of QM servicing. Without this guidance it is possible
for a program to devolve from a comprehensive program to a condenser coil cleaning program
only31.
Laboratory tests32 conducted on systems with condenser and evaporator coil blockages have
shown that coil blockage has a significant impact on system performance, with condenser airflow
blockage having more of an impact than evaporator coil blockage at the same level of blockage.
Evaporator fouling is more commonly found because, especially in residential split systems, the
time and expense needed to properly clean them is prohibitive. In the lab, blockage is simulated
by reducing airflow with panels. In the field, fouling not only blocks airflow but also coats coil
surfaces, changing the heat transfer characteristics. The relationship between lab tested blockage
and coil fouling in the field has not been established. Newer, high efficiency air conditioning
units typically have narrower evaporator coil fin spacing, making it easier for coils to foul and
harder to clean. As seen in the picture, a wet coil makes a very effective filter.
Figure 4. Evaporator Coil Fouling
29
Image from http://losangelescountyheating.com/
30
PEG comments on 112310 Study Draft submitted to Brett Close, SCE.
31
PEG comments on 112310 Study Draft submitted to Brett Close, SCE. The condenser approach temperature
could be used and is straight forward to implement.
32
Faramarzi, R., Rauss, D., "An Experimental Approach to Quantify Effects of Common Maintenance Strategies for
5-Ton Rooftop Units," ASHRAE 2010 Annual Meeting Orlando Seminar 6 (Sponsored by TC-8.11) January 24,
2010, Technology Test Centers (TTC) Southern California Edison www.sce.com/rttc

Airflow evaluation needs to involve more than just making sure that the temperature split
(difference between supply and return air temperature) is within a reasonable range. The Duct
Test and Seal (DTS) programs require total duct leakage be reduced so that it is equal to or less
than 15% of total flow with the assumption that there is 400 cfm/ton of air conditioner capacity.
This in line with Title 24 2008 requirements implemented in the Simplified Prescriptive
Certificate of Compliance: 2008 Residential HVAC Alterations CF-1R-ALT-HVAC form33. If a
duct system is undersized sealing the leaks can reduce the airflow to the extent that the
temperature split is significantly changed. RCA and DTS programs have not been linked
allowing the RCA technician not to be concerned with leakage and the DTS technician not to be
concerned with airflow. While direct measurement of airflow through the evaporator coil is
allowed as an alternative to the temperature split test, this method is rarely done Measuring
airflow with a flow metering plate34 is slowly gaining acceptance in residential applications but
contractors and technicians are resistant because of the cost of equipment and the time that it
takes to make the measurement.35
4.2 RCA Program Specifications

Using laboratory data,36 Title 24 RCA testing specifications37, and the results of field research38
the Architectural Energy Corporation (AEC) developed the Technical Specifications and Best
Practices for Charge and Air Flow Verification Services39 for the Pacific Gas & Electric
Company (PG&E) that were used by the IOUs for the 2006-2009 RCA and DTS programs. The
specifications provided for qualified VSPs to sign contracts with IOUs and gain approval to
implement the RCA program. Technicians are required to have a US EPA refrigerant handling
certification and training including but not limited to the following:
Customer interaction
Equipment calibration procedures
Test procedures
Data collection procedures
Calculation and/or procedures required to determine pass-fail test status
Charge and airflow correction procedures.
Measurement equipment requirements are focused on hand-held devices and the manual
recording of readings in the field. Existing California Title 24 RCA procedures are used for the
33
pdf page 450 of 563, California Energy Commission, 2008 Building Energy Efficiency Standards Residential
Compliance Manual, CEC-400-2008-016-CMF-Rev1, March 2010.
34
http://www.energyconservatory.com/download/trueflow.pdf
35
36
Davis, R., D'Albora, E.. Influence of Expansion Device and Refrigerant Charge on the Performance of a
Residential Split-System Air Conditioner using R-410a Refrigerant Report No.: 491-01.7. San Francisco, Calif.:
Pacific Gas and Electric, 2001.
37
Appendix RD, Residential Alternative Calculation Method (ACM) Approval Manual for the 2005 Building
Energy Efficiency Standards, CEC 400-003-003F, October 2004. Reference is also made to manufacturer (e.g.
Carrier, Lennox, and Trane) guidelines as the source for the T24 methodology.
38
Downey, T., Proctor, J., 2002. What can 13,000 Air Conditioners Tell Us? Proceedings of the 2002 American
Council for an Energy Efficient Economy Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings.
39
Residential Air Conditioner Charge and Air Flow Verification Study, Task 4 Report, Technical Specifications and
Best Practices for Charge and Air Flow Verification Services, Contract # 4600010737, Revision 2, Architectural
Energy Corporation, for PG&E, August 19, 2004.

purpose of determining whether the refrigerant charge is adequate, and if not, for adding or
removing charge to achieve the required superheat or subcooling, as per program requirements.
Unstated in AECs specifications for the RCA program is the assumption that other HVAC
system faults are either not present or are not impacted by the charge adjustment and that they do
not eliminate the savings achieved by charge adjustment. RCA procedures follow the Title 24
guidelines which in the 2008 version use Table RA3.2-3 Target Temperature Split which covers
return air dry-bulb conditions from 70 oF to 84 oF paired with return web-bulb conditions from
50 oF to76 oF. For superheat determination there must be at least 5 degrees. Referring to Table
RA3.2-2 Target Superheat40 if the outdoor temperature is below 65 oF then the indoors must be at
least 70oF. The table goes down to an outdoor temperature of 55 oF with an indoor return wet
bulb of 50 oF which can be done so long as the return dry bulb is 70 oF. These limitations have
proven to be a problem especially when RCA work is done before and after the summer season.
Outdoor temperatures up to 115 oF are allowed but over 100 oF require return wet-bulb
temperatures that can be difficult to reach in hot dry climates.
Temperature Split: Table RA3.2-3 is used to look up the required temperature split based on
the operating conditions, and the measured value must be within 3 degrees of the reference
value listed for the airflow to be considered adequate. The temperature split test does not
measure airflow or ensure that at least 350-400 cfm/ton is flowing through the evaporator.41 It
establishes that there is an adequate balance between the quantity of refrigerant flowing through
the evaporator coil, changing phase from liquid to gas as heat is absorbed, and the quantity of air
flowing across the evaporator coil42 that is being cooled be the refrigerant phase change.
Superheat: If a fixed orifice refrigerant expansion valve is used the superheat is calculated to
determine adequate refrigerant charge. Superheat is based on measuring the pressure of the
suction line and the surface temperature of the suction line. Fixed orifice (FO) expansion valves
come in a variety of forms, none of which change size in response to operating conditions.
Refrigerant mass flow rates do however vary in response to the pressure dynamics as driven by
conditions at the evaporator and condenser. Charging is based on achieving the correct amount
of superheat given the indoor and outdoor conditions and the value is found in Table RA3.2-2.
The charge is considered correct if the superheat is within 5 oF of the target value found in the
Title 24 superheat table. Each refrigerant type has a temperature/pressure relationship that
converts a pressure reading to the matching temperature, as shown in Table 1.
40
pp. RA3-18 to RA3-20, California Energy Commission, Reference Appendices for the 2008 Building Energy
Efficiency Standards for Residential and Nonresidential Buildings, CEC-400-2008-004-CMF, December 2008.
41
Metoyer, J., Swan, E., McWilliams, J. "HVAC Airflow Measurement Issues for Programs and Evaluators,"
KEMA, 2010
42
It is possible to reduce refrigerant flow and airflow in tandem to achieve the desired temperature split while
reducing the capacity of the system.

Saturation Measured Calculated

Measured
Temperature (F) Suction Line Superheat (F)
Suction Line
(Lookup at Measured Surface (Measured Surface minus
Pressure (psig)
Pressure) Temperature (F) Saturation)
68.5 40 60 20
76.0 45 58 13
84.0 50 64 14
92.6 55 58 3
Table 1. Example R-22 Superheat Calculation
Subcooling: When a thermal expansion valve (TXV) is present, subcooling is calculated to

assess whether the refrigerant charge is correct. A TXV has a sensing bulb attached to the
refrigerant line exiting the evaporator coil. The sensing bulb is charged with a gas whose
expansion and contraction in response to pipe surface temperature results in modulating the TXV
valve, thereby adjusting refrigerant flow. A TXV is sometimes referred to as a constant
superheat valve. Manufacturers specify the subcooling value for the system, but when it is not
easily available; a default of 10 oF is often used even though manufacture values will vary widely
with little impact on EER, making it a useful default value. Given the discussion at the Technical
Forum it would be good to explore this issue further. The charge is considered correct if the
calculated subcooling is within 3 oF of the target value. But, as shown in Figure 5 in lab testing
on two systems, in support of proposed Title 24 changes, efficiency varied less than 5% over a
range of subcooling from 2 oF to 21 oF43. This testing and other testing being done at Intertek in
2010 could have significant impacts on our understanding of how to implement refrigerant
charge correction measures.
43
PEG comments on 112310 Study Draft submitted to Brett Close, SCE from Measure Information Template
Residential Refrigerant Charge Testing and Related Issues, 2013 California Building Energy Efficiency Standards,
California Utilities Statewide Codes and Standards Program, December 2010.

Figure 5. Variance of Normalized Sensible EER v. Subcooling

The process steps that a technician is required to follow are detailed in Sections 2.4.3 Non-TXV
and 2.4.5 TXV.44 The temperature split must be corrected before charge can be checked and
adjusted as required. In the case of systems that are far from having correct charge and airflow a
sequential approach does not work. Rather, the technician must iteratively adjust airflow and
charge. Both the airflow and charge must be re-tested until they both sequentially pass.45
Direct airflow measurement is allowed but not required. Coil, either evaporator or condenser,
cleaning is not addressed. Filters are to be considered if the temperature split is high. While this
approach makes sense for new equipment covered by Title 24, it ignores the as found
condition of air conditioners if only the program minimum requirements are met. In some
applications filters must be changed monthly and condenser coils cleaned quarterly.
Referring back to the taxonomy of fault conditions it is the case that if a technician is only doing
the minimum by the RCA program specifications then only charge is checked. All that is needed
is to have indoor and outdoor conditions within a broad range of conditions and the machine
capable of running for 30 minutes producing air that is cooled about 20 degrees across the
evaporator coil. This is a simplification of the complex operation of an air conditioner. It allows
narrowly trained technicians to perform the RCA service quickly without regard to the multiple
fault conditions that may be found in many systems. The complexity of the interactions is best
illustrated by Figure 6 from H. Li46. Only a few of the possible faults on the left hand side
impact just one component in the system and refrigerant charge, either high or low, impacts all of
the components.
44
p. 8 12, Architectural Energy Corporation, Residential Air Conditioner Charge and Air Flow Verification Study,
Task 4 Report, Technical Specifications and Best Practices for Charge and Air Flow Verification Services,
Contract # 4600010737, Revision 2, PG&E, August 19, 2004.
45
p. 11, AEC Task 4, 2004.
46
p. 51, H. Li, 2004.

Figure 6. Complex RTU System Interactions
There is no consensus as to how to address multiple faults. In reviewing comments on this

report, Field Diagnostic Services Inc. noted the following:
Using the charging chart to calculate the superheat goal or comparing the subcooling to
the manufacturers specification are an implied no fault model of expected
performance. A no fault model that predicts the evaporating temperature and
condensing temperature over ambient goal values for a system of a specific design under
specific driving conditions is essential to evaluating the complex operation of an air
conditioner. Resolution of faults and degradations that impact evaporating temperature
and condensing temperature over ambient is essential prior to charge adjustment based on
superheat and subcooling.47
Comments from Proctor Engineering Group caution that it is not practical or necessary to resolve
all faults. The RCA service does not claim to be able to diagnose all possible faults, but it does
diagnose the most common faults that have a significant impact.48 We did not find adequate
field test data to definitively settle this difference of opinion even though such a research study
would be valued by all stakeholders.
5 Duct Systems and DTS Programs
The performance of residential duct systems has been extensively tested over the past 20 years
with numerous studies49 documenting the inefficiencies associated with ducts outside of
conditioned space, such as those located in attics. Total duct leakage levels of 35-40% of system
fan flow (at 25 Pascal pressure or 0.1 IWC) are fairly common in these prior studies. Duct
leakage results in significant system inefficiency due to reduced space conditioning capacity,
47
FDSI comments on 112310 Study Draft submitted to Brett Close, SCE.
48
49
See: Kinert 1992, Palmiter and Francisco 1994, Jump 1996, Coito 1998, Lerman 1998, Walker 1998, Modera
1992.

with resulting peak demand impacts. The Duct Test and Seal programs implemented during the
2006-2008 time period were designed to reduce leakage in existing systems to 15% of total
airflow or to reduce leakage by 15% of total system airflow. Duct pressurization tests were
required before and after sealing with the results being reported to the VSP overseeing the
contractors work.
According to the California Residential Appliance Saturation Survey (RASS),50 only about 37%
of homes built before 1975 have central air conditioning (CAC). Slightly over 70% of the homes
built between 1983 and 1992 have CAC. By 2001, 84% of new homes had CAC. Coincident
with increased air-conditioning penetration, construction practice has moved towards slab-on-
grade construction for virtually all California production homes built in the last 25 years. As a
result, ductwork has become almost exclusively installed in the attic space where it is exposed to
very hot and cold temperatures.
Duct insulation levels have increased over the past few years, but most pre-1991 homes have
duct insulation levels of only R2.151 As shown in Figure 7 analysis using the ASHRAE 15252
calculation methodology, increasing R2.1 duct insulation levels to R8 in a Fresno, CA home
would generate similar seasonal duct efficiency improvements as reducing duct leakage from
40% to 20%. Losses are particularly high during peak day cooling events, when the temperature
difference across the ducts can exceed 70 F (with attic air at 130 F and cool ducted air at 60
F). Duct leakage compounds the duct heat loss to unconditioned space, by increasing the length
of air conditioner run cycles due to the energy loss between the indoor unit and the supply
registers. This effect is most pronounced during peak heat spells, when attic return leakage
increases the load on the air conditioning system and the supply duct thermal losses are greatest.
50
p. 23, Figure ES-23, 2009 California Residential Appliance Saturation Study, Executive Summary, CEC-200-
2010-004-ES, KEMA, October 2010.
51
Table R3-50 on page 3-81 of the 2008 Title 24 ACM has assumptions based on house vintage.
http://www.energy.ca.gov/2008publications/CEC-400-2008-002/CEC-400-2008-002-CMF.PDF
52
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 152-2004, Method of Test for Determining the Design and Seasonal Efficiencies of Residential
Thermal Distribution Systems.

FresnoCalculatedDistributionSystemEfficiencies(ASHRAE152)
100%
R2.1Design R2.1Seasonal
90% R4.2Design R4.2Seasonal
R8Design R8Seasonal
Distribution SystemEfficiency 80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%
TotalDuctLeakage(%ofSystemFanFlow)
Figure 7. Duct Leakage Impacts on Distribution Efficiency

The combined impact of leaky and poorly insulated ducts can result in seasonal distribution
efficiencies of 50% or less. Ideally, duct systems should be relocated to conditioned space or
totally eliminated (ductless delivery systems), but realistically the best solutions involve duct
leakage remediation and the addition of more duct insulation (and/or burying ducts under the
blown-in attic insulation). Either manual sealing (with mastic, tape, and draw bands) or use of
the aerosol duct sealing approach have been shown to reduce leakage by 50-80%53 with aerosol
techniques offering the advantage of sealing inaccessible leaks.
Duct leakage can occur on the system's supply side, return side, and at the air handling unit
itself.54 A duct test using a duct pressurization fan55 is the standard approach to testing for duct
leakage. By pressurizing the duct system to a standardized level (typically 25 Pascals or 0.1
Inches of Water Column, IWC), leakage can be normalized either to a per square foot of living
area metric or as a percentage of system fan flow (the latter typical for California). The percent
air leakage is calculated in comparison with an industry standard airflow rate of 400 cfm/ton,
which is an unrealistically high number for most installations. Alternative duct leakage
measurement techniques --such as pressurizing at one-half of measured duct system static
pressure, using tracer gas, and the Delta Q method56--are potentially more accurate, but
considerably more involved for any type of production program. Another method called the Zone
53
See Jump 1996, Kallet 2000
54
p. 2, Walker, I., Dickeroff, D., Delp, W. "Residential Forced Air System Cabinet Leakage and Blower
Performance," LBNL 3383E, PIER Final Project Report, CEC-500-07-006, December 2008.
55
The Energy Conservatory and Retrotec are two leading manufacturers of duct pressurization equipment and are
found at: www.energyconservatory.com/products/products2.htm and
http://www.retrotec.com/products/duct_testing_systems/q32_ductester/
56
Sherman and Walker, 2002

DeltaP test has been proposed that addresses the artificially uniform pressure issue using
inflatable bags inserted inside the duct system to test different parts of the system.57
In the 1990s, interest among DOE and HVAC industry experts led to the development of
ASHRAE Standard Project committee 152P to develop a detailed duct efficiency calculation
methodology. The resulting ASHRAE 152 Standard was developed at LBNL with input from
numerous parties. The standard prescribes algorithms for the calculation of duct delivery
efficiency based on duct surface area and location (e.g. attic, crawlspace), duct leakage and
insulation levels, climate, and other factors. The methodology has been tested in the field58 and
was found to provide good agreement with field monitoring data.
Testing done at the Intertek Laboratory in Plano, Texas59 (Figure 8) under the direction of Robert
Mowris provides insight into the impacts on efficiency of duct leakage when ducts are located in
attics.
Figure 8. Percent of AHRI Tests v. Nominal Duct Leakage for Ducts Located in Attics60
The EER A test is at 95oF while the EER B test is at 82oF which shows how a hot attic impacts
the EER. The attic is simulated with a chamber held at just under 120oF which is possible even
57
p. 1, Moujaes, S., Nassif, N., Teeters, T. et. al, "Duct Leakage Measurements in Residential Buildings," Final
Report NCEMBT-080215, University of Nevada Los Vegas, February 2008.
58
Siegel, J., McWilliams, J., Walker, I. 2002. Comparison Between Predicted Duct Effectiveness from Proposed
ASHRAE Standard 152P and Measured Field Data for Residential Forced Air Cooling Systems.
59
http://www.intertek.com/news/2009/11-09-hvac-facility/
60
p. 8, Mowris, Robert, Verified Inc., Evaluation Measurement and Verification of Air Conditioner Quality
Measures, Draft v. 4, as updated by additional testing in October 2010.

on mild weather days. It is also notable that duct leakage at an all too probable 30% has a much
greater impact than a 40% undercharged system.61
5.1 Duct Testing Protocols and Sources of Error
Typical system operating pressures are up to five times higher in the supply plenum and up to
five times more negative in the return plenum than at leakage test conditions (25 Pa). At the
terminals, both supply and return, the pressures can be very low. Thus, the current test tends to
overvalue leakage that occurs far from the air handler, and undervalue leakage at the air handler
where operating pressures are greatest. This effectively directs remediation efforts equally
throughout the distribution system62, resulting in less emphasis at the furnace/plenum
connections where the driving force is the greatest. Establishing a prescriptive requirement for
technicians that they must first seal the connections and joints at furnace/air handler unit and the
adjacent supply and return plenums could address this testing error. It is possible that an
aggressive set of prescriptive requirements will eliminate the need for testing in those cases
where the duct system is largely exposed but they must be accompanied by an effective quality
control program.
According to Gary Nelson, founder of diagnostic equipment manufacturer The Energy

Conservatory, duct leakage measurement repeatability can be affected by several factors,
including the level of duct leakage, placement of the duct pressurization device and static
pressure sensor, and the sealing technique at the registers63. In high leakage systems, the
placement of the equipment and pressure sensor could result in deviations in leakage
measurements of up to 15%64, when the same measurement device is used in different locations.
In relatively tight duct systems, common to homes and commercial systems that have
61
For complete information see : Draft Report Evaluation Measurement and Verification of Air Conditioner
Quality Maintenance Measures, prepared by VERIFIED, Incorporated, James J. Hirsch & Associates, and Intertek
Testing Services (North America) under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission, April 2010.
Robert Mowris summarizes the work as follows. Laboratory measurements of HVAC maintenance and installation measures
were performed by Intertek Testing Services, an AHRI Certified laboratory, located in Plano, Texas. Testing was performed on a
new split-system air conditioner with rated cooling capacity of 36,000 Btu/hour (3 tons) and matching condenser and evaporator
coils with an AHRI rating of 13 SEER and 11.2 EER (per ARI 210/240). The air conditioner was tested with R22 refrigerant and
five expansion devices including 1) original equipment manufacturer (OEM) piston metering valve (non-TXV), OEM pressure-
equalizing thermostatic expansion valve (TXV), OEM hard shut-off TXV, non-OEM HSO TXV, and non-OEM electronic
expansion valve (EXV). The forced air unit, evaporator, TXV, and ducts were located in a chamber maintained at conditioned
space temperatures of 80F dry bulb and 67F wet bulb (per ARI 210/240) and 118F dry bulb and 78F wet bulb to simulate a hot
attic. The following conditions were evaluated: 1) baseline 3-ton system per the ARI 210/240 test standard, 2) hot attic
environment around components, 3) 25 and 50 feet line-set, 4) correct refrigerant charge, under charge of -5% to -40%, and over
charge of +5% to +40% with a piston (non-TXV) and TXV metering devices, 5) evaporator airflow from 250 to 400 cfm per ton,
6) duct leakage of 2%, 6%, 15%, and 30%, 7) various TXV sensing bulb installation conditions including one strap, two straps,
one insulation wrap with 50% overlap, and two insulation wraps with 50% overlap, 8) 30% to 80% condenser coil blockage, 9)
50% evaporator coil blockage, 10) combined or mixed measures, and 11) non-condensibles. Additional tests will be performed to
measure the energy efficiency impacts of refrigerant restrictions and expanded superheat and temperature split target values. The
Intertek test results indicate that HVAC maintenance and installation defects can significantly reduce air conditioning cooling
capacity and energy efficiency.
62
Register boots are a common area that is sealed with the standard duct pressurization test. Although important,
other higher pressure parts of the system must be targeted.
63
A smaller concern relates to calibration of the digital manometers used with the equipment. Mr. Nelson estimates
that only 10% of the manometers in the field are returned for regular calibration. Although this is a low percentage,
virtually all are found to be within spec, with less than half a percent of the manometers being out of spec by more
than 5%.
64
Personal communication with Gary Nelson, July 2010.

participated in DTS programs, the impact of device and sensor placement should result in
reduced repeatability deviations on the order of 5%, or less.
A more critical technician impact relates to how the registers are physically sealed for testing.
Typically, technicians place strips of masking or painters tape over the grille face, and
occasionally onto the drywall surrounding the grille. An alternate technique involves building up
a mask ahead of time, and then securing the mask to the drywall, over the grille. This should
result in a better seal when applied to the register, since placing tape while standing on a ladder
complicates the goal of a perfect seal. Communications with Gary Nelson suggest that register
sealing techniques could result in leakage variations of 3 7 cfm (at 25 Pascals) for each register
sealed. This has been confirmed by a California HERS rater65 who completes third-party duct
pressurization tests required as part of HVAC equipment retrofits under Title 24. This rater
consistently finds that his cfm leakage readings are 10-20% lower than the readings performed
by the installing HVAC contractor, even when using the same digital manometer. Achieving
higher repeatability levels will require specifications that explicitly document the register sealing
and pressurization testing process. Field testing will be needed to develop specifications that are
effective while not being overly cumbersome. It may be the case that a technology or technique
will emerge that saves time, increases accuracy and gives repeatable results when applied by a
number of technicians.
5.2 Duct Program Issues

Properly performed duct remediation--either through leakage reduction, added insulation, or
both--will contribute to significant improvements in duct distribution system efficiency.
ASHRAE 152 calculation results for a Fresno, CA home indicate that increasing cooling
seasonal duct efficiencies from 50% to 80% are achievable. Field testing at 24 Sacramento
homes found that adding R-6 duct insulation and reducing duct leakage from an average 35% to
18% increased delivery efficiency from 64% to 76%. This, in turn, resulted in estimated HVAC
energy savings of 18%66.
It is logical to require a leakage test before sealing the ducts, but in the context of a full-scale
program, this approach may result in abuse. An incentive is paid for doing the pre-test that is
generally not enough to cover the cost of doing the work. The incentive paid for doing the
sealing is large enough that some contractors have been able to do the test and seal work for no
charge to the customer. To make this work a high proportion of the sites must be sealed, which
motivates technicians to determine that the leakage is over the program leakage threshold. If the
program pays incentives for reducing leakage by a set percentage even more pressure is put on
the technician to make the pre and post tests fit the criteria for incentive payments. More work is
needed to develop a DTS program where pre-testing is reliable.
Alternatives that address this type of issue have been implemented in the Davis Energy
Efficiency Program (DEEP)67 and in the Puget Sound Energy68 PSE program. In DEEP a sample
65
Personal communication with Allen Amaro, August 2010
66
Jump, D., Walker, l., Modera, M. "Field Measurements of Efficiency and Duct Retrofit Effectiveness in
Residential Forced Air Distribution Systems." ACEEE Summer Study Proceedings, 1996.
67
Heschong Mahone Group; Evaluation, Measurement and Verification of the Davis Energy Efficiency Program,
HMG Project #0307, September 22, 2004.

of houses in Davis, CA were tested by a test-only contractor and found to have leakage rates well
above the program threshold. Based on this finding, the program only required testing of
leakage after the sealing was done. Quality Assurance testing was done to verify that the post
service leakage was below the level required by the program. In the PSE program, a prescribed
set of actions is required that have been determined to achieve leakage reductions without
testing. A research project is needed to further refine DTS program delivery. Testing of a
statistically significant number of duct systems could establish when it is safe to assume that duct
leakage is at a rate that does not require testing prior to sealing. Verification of the results of the
PSE program would shed light on whether a prescriptive approach without testing works.
The energy savings benefits from reduced duct leakage are clear and well documented in the
literature. Peak demand reduction is less well defined, however, as it depends on system sizing
(cooling capacity vs. design load) and occupant thermostat control behavior. Coupling a DTS
program with an air conditioner cycling program is one approach that can reduce peak demand
and thus increase the program's value to the electric utility.
6 EER, Energy Savings, and Peak Demand Reduction
EER, or Energy Efficiency Ratio, is the standard metric used to quantify the efficiency of unitary
air conditioning equipment at a specific operating condition. EER, expressed in units of
Btu/Watt-hour, represents the combined steady-state sensible and latent cooling capacity divided
by total unit power at a specified set of conditions69. Considerable effort has been undertaken in
state-of-the-art testing laboratories to test systems under both standard and non-standard
operating conditions, including cases that incorporate faults that contribute to lower observed
field performance. Many experts70 have questioned, however, whether EER can be accurately
measured in the field given the difficulties in determining two key parameters that are used in the
airside cooling capacity calculation: airflow across the evaporator coil and an average supply air
condition (temperature and relative humidity).
EER can also be measured on the refrigerant side of the system. In laboratory testing both the
airside and refrigerant side EERs are calculated and compared as a check on the validity of the
test. They are expected not to be the same value but the difference should not be large. In the
laboratory highly accurate coriolis effect meters measure the refrigerant mass flow. It is
impractical to use them for field measurements. But, FDSI notes that:
The method measures the change in enthalpy of the refrigerant multiplied by the mass
flow rate to determine system capacity (Btuh). The enthalpies of the refrigerant are
available from the refrigerant pressures and temperatures already being measured during
standard service procedures. Mass flow rate and power can be derived from the
68
Bruce Manclark, Delta-T, Inc. and Bob Davis, Ecotope, Report on Delta Q Field Testing, Puget Sound Energy,
January 22, 2009. See also http://www.pse.com/solutions/foryourhome/pages/
69
As per ANSI/AHRI Standard 210/240, nominal EER lab measurements are completed with 80 F dry bulb / 67 F
wet bulb entering the evaporator coil; an airflow rate across the coil of 400 cfm/ton; and outdoor conditions of
95 F dry bulb / 75 F wet bulb.
70
Personal communication with Hugh Henderson (August 2010) and Mike Lubliner (October 2010)

compressor performance data, or more practically from a normalized compressor map.

The method has been used in the field with reasonable accuracy.71
The use of manufacturer compressor maps interjects an uncertainty which can be addressed
given enough data to assess the probable distribution of compressor performance on either the
high or low side of the mapped values. Collecting the field data to establish the relationship of
compressor performance maps to as found compressor performance is another type of baseline
that could be established with an adequate research effort.
The Range of Lab Test Data shown in Figure 9 is a collection of laboratory testing data that
plots normalized EER (tested divided by nominal EER) on the Y-axis and number of tests on the
X-axis. The figure highlights the wide variation in the EER that can be expected in the field,
even without accounting for system efficiency degradation due to commonly found duct leakage
of over 30% and duct thermal losses due to ducts with R2.1 insulation.
240 Lab Tests Percent of Baseline EER

120%
Outdoor Air Tem p 82 F
100%
Total EER as % of Rated
80%
Iterations and Com binations of:
High Outdoor Tem p
Furnace in "Attic" w ith 2% Cabinet Leakage
60%
Lineset length
Charge Low and High
Low Airflow Condenser
Low airflow Evaporator
40% Com binations of off rating conditions
20%
Attic, 71% Charge, 2% cabinet
leakage, 50 ft lineset
0%
0 50 100 150 200 250
Individual Lab Tests
Figure 9. Range of EER Lab Test Data

Figure 9 EER results 100% are for properly installed systems running under more favorable
than nominal operating conditions (e.g. higher supply airflow and/or lower outdoor
temperatures). The lower-than-baseline results occur for systems operating at other than rated
conditions and/or with combinations of introduced faults. The lowest EER ratios represent tests
with the furnace in the attic, furnace box leakage of 2%, 30% refrigerant undercharge, and a
71
FDSI comments on the 112310 draft of the Study submitted to Brett Close, SCE.

refrigerant line set that is partially in the hot attic chamber.72 All of the data shown are for tests
without duct leakage, which would tend to drive the values even lower.
The discussion is further complicated by the fact that field impacts from energy efficiency
measures are generally found to have smaller benefits than those observed in the lab73. This
discrepancy can be attributed to many factors, including a lack of measurement accuracy, lack of
calibrated instruments, program specifications that accept high levels of sensor inaccuracy,
undiagnosed faults, an inadequate Quality Control verification program run by the VSP,
programs that allow credit for small changes in charge, and human factors. It is critical for
program designers to have a solid technical understanding of how uncertainties affect energy
savings.
6.1 Evaluating Energy Savings

Reconciling expected energy savings versus observed savings in the field is critical for
evaluating energy efficiency programs, but it is frequently problematic. Expected or deemed
savings are based on lab testing, limited field testing, or engineering models, which have been
shown to predict higher savings than observed in the field.74 For field savings, the measurements
presented in Section 7 of this report are used to determine one-time system efficiencies before
and/or after the service measure. Unfortunately, the measured improvement in EER is unlikely
to have the necessary statistical significance (for reasons discussed in Section 7), and, more
importantly, it does not provide a solid basis for quantifying progress towards the ultimate goals:
reduced annual energy consumption and peak demand.
Detailed monitoring of the units before and after improvements has historically been expensive,
limited in scope, and difficult to interpret. Ideally the thermodynamic performance of the unit is
measured along with its true RMS power consumption. A suite of sensors feeding into a data
acquisition system that is downloading data to a server is required and will cost several thousand
dollars. The raw data must be extensively analyzed to distill it to factors that can be used in
hourly simulation models. Unitary HVAC equipment performance is usually modeled with a
biquadratic function that is based on laboratory tested compressor performance.75 Later in this
Section, a method for deriving a modifying constant to the function from laboratory data is
discussed. Implementing this procedure using field data was done in the KEMA report to
estimate degradation factors.76 But the KEMA report was clear that results did not achieve the
level of 10% precision at a 90% confidence level because: Overall, the wide variance of savings
observed in the sample suggests that actual savings in the population varies much more than
anticipated and that much larger sample sizes would be necessary to achieve a high level of
confidence in the calculated average savings per ton.77 It also appears to be the case that the few
units that did generate pre and post EERs did not have the contractor service verified as being up
to the RCA program standards so that it is not known what was actually done.
72
Testing completed by Robert Mowris at Intertek March 2010, personal communication. http://www.verified-
rca.com/
73
KEMA 2010 and ADM 2008
74
p. 11, KEMA, February 2010.
75
76
77

The wide variation is due to technical, mechanical, climatic and behavior diversity. The normal
procedure is to use hourly78 building energy simulations to predict the impact of changes in EER.
Determining the savings requires simulations that model differences in system efficiency based
on variations in operating conditions. Ideally it also requires behavioral models that reflect the
highly variable occupant thermostat control patterns79 and the impact of the "take back" effect
where occupants use the air conditioner more after it has been made efficient. Monte Carlo
techniques or other approaches would be useful in understanding the interactive effects of
behavior (e.g., thermostat control patterns), hourly load, system sizing, and HVAC system
improvements. All these unknowns essentially support the strategy of widespread pre- and
post-energy monitoring over a large customer sample. Such an approach, combined with
indoor temperature and thermostat control behavior monitoring, could provide data that would be
useful in validating models. At present there is not enough data and analysis to clearly define
issues and determine effective approaches to resolving these issues.
6.2 The DEER Database

The Database for Energy Efficient Resources (DEER) is a CPUC-sponsored database designed
to provide well-documented estimates of energy and peak demand savings values, measure costs,
and effective useful life all with one data source. DEER80 was originally developed in the 1990s.
It has undergone updates and revisions as new information about measures becomes available
and better data for refining the estimates are received. Current DEER RCA and DTS
assumptions are based on available research including EM&V studies that the consultant team
deems valid. There is no obvious and organized peer review of the deliberations and decisions
made by the DEER team which makes DEER not transparent to stakeholders who must use it or
explain why they are not using its results. There is an ongoing debate about the technical revision
process that does not necessarily use the most up-to-date information. For example, it is reported
that the DEER DTS assumes that half of the total leakage is to the outside which is in contrast to
the 80 to 90% values found for California houses81,82.
DEER was designed for use in mass market program design and implementation and was not
designed for model-specific technologies and specific operating conditions. For example:
DEER uses heating and cooling thermostat schedules as the lever to calibrate the
simulation results to the energy use results of the Residential Appliance Saturation
Survey (RASS) load data. The current strategy uses multiple assumed thermostat
schedules and weighting factors to bring space conditioning energy use in line with
targeted RASS climate zone values.
RASS presents problems of its own since it is a conditional demand analysis that fits a
function to available data from a sample of dwellings thought to be representative of a
78
Shorter time step models may be better suited to capture system cycling effects.
79
Peterson, G. and Proctor, J. 1998. "Effects of Occupant Control, System Parameters, and Program Measures on
Residential Air Conditioner Peak Demands", Proceedings of 1998 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in
Buildings
80
The DEER database results rely heavily on the DOE2.2 simulation tool.
81
Personal communication with Mark Modera (July 2010)
82
Davis Energy Group, Residential Construction Quality Assessment Report- Phase II Final Report, California
Energy Commission, 400-98-004.

type and vintage of building in a Climate Zone. This approach cannot tell the difference
between an efficient air conditioner, an inefficient one running only on peak, or a fault-
ridden unit that can only operate under moderate weather conditions.
DEER provides average usage and average savings. It does not provide information on
the full spectrum of installed air conditioners, which include very efficient systems and
very inefficient ones, nor how the occupants use them. If energy and demand savings are
the true objective of effective programs, marketing of HVAC services should be
inherently targeted towards those who value/need air conditioning and heating based on
their usage.
DEER applies a high-level view of the coincident demand that does not allow assessment
of peak impacts at the building level, local distribution transformer, and local substation
levels.
The following example looks at current savings assumptions for an existing house in CEC
Climate Zone 10 (Riverside County). Figure 10 plots DEER projected savings for RCA and duct
leakage remediation improvements. Interestingly, the impact of duct leakage remediation is
small relative to the RCA impacts. On average, the 12% leakage reduction translates to only
about a 5 percentage point increase in savings (16.7 11.6 in Figure 10)83. One factor affecting
the DEER savings impact is the assumption that only 50% of the duct leakage occurs to the
outdoors. In reality, leakage to outside space is closer to 85% in typical California homes with
attic ducts. The symmetry in performance degradation around proper charge is not in keeping
with laboratory data, and there is no distinction between fixed orifice and TXV systems even
though the impacts are significantly different. As is the case in all of the DEER values there is
not a clear indication of the uncertainty that surrounds them based on the reference documents,
simulation uncertainty when using DOE2.2, and the approximations inherent in the use of
building vintages.
83
Numerous studies identified in Section 5 have found much higher savings associated with duct leakage
remediation. A large scale proprietary duct leakage study of over 1000 high use customers in the Southeastern U.S.
found whole house annual electrical energy savings exceeding 17%. Personal communication with Danny Parker
(August 2010)

30%
27.0%
Incrementalsavings
duetoductleakage
22.4% remediation
20%
16.7% 17.0%
PercentSavings
14.3%
11.6% 12.0%
10%
9.1%
RefrigerantCharge
RefrigerantCharge+Ducts
0%
>20%Low <20%Low ProperCharge <20%High >20%High
BaseCaseRefrigerantChargeCondition
Figure 10. DEER Projected Annual Savings for a Climate Zone 10 Home
The use of accurate simulation models is critical for characterizing the benefits associated with
individual and combined multiple faults, as well as defining how future programs should be
structured. A key aspect of fully understanding laboratory test data fault interrelationships
involves proper normalization of the data. Air conditioners are rated under steady-state
conditions at a single condition, but actually operate under a wide range of conditions, airflow
rates, and varying cycle durations (non-steady-state). The performance of an air conditioner
generally varies primary on the following operating parameters: Outdoor (or condenser entering)
dry bulb temperature (TAO); evaporator entering dry bulb (EDB) and wet bulb (EWB)
temperature; evaporator airflow rate (CFM); and total unit power (WATTS).
For any air conditioner, a performance map (or set of empirical/theoretical curves) can be
developed to represent total cooling capacity (QT), sensible cooling capacity (QS), and
efficiency (EER). The performance maps which predict performance (the dependent variables)
as function of operating conditions (the independent variables) are of the form:
QT = F1( TAO,, EWB, CFM )

QS = F2( TAO, EDB, EWB, CFM )
EER = F3( TAO, EWB, CFM)
Other dependent variables can be used instead, such as latent capacity (QL), sensible heat ratio
(SHR), and compressor power input (WATTS). If any three (3) of these dependent variables are
known, then the others can be determined (using the definitions: SHR=QS/QT, QT = QS + QL,
EER = QT/WATTS). To determine the portion of capacity that is sensible and latent (QS, QL or
SHR), the independent variable EDB is also required. To find total capacity or efficiency (QT,

EER or WATTS) then only the wet bulb (EWB) is required (until coil dry out occurs or QL=0,
then EDB is required).
When faults related to improper refrigerant charge are added, the performance maps become
much more complicated. The modified functions consider the impact of charge (i.e., fr = fraction
of nominal charge):
QT = F1a( TAO, EWB, CFM, fr )
QS = F2a( TAO, EDB, EWB, CFM, fr )
EER = F3a( TAO, EWB, CFM, fr )
This more complicated function requires that considerably more laboratory data be collected to
fully account for the impact of improper charge (i.e., the fault) at both nominal and off-design
conditions. If the impact of the fault can be shown to be independent of other operating
conditions, then the needs for data collection from the laboratory can be significantly reduced.
So the first test of any data analysis process should be to determine if this simplification is
justified. Stated mathematically:
QT = F1( TAO, EWB, CFM) x F1b( fr )

QS = F2( TAO, EDB, EWB, CFM) x F2b( fr )
EER = F3( TAO, EWB, CFM) x F3b( fr )
6.3 An Example of Useful Data Normalization

In 2001, PG&E84 laboratory testing on an R22-charged unit produced results that showed
performance variations as a function of refrigerant charge, expansion device type, and operating
conditions. Figure 11 presents the PG&E data normalized by the nominal EER (95 F outdoors,
and 80 F dry bulb and 67 F wet bulb entering the coil). This presentation of the data assumes
that the impact of refrigerant charge fraction has a unique impact at each different operating
condition. As shown in the figure, the ratio of the test EER divided by the rated EER drops from
almost 1.2 at 82 F outdoor conditions to below 0.8 at 115 F. Also, the Orifice or fixed
orifice data shows that at 80% of the factory charge performance at 115 F is about 70% of rated
EER.
To test this assumption we can also normalize the data by separating performance variations due
to operating conditions from performance variations due to refrigerant charge. Stated
mathematically, we test the assumption that:
F3b(fr )= F3a( TAO, EWB, CFM, fr ) / F3a( TAO, EWB, CFM, 1 )
The data from Figure 11 are normalized by dividing the efficiency at each point by efficiency
corresponding to the measured performance with nominal charge for each outdoor temperature
condition.85 Figure 12 shows that the curves essentially collapse to a single trend. The large +
84
p. 22, Davis, R., "Influence of the Expansion Device on the Performance of a Residential Split-System Air
Conditioner," Report No. 491-01.4, PG&E, Technical Application Services, January 2001.
85
Analysis from Appendix D of Sachs, H. , Henderson, H., Shirey, D., De Forest, W., A Robust Feature Set for
Residential Air Conditioners, ACEEE Report Number A081 2009.

symbols represent the average fraction at each charge point for all the operating conditions.
Plotting the uncertainty of the lab data would show overlap of the different operating conditions
lines thus supporting the use of the + average. A similar analysis for wet conditions (80 F/
67 F) shows similar results, indicating that the differences between the wet and dry conditions
appear to be minor. Therefore, the impact of charge is essentially independent of operating
conditions. Only the type of expansion device is important. Also the impact of undercharge is
not significant until it is at 80%. Overcharge impacts are much less significant even though they
are more likely to damage equipment. The incorrect charge tolerance of TXV systems is
apparent and is the subject of additional research.
1.2
82F
1.0
95F
Normalized EER (-)
TXV
0.8 105F
115F
0.6
Orifice
0.4
0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2
Charge Fraction (-)
Figure 11. Normalized Efficiency Plot

1.2
1.0
TXV
Normalized EER (-)
0.8
Orifice
0.6
0.4
0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2
Charge Fraction (-)
Figure 12. Normalized Efficiency Impact Charge at Dry Conditions (80 F /63 F entering)
6.4 The Lesson of Data Normalization

The lesson from this exercise is that any laboratory data collection effort should be aimed at first
collecting sufficient data to prove (or disprove) the validity of simplifying the results via data
normalization. The goal is always to test the simplifying assumption that the impact of the fault
is independent of the operating conditions. This allows the impact for fault A or FA( fA ) to
be superimposed on the performance map for the normally functioning unit and a more
generalized and useful result to predict program-wide savings. The next step in the analysis is to
test whether the impact of multiple faults are independent and can be independently
superimposed.
If the laboratory test data can be used to show that the impact of faults are independent of
operating conditions, then the resulting simplifications are warranted, and they can be easily
implemented into program documents, analysis procedures, and simulation totals to provide a
clear and transparent indication of impacts and savings.
7 Uncertainties in Site Measurements

In-field measurements performed accurately, with calibrated instrumentation, and a robust
diagnostic protocol are essential for evaluation of system performance and status. No
measurements are free of errors, and while it is critically important to maintain calibrated
equipment, even in the best of circumstances, with the best equipment, the determination of
system performance will still have uncertainty. It may not be typical for HVAC technicians to
calibrate instrumentation routinely and it is almost never done using National Institute of
Standards and Testing (NIST) traceable equipment. Without a stakeholder process to consider
all aspects of the issue it is not known whether or not NIST traceability is necessary and in any

case what are the protocols for calibration. To the technician in the field, the primary goal is to
provide comfort to the customer86, not to optimize the units energy efficiency. Maintenance and
repair of HVAC systems is dependent upon the experience and knowledge of senior technicians
who can effectively solve problems. Instrumentation and measurements support the diagnosis but
are not determining factors for the successful completion of the work. Achieving energy
efficiency puts a new burden on the work done by the average HVAC technician. The technician
must learn to rely more heavily on the measurements. In order to increase accuracy and reduce
the uncertainty in the measurement, a combination of methods must be utilized.
7.1 Instrument accuracy
Instrumentation is the first root of uncertainty of measurement. When an instrument is used to
measure a physical property, the instruments accuracy must be taken into account in the
reported reading. Commonly used instruments can vary in their levels of accuracy. Higher
accuracy units are not in wide use because they cost more, are often more fragile, and must be
sent off to be calibrated. Calibration errors add a second layer of uncertainty in measurement,
which can only be addressed by implementing a consistent and regular calibration protocol. The
third layer of uncertainty relates to how the measurement is conducted. In this review it is noted
that some significant attributes of uncertainty were related to the conduct of the measurement
itself, and standards need to be developed in the methods of measuring unitary HVAC equipment
performance. For example, calculation of superheat on a split system, with refrigerant lines run
in an attic and/or exposed to ambient conditions, using the surface temperature of the suction line
near the service port where the pressure is taken will be higher than the actual superheat
calculated using the surface temperature of the suction line as it leaves the evaporator coil87. The
fourth layer of uncertainty occurs when measurements on a system are taken at different times
and with different instruments. Measurements taken by the HVAC technician and EM&V
technician are conducted under different ambient and attic conditions, and the effect on the
measurements will be highly uncertain diminishing the value of comparisons.
Measurement of refrigerant line temperature (later used in superheat and subcooling
determination) is performed by connecting a temperature measurement device to the bare and
clean copper line, with insulation and thermal grease. Haorong Lis Dissertation88 summarized
the evaluation of the difference in measuring line temperature with a resistance thermal device
(RTD) versus a thermocouple. The factors affecting measurement include the presence of
insulation, mechanics of heat transfer, and the temperature differential of line and ambient. Li
summarized the heat transfer to an RTD in an equivalence resistance model, and concluded that
even under the best of installations; the error in measurement is 20% of the total differential
temperature, or 20 F if there is a 100 F differential temperature. A thermocouple in the same
condition is capable of an error of 1.6%, or 1.6 F if there is a 100 F differential temperature.
This illustrates the need to consider not only the published accuracy but also the accuracy that is
dependent on the application. During the demonstrations by the VSPs at the Technical Forum
another important observation was that suction line surface temperature is higher on the tube
bottom due to the returning compressor oil, indicating that the probe must be located on the top
of the tube. Technicians are taught to measure at the 3 or 9 oclock positions to avoid this
86
Given service call scheduling constraints, this often comes down to is it blowing cool air?
87
If the attic is hot, but certainly less so if the test is completed on a cool day or in the morning.
88
p. 267-270, Li, Haorong, "A Decoupling-Based Unified Fault Detection and Diagnosis Approach for Packaged
Air Conditioners," PhD Thesis, Purdue University, August 2004.

problem but protocols are needed to make it a standard practice. Also at the Technical Forum,
results from an exploratory test done by Robert Davis at the PG&E laboratory in San Ramon was
presented showing the impact of using different sensors mounted in different manners on the
accuracy of pipe surface temperature measurements89. The best sensor and mounting method
was the insulated and calibrated bead thermocouple measured 39.3 F which represents a 3%
error.90 This contrasts with a measured 7% error when using a clamp-on thermocouple as
commonly used and as allowed by the 2004 RCA specifications91.
Proctor Engineering Group has conducted additional testing on 5 commonly used temperature
probes in support of Title 24 revisions. Figure 1392 plots the results of the testing. Of particular
concern is the time it takes for the relatively high mass Thermistor probe to reach the terminal
temperature.
Figure 13. Response Time of Temperature Probes

This research also found that one clamp-on thermocouple of the type preferred by technicians
worked very well while in general thermistors performed poorly. The work of Li, Davis and
Proctor supports the assertion that just considering the published accuracy of sensors is not
sufficient. Additional testing is needed to develop the measurement and instrument
specifications to support technician service work. Robert Mowris has pointed to the
development of shower head test standards as being a possible template for the process needed to
establish instrumentation standards.
System characteristics or variables are metrics of system performance that cannot be measured
directly. They are obtained from a system equation that involves direct measurements of lower-
89
The suction line surrogate in this test was a 5/8 diameter pipe with 37.6 F water circulating through the pipe in a
room held at 94.3 F (resulting temperature difference of 56.7F).
90
Calculation: 94.3 room temperature 37.6 water in pipe temperature = 56.7; 39.3 bead temperature measurement
37.6 water temp = 1.7; 1.7/56.7 = 0.03 for a 3% error.
91
p. 13, Davis, R., Experimental Analysis of Tube Surface Temperature Measurements, Laboratory Test Report #
491-07.6, Applied Technology Services, PG&E, San Ramon, December 6, 2007.
92
Hairrell, Adrian Laboratory Report on Refrigerant Line Temperature Probes 2010, Proctor Engineering Group.
Text box inserted to remove brand and model designations of tested sensors.

level variables, or measured variables. Uncertainties93 in the measured variables are published in
instrument documentation, or can be obtained by testing the instrument. Assuming the
uncertainties of the measured variables are not correlated, the total uncertainty in the system
variable can be approximated using the delta method that is:
Where:
is the sensitivity coefficient (partial derivative of Performance Metric with respect to

measured variable)94
is the uncertainty of the measured variable
Determining the combined effect of instrument measurements on the uncertainty in a system

characteristic involves first defining the equation of the characteristic. For example, superheat is
a system characteristic that is determined by taking the difference in suction line temperature and
the saturated refrigerant temperature at the measured line pressure. We define four system
characteristics, calculated from observable measurements, to be:
Tsuperheat = Tsuction line surface Tsaturation (Psuction)
Tsubcool = Tsaturation (Pdischarge) Tliquid line surface
EERtotal = air flow rate(ft3/hr) * air density (lbs/ft3) * change in enthalpy (Btu/lb)
compressor watts + condenser fan watts + blower watts
EERsensible = air flow rate(ft3/hr) * heat capacity of air (Btu/ft3,F) *( returnair-supplyair temp) (F)
compressor watts + condenser fan watts + blower watts
The total uncertainty in the system variable is related to the sensitivity coefficients, the
calculated partial derivatives of the system variable with respect to the measured variables.
Subcooling temperature is dependent on two measurements, liquid line surface temperature and
discharge pressure. The uncertainty in subcooling is determined from the partial derivatives with
respect to these measurements and the stated accuracies of both devices.
For ease of calculation, we input these system equations into an equation solver with built-in
psychrometric and refrigerant charts called EES (Engineering Equation Solver)95. The
sensitivity coefficients rely on in-field or laboratory measurements and the unit systems96 used.
93
As used in this analysis uncertainty is defined as half the width of a confidence interval or a standard deviation
around a measurement value.
94
The partial derivatives depend on the values of the lower level variables and so (typically) unlike the uncertainties
of the lower level measurements, it will depend on the value of x. The resulting sensitivity coefficient can change
over the range that can be encountered. This can result in situations in which one of the measured variables is the
critical one within part of the operating range, but another becomes more critical in another range.
95
http://www.fchart.com/
96
Inch-pound

Two sample measurements of a three-ton R410-A split system (with TXV) are examined below
to observe the impact on the sensitivity coefficients. Both conditions examined are extracted
from data reported by Herrick Laboratories in the ASHRAE Report 1173-RP, tables A3 and A4
respectively. In the ASHRAE report, the tables97 detail the units being tested and the specifics of
each test. The data for the tests can be found in the ASHRAE report appendices. Test A3.1 is on
page 245. This test varies indoor humidity from 19 to 72% RH which is a range of dewpoint
temperatures of 32.57 F to 69.57 F. All other conditions are kept constant at the base case
levels of AHRI Standard 210/240. Test A4.4 is on page 248 and varies evaporator airflow from
1201 to 620 with the 4 having airflow of 912 or 304 cfm/ton.
ASHRAE ASHRAE
ReportSeries ReportSeries
Measurements Units A3.1 A4.4
SuctionLineTemperature F 49.09 43.08
SuctionPressure psig 134.73 119.27
LiquidLineTemperature F 102.53 99.75
DischargePressure psig 404.63 395.53
ReturnAirDryBulb F 78.42 76.41
ReturnAirDewpoint F 32.57 33.31
SupplyAirDryBulb F 53.57 48.23
SupplyAirDewpoint F 32.92 33.4
FlowRate CFM 1211 912
AtmosphericPressure kPa 100.5 100.5
AHUPower W 450 360
CompressorPower W 2860 2720
CondenserFanPower W 150 150
Table 2. Data for Sensitivity Coefficient Calculations
Table 2 data is the source for calculating the sensitivity coefficients for the two tests (A3.1 and
A4.4) on the same system operating under different conditions. Table 3 shows the results. The
% Difference column shows how the sensitivity coefficients relate to each other.
97
P. 91, ASHRAE 1173

Sensitivity(Sh/Measurement)
ASHRAEReport ASHRAEReport %
Calculation MeasuredVariable Units SeriesA3.1 SeriesA4.4 Difference
Superheat
SuctionLineTemperature F 1 1 0.0%
SuctionPressure psig 0.4368 0.479 9.2%
Subcooling
LiquidLineTemperature F 1 1 0.0%
DischargePressure psig 0.1891 0.1924 1.7%
EER
ReturnAirDryBulb F 0.3527 0.2836 21.7%
ReturnAirDewpoint F 0.2645 0.217 19.7%
SupplyAirDryBulb F 0.3695 0.2992 21.0%
SupplyAirDewpoint F 0.2645 0.2174 19.5%
FlowRate CFM 0.000125 0.0001537 20.6%
AtmosphericPressure kPa 0.09129 0.08382 8.5%
AHUPower W 0.002627 0.002604 0.9%
CompressorPower W 0.002627 0.002604 0.9%
CondenserFanPower W 0.002627 0.002604 0.9%

Sensible
EER
SupplyAirDryBulb F 0.4024 0.3257 21.1%
ReturnAirDryBulb F 0.4024 0.3257 21.1%
FlowRate CFM 0.008258 0.01006 19.7%
AHUPower W 0.003021 0.00298 1.4%
CompressorPower W 0.003021 0.00298 1.4%
Table 3. Calculated Sensitivity Coefficients

Using Table 3 data the impact of changes of the sensitivity coefficients on uncertainty of the
system variables is calculated in Table 4.
ASHRAEReportSeriesA3.1 ASHRAEReportSeriesA4.4

Values Uncertainty Uncertainty Values Uncertainty Uncertainty
Reference ofValue as%of Reference ofValue as%of
Reference Reference
Calculation Value Values
Superheat 8.18 1.01 12.3% 13.33 1.03 7.7%
Subcooling 12.29 1.10 9.0% 9.23 1.11 12.0%
EER 8.88 0.93 10.5% 8.28 0.75 9.1%

Sensible 8.88 1.03 11.5% 8.28(SHR1) 0.83 10.0%
EER (SHR1)98
Table 4. Impact of Test Conditions on Uncertainty
Table 4 displays both the uncertainties as a percent of reference values and how they change
based on the test conditions. In the field, conditions are constantly changing, so that at best an
equivalent or adequate steady state condition is reached after 15 minutes. Between tests
conducted on different days the changes can be dramatic. To get an appreciation of the impacts,
the simplified situation presented by the laboratory test data is instructive. The uncertainty
varies from a low of 7.7% for A4.4 superheat to a high of 12.3% for A3.1 superheat even under
these tightly controlled laboratory conditions.
In summary, Table 2 presents the test conditions from which that the uncertainty is calculated.
Table 3 presents the partial derivates as defined in delta method equation. Table 4 shows how the
uncertainty will change based on the test conditions, which affect the partial derivative
calculations. In essence, the uncertainty in a calculated variable is determined not only by the
uncertainty in the measurements taken, but the measurements themselves (the reference
conditions). Table 4 gives a demonstration of how much that can change by comparing two test
conditions.
A review of published instrument accuracies and total uncertainties in system variables from
several laboratory-testing facilities, Verified Service Providers (VSP), the AEC 2004 standard,
and the Technical Forum-recommended revision to the AEC standard are compared in Table 5.
The Current Contractor values are derived from the AEC report for PG&E.99 As has often
been the case, these values are controversial and subject to challenge especially when field test
instrumentation is close to or better than lab instrumentation. Several VSPs take issue with the
claims made by EM&V providers. Settling this issue, and other controversies, will take the work
of an independent lab performing side by side comparison testing. The purpose of the table is to
98
While other ASHRAE 1173 laboratory tests have sensible heat ratios (SHR = Sensible Capacity / Total Capacity)
that are not 1.0 these particular tests do and thus EER Total is the same as EER Sensible. This is desirable in the hot
dry west where latent cooling is minimized in the design process.
99
Architectural Energy Corporation (AEC), Commercial HVAC Refrigerant Charge & Airflow and Economizer
Verification Study, Contract #4600016485, Job I.D. #06 CEE-T-3589, Task 3: Conduct Additional Research, Draft,
December 15, 2006.

provide data for discussing the importance of instrumentation uncertainty and to show the range
of uncertainties.
Uncertainty
Lab EM&V AEC2004 VSP Contractor RevisedAEC
MeasuredVariables Units Min Max Min Max Min Max Current 2010Tech
SupplyAir(DryBulb) F 0.05 2.3 0.18 0.50 1.5 0.7 1.5 2.1 1.5
ReturnAir(DryBulb) F 0.05 1.8 0.18 0.80 1.5 0.7 1.5 2.1 1.5
OutsideAir(DryBulb) F 0.05 1.8 0.18 1.00 1.5 0.7 1.5 2.1 1.5
SupplyAir(WetBulb) F 0.05 1.8 1.5 2.1
ReturnAir(WetBulb) F 0.05 1.8 1.5 2.1
OutsideAir(WetBulb) F 0.05 1.8 1.5 2.1
SupplyAir(RH)(DEWPOINT) %|F 0.005 0.4 1% 2% 3% 2.0% 3% 3% 2%
ReturnAir(RH)(DEWPOINT) %|F 0.005 0.4 1% 2% 3% 2.0% 3% 3% 2%
OutsideAir(RH)(DEWPOINT) %|F 0.005 0.4 1% 2% 3% 3%
CondenserDischarge(DryBulb) F 0.05 0.9 0.2 1.0
SuctionLine(DryBulb) F 0.30 0.9 0.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 3.2 3.5 1.5
LiquidLine (DryBulb) F 0.30 0.9 1.0 1.5 1.5 1.5 3.2 3.5 1.5
SuctionPressure psig 0.3 1.1 0.13 1.35 4.04 1.35 4.04 4.04 1.00
DischargePressure psig 1.0 3.2 0.40 4.05 12.14 4.05 12.14 12.14 1.00
CondenserPower(TrueRMS) W 0.2 10.0 1.5 3.0 3.0 3.0
CompressorPower(TrueRMS) W 2.9 14.3 28.6 57.2 57.2 57.2
AHUPower(TrueRMS) W 0.5 10.0 4.5 9.0 9.0 9.0
AHUFlowRate CFM 6.1 12.1 36 85 85 36 85 85
AtmosphericPressure kPa 0.03 0.3 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.05
CalculatedVariables Units
Superheat F 0.33 1.02 0.50 1.61 2.32 0.50 3.20 3.92 1.56
Subcooling F 0.36 1.09 1.00 1.68 2.74 1.00 3.20 4.19 1.51
CondensingOverAmbient F 0.19 1.90 0.79 1.00 2.74 0.70 2.74 3.11 1.51
EER(Total) 0.20 2.17 0.39 0.95 1.69 1.46
EER(Sensible) 0.03 1.04 0.15 0.38 0.78 0.77
Table 5. Instrumentation Uncertainty100
Table 5 column headings are defined as follows:

Lab: the minimum and maximum uncertainties found in laboratory measurements for
each variable from three sources: PG&E, Intertek and Purdue University Herrick
Laboratory.
EM&V: the field minimum and maximum uncertainties for each variable from KEMA
(2010) reports measurements and Robert Mowris.
AEC 2004: the specification for the 2006-2008 RCA programs.
VSP: the field minimum and maximum uncertainties for each of the instruments actually
used in the program as provided by the VSPs.
Contractor Current: the accuracy of instruments typically used by contractors in the field
as assessed by AEC 2006.
Revised AEC 2010: the proposed recommended by the 2010 Technical Forum.
From Table 5 we can see that lab measurements are more accurate than field measurements, and
that the EM&V measurements are more accurate than the measurements made by VSPs. Some
100
Robert Mowris comments on the 112310 draft of the Study submitted to Brett Close, SCE and further work with
the Study team provided a thorough review and improvement of this table.

VSPs are not meeting the program specifications, and the instrumentation typically used by
contractors currently has a high degree of uncertainty. The Current Contractors column does not
apply to contractors working with VSPs that require instrumentation that meets or exceeds the
AEC specification. The problem with EER uncertainties is that the impact of measures is often
less that the uncertainty of the one-time measurement. This can be addressed by monitoring, as
discussed later in this report.
7.2 Uncertainties in EER Calculations

In the Calculated Variables section of Table 5 it can be seen that superheat and subcooling
uncertainties are dominated by the respective Liquid Line and Suction Line temperature
measurements as shown that for the Revised Specification 1.56 and 1.51 are essentially the same
as the temperature uncertainties of 1.5. Referring to the Robert Davis report, it indicates that the
error is twice as high at 7%.
EER and sensible EER uncertainties are more complicated since moisture in the air stream,
power consumption and airflow are included with air temperature changes. Moisture can be
measured in three different ways, all of which have their own challenge and uncertainties. Field
measurement of dewpoint is not feasible but is the preferred method in laboratory settings.
Digital readout relative humidity (RH) instruments are common and reasonably priced; although
these sensors have accuracy issues and tend to drift over time. Wet bulb temperature
measurements are made with a wet cotton sock over a temperature probe which can be a
thermocouple, a mercury bulb thermometer, or a resistance thermal detector (RTD). The sock
must be kept wet and airflow is needed to keep evaporation maximized. Measurement of supply
air moisture is difficult because most methods lose accuracy when RH is over 90% which is the
normal condition.
As shown in the Range of EER Lab Test Data (Figure 9), when a collection of hundreds of
laboratory tests is plotted the result is a broad range of EER values from a high of over 120% (or
12 EER) to a low of around 40% (or 4 EER). As shown in the far right column of Table 5, an
achievable and practical EER field uncertainty of 1.47 is the result of using instruments that
meet the revised 2010 AEC Tech Forum proposed instrumentation specifications101. Tests done
by Intertek in March 2010 under the direction of Robert Mowris produced EERs in a range from
3.2 to 11.2 with uncertainty of 0.20. In the field with an uncertainty of 1.47, this would
produce an EER uncertainty of 50% at 3.2, the low end of the range. The uncertainty improves
to 13% at the high end of the range. The average change in EER over 40 laboratory tests is 0.9
which is less than the uncertainty in measurements made in the field with instruments meeting
the revised specifications. This uncertainty of in-field determination of total EER and sensible
EER makes a onetime determination of system performance suspect, especially given that
improvements from fixing system faults, as measured under ideal laboratory conditions, do not
rise to the 20% level. With monitoring, these gaps in uncertainty can be reduced with an analysis
of time-series data that has been collected on an actual HVAC system.
The two analytic techniques used to address this type of data are generalized additive models
(GAMs) and the calculation of autocorrelation functions (ACFs) for each of the lower level
101
These are proposed and must be subjected a full review by stakeholders before they can be made final.

(directly measured) variables. When the data are presented as a time series X(t), an observation
will consist of the overall trend (i.e., the mean, which varies across time) and superimposed
measurement error:
X(t) = (t)+ (t)
Where: X(t) is the time series of observations

(t) is the mean value of the observations
(t) is the measurement error or uncertainty
The standard deviation made with the delta method calculation is the standard deviation of (t).
It is estimated for the time series by first estimating the temporal trend (t) and then subtracting
it from the observations. A GAM is a statistical technique that estimates the trend using spline
function methods. Spline methods convert the time series of data into a chain of data segments
connected by knots estimated by a best-fit polynomial (often a third-order function) making
the time series a series of piecewise cubic functions. The standard deviation from each
polynomial generates a new data set of standard deviations, in which we would look at how these
deviations are correlated (auto-correlation factor) with each other. Spline methods can be used to
estimate smooth functions with a high degree of accuracy, but when the length of the time series
becomes too long, the degree of complexity required for the spline function increases greatly. In
order to characterize a measurement taken over a long period of time, a more complex function
needs to be created to account for all the external affects that influence the measurement.
Sensor accuracy is determined by the deviations under repeatable measurements. Applying the
time series analysis reduces that uncertainty by characterizing the repeatable error. The analysis
uncovers and separates bias error from repeatability. We can never reach 100% accuracy, but by
noting how the sensor behaves over time, we can reduce the over-estimated published accuracy
down to how the sensor, under a set of conditions, performs. For example, a thermocouple was
monitored for 2 days, collected by a data monitoring system logging average temperatures over a
15-minute interval. The published accuracy of the device was 1.8 F. A spline fit of 4 degrees of
freedom was calculated, and the root-mean-square error was observed to be 0.21 F. The graph
of the residuals or deviations from the norm plotted in Figure 14 shows the errors estimated after
the systematic effects are taken into account, such as diurnal trends. The ACF plots show very
little additional structure to the errors, suggesting that 0.21 F (range of shaded area) error is a
more appropriate value to assume for the uncertainty associated with the thermocouple. The
upper left hand graph shows the residual values, or difference between the spline function
estimate and the actual measurement over the time period. A well defined spline would account
for any trends in measurement, and the chart of the residuals would not show any strong trends
itself allowing non-steady state conditions to be analyzed. The next three figures examine the
deviation of the current measurement when compared with a measurement of some time past,
called the Lag where, for example, the value at 5 is the standard deviation at 5 time steps prior to
the current measurement.
We see that the measurement is stable over time, and we can reduce the error in the measurement
to 0.21 F, the magnitude of the shaded area above and below the horizontal axis. ACF, the y-
axis of the upper right hand figure, stands for autocorrelation function and indicates whether or
not there is a re-occurring cycle in the measurement error. In this example there is no cycling

occurring. PACF, the y-axis in the lower left hand figure, stands for partial autocorrelation
function and essentially removes the short lag correlation from longer lag estimates102. IACF,
the y-axis of the lower right hand figure, stands for inverse autocorrelation function.
Figure 14. Time Series Analysis Results
Using this analysis to guide further research, it might be the case that if all measurements
experience the similar 80% reduction in uncertainty, uncertainty in the field EER measurement
could be as little as 0.29 (assuming 80% reduction in the Tech Forum revision to the AEC 2004
standard Table 5). It is important to remember that this is a simplification of a complex
situation.
A practical consideration is how much data on an individual unit would be needed to perform
this analysis and achieve an accurate accounting of savings based on change of EER prior to and
after maintenance and repair services. It is important to note that excessive data could lead to a
miscalculation of uncertainty, by making it mathematically more difficult to estimate the trend.
The error extracted from the time series analysis will include any trends that are not accounted
for in a weakly defined function. If the time series is unreasonably long, a spline that is
computationally reasonable will not entirely capture the systematic trend in the data. This will
have two repercussions for the calculation. First, the standard deviation of measurement error
will be overestimated, since the unexplained portion of the temporal trend will be superimposed
on the measurement errors. Second, there will typically be a strong lag of one time step
102
The PACF looks for correlations that are unique to a given lag, after adjusting for the correlations that propagate
due to shorter time lags.

autocorrelation in the errors from this analysis, which again reflects the superimposition of an
unexplained trend.
There are three approaches to minimize this problem. One is to increase the complexity of the
spline function by adding more knots. In a spline with k knots, estimating the function will
take up approximately 2 times k degrees of freedom. The second would be to analyze the first
(lag one) differences in the time series, which should remove most of the long-term trend but
which would double the residual 103 variance and thereby the estimate of error. The last approach
is to reduce the portion of the time series that is used to estimate the measurement error. The
choice among these approaches would be made based on the amount of data available and the
smoothness of the long-term temporal trend.
The following considerations will come to bear when answering the question using a data set that
is representative of the equipment being measured. If the time series gets too long or has too
complex a trend, then the spline method will become too computational. The first difference
method will cancel out most of the temporal trend (since the value of the trend at one time point
is essentially the same as the trend at the next time point) and allow for the retention of as much
of the data as possible. Whether first differences will work depends on how rapidly the trend
changes, relative to the sampling frequency. Solid estimation of variance does not require
massive amounts of data; the benefit of additional data decreases sharply after approximately
100 data points. For that reason, when the time series is long and one is reasonably assured that
the system is operating under steady state conditions (so that the estimated accuracy will be
constant across the duration of the series) then you can apply the spline approach to an excerpt
taken out of the time series.
A residential scale air conditioner is deemed to reach equivalent steady state in 15 minutes of
operation after which a valid set of superheat and subcooling measurements can be taken. If 100
data points are needed and they are taken on a 1 minute interval then steady state operation needs
to be continued until 115 minutes have passed. In real-world applications with cooling
equipment that is oversized even at peak conditions, two hours of operation will rarely occur
except under the most extreme heat spells. This makes it necessary to perform a field study to
determine if a set of separated periods of steady state operation can be aggregated into a data set
of 100 points. If this is not possible other methods will need to be developed such as ways to
force the two hours of operation. The field study would also generate the data and experience
needed to explore the validity of using other methods such as the one developed by Anne West
and discussed in The Field Hand and the California Model: An Example of Blending
Operational Measurements with Performance Models, 2010 ACEEE Summer Study
Proceedings.
8 Uncertainties in kWh Calculations

The development of computer models to predict annual energy consumption using hourly
simulations and weather data that represents an average year goes back to the 1960s. With the
103
p. 2-328, West, Anne and Mike Logsdon (The Cadmus Group, LLC), Howard Reichmuth, PE, and Jarred
Metoyer (KEMA), The Field Hand and the California Model: An Example of Blending Operational Measurements
with Performance Models, 2010 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings.

advent of performance-based codes like Title 24 computer models have become relied on and
determine whether a building can be constructed. Simulation is simplified by adopting
standardized occupancy, lighting, thermostat and other internal gain scenarios. These can be
reasonable but are claimed to be the average. The impact interactions between schedule
assumptions and building systems are thought not to impact the calculation of the difference in
annual energy use between the proposed and standards building because they are the same except
for key components like HVAC efficiency. Accuracy of simulation programs are measured by
the degree that they vary from the benchmark program.
Section 6 discusses the difficulties in moving from EER measurements to estimates of annual
kWh usage. The analysis of measurement uncertainty presented in Section 7 points to problems
with one time measurement accuracy. Even if it were possible to obtain unbiased pre- and post-
service EERs the measured improvement in EER would not have desired statistical
significance, and more importantly would not provide a solid basis for quantifying the ultimate
goal: annual energy and peak demand savings. Even though the algorithms and performance
maps have proven suited to the tasks of standardized ratings and practical design of HVAC
systems there is no definitive study of uncertainty.
A significant effort was taken by Koran, et al, to calibrate DOE-2.1C to site-monitored data. The
authors concluded that they were able to successfully tune the DOE-2 model to monitored
dataso both tuned models estimated annual HVAC energy use within 11% of the monitored
consumption.104 There is no claim made concerning the uncertainty of the model. The paper
provides the reader an understanding of the number of difficult steps needed to tune the
models to come within acceptable ranges. Inputs are adjusted, within reasonable bounds, until
the simulated and monitored HVAC energy uses are within the following limits: each month
30%; and seasonally 20%.105 Other inputs were also adjusted to the point that abnormally
high insulation values had to be assumed. It is not a critique of the approach or its
implementation to note that the accuracy of the simulation model cannot be definitively
established.
Five increasingly detailed levels of tuned simulations were performed by Alerez and Faramarzi
using data from six buildings in the SCE service territory. Level 1 simulations used building-
specific data for the inputs to the model. Absolute estimation errors for HVAC End Use
Intensity (EUI) ranged from 1 to 27 percent.106 The average error was 17.8%. Level 5 reduced
the average error in HVAC EUI to 11.6% and three buildings had reduced absolute errors and
three had increased absolute errors107. In this study the inputs to DOE-2 were not modified to
the extent undertaken by Koran. Level 2 used monthly kWh and kW data such as would be
available from utility bills. Level 3 modified HVAC schedules and inputs based on highly
detailed surveys of the operation and maintenance at each site. Level 4 used whole building
hourly energy use data and finally Level 5 used load shapes derived from detailed monitoring of
104
p. 3.175, Koran, W. (PECI), Kaplan, M. (Kaplan Engineering), and Streele, T. (BPA), DOE-2.1C Model
Calibration with Short-Term Tests versus Calibration with Long-Term Monitored Data, ACEEE Summer Session,
1992.
105
p. 3.167, Koran 1992.
106
p. 2.14, Alereza, T. (ADM) and Faramarzi, R. (SCE), More Data is Better, But How Much is Enough for Impact
Evaluations? ACEEE Summer Session , 1994. EUI is end-use intensity in kWh/sq.ft.
107
pp. 2.17-18, Alereza 1994.

lighting. It would be of great value to go back to these buildings, re-establish the base line
HVAC consumption, make improvements to the HVAC systems and then monitor and simulate
the impacts of the improvements.
In parallel with the development in hourly simulation modeling an alternative approach based on
kWh, kW, and Therms measured at the utility meter has been developing. Nonintrusive
Appliance Load Monitoring (NALM)108 uses metered data with an inventory of appliances to
calculate annual energy use of each appliance. In the early 1990s researchers developed and
patented specialized monitoring devices that could be installed without shutting off the building
power. Insight into the functionality of NALM is presented in Non-Intrusive Electrical Load
Monitoring, a Technique for Reduced-Cost Load Research and Energy Management, in which
the authors discuss recent results from a field test of the non-intrusive load monitor (NILM) as
applied to the residential sector, followed by a report of ongoing research that focuses on the
commercial sector.109 With the implementation of smart meter technology every building has
detailed hourly and sub-hourly data; NALM implementation is possible on every building.
Research will be needed to develop how to analytically recognize the energy use of each type of
appliance without the super-fine profiles generated by the devices discussed in the 1992 paper.
With this done, research can then focus on developing the software needed to output the
breakdown by end use of energy use hourly, daily, monthly and annually at a site. It is then a
matter of data analysis to aggregate a large number of sites to derive new level of understanding
on HVAC and other end uses. Powerful statistical methods could be used to support energy
efficiency program development, implementation and EM&V. As a matter of standard practice
customer privacy would be protected and when needed permission would be procured from
customers to assess pre and post energy use. Web-based monitoring that is separate from smart
meters could add value by giving information to customers that they or their QM contractor can
use to save energy and reduce peak demand permanently. It will be worth the efforts of a task
force of stakeholders to work out the complex issues of how to make universal NALM work to
the benefit of customers who will be faced with increasing economic pressure to control peak
demand.
9 Other Uncertainties
Evaluating the impact of various HVAC maintenance measures and determining areas for
improvement requires the ability to accurately assess before-and-after energy use and then trace
the results to specific factors. Unfortunately, this is harder than it sounds. There are a wide range
of factors that affect how much energy is saved and how accurately those savings can be
measured, and there are many potential sources of discrepancy between expected and actual
energy use. These factors include program design, human factors, measurement errors, type of
equipment serviced, and maintenance procedures, among other factors.
108
See http://www.georgehart.com/research/nalmref.html for a current through 1995 reference list compiled by
George W. Hart, one of the leader in the field.
109
p. 3.187, Norford, L., Tabors, R. (MIT), Byrd, J., Philadelphia Electric Company, Non-Intrusive Electrical Load
Monitoring, a Technique for Reduced-Cost Load Research and Energy Management, ACEEE Summer Session
1992.

In this section, we examine the factors beyond instrumentation that complicate efforts to assess
the effect of HVAC maintenance measures. Where relevant, we will discuss how these factors
may have affected the DTS and RCA maintenance programs' results.
For an HVAC maintenance measure to be successful, it must meet four consecutive

requirements:
The measure must have the potential to save energy in the field: The first requirement is
that the maintenance measure must be designed and implemented in such a way that it could
actually produce energy savings in the field. While this sounds straightforward, it depends in
part on being able to accurately predict the effect of the maintenance measure from both a
technical and human-factors standpoint, which is often difficult. It is important to distinguish
this case from the next because it will determine whether more effective solutions should be
sought primarily in the lab or in the field--or in a conference room.
The potential savings are achieved in the field: Even when maintenance measurements
have been designed such that they demonstrate energy savings in simulations or in the lab,
the same benefits are not always achieved in the field, for a variety of reasons, including field
installation anomalies, instrumentation shortcomings, technician training, human factors,
deviations from average weather, etc. Better understanding of the frequency and magnitude
of various faults in the field is essential in achieving better program design.
The achieved savings persist over time: For long-term savings to be achieved, the measure
must yield effects that persist over time. It is possible that a measure could save energy
initially, but by the time the evaluators measure its success, the savings have degraded.
Another scenario could be a measure that degrades over time, and, therefore, requires retro
commissioning or better QM. Lack of persistence is a different problem than a failure to
achieve savings at all, and must be addressed separately.
The persisting savings are measured by evaluators: Finally, if savings are achieved and
are persistent, they must then be accurately measured by evaluators. There are a number of
factors that can affect the accuracy of these measurements.
At each of the four steps, there are multiple factors that affect whether the condition is met.
These include human factors (for both contractors and customers), EM&V techniques, and
quality control. We will examine each of these in the context of the four conditions above.
9.1 Human Factors
While HVAC maintenance is primarily a technical service, the service is provided by people
who work for other people, and is performed for people who own and occupy the building--all of
whom may behave in ways that help or hurt the success of the program, as discussed below.
A maintenance measure is only effective if technicians have the tools, skills and training to
implement it properly. While the maintenance tasks themselves may be quite simple to
accomplish, the technician (or automated diagnostic tool) will need to exercise significant
judgment in evaluating the data and the condition of the system and deciding whether it makes
sense to proceed with maintenance, which tasks to perform, and how to perform them and verify

the effectiveness. Technicians need to have access to appropriate training classes that prepare
them for the diagnostic and remediation tasks. Even when technicians are well trained, however,
they may not be given enough time to complete the necessary tasks at the job site because their
employer (the contractor) requires them to make a certain number of calls per day. The
contractors business model can be a limiting factor in the potential for savings. Anything that
can be done to change the contractor business model-- e.g., by encouraging customer demand,
reducing customer call-backs, or increasing the contractor value related to this type of service--
will help in this regard.
Assuming that maintenance measures are achievable in the lab by someone with a typical
technicians skill set, actually achieving savings in the field is primarily in the hands of the
specific technician performing the work, under the constraints imposed by his employer. That is,
assuming the technician can do the work, the question becomes whether they will do the work
properly. The likelihood of high-quality work is affected by several factors:
Does the technician know the required processes?
Does the technician follow the specified processes?
Is the technicians work of high enough quality that mistakes and errors are minimized?
Does the incentive structure offered by the utility provide sufficient motivation to the
contractor/ technician to do the work?
Does the technician have the instrumentation and other tools that are required for
providing the service?
Has the technician calibrated his or her instruments?
Is the technician cheating and/or cutting corners?
Success here requires training, process specification, quality control, and program support, such
as variable incentive levels reflecting different levels of performance, and specification of tools
and calibration for ensuring quality installations. Technicians affect the persistence of savings,
through their attention to detail and the comprehensiveness of the service they provide.
Building owners can also have a significant impact on the persistence of savings, by choosing to
perform (or not) routine maintenance such as replacing filters, and should be taught the basic
necessary system maintenance requirements.
Other behavioral challenges can be harder to overcome. Many occupants will take back a
fraction of the savings from a measure by increasing their comfort level (and HVAC energy use)
once the system is operating more efficiently. Educational materials can help mitigate this
effect.
Accurate savings measurements require cooperation among multiple program participants. The
occupant or owner must provide access to the EM&V specialist to allow the measurements to be
taken, ideally both before and after the service is provided. Unfortunately, occupants are often
unwilling to grant access to the building. Technicians can play an important role in ensuring that
access will be granted (e.g., by working in the evenings and weekends for the convenience of
owners). Measurement and verification plans should allocate sufficient time and resources for
pre- and post-service measurements to be taken in a timely manner, with accurate and calibrated
instruments. Ideally, measurements should be based on time-series monitoring. A challenge here

is that measurement technicians are often under the same time and instrumentation constraints as
HVAC technicians. Technicians should be trained to understand the importance of careful,
accurate measurements, so that they are more likely to avoid errors and obtain reliable savings
estimations.
It is also important to design programs with an appropriate accountability structure. The

description that follows is a composite of stakeholder input presented without attribution to
respect the proprietary and competitive interests of those who gave input.
The concept of a Verified Service Provider (VSP) was developed in the late 1990s110 as part of
what is now known as a 3rd party program. A 3rd party program is one administered by a third
party on behalf of the utility, rather than directly administered by the utility. In support of
competition, RCA and DTS programs for 2006-2008 were structured as a core or mass
market program administered by the IOUs. VSP services were offered by a handful of
companies each of which has a different business model. IOU program policies and procedures
required VSPs who met the program's requirements to sign contracts with IOUs. VSPs then
could implement the RCA program by recruiting contractors, training technicians, providing a
database of their activities in support of invoices for incentive payments, and conducting Quality
Control (QC) on the work being done. One result was that when IOUs, or their implementation
contractor hired by them, took over the administration the responsibility for results and QC
responsibility became blurred. The administrator and VSP were both conducting QC with the
money set aside for the effort. Because the VSPs competed for contractors and technicians it
was not in their interests to be overly aggressive in their QC efforts. Contractors and technicians
tended to gravitate to the VSP that was perceived as having the best ratio of incentives paid to
work required. It is reported that contractors and/or technicians could be pushed out of one VSP
and then sign up with another. It is the perception that this trend toward only meeting the loosest
interpretation of the program specifications led to the rise of what has been called program
contractors or rebate chasers instead of contractors who used the RCA and DTS programs to
grow their business. This led to a level of mass production that worked well for apartment
complexes where the utility bill-paying tenants were not aware that the service had been
performed, which had negative EM&V results. For this type of contractor there was disincentive
to establishing long-term relationships with customers since that would take time away from
doing more jobs. There are immediate solutions to these programmatic problems if the focus is
on aligning incentives and self interest with program goals. A measure can be cost-effective but
can then be rendered ineffectual and not cost-effective by the program implementing the measure
in the field.
9.2 State of an Air Conditioning System

The specific air conditioning system being serviced affects the estimated and measured energy
savings, and their persistence. The range of absolute savings from one unit to another can vary
by an order of magnitude due to the mechanical status of each unit and, especially in residential
applications, the behavior of the occupant. Maintenance programs must walk a fine line between
providing a mass-market approach that is easily managed, and a specialized approach that
addresses each individual system on a custom basis. The development of a measure that is a
110
Proctor Engineering Group ran a pilot program funded by PG&E in the late 1990s called CheckMe.

probabilistic package of technician QM activities or treatments shows promise. An example of

this is Expected Value Analysis, which uses probabilistic decision theory to generate the likely
composite package of treatments. Each individual site will have the service done that is
appropriate but when all sites are assembled the QM measure is the weighted average of
treatments which have been performed.111
Some systems can be more difficult to measure than others. For example, direct measurement of
system airflow can be easy with a flow plate in a return air filter grill. But other systems such as
larger RTUs have higher airflows than can be measured by flow plates, and would require the
expensive services of a certified Testing, Adjusting and Balancing (TABB) technician if a
certified measurement of airflow is required. Without direct measurement of airflow EER
calculations become even more uncertain. ACCA Standard 4 has the technician check for access
problems so that the owner can be advised. Sometimes clearances do not meet manufacturers
specification or building code requirements. A myriad of field configurations exist in the field
where over 10 million units are waiting to have QM services.
Ideally, there are some units that should be replaced rather than serviced. All mechanical
equipment has a unique useful life and DEER uses 15 years112 when analyzing HVAC
equipment. As shown in Figure 15, over 30% of California air conditioners are at least 14 years
old, suggesting that a significant number of these units should likely be replaced or undergo
extensive repairs rather than be serviced. Every year millions of units fail, often because the
compressor burns out. In the past it was common, in the case of split systems, to replace the
condenser unit which contains the compressor. But when this is done current Title 24
requirements are not met because an AHRI certified system, condenser and evaporator, is not
being installed and thus the required minimum efficiency of 13 SEER can not be verified. An
additional problem is that manufacturers have switched refrigerant and existing evaporator coils
may not work with the new, higher pressure refrigerant making it necessary to replace both the
evaporator and condenser. This further increases the cost of the replacement and triggers
additional Title 24 requirements. Installing a new compressor is a repair and does not trigger
Title 24 requirements. As noted at the Technical Forum, compressor manufacturers have seen an
increase of replacement compressor sales to contractors which is thought to indicate that
technicians are replacing compressors more often. .
This replacement or refurbish on burnout (ROB) scenario still presents the technician with a
diagnostic problem because the service call is usually triggered by discomfort from a unit that is
not blowing cold air. While some compressors are obviously burned out there are other
situations where diagnostics must be performed to isolate the problem. Most refrigeration
systems have several concurrent problems, such as a degraded compressor, dirty condenser coil,
high charge, and a liquid line restriction, which in combination cause failure but which
individually are not catastrophic. Fixing one of them could get the system back to producing
111
Hart, R. et al., Expected Value Prescriptive Savings Method, in ACEEE Summer Study 2010; Poster
Presentation Handout (presented at the ACEEE Summer Study 2010, Portland Energy Conservation, Inc. (PECI)
and Energy Trust of Oregon (ETO), 2010), www.peci.org/resources/commercial-retail.html.
http://www.peci.org/documents/ACEEE_EV_Handout.pdf; also,
http://www.peci.org/documents/rtuPremVent_ShortTermRpt09.pdf
112
http://www.deeresources.com/deer0911planning/downloads/EUL_Summary_10-1-08.xls

cool air however inefficient it is operating. Fixing all of them could restore efficiency but can be
more expensive than installing a new system particularly when the unit is decades old.
If multiple faults are present, standard refrigerant-chargeadjustment-only processes have a

limited potential for savings. Given the potential for multiple faults and their impact on the
potential for savings, a standard procedure or protocol is needed to support the technician efforts.
An example of this could be the troubleshooting guides that manufacturers provide in equipment
installation manuals. Part of this type of guide would be a decision flow chart that would
facilitate the discussion between the owner and the technician about needed repairs. It is always
the case that it is the owner who decides to spend the money to repair or replace the system and
in the present recession the least cost approach dominates the discussion. The decision flow chart
could help the customer to make the best realistic choice. Low cost financing with large
incentives will help make replacement affordable. But, if the owner decides not to do extensive
repairs or replace the system it can still be the case that RCA or DTS is worth doing.
35%
29%
30%
26%
25%
%ofUnitsByAge
21%
20%
17%
15%
10%
4%
5%
3%
0%
<1Year 1 3Years 4 8Years 9 13Years 14 30Years >31Years
Figure 15. Age of California Residential Air Conditioning Systems113
If a unit and its duct system were badly designed or installed, then HVAC maintenance measures
are likely to be more effective than assumed. A common problem is ducts that are too small for
the required airflow. Ducts with disconnects and other major, visible leaks can be fixed first
113
p. 24, Figure ES-23, 2009 California Residential Appliance Saturation Study, Executive Summary, CEC-200-
2010-004-ES, KEMA, October 2010.

because they are the dominant cause of system inefficiency. If ducts are inaccessible, then they
cannot be adequately sealed using methods that most contractors would employ114. If an air
conditioners design or installation leaves little room for accessing a (dirty) evaporator coil, it
may be difficult to effectively adjust the charge. If the compressor or other components of the
system are malfunctioning, the system cannot be fixed with a standard charge adjustment process
making it desirable that the technician on site is qualified to address the problems that are found.
It is possible to service a system, verify that is has no faults, and then have faults develop soon
after the service call. For example, if the building occupant removes the filters after the
evaporator coils are cleaned, then the coils can quickly become fouled again--especially in
homes with pets and floor returns or low wall returns. If there is a leak in the refrigerant line,
then simply adding charge will not address the problem and the low charge fault will reoccur.
Ducts can be damaged by other home improvement projects or by pests.
9.3 Measurement Uncertainties
The measurements that are taken during air conditioning maintenance are critical to saving
energy because they dictate the remediation steps that ideally should be taken. The accuracy of
the instrumentation specified for use by technicians under column AEC 2004 in Table 5 is not
sufficient. If the specified instrumentation accuracy is inadequate, then the contractor may be
unable to effectively service the system. Highly accurate instruments can support the technician
in achieving savings, but the cost and fragility of laboratory instrumentation make them
impractical for use in the field. Instrumentation sensitivity and cost must be balanced: how
accurate do instruments need to be to attain the desired level of confidence, and what is the most
cost-effective way to reach this precision? Advances in digital instrumentation such as digital
refrigerant pressure gauges with 1% accuracy instead of the 3% achieved with analog dial gauges
are making it possible to require improved accuracy. Regardless of the sensor accuracy,
calibration must be done on regular schedule and all too often it is not done at all or is done
incorrectly. The current RCA protocol calls for annual or monthly recalibration of instruments,
but there is no requirement that the calibration be done with National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST) traceable equipment using methods that adhere to a standard. It may be too
expensive and not necessary to require NIST traceable calibration. A review of accuracy and
calibration requirements on an instrument-by-instrument basis can address these issues. The
review can also include a detailed description of where and how sensors are to be installed
including system diagrams and installation detail drawings.
9.4 Diagnostic and Remediation Process Uncertainties

Even with high-quality instruments, the process used to take measurements and adjust air
conditioning systems will determine whether or not savings can be achieved. This process must
be effective, efficient, well-defined, clearly specified, and well-carried out.
The definition of a measure and the process used to implement that measure has a huge impact
on the potential to save energy. Coil cleaning is a common practice but is not in DEER and was
not required by past programs and, therefore, contractors did not receive an incentive for
implementing it--so it is often neglected. The cost of cleaning the evaporator coil can be
114
The Aerosol sealing technology is sometimes the only option and then there are situations it cannot handle.

prohibitive in cases where it is in a confined space and is not equipped with an access panel yet
some would say that it is a necessary part of ACCA Standard 4. This raises the point that
Quality Maintenance requirements are not primarily concerned with cost effective energy
efficiency but can be the foundation on which persistent energy savings can be achieved. The
first complete service will take much longer but is then followed by regular service that keeps the
unit working properly. Similarly, the incentive for a duct test and seal service is tied to reducing
the leakage rate by either a fixed percentage or below a fixed level. In either case, the incentive
structure does not reward contractors for achieving further savings.
There are different ways to obtain and analyze HVAC system data. Without IOU incentive
programs technicians use simple checklists to show the customer that the suite of items has been
done. At the Technical Forum contractor/technician representatives spoke of the common
problem that a technician has little or no historical information on the unit being serviced. This
can be the case even when a technician from the same company was the last one servicing the
unit. ACCA Standard 4 and 180 (for commercial units) require documentation to address this
problem. The IOU RCA programs of necessity require documentation to qualify for incentive
payments. Each VSP has its own approach. For example, Verified, Inc. offers a hand-held
computer into which the technician enters the relevant instrument readings. This platform
determines the target values from a lookup table, compares these with the measurements, and
suggests appropriate remediation. Field Diagnostic Services Inc. (FDSI) has a service tool that
combines sensors, data acquisition and a sophisticated model to guide the technicians actions.
PECIs Air Care Plus uses the FDSI tool to which they have added detailed procedures to
diagnose and repair economizers. Enalasys uses a laptop with wireless sensors to record data
and guide the technician. CheckMe uses forms and call-in data reporting and computerized
expert verification to capture data and guide technicians. These diagnostic tools and methods
should be reviewed to ensure that they accurately and effectively identify the conditions that they
are designed to detect.
Given the increasing capabilities of mobile computing using smart cell phones with texting, web
access, email, photos and even videos it is possible that paper records can be eliminated. The
technician uses a device to record data in response to prompts from the device. These data are
captured by the device and sent, either concurrently or later when it is linked to its server, while
the device continues to guide the service. The technician is allowed to focus their attention,
creativity and skills on the equipment rather than having to worry about the process. Uncertainty
is reduced but is not eliminated. Further reductions depend on the training and motivation of the
technician with the support of the contractor. It continues to be critically important that QC is
performed by the VSP because humans will always be able to outsmart machines. In opposition
to the trend to depend on machines to reduce uncertainty and error is the experience of
CheckMe.115 They have found that having a technician report data to a person who is backed up
by a computerized expert system yields an in-depth QC process. For most people, lying to a real
person is difficult especially when that person can immediately know if the data makes physical
sense. A suspicious call can be flagged as a job to be field verified. Further work and
discussions will be needed to reach consensus on what are the required components of QC. A
menu of components could be developed from which a VSP or program can pick and choose.
115

The foundation has been laid for developing a generic, performance-based protocol that can be
implemented by VSPs, instrument manufacturers, and other entities whose business is to support
the work of HVAC technicians. The ACCA standards and the experience gained from
implementing RCA programs provide the raw material from which Stakeholders can hammer out
the protocols. This will be a process that will first be tested in meetings and then be tested in the
field. It will not ever be final but it can progress in phases making steady improvement as is
the case in all standards. It will be desirable that Quality Control, Quality Assurance and
Verification be built into the performance-based protocol. Quality Control could allow the
contractor and VSP to supervise the work of the technician. Quality Assurance allows VSPs and
IOU program administrators to supervise the work of implementing contractors. Finally,
verification allows regulatory supervision of the programs. These supervisory activities can then
be used to loop back to improve the protocol.
10 Implications of Uncertainty
The uncertainties in measuring superheat, subcooling, EER and kWh in the field (along with
other forms of uncertainty) are sizable as shown in Table 5. For this discussion it is assumed that
there are no other significant faults or that energy efficiency is improved by doing charge
adjustment without correcting other faults. Section 7 described the uncertainties in the
instruments that are used, and the factors that are calculated from the instrument116 readings;
these uncertainties based on the self reporting of the various entities are summarized in Table 6
below.
Lab Field
Herrick, Intertek, PG&E 2004 AEC RCA Contractor Current
Superheat F +/- 0.33 to 1.02 +/- 1.68 +/- 3.54

Subcooling F +/- 0.36 to 1.09 +/- 2.83 +/- 4.21
Lab EM&V
EER (Btuh/Wh) +/- 0.2 to 2.17 +/- 0.95
kWh/year > +/- 20%
Table 6. Summary of Uncertainties in Measured Values and Energy Metrics
The field technician measures superheat and subcooling in order to carry out diagnostics. EER is
calculated to characterize savings and estimate kW and kWh reduction.
116
The data from instrument manufacturers are reported at the 95% confidence level although it is not always clear
what is the confidence level of the accuracy declared in the product specification. NIST traceable calibration is
needed to make sure even though is often an additional cost item.

10.1 Target Superheat and Subcooling

Superheat and subcooling must be measured accurately if we are to have confidence that a
charge adjustment will result in energy savings. Figure 16 helps illustrate how the uncertainty in
the measurement of superheat and subcooling is evaluated along with the allowed range using
the superheat allowance of 5 F (the target subcooling delta is 3 F).
Figure 16. Illustrations of Interaction of Measurement Uncertainty and Measured Superheat
a) An incorrect charge situation is illustrated. For a given Return Air Wet Bulb and
Condenser Air Dry Bulb, contractors look up the target superheat in a chart such as that
shown in CECs 2008 Title 24 Reference Appendices117. Contractors then measure the
operating temperatures and pressures to determine the measured superheat. The
contractor subtracts these two to determine how close the measurement is to chart value.
In this case the charge is obviously outside the allowed range of chart superheat value.
b) If the measurement is outside the allowed range of 5 F, then charge is added or

removed until the measurement is within 5 F. Standard practice is to get to the edge
of the range and stop, but it is incorrect because the uncertainty of the measurement is not
taken into account. No matter how accurate the measurement is the confidence level is
50%. If the contractor stops at this charge level, there will be a 50% chance that the
charge will be within the desired range, and a 50% chance that it will not. This means
that later verification has the probability of finding the charge incorrect in 50% of the
units.
Figure 17. Illustrations of Adjusted Allowed Superheat Range

117
http://energy.ca.gov/2008publications/CEC-400-2008-004/CEC-400-2008-004-CMF.PDF see page RA3-17.

c) Accuracy does matter in determining how much the contractor must tighten the range
technicians must achieve to gain confidence in the measurement. Contractors should aim
to get closer to their target. If they continue to add or subtract charge until the value is
close enough to the target, then, as shown in the illustration, there will be a 100%
confidence that the superheat will be within the required range.
d) But it is impractical to make the exact adjustments to charge needed to achieve 100%
confidence. Utilities and the CPUC typically require a 90% confidence interval for
factors affecting savings. This allows the range to expand but it is still not at the original
5 F.
e) In order, then, to ensure that the measurement is close enough to the target value to give a
90% confidence in the reading the allowed range must be smaller. The allowed range is a
function of the uncertainty in the measurement, and the relationship is:
Measurement Adjusted Allowed Range = (5F) - (90% Confidence)*(F measurement
uncertainty)
Thus, the allowed range depends upon the accuracy required of the instrumentation. Table 7
shows the Adjusted Allowed range as a function of superheat or subcooling uncertainties, to
achieve a confidence level of 90%.
Uncertainty in Adjusted Allowed Uncertainty in Adjusted Allowed

measured Superheat measured Subcooling
Superheat (target measured) Subcooling (target measured)
0.0 F 5.0 F 0.0 F 3.0 F
1.0 F 4.1 F 1.0 F 2.1 F
2.0 F 3.2 F 2.0 F 1.2 F
3.0 F 2.3 F 3.0 F 0.1 F
4.0 F 1.4 F
5.0 F 0.5 F
Table 7. Allowed Range as a Function of Superheat or Subcooling
Measured Uncertainty
In order to be 90% confident that a superheat measurement is within 5 F, using an allowed

range of 5 is not theoretically possible, as it would require an instrument with 0% uncertainty.
As shown in Table 6, current contractor instruments typically have an uncertainty in superheat
measurements of 3.54 F. Referring to Table 7 and the equation that generated it, contractors
would have to come within 1.8 F of the target value in order to have confidence that the
measurement of superheat is within 5 F of the target. If contractors instruments met the 2004
AEC RCA specifications, then they would have a measurement uncertainty of 1.68 F, and
would need to be within 3.5 F of the target. If the Tech Forum proposed specification is met
the accuracy is improved to 1.56 F then the allowed range is 3.6. Subcooling is more
difficult because the allowed range is less, 3 F. Current contractor instruments measure within
4.21 F which makes it impossible to get the confidence needed. To get 90% confidence with
Tech Forum specified instruments the adjusted range is 1.64 and drops to 0.45 with 2004 AEC
RCA specifications.

This leads to one of two conclusions:

1) An improved instrumentation suite is required to allow contractors to stop when they get
within 3.6 F for superheat and 1.64 F for subcooling; or
2) With current contractor instrumentation suites, contractors must continue adjusting
charge until they are within 1.8 F for superheat. Subcooling cannot be measured to the
required confidence level.
10.2 Superheat and Subcooling Measurement Instrumentation
Based on participant input at the Tech Forum, the project team proposed changes to the
instrumentation and diagnostic protocol. The proposals were discussed but the Tech Forum was
not the proper venue to move past the proposal stage. There will not be consensus until further
work is done and stakeholders come together to discuss the issues, but it is generally agreed that
improvements to the existing specification are needed. Table 8 summarizes the changes to the
2004 AEC RCA specification recommended by the group. Factors in BOLD are required and
have not changed.
ProposedRevisedSpecification
Accuracyto95% Calibration
MeasuredVariables Units Confidence Status Interval
Supply Air DryBulb F 1.5 required monthly
Return Air (DryBulb) F 1.5 required monthly
Outside Air(DryBulb) F 1.5 required monthly
Mixed Air(DryBulb) F 1.5 ifOASrequired monthly
SupplyAir(WetBulb) F 1.5 requiredfortotalEER monthly
Return AirWetBulb F 1.5 required monthly
OutsideAir(WetBulb) F 1.5 optional monthly
MixAir(WetBulb) F 1.5 requiredifOAS monthly
SupplyAirRelativeHumidity % 2% requiredifOAS monthly
Return Air RelativeHumidity % 2% required monthly
MixedAirRelativeHumidity % 2% requiredifOAS monthly
Suction Line (DryBulb) F 1.5 required annually
Liquid Line (DryBulb) F 1.5 required annually
Suction Pressure/Temperature psig 1% required monthly
Discharge Pressure/Pressure psig 1% required monthly
CondenserFanPower(TrueRMS) W 2% requiredforEER annually
CompressorPower(TrueRMS) W 2% requiredforEER annually
AHUPower(TrueRMS) W 2% requiredforEER annually
AHUExternalStaticPressure IWC 0.049 optional annually
AHUFlowRate CFM 7% optional annually
DuctLeakageTester CFM 3% optional annually
CalculatedVariables
TemperatureSplit(returnsupplydry) F 1.52 required
Superheat F 1.52 required
Subcooling F 1.70 required
EvaporatorTemperature F 1.40 required
CondensingTemperatureOverAmbient F 1.70 required
EER(Total) Btuh/w 1.47 optional
EER(Sensible) Btuh/w 1.12 optional
Table 8. Changes to 2004 AEC Specification Recommended at Technical Forum

Temperature
The temperature accuracy has been kept at 1.5, although it may have to move to 1.8 F reflecting
the fact that 1 C (1.8 F) is the normal limit of type K thermocouple accuracy. Better accuracy
can be theoretically achieved with RTDs and may be preferred by some but are not well suited to
refrigerant pipe surface temperature measurements because of their profile and response time.
Sensors are preferred that can be configured like the small bead thermocouple. These must be
strap mounted on a cleaned pipe with a thin layer of electricity insulating plastic wrap
underneath118 and insulated on top with foam insulation extending 3 inches on either side of
the sensor. Clamp-on pipe surface temperatures were allowed under prior programs but should
not be used because they cannot be effectively insulated. Suction line surface temperature must
be taken on the top of the pipe to avoid sensing problems (returning oil temperature).
Preliminary testing of various measurement techniques at PG&Es TAS lab indicates that more
research is needed in this area.
Using Type K thermocouples in free air yields uncertainty levels that are half of the allowed
superheat or subcooling range. But by allowing clamp-on thermocouples and thermistors that
perform poorly, the uncertainty in the superheat and subcooling values is too high to allow an
accurate assessment of whether the refrigerant charge is correct. This is a critical failure in the
2004 specification, because it means that it is very unlikely that technicians will be able to
accurately and effectively adjust refrigerant charge.
Humidity
Moisture in the supply and return air streams are generally measured using relative humidity or
wet bulb sensors.
Pressure
Digital gauges with 1% accuracy are required. Dial gauges are subject to inaccuracies, erroneous
readings, and are easily knocked out of calibration.
Other Diagnostic Data

Five calculated values are required for use with enhanced fault detection and diagnosis
algorithms. Temperature split, superheat and subcooling are still used along with Condensing
temperature Over Ambient (COA), converting suction line (evaporator) pressure to evaporator
temperature, and condenser approach temperature. Taken together these allow for an assessment
of the unit.
Optional Data
Optional measurements are listed in Table 8. Mixed air temperature and moisture conditions are
used when outdoor air supply is introduced through a commercial packaged unit. Economizers
used on packaged units need additional controls measurements and operational testing.
118
According to John Proctor the electrical conduction issue is not based on science. We have extensively tested
for electrical interference with thermocouples and found no problems. PEG comments on 112310 Study Draft
submitted to Brett Close, SCE.

Compressor power is useful especially when a compressor performance table or map can be used
to give additional information about the system.
Calibration
The current RCA protocol requires inspection and recalibration of instruments. Instrument
calibration errors cause unpredictable errors in measurement, and make determining the actual
system state with any degree of confidence impossible. To address uncertainty, it is important to
clearly specify requirements and procedures for the calibration of every type of instrument used
in the HVAC programs.
Measurement Methods
Few studies have quantified the effect of using different instrument or measurement methods on
the measured values. As discussed in Section 7.1, it is clear that the measurement method that is
used can have a substantial effect on the resulting level of uncertainty. There is also the issue of
offsets between different sensors which may have good accuracy but be consistently measuring
higher or lower than each other thus throwing off measurements such as the temperature split. To
address problems of incomplete mixing in return and supply air streams researchers have used
averaging thermocouple grids with multiple sensing points spanning the duct cross section. In
the field this approach is not terribly practical give access and time constraints.
10.3 Measurement of EER

By definition, the EER is the most significant system variable in determining the energy savings.
It is used to characterize the improvements made in a system, and is used in models that calculate
annual energy savings. Superheat and subcooling target values are used as metrics for improving
the EER of a system but do not directly predict EER changes. They have the advantage of not
requiring measurement of airflow or wattage power draw (true power not just amperage) both of
which require instruments and methods that are commonly used by service technicians. Looking
back at Table 6, we see that the uncertainty in the EER calculation when using laboratory data
was from 0.2 to 2.17 Btuh/Watt-hour, and in the field it was claimed to be 0.95 for the
max case. If real improvements in the EER of a system are on the order of 10%, they will be
difficult to measure with confidence. If the EER metric continues to be used as the primary
method of assessing energy savings, it's important to monitor the quality of the measurements
used to generate the EER value.119
Based on the values of the sensitivity coefficients120, the EER calculation is highly dependent on
the accuracy of the air flow, air temperature and humidity measurements. Measured values will
also vary for the same system depending on the operating conditions. Even with highly accurate
instruments, uncertainty, 0.9 at the high end of the range, reduces the confidence in
measurements of small changes in EER.
119
For Californias hot dry climates EER Sensible is a better indicator of efficiency during peak cooling events since
it is sensible capacity that impact the space dry bulb temperature which is what the thermostat controls. The
uncertainty of EER Sensible is much lower because measurement of air stream moisture change across the
evaporator coil has increased uncertainty when compared to measuring dry bulb temperature.
120
Tables 2, and 4

Data for EER Calculation

Airflow, true power, and supply air moisture content (wet bulb or relative humidity)
measurements are needed to calculate the operating EER. AHRI certification standards allow for
a 5% range when meeting the required efficiency levels in recognition of accuracies that can be
achieved in a lab and the difference that will occur between labs. The main cause of uncertainty
is the direct measurement of airflow which is 7%. Temperature split between supply and return
air does not measure airflow but rather indicates whether the sensible cooling across the
evaporator coil is adequately matched to the refrigerant mass flow rate. Thus, without long-term
monitoring, EER improvements cannot be accurately measured. The proposed instrumentation
specification can be used by monitoring installations as the baseline for accuracy, but further
work is needed to determine the duration and weather event coverage of monitoring required to
approach 5% accuracy in EER.
A proven method of reducing inaccuracies is to take multiple measurements. When single

measurements are made, the values are subject to the full uncertainty specified by the published
accuracy of the device. Taking multiple measurements and using a time-series analysis can
significantly reduce the measurement uncertainties. Time series analysis of a thermocouple
measurement at 15 minute intervals for 2 days demonstrates a measurement error of 0.21 F
versus the stated accuracy of 1.5 F. Assuming that a similar reduction can be achieved for all
of the measurements, it's clear that using time-series analysis would lead to a better calculation
of the EER. Long-term EER monitoring is not recommended, as the resulting data requires more
complex calculations (based on spline functions) and can be impractical.
11 Roadmap to CPUC Goals
In reviewing the preceding sections, it is of concern that the uncertainties in measurements made
in maintenance services are large, and the savings from current programs are asserted to be small
in relation to the uncertainties. We conclude that a holistic approach to both the design and
implementation of the HVAC programs with integrated measurement and evaluation methods
can reduce the uncertainties and increase the savings, such that investments in expanded HVAC
QM programs can be prudent use of rate payer funds. A holistic approach does not necessitate
that the program implementing it be complicated, time consuming and therefore cost ineffective.
Future programs will build upon the knowledge gained from previous programs to deliver a
holistic set of site specific services to achieve significant savings that are needed to meet CPUC
goals and which are verifiable.
In this section is an outline of a roadmap composed of four pathways for meeting long-term
CPUC goals and presents our recommendations for implementing this roadmap. In the
subsequent section the research needed to support the roadmap is detailed. Initially, efforts can
be focused on incremental improvements to technician diagnostic and service procedures, with
longer-term goals of replacing outdated units and implementing whole-building retrofits. Our
roadmap consists of four paths to a holistic HVAC program approach that covers multiple
HVAC market, technology, and process issues to be followed simultaneously.

Improve Maintenance Diagnostic Procedures: Monitoring, Data Gathering, Screening,

Diagnostics, and Adjustment: An important step towards a holistic HVAC program
approach is to improve technician diagnostic processes and provide more comprehensive
services that address multiple faults that are likely to exist. Inclusion of demand response
with maintenance measures could also enhance positive impacts.
Provide Advanced Services: Maintenance, Repair, Refurbishment, and Retrofit: With

improved procedures technicians can competently implement programs that require more
than simple maintenance. Included will be HVAC measures that specify more elaborate
repairs, retrofits, and upgrades that will yield higher levels of energy efficiency, at a higher
cost, while still being cost effective.
Replace Old Systems: New HVAC systems installed to ACCA Quality Installation Standard
5 can reduce consumption and demand by 50%121. The improved technician procedures will
allow HVAC programs to foster the installation of new systems prior to an emergency
situation so that customers have more choices. Additional increments of energy efficiency
should be considered to allow for reducing system capacity and peak demand further. Units
equipped with On Board Diagnostics (OBD), also known as Fault Detection Diagnostics
(FDD), should be required as soon as possible.
Implement Whole Building Renovation and Retrofit: Whole-building renovations and

retrofits have the potential to achieve the highest levels of energy savings. Improvements to
the building shell, lighting, and appliances reduce the HVAC loads thereby reducing the cost
of the HVAC system required by the building.
The remainder of this section describes these four stages of integration in more detail.
11.1 Improve HVAC Maintenance Process: Monitoring, Data Gathering,

Screening, Diagnostics, and Adjustment
It is recommended that the Maintenance process be split into three processes: screening to
determine what should be done; a tune up; and advanced service. As a first step in a
maintenance program redesign, outcomes can be improved by including additional screening
diagnostic procedures and data collection. An interim maintenance protocol based on ACCA
Standard 4 or 180 could be quickly developed with the support of industry stakeholders and
executed by a mid-level technician (although a basic level of competence, skill, and knowledge
is still required).
Potential elements of this stage include:

Instrumentation. Digital refrigeration gauges required. Calibration protocols expanded
and enforced. Technical Forum recommendations reviewed and made final.
Data Gathering. Based on the ACCA Standard, the technician will gather additional
system information at the first field visit, including system make, model and serial
121
While more field testing is needed the Intertek lab testing of multiple faults generated the lowest EER of 3.2, as plotted in
Figure 6, Range of EER Lab Test Data, which would be corrected or addressed by applying Standard 5.

number, service history (if available), as well as relevant sizing and operational data.
Simple system performance metrics may be measured at this time.
Screening. Technicians conduct an initial screening to determine whether the system
should be serviced or replaced, and to determine what diagnostics are needed.
Diagnostic. Programs need to include basic diagnostic procedures that can be readily
understood and implemented by mid-level technicians. These procedures should enable
the technician to determine whether the system requires no service, a simple charge
adjustment and duct sealing, or more advanced measures.
Adjustment. If adjustments are needed, they can be performed at the introductory
service call. These adjustments should include:
Test and Seal Ducts

Clean Condenser Coils as needed based on approach temperature
Clean Evaporator Coils as needed and to the degree that is feasible
Repair refrigerant line restrictions based on the relationship between superheat
and subcooling depending on installed refrigerant metering device
Adjust Refrigerant Charge and Airflow with the requirement that systems that are
more than 20% higher or lower than target superheat and subcooling targets
receive a charge correction.
Set a tighter allowance to define when sufficient correction has been made to
achieve higher confidence
Install Demand Response (DR) Hardware.
Monitoring. Maintenance services would be more effective if contractors and

technicians had access to system performance data prior to the service call. These data
could come from a customers smart meter, from a device such as the TED and Google
Power Meter, the g-meter from Enalasys, or other such systems and devices that are
entering the market in ever increasing numbers.
11.2 Advanced Services: Maintenance, Repair, Refurbishment, and Retrofit

Technician diagnostics sometimes reveal that the HVAC system requires more than simple
maintenance. Some systems require repairs or retrofits, both of which can offer significantly
more savings than simple maintenance. It is critical that future programs build upon the
knowledge gained so that full service programs can be implemented to achieve the CPUCs Big-
Bold HVAC goals.
In repairing a system, it is often necessary to evaluate and address multiple faults or multiple
improvement opportunities to achieve higher energy efficiency. However, assessing the need for
multiple services and understanding the best order in which to complete these services is not a
well understood process, and requires development of an appropriate service protocol. It also
requires a technician with more than the average level of experience and/or a computerized data
recording and diagnostics tool. In some cases, making one repair facilitates others; for example,
if the repair requires the technician to recover refrigerant from the system, then there are several
other repairs that can be executed concurrently. If an older system is not operating efficiently, it

may be possible to refurbish it by replacing individual components (compressor, condenser

fan, blower, TXV, etc.) to extend the life of the system and greatly improve its efficiency.
11.3 Replace Old Systems

Systems will be recommended to be replaced during building retrofits when the diagnostic
protocols indicate that it is more cost-effective for the customer to replace an aging system than
to repair it; spending money to repair old, inefficient systems does not make economic sense.
The availability of financing is a key element here and QI programs can facilitate funding by
reducing risk that come from systems that do not deliver savings. Replacement can address
sizing issues and enable the use of more advanced features, such as:
Fault Detection and Diagnostics: As part of the Fault Detection Diagnostics (FDD)
Roundtable held at the WCEC (July 2010), a straw man proposal was presented for
discussion to 35 participants from California and around the country including NIST,
four major HVAC OEM manufacturers: Carrier Corporation, Honeywell, Johnson
Controls and Lennox Industries, along with national retailers Target and Wal-Mart, and
California HVAC contractors, and local code officials. The project is providing the
information needed to introduce on-board FDD capabilities as a credit in the next version
of Title 24.
Sensors and Indicators from Advanced Rooftop Unit Project (ARTU): In addition, a
wider set of performance, maintenance and FDD functionalities were defined in the CEC
PIER Advanced Rooftop Unit (ARTU) project122. These included a list of required
sensors and controller status indicators, along with a wide range of required diagnostics
for severe faults (such as compressor failure) and degradation faults (such as dirty
condenser coils).
Advanced Onboard Diagnostics for Residential HVAC Systems: HVAC systems are
at a place where cars were in the 1960s when a mechanic had no indication of what was
wrong. Concerns about automobile air pollution impacts led to the requirement of On-
Board Diagnostic (OBD) computers. To adequately address persistent energy efficiency,
HVAC systems will need to have OBD. Attendees of the Technical Forum working for
manufacturers expressed interest in what diagnostics are needed to support energy
efficiency. They did not discuss proprietary specifics but let it be known that they have
the capability of providing detailed diagnostics. The industry has replaced electro-
mechanical controls with micro-processor controls. OBD specifications would
standardize the error codes and delivery interface as was done for automobiles.
11.4 Whole Building Energy Efficiency Renovation and Retrofit

Achieving significant energy savings will require rethinking the boundaries of HVAC and
considering it as part of the whole building system. As part of the CPUCs Big-Bold plan, the
CPUC and the IOUs are conducting Whole House Retrofit (WHR) programs. The IOUs can
expand the concept to include light commercial buildings along with residential buildings.
Growing out of a systems approach, the whole building concept is to consider all aspects of the
122
Architectural Energy Corporation, Final Report Compilation for Fault Detection and Diagnostics for Rooftop Air
Conditioners, CEC # 500-03-096-A1, October 2003.

building, especially the interactive effects. As of the third calendar quarter of 2010, this is a
rapidly changing and developing part of energy efficiency programs, legislative initiatives,
product development and research. It is beyond the scope of this report to delve further into the
subject yet it is important that the building as a system of interacting systems be part of the
HVAC QM strategic planning and implementation process.
12 Research Plan
In order to pursue the roadmap outlined above, carefully designed and implemented pilot
programs with M&V monitoring are needed to establish the potential energy and demand
savings from implementing the diagnostic protocol. These programs will initially establish a
baseline performance of representative systems as they are found. Residential split systems and
commercial packaged units will be included in the monitoring. Long-term, detailed monitoring
is required. This will be costly and will require hundreds of sites to be monitored. Additional
laboratory testing needs to be part of the integrated research plan. To fully use the data being
collected, a parallel effort must be made to develop simulation computer programs or other
methods of predicting kWh savings. Subroutines for programs such as TRNSYS, DOE2 and
EnergyPlus will need to be upgraded to use the lab and field monitoring data. Finally, NALM
protocols need to be developed and become part of the M&V process and used to improve the
simulation based predicted savings.
Specifically, studies should include the following elements:

Definition of Combined Measures
Screening Tools
Diagnostic Protocol
Instrumentation Needs
Human Factors
Verification and Program Reporting
Measurement and Verification
Training of technicians, contractors, owners, consumers, manufacturers, etc.
Value of Savings
Several of these might be combined into a few larger studies, since they cannot be conducted in
isolation.
12.1 Define Combined Measures in an HVAC Maintenance Program

There is a need for a study to identify what is the most beneficial set of potential measures to
offer as part of an HVAC maintenance program. Entries in this list might include all of the
measures mentioned earlier in this report, such as standard RCA/DTS measures, demand
response, repairs, and energy efficiency retrofits. It is expected that a service that included
several of these measures would save substantially more energy (but cost more) than the single
measures that have been fielded to date. Data on the benefits of combined measures are sparse,

however, so laboratory testing is needed. In addition, more field research is needed to better
identify how common various faults are in real systems.
This study could include the following elements:

Conduct a lab test to firmly establish the technical potential for remediation of the full
range of faults, including problems such as coil fouling problems, non-condensables,
airflow issues, duct leakage (supply, return, and at unit/plenums), duct thermal losses,
duct under sizing, frequency of dirty or overly restrictive filters, condenser fan motor
problems, TXV installation problems, blocked orifice issues, charge problems, and
evaporator coil circuiting issues, etc. This might be done on a combination of new and
old equipment. The results should be reviewed by industry experts, models should be
developed, and the technical potential should be quantified through simulations.
Conduct a field engineering study to determine the full extent of defects, and frequency
of individual faults, in existing systems. This would help to shed light on the extent of
the full range of problems. This would likely need to be a sizeable study, in which
problems are detected and fixed, and savings are rigorously estimated.
The field test might be done in conjunction with a pilot program, including a large
number of homes, and a range of different contractors doing different measures. These
measures could include advanced measures such as system refurbishment, retrofits,
repairs, and replacement. Savings could be compared by contractor and/or by measure.
To the extent possible, the benefits would have to be disaggregated.
Another way to understand what is happening in the field would be to work with industry
groups such as ACCA on a round robin diagnostics test on a number of sites. After the
diagnosis by the various methods a full QM would be performed and the systems repaired
to the extent possible. Of special concern would be incorrect diagnosis that leads to
making the system run less efficiently and/or those that cause damage. The sites should
cover residential and commercial units with and without economizers. A task force is
needed to sort through how to proceed so that the test is fair, complete and supportive of
improvements in diagnostics.
12.2 Create Better Screening Tools

To keep the costs of the program down while supporting high quality work, technicians need a
screening tool to enable them to quickly determine where there are potential problems. This
screening tool would be able to distinguish the following types of situations:
System is operating at a reasonable efficiency, and would not benefit from program
intervention.
System could benefit from a coil cleaning, duct test and seal, and charge adjustment, but
not much more.
System may have non-condensables or liquid line restrictions, or an inefficient
compressor, and it would be worthwhile to evacuate the system.
System is a candidate for a retrofit.
System has too many problems to possibly address in the program. It may be a candidate
for system replacement or a major repair job. If the homeowner does not choose to
replace the system, it should receive maintenance.

Once the situation is identified, a diagnostic process will be undertaken to identify specific faults.
A research project is needed to further develop these screening tools. An industry group should
be convened to develop the requirements for such a tool. The development effort should include
field testing of the tools to ensure their reliability. The industry group can also be involved in the
field testing. This field test can be done in conjunction with the pilot program described earlier.
12.3 Develop Multi-Measure Diagnostic Protocols

Diagnosing the need for one of many possible combinations of measures will require a
sophisticated diagnostic tool or process that is not in existence today. The diagnostic protocol
should be integrated with the recently developed Quality Maintenance Standards from the Air
Conditioner Contractors of America (ACCA Standard 4) and the American Society of Heating,
Refrigeration, Air-Conditioner, and Ventilation Engineers (ASHRAE Standard 180). The
standards make clear to owners, contractors, technicians, regulators, lawyers, and others what
must be done to maintain HVAC equipment. But there is a wide gap between the standards and
normal practice. The Western HVAC Performance Alliance is working to bridge the gap by
defining technician tasks. The standards are general and generic, rather than detailed and
specific. Detailed technician tasks will help resolve the scope of actions that are listed and allow
contractors to price service packages. An expansive interpretation of every action could mean a
first-time service would take 8 hours, which is impractical. The diagnostic protocol will specify
the scope of the QM activities.
Many existing installations cannot be maintained until the system is refurbished so that it is
installed correctly. Standards-based Quality Maintenance programs can help keep a properly
installed system working efficiently over the lifetime of the equipment. Quality Installation of
Unitary Equipment, ACCA Standard 5, was developed to clarify what must be done to properly
install residential and light commercial equipment. Few if any systems have been installed per
Standard 5 even though Title 24 has consistently supported detailed sizing, equipment selection,
duct design and sealing. Some existing systems are so poorly installed, old, or inefficient that no
maintenance should be done until major repairs are made to the HVAC system. The diagnostic
protocol develops a decision tree to guide the owner, technician, contractor and energy efficiency
program administrator on the best approach. For example, the tree could establish a rule that
ducts must be tested and sealed. Then, if the static pressure between the return and supply
plenum is more than 0.5 IWC, the duct system must be modified.
A research project is needed to develop a new protocol and test it in the laboratory and in the
field; this protocol could follow the model developed by Haorong Li, as mentioned in Section 4.
Again, an industry group could be convened to develop the requirements of the tool. During this
requirements-setting process, the group can decide whether the development should be based
upon existing tools, or start from some other starting point, and whether it should be a
proprietary or non-proprietary tool. The protocol should be bench tested, tested with real
equipment in an independent laboratory, and tested for feasibility and reliability in the field.
This could also be included in the pilot program.

12.4 Instrumentation Needs

As described in Section 11, the original 2004 RCA specifications should be modified to
realistically improve the accuracy of measurements. As shown above, even with improved
accuracy, the allowed ranges around target values need to be reduced. Table 8 showed the
recommendations reached at the Tech Forum, although the final specifications must be the result
of a process approved by the CPUC and IOUs. This process should include a survey of current
instrumentation needs, an assessment of available instrumentation, and a more detailed statistical
analysis.
One additional element that can be developed is a Consumer Reports type of testing facility
that can test and assess the appropriateness of the tools used by HVAC service people, and
identify suitable instruments. This could be developed and funded by industry players, and be
sited at an independent testing facility such as Intertek, or a University laboratory such as
Herrick Labs (Purdue University) or WCEC (University of California at Davis).
12.5 Human Factors

Human factors have a substantial impact on the likelihood that a maintenance program will be
successful. A study of the behavior of several different individuals and organizations should be
undertaken to identify these impacts and determine how to maximize effectiveness. Logic
models proven to be useful in program design and along with a market model can be used to
develop and test how programs and the QM market can be positively impacted.
A field study that documents the activities of field technicians is needed; this study would
observe maintenance activities in as natural a setting as possible, preferably as a blind study.
This field study could be combined with a time and motion study that quantifies how long it
takes technicians to perform certain tasks. Findings would contribute to the development of
better tools, e.g. an accurate clamp on surface temperature sensor that is self insulating.
A survey of homeowners and tenants would help shed light on the value of maintenance services
to consumers. Homeowners could provide information on typical do-it-yourself maintenance,
such as changing filters, and help determine what it would take to encourage a homeowner to
engage in a service contract. Previous studies have looked at people's level of environmental
concern, but have not made the possible connection between maintenance behavior and
environmental protection. In the case of commercial owners and tenants, research is needed to
determine what approaches are needed to achieve large and persistent savings from QM.
A survey or focus group of contractors would provide information about requirements for a
thriving maintenance business, both in terms of what would make it successful, as well as what
it would take to attract contractors.
All of these human factors research topics could be studied in the context of a pilot program.
12.6 Verification and Program Reporting

Verification has long been an important part of RCA and DTS services. Because of the structure
of the programs, technicians would be in a position to game the system if safeguards were not

in place. These quality control measures have been developed by the VSPs, and are thought to
be generally appropriate. They could be improved, however.
Program designers should determine which verification measures have been used successfully,
and create a requirement that would ensure that this level of quality is achieved program wide.
Concerns about errors being more prevalent when data from instruments are entered by hand
needs to be addressed. With the increasing availability and capabilities of mobile computing,
automated data collection is becoming easier. It may help to combine this with the diagnostic
process definition, since the tasks undertaken in the diagnostic are the tasks whose quality is to
be controlled. Quality control should also be integrated with measurement and verification
(EM&V) strategies, since the goals of both activities are similar.
Program reporting is another area where maintenance services could be improved. The data
collected in the program must end up in a common database, and data quality must be assured. If
long-term kWh monitoring is implemented, it will need to be integrated with the program
databases. If these data were reliable, they could be an important part of the EM&V process, as
well as providing input to the deemed savings calculations. Customer-facing reports are also an
important element in achieving and maintaining savings.
12.7 Evaluation, Measurement and Verification (EM&V)

There are a number of ways that EM&V can be improved, many of which are already known and
acknowledged. A study should be undertaken to develop a more appropriate EM&V plan, and to
gain industry acceptance of the plan. Providing EM&V on more of a real-time basis will greatly
help its effectiveness, and longer term monitoring will reduce uncertainties. EM&V programs
should consider providing EM&V specialists with the same training that technicians receive, so
they understand the program as well as possible. EM&V should be well integrated with the
program delivery, quality control, and reporting that should also be in place.
The key goal of any EM&V program design is to develop a protocol that provides detailed
specification of sensor accuracies, installation requirements, and data handling to ensure that
reasonably repeatable results can be obtained. Pre- and post- monitoring on a large number of
sites is highly desirable to develop a robust dataset quantifying system performance
characteristics and sub-metered energy consumption. To minimize errors introduced through
sensor variability and human factor installation issues, it is imperative that calibrated sensors
remain in place through the duration of both pre- and post-monitoring periods.
As discussed earlier, following the lead of NALM and utilizing the emerging Smart Meter
technology and other low cost power monitoring devices is an exciting option for efficiently
expanding data collection activities to thousands of customers. For example, the TED 5000123
provides one power monitoring current transducer, a measuring transmitting unit, and a Gateway
that allows compatibility with Google PowerMeter 124, all for under $200. The Smart Meter,
TED, and other competing products125 represent a significant expansion of low cost power
123
http://www.theenergydetective.com/store/ted-5000
124
http://www.google.com/powermeter/about/about.html
125
http://www.greennet.com/consumer/products-services/#gmeter

monitoring options. Dedicated monitoring of the condensing unit electrical circuit over time (see
screenshot of real time tracking in Figure 18) would provide quantification of baseline
performance and post-measure performance impacts, and potential performance degradation over
time126. Low cost power monitoring options are becoming more and more common. These tools
should be explored in detail, and if proven reliable, utilized to the maximum extent possible in
any future utility HVAC programs.
.
Figure 18. Real-time Condensing Unit and Blower Demand Tracking
Development of the EM&V with NALM and web-based monitoring protocols should occur
through a working group that assembles a broad group of stakeholders, in a similar manner to the
Tech Forum. Input from national HVAC experts could result in a protocol that would have
broad acceptance outside of California. This development effort should include definition of
monitoring and analysis procedures and testing of the procedures in the lab and in the field.
12.8 Training Requirements

A set of requirements for training should be developed, with significant input from contractors,
technicians, EM&V specialists, and other stakeholders. This should include both the skill set
that a technician must have to be an effective service provider as well as the knowledge that the
technician has to have to participate in the program. There is also a need to differentiate training
for the first QM steps, from the training needed for the advanced services such as repair,
refurbishment, and retrofit. It is likely that the training will have to be much more extensive
126
Optionally monitoring of the furnace electrical circuit could be useful for determining changes in air handler (or
heat pump) fan power draw, alerting the owner or VSP for service, which could be as simple as replacing the air
filter.

than previously, because the interaction of different measures is much more complicated than
single measures. Technicians will have to understand the fundamental operations of the system
and have the skills to use the screening and diagnostic tools effectively. Training will be
provided by a range of industry stakeholders.
12.9 Valuing the Savings

Transformation of the HVAC industry will require a broadly based, long-term support of QM.
In order to get the funding from energy efficiency programs, there needs to be a recognized kWh
and kW savings from QM. It is difficult for HVAC measures to be cost effective based solely
upon their energy savings especially for residential applications because annual kWh is typically
low compared to peak demand. One of the real benefits of programs that affect cooling loads is
that they directly attack the peak load. The load factor for cooling in California residential
systems is on the order of only about 7%127, and if only compressor operation is considered then
light commercial applications are not much better. The E3 Calculator, which is used by the
utilities to estimate the financial costs and benefits of various measures, may not address
cooling-related maintenance measures adequately. The load shapes are taken from the Database
of Energy Efficiency Resources (DEER). Because the developing vision of an enhanced
diagnostic protocol and QM based on Standards 4 and 180 presented in this report is new, it
could not be covered by DEER. Since each site will be unique a probabilistic approach such as
Expected Value is needed in place of a rigidly defined package of measures.
13 Conclusions and Recommendations
In this report, we've discussed a wide range of uncertainty driven problems that need to be solved
so that the CPUC Big-Bold goals have the possibility of being achieved. The most important
conclusions we have drawn from our analysis are as follows:
Uncertainties are inherent in programs such as these and are not well accounted for. There
are many interrelated sources of uncertainty, including measurement errors, uncertainties in
predicting human behavior, and the compounding effect of performing calculations on imperfect
data. Perhaps the most important observation here is that, with the program specifications,
methods, and tools commonly used today, it is difficult for a simple refrigerant charge
adjustment to be implemented, measured, and verified to the level of confidence that is required
by the CPUC. It is impossible to eliminate all sources of uncertainty, but they should be
mitigated where possible (e.g. if the technician stops when a target superheat or subcooling value
is reached there will be a 50% chance that the charge will be within the desired range, and a 50%
chance that it will not). A good understanding of uncertainties by program designers, contractors,
and technicians is important.
Additional screening and more sophisticated diagnostic/servicing approaches would benefit

future programs. Quality maintenance programs have the potential to be successful, but their
design and structure could be improved. For example, if technicians perform basic screening of
127
Annual load factor is annual kWh divided by the kW demand times 8760 hours in a year. For example: 2000
kWh AC consumption divided by the product of 4 kW demand and 8760 hours a year yield a load factor of 5.7%.

HVAC systems to determine whether (and which) services are likely to improve efficiency
before implementing charge adjustments, additional energy could be saved. Furthermore,
implementing multiple measures can potentially save much more energy than the current strategy
of implementing single, simple measures, particularly when multiple faults are present. The costs
of providing such a comprehensive service may be higher. However, the additional savings
might justify the cost at a large number of sites. The presence of multiple faults and the need for
multiple measures complicates diagnostic/service protocols in ways that are not well understood.
There is not a thorough, up to date, and independent assessment of the baseline fault conditions
of the over 10 million unitary air conditioners in California. Further study would help to develop
appropriate diagnostic and service strategies that can be guided by the principles of making sure
that no harm is done to the system, that energy efficiency is improved, and that to the greatest
extent possible every site visit results in an energy efficiency improvement.
Human factors are significant but are poorly understood. The behavior, motivations,
preparation, and constraints on technicians, owners, tenants, contractors, and EM&V specialists
can make or break a program. This is an area that has been overlooked in the field of behavioral
research, and a better understanding of why people do what they do is critical. If broad CPUC
energy efficiency policy goals are to be achieved, the measurement of "free-ridership" needs to
be improved to recognize that HVAC quality maintenance measures and services do not exist
without the support of energy efficiency programs.
Measurement and verification processes must be improved. EM&V processes and

instrumentation need to be improved and integrated with program delivery, quality control and
reporting. One-time field EER measurements appear to be of marginal value since uncertainties
can approach 20%. Even with high-quality, time-series EER measurements, there is
uncertainty in simulating the annual kWh savings, in part due to behavioral factors affecting
occupancy and thermostat patterns. Longer term, broadly implemented pre- and post-
measurements of kWh consumption would reduce uncertainty, and could be implemented using
utility smart meters and/or web based sub metering.
Over the long term, achieving large energy savings might be possible with replacement of
existing systems and integration with whole-building energy efficiency measures.
Intuitively, the whole-building approach to energy efficiency should be much more effective
than implementing energy efficiency measures in a piecemeal fashion, with the potential to
achieve savings of over 50%. Past attempts at this approach have enjoyed limited success. The
theory is that a new HVAC system can be sized for the reduced load that results from
improvements in ducts, windows, insulation, lighting, infiltration, etc. Equipment kW savings
are achieved, although kWh savings are less certain. In the long term, the HVAC industry and
utility energy efficiency programs will continue to improve and will likely include providing
quality installation, commissioning, automated diagnostics, demand response, and whole-
building integration, in addition to maintenance. There will probably always be a need for
maintenance-based programs to address the HVAC systems that can become efficient when they
receive quality maintenance and the repairs that are needed.

13.1 Recommended Collaboration Strategies

In the course of this research, the authors have identified a number of collaboration strategies
that, in the opinion of the authors, would help to move maintenance measures and maintenance
programs forward. As part of the development of the Big-Bold HVAC plan a number of
productive meetings were hosted by the CPUC. These meetings allow interested
parties/stakeholders to participate. This type of collaboration needs to continue especially as
generically specified protocols are developed. As demonstrated in the second calendar quarter of
2010, this will at times be a contentious process. Funding will be needed for the research papers,
laboratory and field testing required to resolve fact based disputes. Models for these types of
collaborative activities are those followed by ACCA and ASHRAE as the QM and QI standards
were developed.
Work with the Western HVAC Performance Alliance: Utility companies have
already been proactive about working with industry partners to achieve the goals of the
CLTEESP by forming the "Western HVAC Performance Alliance" (hereafter referred to
as the Alliance). This organization was put together with utility support and significant
industry involvement. All of the major industry associations are represented in the
Alliance, as well as individual manufacturers, contractors, and distributors. The Alliance
is currently forming a set of committees, each focused on one of the goals of the
CLTEESP. Utilities should continue to be actively engaged with the Quality
Installation/Quality Maintenance committee of the Alliance and any Quality Maintenance
subcommittees that are formed. This committee is populated with industry domain
experts and thought leaders who bring a great deal of knowledge to the table, which will
help ensure that upcoming utility programs are not designed in a vacuum. For example,
this report could be reviewed by that committee, and subgroups formed to address some
of the key recommendations. Additionally, gaps in accessible knowledge can be filled by
funded research. The committee can also be helpful by providing input to program
implementation plans for their 2010-2012 programs, as well as the design of their 2013-
2015 programs. In addition to that committee, individual members of the Alliance have
always been forthcoming with their thoughts and opinions. Conference calls with web
conferencing support and/or meetings with key Alliance members would be a very
efficient way to get unmatched intelligence on this industry.
Sponsor a Short-Term Pilot: The utilities can sponsor an interim program based upon
interim protocols with the cooperation of the CPUC and other stakeholders. While the
protocols may not include all of the measures needed to address multiple faults, they
should include measures that go well beyond past programs. This could be seen as a pilot
for a larger program. As a pilot, energy savings and demand reduction would be
achieved but allowances would be approved by the CPUC to allow for exploration of
various marketing approaches, incentive structures, and EM&V protocols. An approach
could be to fund pilot related overhead separately so that TRC calculations are based on a
mature program. The pilot could form the stage for human factor research and a test
case for advanced measures. This pilot could also serve to support the integration of
ACCA Standards 4 and 180 into programs as a way to achieve persistent savings. This
pilot would initially be challenged to provide cost-effective savings, but would ultimately

provide the intelligence and the confidence for a more extensive program with significant
energy and demand savings.
Establish and Support a Diagnostic Protocol and Testing Taskforce: In the

meantime, IOUs, CEC PIER, USDOE, and the CPUC could undertake the research
studies described earlier in this section. A public process that involves all stakeholders is
needed to develop, lab test, field test, and pilot test a new diagnostic protocol.
Establish and Support a Web-Based Monitoring Taskforce: The game changing

potential of wide spread pre and post energy efficiency activities monitoring needs the
support of IOUs as the CPUC regulated energy efficiency program administrators. A
vibrant marketplace of web-based technologies has appeared in the last few years to meet
the growing and/or perceived demand for better tracking of energy use. Innovation
supporting generic data acquisition and reporting protocols can be developed and are
needed so that coordination occurs with the smart meter infrastructure being installed by
IOUs. Demand response program capabilities can be included in the specifications to
improve the cost effectiveness.
Policy Changes: At the same time, utilities, the CPUC, and other stakeholders can work
towards making policy improvements. The DEER database needs modification, which is
both a technical and a policy problem. Sufficient lab and field studies must be conducted
to provide the technical foundation needed to make changes in DEER to more fully
recognize that savings from QM and QI are real and can be implemented in the field by
qualified technicians. Then a more open process is needed to implement the research
results into the DEER to allay the existing distrust of the results. Even more important is
having a recognized work paper procedure to calculate the impact of targeted programs
for kWh savings with and without demand response. Residential customers with
kWh/year usage at double RASS levels (around 2000 kWh/year) may receive enough
benefit to achieve cost effectiveness. Even this situation will be problematic if the
average cost per kWh is used rather that the 2 to 3 times higher cost of the kWh being
saved. With these changes in place, one can anticipate that future cooling programs will
be much more extensive and generate greater energy and demand benefits than the
current programs.

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Glossary
Compressor
As the primary mechanical component in the vapor compression refrigerant cycle it is has the
highest kW demand. The compressor uses an electric motor to compress low pressure/low
temperature refrigerant vapor to a high pressure /high temperature condition using reciprocating,
scroll or rotary technology. In unitary equipment, the compressor is hermetically sealed inside a
container with no serviceable parts.
Condenser
The condenser is the outdoor heat exchanger where heat is rejected to outdoor air that is pulled
or pushed through the condenser coil with a condenser fan. The condenser is operated at a fixed
pressure temperature as the refrigerant is condensed from a high temperature gas to a hot liquid.
Subcooling occurs at the end of the condenser where only liquid exists.
Condensing Temperature and Pressure

The relationship between condensing temperature and pressure is a function of the refrigerant in
the system and the system operating characteristics, and current operating conditions. During
hot mid-summer conditions, the condensing temperature will typically be 20-30F higher than
the outdoor air temperature.
Duct Pressurization Device

A duct pressurization device uses a calibrated, variable speed fan equipped with a manometer
and a flow orifice to accurately measure air flow. All of the duct system outlets are sealed
except where the short duct from the fan is attached to the duct system. Fan speed is increased
until a specific pressure (typically 25 Pa) is reached as shown on the manometer. Using the
calibration charts of the device the pressure and fan speed are converted to air flow. The air flow
is the leakage of the ducts at the pressure (25 Pa).
Economizer
Economizers are typically found in commercial rooftop package units. The system includes a
damper, motor and controls that allow the HVAC system to either operate in a traditional return
air mode, or if outdoor conditions are favorable, utilize outdoor air (70 to100% of system air
flow) for low energy ventilation cooling. In dry climates, simple temperature controls can be
used; in more humid climates enthalpy controls offer better performance. Economizer
technology is starting to appear in some residential equipment. A two stage thermostat or other
controls are needed so that the economizer function is used first. An integrated economizer is
needed so that if the load is not being met but the outdoor air is still cool the compressor can
operate simultaneously.
EER
Energy Efficiency Ratio (Btuh/Watt-hour) is the ratio of the total steady state cooling capacity
(in Btuh) divided by the total system electrical demand (Watts). The EER is normally reported
at 95F outdoor air temperature and is a standard performance metric reported by manufacturers

testing to AHRI Standard 210/240 for single phase residential systems or AHRI 340/360 for
commercial three phase systems. Confusion occurs when the conditions at which the EER is
calculated are not specified and assumed to be AHRI conditions. The Sensible EER is calculated
by dividing the sensible cooling capacity by the total power, whereas the rated/reported EER is
based on total cooling capacity. As of 2010 USDOE requires all unitary equipment greater than
or equal to 65,000 Btuh to have EER ratings from 10.4 to 11.2 depending on type and capacity.
Evaporator Coil
The evaporator coil is the low pressure heat exchanger immediately downstream of the
refrigerant expansion device. The evaporation of the refrigerant is driven by the supply air fan, a
push through or pull through configuration, which moves warmer indoor air across the heat
exchanger. The evaporating refrigerant absorbs heat from the air passing over the heat
exchanger.
Evaporator Pressure and Temperature

The relationship between evaporator pressure and temperature is a function of the refrigerant in
the system, the system operating characteristics, and current operating conditions. During
typical cooling operation, the evaporator temperature will typically be 15F lower than the air
passing over the evaporator so that supply air at 55 to 60F is delivered by a coil running at 40 to
45F.
Expansion device
A device in the refrigerant system that reduces the pressure between the high and low pressure
sides of the system. Typically either a fixed orifice (capillary tube or piston) or a thermostatic
expansion valve (TXV).
Fault
An abnormal condition that may lead to system performance degradation or failure is a fault.
Filter-Dryer
A cylindrical component mounted in the liquid line before the expansion valve to capture debris
that could clog the valve and to remove moisture. Normal practice especially when a
replacement split system is installed.
Fixed Orifice
An expansion valve that is a precision dimensioned tube, piston, or other component that offers a
specified flow resistance at a given pressure. Mass flow of refrigerant is dynamically dependent
on operating conditions.
IAQ
Indoor air quality is met by introducing outdoor air, except when it is polluted, to a conditioned
space to dilute pollutants to an acceptable level. ASHRAE Standard 62 and the California
Building Energy Efficiency Code, Title 24, specify the required volume in cubic feet per minute
(cfm) need for each person in the space. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is used as the control metric for
IAQ since is directly related to occupancy in the space but in the case of out gassing from items
with in the space it is not always sufficient.

IWC
A measure of pressure in inches of water column where 1 IWC equals 250 Pascals the metric
units measurement of pressure.
Latent Cooling Capacity

Represents the energy extracted by the vapor compression cooling system in the form of
moisture condensed from the return air stream at the evaporator coil. In dry climates, the latent
cooling capacity is typically 10-15% of the total cooling capacity. If supply airflow is low, the
evaporator coil will be colder, and the latent cooling capacity will be higher.
Liquid Line
Copper tubing which transports liquid refrigerant from the condenser to the expansion valve. In a
split system it is the smaller, uninsulated pipe.
Manometer
A device used to measure pressures or differential pressures. It is used with duct pressurization
devices and some airflow measurement systems. Digital meters are becoming standard practice.
Measurements are commonly in Pascals (Pa) and Inches of Water Column (IWC).
Non-condensables
Unintended gas, typically water vapor or nitrogen that contaminates the HVAC system and
adversely affects system performance. It can only be removed by evacuating the refrigerant
system and then applying a deep vacuum.
Pa
Pascals, the metric system measurement of pressure where 25 Pa equals 0.1 IWC.
Package Unit
A package unit or RTU (rooftop unit) has all the HVAC electrical, mechanical and heat
exchange components in a single box commonly located on the roof. Down flow for
horizontal configurations are often possible using the same box. Package units are common in
small and medium sized commercial buildings up to three stories. They are also used in
residential application depending on accepted practice in specific geographic locations.
Quality Maintenance (QM)

Maintenance of HVAC equipment performed so that it meets either ACCA Standard 4
Residential Quality Maintenance or ACCA/ASHRAE Standard 180 Commercial Quality
Maintenance.
Quality Installation (QI)

Installation of HVAC equipment that meets ACCA Standard 5 and is verified using ACCA
Standard 9.
Receiver-Dryer
A cylindrical component brazed into the suction refrigerant line that stores liquid refrigerant
letting only vapor pass thereby protecting the compressor for slugging. Some include a

desiccant (and an indicator) to remove moisture which may have been introduced into the
system. More common on refrigeration systems for food preservation.
Refrigerant
The working fluid which is pumped through the vapor compression system. Different
refrigerants have varying thermodynamic properties, operating pressures, and efficiency
characteristics. As of 2010 OEMs have generally switched to R-410a from R-22. The Dupont
trade name Freon is commonly used.
Return Air
The airstream that is forced through the evaporator coil by the supply fan. In residential
systems, the return air is mostly indoor air (some return duct leakage, and in some case some
outdoor ventilation air). In commercial package units, the return air often includes a fraction of
outdoor ventilation air set to maintain IAQ.
RTU
Abbreviation for rooftop unit. Package system type common to commercial buildings. Ground
mounting can occur and the unit still be called an RTU.
SEER
Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio is a performance metric defined by ARI 210/240 Standard to
approximate seasonal operating efficiency of single phase, residential unitary air-cooled air
conditioners with cooling capacities of less than 65,000 Btu/hour. SEER is the industry accepted
metric for marketing residential air conditioners. As of 2006 USDOE required all systems have
SEER ratings of 13 or higher.
Sensible Cooling Capacity

Represents the energy extracted by the vapor compression cooling system as represented by the
temperature drop and the mass flow rate of air across the evaporator coil. In dry climates, the
sensible cooling capacity is typically 85-90% of the total cooling capacity. In most residential
dry climate applications, higher sensible cooling is desirous since indoor humidity levels are
generally low.
Single- and Multi-Staged Compressors

Most residential systems utilize single stage compressors that vary in capacity from 1.5 to 5
tons. Some higher efficiency units utilize two-stage compressors, which allow the system to
operate at a lower capacity level (and higher efficiency) if the thermostat can be satisfied. RTUs
over 10 tons often have multiple compressors or a two-stage compressors. Digital variable
capacity compressors are common in ductless mini-splits and are being introduced into central
ducted systems.
Split System
The predominant residential air conditioning system found in single family homes. Unlike the
package unit, the split system separates the indoor components (supply fan, evaporator coil,
expansion valve) from the outdoor condensing unit (condensing coil and condenser fan). A field

installed set of liquid and suction refrigerant lines and control wires connect the condenser to the
evaporator and air handler (usually a furnace).
Static Pressure
Represents the non-dynamic pressure within the HVAC system including the duct system.
Pressure differentials relative to atmospheric pressure are highest directly upstream and
downstream of the supply fan. The static pressure is the driving force for duct leakage.
Subcooling
The amount of temperature depression, expressed in F, of liquid refrigerant (exiting the
condenser) below the condensing temperature. Key measurement parameter in current RCA
programs when a TXV is used.
Suction Line
Copper tubing used to carry refrigerant gas from the evaporator to the compressor. It is the
larger diameter of the two refrigerant lines and must be insulated to minimize heat gain from
surrounding air.
Superheat
The amount of temperature elevation, expressed in F, of the refrigerant gas (exiting the
evaporator) above the evaporation temperature. Key measurement parameter in current RCA
programs when a fixed orifice is used.
Supply Air
Air leaving the evaporator coil and entering the duct system.
Temperature Split
A standard technician measurement for assessing the match of system airflow to system
refrigerant mass flow. The temperature split between the supply and return air temperature
multiplied by 1.08 times the nominal system airflow (= tonnage times 400 cfm/ton) has
historically provided the technician with a rough estimate of sensible cooling capacity.
Tons of Air Conditioning

A common short hand designation of the total AHRI rated cooling capacity calculated by
dividing the capacity in Btuh by 12,000 Btuh. The 12,000 Btuh number is the hourly cooling
provided by 2000 pounds of ice melting over a 24 hour period.
Total Cooling Capacity

The sum of the sensible and latent cooling capacity calculated from the measurement of airflow,
return dry bulb, inlet wet bulb, supply dry bulb, and supply wet bulb. The dry and wet bulb
temperatures are used for the calculation of the reduction in enthalpy caused by the removal of
heat and moisture (as liquid condensate) by the evaporator coil.
TXV- Thermostatic Expansion Valve

A thermostatic expansion valve has a diaphragm actuated plunger that when raised and lowered
opens and closes the valve. The diaphragm is driven by a gas filled tube with a bulb at the other

end. The bulb is attached to the discharge or suction line as it leaves the evaporator coil. Often
call a constant superheat valve it controls refrigerant flow to maintain a specified amount of
superheat at the evaporator exit. TXV is better equipped to handle changes in conditions and
refrigerant charge than a fixed orifice valve. Requires proper installation and insulation of
temperature sensing bulb on the suction line leaving the evaporator coil.
Vapor Compression Cycle

A thermodynamic cycle where a working fluid (refrigerant) is compressed, condensed,
expanded, and evaporator. The four key components are the compressor, two heat exchangers
(high pressure condenser, low pressure evaporator), and a throttling device (expansion valve).

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HVAC Energy Efficiency

Issued: December 29, 2010

Presented To: Brett Close

Prepared By: Marshall Hunt, PE, Davis Energy Group, Inc.

CALMAC Study ID SCE0293.01

2010 Davis Energy Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

Davis Energy Group, Inc. Page E-1 December 29, 2010

Additional screening and more sophisticated diagnostic/servicing approaches would benefit

Measurement and verification processes must be improved. EM&V processes and

Davis Energy Group, Inc. Page E-2 December 29, 2010

Davis Energy Group, Inc. Page E-3 December 29, 2010

Davis Energy Group, Inc. December 29, 2010

Figure 15. Age of California Residential Air Conditioning Systems...50

Davis Energy Group, Inc. December 29, 2010

Davis Energy Group, Inc. Page 1 December 29, 2010

The key EM&V studies are as follows:

November 2008 Residential Retrofit Contract Group First Draft Verification

March 2009 Process Evaluation: CPACS Program 2007-2008; SCE0265.01; EMI

The report assesses the process and makes recommendations. A Rapid-Feedback

Davis Energy Group, Inc. Page 2 December 29, 2010

February 2010 Evaluation Measurement and Verification of the California Public

Davis Energy Group, Inc. Page 3 December 29, 2010

Contract Group Programs, 2006-2008 Program Year, Volume 1, KEMA, CADMUS

Davis Energy Group, Inc. Page 4 December 29, 2010

The four standards that influence HVAC maintenance are:

1. ACCA Standard 4: In 2008, ACCA published ACCA Standard 4: "Maintenance of

2. ACCA/ASHRAE Standard 180: In 2008, in support of commercial system screening, the

3. ACCA Standard 5: In 2007, the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA)

4. ACCA Standard 9: In 2009, ACCA published Standard 9 (ANSA/ACCA 9 QIVP

Davis Energy Group, Inc. Page 5 December 29, 2010

The following activities were conducted in this study:

Davis Energy Group, Inc. Page 6 December 29, 2010

Davis Energy Group, Inc. Page 7 December 29, 2010

Loren Lutzenhiser, Portland State University (PSU). Dr. Lutzenhiser is a Professor of

4 Refrigeration Cycle Analysis and RCA Programs

The refrigeration cycle is a complex thermodynamic process that is well understood in a

Davis Energy Group, Inc. Page 8 December 29, 2010

Davis Energy Group, Inc. Page 9 December 29, 2010

Vapor Compression Cooling

Electrical (True RMS Watts):

Figure 1. Unitary Refrigeration System Schematic.

Davis Energy Group, Inc. Page 10 December 29, 2010

Unitary AC System Faults

Ducts: Sizing, Leakage, Insulation

Liquid Line Restriction

Compressor Valve Leakage

Figure 2. Taxonomy of Refrigeration System Faults

Davis Energy Group, Inc. Page 11 December 29, 2010

Figure 3. Condenser Coil Fouling

Davis Energy Group, Inc. Page 12 December 29, 2010

Figure 4. Evaporator Coil Fouling

Davis Energy Group, Inc. Page 13 December 29, 2010

4.2 RCA Program Specifications

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Saturation Measured Calculated

Table 1. Example R-22 Superheat Calculation

Subcooling: When a thermal expansion valve (TXV) is present, subcooling is calculated to

Davis Energy Group, Inc. Page 16 December 29, 2010

Figure 5. Variance of Normalized Sensible EER v. Subcooling