SMUD's energy-saving guru, Bruce Baccei, discusses ideas for saving energy with your roof-top HVAC units
Add-on Variable Speed Controls for RTUs
In a recent article published at the EnergyCentral website, Bruce Baccei of SMUD's Energy R&D, discusses a topic that he has devoted years of his professional life to, HVAC efficiency. In particular Bruce reviews the results of a Sacramento field test on a technology that averaged an energy savings of over 39%. The addition of variable speed controllers to existing single speed HVAC units has proven to dramatically reduce energy consumption and the technology has other significant benefits. Products like Catalyst, also provide the value of fault detection, measurement of energy savings, adjustment of controls, email alerts, viewing performance and Demand Response all by way of the internet. Read Bruce's article here. For more information or an on-site survey showing how Variable Speed Controls, like those discussed in the article, can save your energy dollars contact COAC's John McAlpine.
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The drain on energy budgets by plug loads is on the rise, and there seems to be no decrease in energy rates or devices in use anytime soon. The New Building Institute warns that plug loads are by far the fastest growing segment of energy users. The good news is that there are effective strategies to help reduce this energy load by up to 40% with occupant participation and low-cost technologies. 
COAC's in-house engineering and design team have developed a 3D virtual fly-through of a new NASA Ames Research Center cooling tower. The brief video showcases the detailed measurements and quality of pre- construction planning needed for this high-profile project.
A Stanford University research team
