A Window Even Smarter Than Your Phone?
Have you ever been in a room where the light and heat coming through the window made you uncomfortable? There’s a cool clean technology that is designed to fix that.
Milpitas-based View Incorporated has developed a lower cost dynamic glass technology that detects the amount of sunlight passing through a window and—when the window detects too much light—automatically tints itself to reduce unwanted glare.
The innovative technology was funded in part by the California Energy Commission’s Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) Program and is now commercially available.
The glass also reduces energy cost by enabling greater temperature control and blocking excessive heat, which mitigates the need for air conditioning on hot days.
In fact, a study from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory shows that smart windows could reduce peak cooling loads by at least 19 percent and lighting loads by 48 percent. In existing commercial buildings, assuming a 10 percent market penetration, this technology could save California ratepayers more than 500 gigawatts a year, which translates to more than $65 million annually in lighting energy costs alone.
This technology has been installed in buildings throughout California, including the W Hotel in San Francisco and the Hilton Universal City in Los Angeles.
It is the latest example of how the Energy Commission is funding entrepreneurs and bringing technologies from “lab to life.”
Milpitas-based View Incorporated has developed a lower cost dynamic glass technology that detects the amount of sunlight passing through a window and—when the window detects too much light—automatically tints itself to reduce unwanted glare.
32,000 sf office building on Indio Way in Sunnyvale, CA |
The glass also reduces energy cost by enabling greater temperature control and blocking excessive heat, which mitigates the need for air conditioning on hot days.
In fact, a study from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory shows that smart windows could reduce peak cooling loads by at least 19 percent and lighting loads by 48 percent. In existing commercial buildings, assuming a 10 percent market penetration, this technology could save California ratepayers more than 500 gigawatts a year, which translates to more than $65 million annually in lighting energy costs alone.
W Hotel lounge area, San Francisco, California |
It is the latest example of how the Energy Commission is funding entrepreneurs and bringing technologies from “lab to life.”
Solar Energy Continues to Set Generation Records
There is a lot of record-setting going on as California
continues to produce more and more solar energy.
A new study
published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) stated that total
solar electricity output in May 2014 was three times what it was just one year
ago, when measured as a percentage of the total California Independent System
Operator (California ISO) electricity load. Solar accounted for 6 percent of the May
2014 load. It accounted for 2 percent of the May 2013 load.
The EIA also reported that on June 1 of this year the California ISO recorded a record midday hourly peak of 4767 megawatts of utility-generated
solar electricity delivered in the California grid.
Note: Data
do not include distributed generation solar electricity where output is
behind-the-meter.
|
New Title 24 Standards Take Effect July 1
Designed to get even more energy savings from new and existing residential and nonresidential buildings, California’s 2013 Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Title 24) take effect July 1.
The 2013 standards are a significant improvement over current ones adopted in 2008: they will reduce energy use by 25 percent in residential buildings and 30 percent in nonresidential buildings for lighting, heating, cooling, ventilation, and water heating.
The standards will result in buildings being more comfortable and will decrease energy costs. They also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from a sector that accounts for 40 percent of emissions across the United States, according to the U.S. Green Building Council.
These standards set the foundation of California’s goal to have all new residential buildings be Zero-Net Energy by 2020 and all new nonresidential buildings be Zero-Net Energy by 2030.
The California Energy Commission – which proposed, adopted and is rolling out the standards – developed more sophisticated public domain compliance software that more accurately captures energy savings. The California Building Energy Code Compliance (CBECC) software is a free, open-source program that models residential and nonresidential buildings, giving businesses a better understanding of what is required to be in compliance.
The Energy Commission is working with the industry to make compliance as easy as possible. A series of webinars over the past six months gave an overview of updates on the changes and tutorials on how to use the CBECC software.
Energy efficiency is one of the cheapest, fastest ways to reduce climate pollution and improve air quality.
To learn more about the 2013 Title 24, Part 6 Building Energy Efficiency Standards, please visit our website.
The 2013 standards are a significant improvement over current ones adopted in 2008: they will reduce energy use by 25 percent in residential buildings and 30 percent in nonresidential buildings for lighting, heating, cooling, ventilation, and water heating.
The standards will result in buildings being more comfortable and will decrease energy costs. They also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from a sector that accounts for 40 percent of emissions across the United States, according to the U.S. Green Building Council.
These standards set the foundation of California’s goal to have all new residential buildings be Zero-Net Energy by 2020 and all new nonresidential buildings be Zero-Net Energy by 2030.
The California Energy Commission – which proposed, adopted and is rolling out the standards – developed more sophisticated public domain compliance software that more accurately captures energy savings. The California Building Energy Code Compliance (CBECC) software is a free, open-source program that models residential and nonresidential buildings, giving businesses a better understanding of what is required to be in compliance.
CBECC software tutorial |
Energy efficiency is one of the cheapest, fastest ways to reduce climate pollution and improve air quality.
To learn more about the 2013 Title 24, Part 6 Building Energy Efficiency Standards, please visit our website.
Hyundai the First to Launch Consumer Line of Hydrogen Electric Fuel Cell Vehicles, in Southern California
In two more California firsts, a family in
Southern California picked up the keys yesterday to their new hydrogen-fueled Hyundai Tucson. The
Bush family was the first to buy a mass-produced hydrogen fuel cell electric
vehicle (FCV) and Hyundai is the first automaker to launch a consumer fleet.
Like other electric vehicles, FCVs are
zero-emission. FCVs can go further – 250-300 miles -- on a “tank” and come in
bigger models, such as Tucson SUVs, but they require fueling stations.
The Energy Commission and the Air Resources
Board are working
together to build a network of 100 hydrogen fueling
stations throughout California. A number of these will be found in regular gas
stations so more families like the Bushes can easily refuel their vehicles.
Related information:
- Hyundai Sees Hydrogen SUV as Alternative Electric Vehicle
- Hyundai Proudly Hands Keys to First Tucson Fuel Cell Customer at Tustin -Hyundai
- California Investing Nearly $50 Million in Hydrogen Refueling Stations
Tustin Hyundai dealership hands the keys to the first family to drive the new FCV Tucson |
With transportation accounting for 40 percent
of California’s carbon emissions, creating a range of consumer choices is an
important part of greening the transportation fleet in order to meet
California’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Energy Commissioner Janea A. Scott |
The Energy Commission also recently announced $50
million in awards to build 28 new stations. The
investments will help build 28 new stations and one mobile refueler, bringing
the number of publicly
available stations to 54.
Congratulations to Hyundai and the Bush family for
being first out of the gate with this next-generation
vehicle that will help California improve its air quality and continue
setting an example for others to follow.
Related information:
More FCV Hyundai Tucsons ready to drive off the lot |
- Hyundai Proudly Hands Keys to First Tucson Fuel Cell Customer at Tustin -Hyundai
- California Investing Nearly $50 Million in Hydrogen Refueling Stations