Category: #HVAC research

Smart Thermostat Innovation Will Help People Breathe Easier During Wildfires

Smart Thermostat Innovation Will Help People Breathe Easier During Wildfires

Wildfires in the western United States have been increasing in frequency and magnitude in recent decades, resulting in poor air quality that constitutes a major environmental risk factor for human health and mortality. Researchers at CBE have created a novel software tool for smart thermostats to improve the air quality inside homes at times when outside air becomes unhealthy during wildfires.

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Contributions of CBE Faculty and Researchers Receive Industry Recognition

Contributions of CBE Faculty and Researchers Receive Industry Recognition

Two members of CBE’s research team have received recognition for their contributions from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE): Edward Arens, CBE’s director and professor emeritus of architecture; and Thomas Parkinson, an assistant professional researcher. In addition, several active and past members of CBE’s industry consortium also received recognition.

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CBE Contributing to International Research Collaboration on Resilient Cooling for Buildings

CBE Contributing to International Research Collaboration on Resilient Cooling for Buildings

CBE researchers are part of a research program on “Resilient Cooling for Buildings,” supported by an international association of governments, industry and researchers. The main objective is to support the rapid adoption of resilient, low-energy and low-carbon cooling systems for buildings. This work will also serve to help cities and communities better contend with climate-based and demand-based power outages.

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CBE Researcher Fred Bauman Recognized as ASHRAE Fellow

CBE Researcher Fred Bauman Recognized as ASHRAE Fellow

Project Scientist Fred Bauman recently received the ASHRAE Fellow award, a recognition for those who have distinguished themselves in the HVAC industry. His contributions are based on the extensive research on UFAD that he directed at CBE, leading to deeper knowledge and guidance for these advanced HVAC systems. Recently, he has led a similar efforts to address thermally massive radiant systems.

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CBE Research on Ceiling Fans May Help Tackle Future Global Challenges

CBE Research on Ceiling Fans May Help Tackle Future Global Challenges

CBE research has quantified what we all know intuitively: ceiling fans can provide acceptable comfort at temperatures that otherwise would be stifling. This enables passive solutions in milder climates, and may reduce the reliance on air conditioning in climates where passive solutions alone are not sufficient.

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New Funding Awarded: Energy Product Evaluation

New Funding Awarded: Energy Product Evaluation

In March, CBE’s research team received news of a successful proposal led by the UC Davis Energy and Efficiency Institute to form a new California Energy Product Evaluation (Cal-EPE) Hub. The objective of the Hub is to evaluate commercially available technologies that are relevant to institutional and commercial customer procurement processes, including products related to energy efficiency, renewable distributed generation, and distributed storage.

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Japan-based Daikin Joins CBE

Japan-based Daikin Joins CBE

This spring, CBE welcomes global HVAC manufacturer Daikin as one of its newest industry members. Having yet to fully establish themselves in North America, you could be forgiven for not recognizing their brand. However, with annual sales of over 17 billion dollars, Daikin is indeed a global leader in air conditioning equipment.

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New Capabilities for the CBE Thermal Comfort Tool

New Capabilities for the CBE Thermal Comfort Tool

An important goal at CBE is to provide tools to assist industry professionals to create energy efficient and comfortable buildings. In 2013 we first launched the online CBE Thermal Comfort Tool as a way to help practitioners predict thermal comfort in buildings, based on ASHRAE Standard 55. We are excited to announce expanded capabilities in the most recent version of the tool.

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