Notice of Staff Workshop on
Programmable Communicating Thermostat (PCT)
Systems Integration Framework

The California Energy Commission's Public Energy Interest Research (PIER) Program will host a public workshop to discuss a systems integration framework intended to support the current Title 24 Building Standards for Energy Efficiency specifications for the programmable communicating thermostat (PCT). The framework is intended to simplify the PCT systems integration discussion so that constructive comments from all stakeholders can be considered.

The workshop will be held:

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2005
10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION
1516 Ninth Street
First Floor, Hearing Room A
Sacramento, California
(Wheelchair Accessible)

Audio from this meeting will be broadcast over the Internet. For more information, please go to:

www.energy.ca.gov/webcast/

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Parties can also participate in the Webex conference through the internet or by phone.

Webex information:
Topic: Systems Integration Workshop
Date: Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Time: 10:00 a.m., Pacific Standard Time (GMT -08:00, San Francisco)
Link: https://energy.webex.com/energy/j.php?ED=86288462&UID=32951767
Meeting number: 921 990 405
Meeting password: abcd#1234

Teleconference: Call in toll free phone number (US/Canada): 866-469-3239
Call in phone number (US/Canada): 650-429-3300

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Purpose

This workshop is the second in a series to facilitate a discussion on the scope, needs and timing for the development of an integrated framework for a demand response infrastructure. This workshop will address issues that become important when communications between system hardware and software are involved. Demand response infrastructure requires the ability to send data between locations and assure that systems can exchange information seamlessly.

Background

Systems integration is the process of linking together software and hardware components from different vendors using standardized interfaces to achieve the goals of a system.

Systems integration is closely tied to the concept of reference architecture and reference designs (the topic of the previous workshop). A reference architecture is a framework for understanding significant relationships among entities. A reference design is a specific description of the physical components and capabilities necessary to support a given set of functions required by the owners or users of the system. Two principal goals of a disciplined, systems integration approach are:

1) Encourage "open architecture," meaning vendors would use common interfaces in their products that would allow information exchange with other vendor's products. This encourages innovation as well as lower costs.

2) Think through, in advance, the potential new desired functions for the supporting infrastructure. This lowers infrastructure costs by minimizing obsolescence and reduces the likelihood of stranded assets.

Public Participation

The Energy Commission's Public Adviser, Margret J. Kim, provides the public assistance in participating in Energy Commission activities. If you would like information on how to participate in this workshop, please contact the Public Adviser's Office by phone at (916) 654-4489 or toll free at (800) 822-6228, by FAX at (916) 654-4493, or by e-mail at [pao@energy.state.ca.us]. If you have a disability and require assistance to participate in this workshop, please contact Lou Quiroz at (916) 654-5146 at least five days in advance.

News media inquiries should be directed to Claudia Chandler, Assistant Executive Director, at (916) 654-4989.

If you have questions of the subject matter of this notice, please call Mark Rawson at (916) 654-4671.

This workshop is free; however, seating is limited and we encourage pre-registration. Please RSVP to Tony Tully at [ttully@energy.state.ca.us].

Date on line: November 15, 2005

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Programmable Communicating Thermostat (PCT)
Systems Integration Framework Workshop

AGENDA

November 29, 2005
CALIFORNIA ENERGY COMMISSION
1516 Ninth Street
First Floor, Hearing Room A

This workshop will be available as a webcast and as a webex conference. See above for details.

Workshop Presentations are posted on the Documents Page.