Leading in Los Angeles: Demonstrating Scalable Emerging Energy Efficient Technologies for Integrated Façade, Lighting, and HVAC Retro-commissioning

Existing buildings represent an immense challenge for California to meet its ambitious climate goals. To address the vast energy use and emissions associated with existing buildings that largely fall outside of the regulatory scope of local and state government, market attractive and scalable deep retrofit solutions are a vital part of the solution. The project team developed a low-disruption retrofit package made up of pre-commercial wireless solar-powered automated interior shades, upgrades to LED lighting with networked lighting controls, and HVAC retro-commissioning with a goal of achieving 20 percent whole building energy savings. The project team developed, tested, and piloted the retrofit package over the course of four years. The project upgraded over 4,400 light fixtures and installed nearly 1,000 shades in 220,000 square feet of office floor space at two public buildings in the Los Angeles area.

Laboratory testing at the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab’s FLEXLAB facility showed 49-62 percent lighting energy savings in the daylight zone during occupied hours against a Title 24 baseline and 15-43 percent cooling savings in the summer and fall seasons. At the two demonstration sites, Santa Ana City Hall and California State University Dominguez Hills Welch Hall, the project team observed 15-26 percent whole building energy savings (35-42 percent lighting, 6-29 percent HVAC) during the post-retrofit period as determined by our measurement and verification 2.0 analysis.

As a result of this research project, the project team developed market resources to support the adoption of these retrofit technologies, including separate standalone guidance for owners, installers, and policymakers. The project also advanced the commercial viability and technology readiness of self-powered automated interior shades as a retrofit solution. The estimated statewide potential benefits to California are 2,000 GWh, $375M, and 1,750 million pounds of CO2 per year.