June 2, 2015 – Through some nifty system coordination that limits the number of commercial rooftop air conditioning units that run simultaneously, a technique developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers can provide savings of thousands of dollars per year. Researchers expect the system, installed at a church in Knoxville, Tenn., to return the $1,200 investment in six months to a year. Compared to other complicated approaches that employ dozens of sensors and can cost thousands of dollars, the ORNL system receives data through public weather services and existing thermostat temperature sensors. The ORNL system effectively reduces costly peak demand – which happens when multiple units are running – by 50 percent. ORNL researcher James Nutaro noted that systems that cost thousands of dollars are unlikely to ever provide a return on investment.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory