Nationwide, commercial rooftop units (CRTUs) make up approximately 37% of commercial buildings’ heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and cover 50% of all commercial buildings’ floorspace.
While these products are widely used, according to the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, more efficient CRTUs can achieve 10-40% energy savings compared to standard units. Nevertheless, product availability and adoption of the more efficient versions of these units remains low.
CalMTA is investigating a potential market transformation (MT) idea to increase the heating and cooling efficiency in California’s commercial buildings by accelerating market adoption of efficient CRTUs across the state. Several barriers stand in the way of a broader adoption of CRTUs, including lack of cost parity with other options, low product availability, lack of product differentiation, and installation techniques that would require workforce training.
CalMTA’s strategies to overcome these barriers include engaging manufacturers on needed product developments and affordability, and initiating training partnerships and workforce development tactics. The CRTU market transformation idea will also seek to create higher wage jobs for environmental and social justice (ESJ) communities through workforce development. This work will involve leveraging incentives and other cost-reduction strategies to support installation of CRTU equipment for field testing and partnering with trusted allies in ESJ communities to establish a network of skilled installation technicians through workforce development, education, and training.
We envision a future state in which controls and design improvements are integrated into CRTUs, the technology is widely adopted by small- and medium-sized existing commercial building owners and operators, and a skilled and diverse workforce exists to service and install the equipment.
The CRTUs market transformation idea is now in Phase II: Program Development with the MTI Plan currently in development.
This Advancement Plan describes the information developed and research conducted to establish an Efficient Rooftop Units (ERTU) Market Transformation Initiative (MTI). Rooftop units are forced-air systems that package the evaporator, condenser coils, fans, and heating components into a single unit to serve a building’s heating, cooling, and ventilation needs. Three
The Commercial Rooftop Units fact sheet describes the opportunity, technology, market transformation strategy and equity considerations for this initiative. Nationwide, rooftop units (RTUs) make up approximately 37% of commercial buildings’ heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, and 50% of all commercial buildings’ floorspace.1 According to the Northwest Energy Efficiency
The California Market Transformation Administrator (CalMTA) develops and manages market transformation initiatives in the state to reduce energy use and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
CalMTA follows a rigorous process for reviewing, scoring, and then developing relevant, timely market transformation initiatives. The process supports market transformation initiative creation from concept to program development to market deployment, as well as the eventual exiting of the market.
We welcome your questions and suggestions.
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CalMTA
Resource Innovations
719 Main Street, Suite A
Half Moon Bay, CA, 94019
(888) 217-0217
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