April 13, 2010 –
More than 120 academics, energy experts, government representatives and members of the business community joined forces at the UC Irvine division of CALIT2 April 1 for a day-long brainstorming session. The focus of the effort was a proposed institute-directed energy center and the group was sharing ideas about how to best shape its research agenda.
One of the most rapidly growing sectors of energy consumption in California is also one of the least examined – the wide range of appliances and electronic devices used in residential and commercial settings.
Panel presenters: Gregg Ander, Jim Meacham and Bradley Meister
The planning workshop for the plug load energy efficiency center featured presentations that delved into ongoing UCI energy research and current campus building initiatives, as well as perspectives from industry, consumer organizations, nonprofits, other research entities and public utilities. Moderated by CALIT2 Irvine director G.P. Li, the workshop sought to gather input that will be used to determine the center’s research direction from a wide range of knowledgeable constituents.
Alladi Venkatesh
Michael Siminovich, David Brownstone, David Kirkby and GP Li answer audience questions.
If approved, the center will be funded by the California Energy Commission. It will work to develop more efficient plug-load device management, controls and systems for homes, offices and commercial buildings and educate consumers in hopes of effecting changes in behavior. Efforts will encompass engineering, marketing, computer science and behavioral studies.
“CALIT2 is known to the UC campuses as a truly interdisciplinary research institute and we intend to draw expertise from different schools and other institutes to work together and address such important issues for energy efficiency,” Li said in opening the workshop.
Nicholas Ilyadis, Christopher Harrington and Douglas Johnson.
Consumer behavior has changed, he added, as has the user base for consumer and office electronics. “So the engineering solutions need to be changed accordingly, to address growing demand and different consumer behaviors. We need to address these issues with a holistic approach.”
Plug Load Workshop PowerPoint presentations and audio (in chronolgical order), and white papers:
Scott Samuelsen: APEP Research and Smart Grid Demonstration
Wendell Brase: UCI Energy Efficient Smart Building Initiative
Michael Siminovitch: Perspectives from the California Lighting Technology Center
Alladi Venkatesh: Market Settings and Market Structure for Appliances and Energy Consumption
GP Li: Engineering Challenges for Energy Efficiency in Consumer and Office Electronics
David Kirkby: Designing for Behavior Change: The uci@home Project
David Brownstone: The Economics of Plug Load Efficiency
Gregg Ander: The Role of Utilities in Advancing Energy Efficiency Agendas
Bradley Meister: PIER Funded Research in Consumer and Office Electronics
Jim Meacham: LEED: Current Impact and Future Opportunities
Douglas Johnson: Energy Efficiency Approaches, Challenges and Opportunities in Consumer Electronics
Nicholas Ilyadis: Data Center Energy Efficiency with Ethernet Technologies
Christopher Harrington: Energy Considerations in the Context of Overall Business Management
Virginia Lew, Brad Meister and Chris Scruton: Facilitated Discussion — Potential Research Center Structure and Focus
Part 1; Part 2
Question-and-Answer Sessions
