The California Energy Alliance (CEA), a member-based organization committed to smart, sustainable energy use within the built environment, conducted a workshop focused on its recent HVAC Modernization Initiative in mid-February. Sponsored by industry member greenNet IoT, the workshop gathered 20 senior-level stakeholders from across the state and nation including former FERC Chairman, Jon Wellinghoff, former PG&E Program Manager, Charles Segerstrom, Bill Spohn of TrueTech Tools, and Michael Singer representing DLL Financial. Also represented were design professionals, labor unions, the California Energy Commission, HERS Raters, and energy consulting organizations. The intensive two-day workshop was held at a UC Davis facility in Davis, California on February 13-14, 2019.

Charles Segerstrom, Co-Chair, CEA Mechanical Committee observed, “Currently, CEA is focused on initiatives designed to help California meet its challenging permitting compliance improvement goals mandated under Senate Bill 1414 (Statues of 2016). This calls for the California Energy Commission and California Public Utilities Commission to adopt programs to increase compliance with state laws regarding the installation of air conditioning and heat pump systems from what is now estimated to be between 5% and 10% to 90% by 2020.”

Eric Taylor, Co-Chair of the CEA Compliance Committee added, “The state is not going to achieve these goals by doing more of the same. This calls for innovative ideas and assertive leadership from California’s regulators and industry. California, once again, has the opportunity to take a leadership role in the nation.”

Noted John Martin, CEA Co-Chair, “The CEA is emphasizing that improving compliance and modernizing the HVAC industry offers benefits to the state’s ratepayers, home and building owners, and industry participants.”

The workshop helped focus the organization on identifying the simplest, least expensive, and most effective options for achieving compliance, while setting the stage for a private-market energy efficiency industry and a smart grid.

More information on CEA and its HVAC modernization initiative may be found at www.caenergyalliance.org

About California Energy Alliance (CEA)

Founded in late 2016, the California Energy Alliance (CEA) unites representatives of a broad range of organizations concerned about energy and the built environment. As a member-based organization, CEA works to improve California’s energy future and the migration toward a Zero Net Energy horizon. CEA focuses on the promotion and realization of deep energy savings, sustainable energy generation, and integration. The Alliance actively participates in the development and implementation of pragmatic, environmentally and economically sound building energy standards and other initiatives. More information about CEA can be found at https://caenergyalliance.org