University Developing Localized System to ‘Dramatically’ Reduce Building Energy Use

University Developing Localized System to ‘Dramatically’ Reduce Building Energy Use
SYRACUSE, N.Y.—A Syracuse University team is attempting to develop novel localized heating and cooling systems and devices to expand temperature ranges within buildings. Localized technologies regulate temperatures focused on a building’s occupants and not the overall building. This localization of thermal management enables buildings to operate in wider temperature ranges while still ensuring occupant comfort, which would dramatically reduce buildings’ energy consumption and associated emissions. The university will develop a near-range micro-environmental control system. The system leverages a high-efficiency micro-scroll compressor in a micro-vapor compression system, with an evaporator embedded in a phase-change material. The material will store the cooling produced by the micro-vapor compression system at night, releasing it as a cool breeze to make occupants more comfortable during the day. The system could save more than 15% of the energy provided for heating and cooling. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy’s (ARPA-E) Delivering Efficient Local Thermal Amenities (DELTA) program is providing $3.2 million to support the project.