Ken Koehler, vice president of quality and key account manager, Danfoss Turbocor; Richard Taft, general manager, Smardt North America; and John Galyen, Danfoss’ North American president, at the 2012 Energy Efficiency Global Forum in Orlando, Fla.

A number of high-level policymakers, business representatives including some HVACR manufacturers, and nongovernmental organization leaders recently converged in Orlando for the 2012 Energy Efficiency (EE) Global Forum.

“I was thrilled to see today’s events spring out from the gates, declaring energy efficiency as the triple-win, one-stop shop for tackling global energy problems,” said Michael Mills, Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance president, following the forum’s opening ceremonies. “At its core, EE Global is about implementing the best energy-efficiency practices wherever you may call home.”

At the event, enthusiasts from more than 40 countries shared ideas and practices through the action-inspired gathering that included workshops, plenary sessions, executive dialogue assemblies, awards ceremonies, and more. EE Global Forum organizers also shared their message worldwide through the inaugural virtual podium press conference. The virtual podium webinar served as a launching pad for corporations and organizations to share news announcements with those who were unable to attend.

“The announcements today demonstrate that energy efficiency is a top-of-mind priority for businesses and governments,” said Kateri Callahan, president, Alliance to Save Energy. “As companies seek the economic benefits of energy efficiency and global leaders cultivate new partnerships, the next generation of energy efficiency is emerging and helping to improve the economies around the world.”

Manufacturer Announcements

During the EE Global Forum, Bosch Thermotechnology Corp. announced a partnership with Serenbe, a sustainable eco-conscious community development in Chattahoochee Hills, Ga. The 1,000-acre real estate and sustainable farming development will be one of the first communities nationwide to host a Bosch Experience Center. The experience center, scheduled to open in May, will be powered and fully equipped with products comprising the Bosch home solution suite. The center will serve as an educational, interactive hub, offering consumers, trade professionals, and influencers in the sustainability space the opportunity to learn about Bosch solutions while serving as a gathering spot for discussions on sustainability research and education.

The end goal, according to Bosch officials, is to show how the combination of energy-efficient Bosch products are helping produce a new generation of affordable, sustainable homes that greatly reduce demand and monthly costs, and have the potential of giving energy back to the grid in certain configurations.

“Building a new home can be a great experience. But balancing performance, efficiency, and aesthetics can also create a lot of stress with the many choices that have to be made,” said Ervin Cash, president and CEO, Bosch Thermotechnology North America. “Our goal is to offer a portfolio of products designed to address these priorities, thus facilitating a simple ‘peace of mind’ solution for sustainable living decisions.”

Danfoss honored Smardt Chiller Group Inc. as its third annual EnVisioneer of the Year award winner. The EnVisioneer award recognizes end users, building owners, and OEMs who have engineered solutions that improve performance and profitability, utilized energy efficiency means that meet higher standards and supplement lower operating costs, and provided social and financial payback through environmental sustainability.

Each Smardt chiller is equipped with four Danfoss Turbocor oil-free compressors. The chiller plant control package uses a custom-made algorithm that models the energy consumption of the chillers and associated devices, optimizing their sequence of operation and delivering a total plant performance equal to, or better than, 0.5 kW per ton of cooling load.

“It’s always exciting for us to recognize a Danfoss customer that has incorporated our products in solutions that achieve significant energy savings while reducing a company’s carbon footprint,” said John Galyen, president, Danfoss North America. “The results of the Smardt solution underscore the benefits of oil-free compressor technology even as they demonstrate the positive impact that existing technology continues to have in the marketplace today.”

Siemens Industry Inc. announced the acquisition of Pace Global Energy Services LLC. The acquisition supports Siemens’ strategic commitment to enhance enterprise value for its global clients by optimizing energy and resource efficiency. Pace Global currently manages more than $5 billion in energy spending for 200 clients worldwide, and supports the development, acquisition, and financing of over $100 billion of energy assets worldwide.

Whirlpool announced it is actively developing the next generation of hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs) technology for use as a blowing agent in refrigeration appliances. Whirlpool’s HFOs provide an environmentally conscious alternative to hydrocarbons, delivering up to 40 percent lower global warming potential and 5-8 percent better energy efficiency over existing hydrocarbon solutions.

Schneider Electric announced its intention to utilize the federal government’s new “Green Button” initiative in its energy management products sold to utility, commercial building, industrial, and residential customers. The initiative allows energy consumers to securely download energy usage data directly from the utility’s website.

Additional Announcements

The U.S. Department of State’s League of Green Embassies reported 31 percent savings in electricity costs and a range of 24.4 percent to 41.6 percent total energy savings following an energy-efficiency makeover at Ambassador Howard Gutman’s U.S. diplomatic residence in Brussels, Belgium. The energy-savings technologies of 3M, Danfoss, Johnson Controls, Knauf Insulation, Philips, Schneider Electric, and Whirlpool were implemented last year and contributed to the savings.

The United Nations Foundation described plans for energy efficiency projects as part of the U.N. Secretary General’s “Sustainable Energy for All” initiative. The foundation spoke of a partnership that will encourage developing countries to include energy-efficient building strategies in their national energy plans, national appropriate mitigation actions, and policies and programs to increase capacity and financing.

For more information, visit www.eeglobalforum.org.

Publication date: 04/16/2012