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The rooftop unit (RTU) decision tree can be used for preliminary screening for replacement of RTU units with more efficient units. This decision tree organizes RTUs into bins for “retrofit,” “replacement,” “no action,” or “needs further analysis.”

Older, inefficient commercial rooftop unit (RTU) air conditioning systems are common and can waste from $1,000 to $3,700 per unit annually, depending on the building size and type. By replacing or retrofitting them, you can save money, improve your energy efficiency, make your building more comfortable, and help the environment. The Advanced RTU Campaign (ARC) encourages commercial building owners and operators to replace their old RTUs with more efficient units or to retrofit their RTUs with advanced controls in order to take advantage of these benefits. This website shows updates to the campaign including resources and progress towards the campaign's goal.

A recast of a presentation done for the Fairfax Chapter of Association of Energy Engineers in November of 2013. Presentation focuses on the the Advanced Energy Design Guides published by ASHRAE with association of AIA, USGBC, and IES with funding and technical support from DOE, NREL, and PNNL. In addition, the DOE Advanced Retrofit Guides are also discussed. Both sets of guides are available for download from this resource database.

Case study describing how adidas implemented a best practice of a planned replacement program for its rooftop units (RTUs), which resulted in significant cost and energy savings. The case study outlines the planning process, implementation, results, and the future plans of their RTU replacement program.

This document provides facility managers and building owners with an introduction to measurement and verification (M&V) methods to estimate energy and cost savings of rooftop units replacement or retrofit projects. The M&V methods presented here are helpful in estimating paybacks to justify future projects.

The Advanced Energy Design Guide for Grocery Stores (AEDG-Grocery) is intended to provide a simple approach for contractors, designers, and owners to achieve 50% savings in grocery stores and other like retail that has refrigeration systems. Application of the recommendations in the Guide should result in grocery stores with 50% energy savings when compared to those same stores designed to the minimum requirements of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2004. Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings.

This case study details the very successful Walgreens proactive RTU replacement program that has resulted in 50% efficiency improvements. The streamlined process allows Walgreens to reduce installed cooling capacity, increase RTU efficiency, provide improved service, and reduce overall costs compared to emergency replacements.

JCPenney saved over 47 million kWh and $5 million with variable frequency drive retrofits of rooftop units across 131 stores. The case study describes the decision process and results of this successful program.

Find the presentation for the June 3, 2015 webinar on the 50% Advanced Energy Design Guide for Grocery Stores below.

The guide shows practical ways for grocery stores to achieve a 50% energy savings over ASHRAE 90.1-2004 and exceeds the requirements of 90.1-2013. Intended for grocery stores owners and designers, the guide includes specialty sections for refrigeration and food service found, not only in grocery stores but in convenience stores and food service establishments as well.

Speakers highlighted the guide, providing practical how-to tips to achieve the 50% savings level. The guide also helps those who build or design retail stores that may include refrigeration.

Below are the speakers from the webinar.
-Michael Lane, Puget Sound Energy
-Merle McBride, Owens Corning
-Caleb Nelson, CTA Group
-Paul Torcellini, National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

"Zero Net Energy (ZNE) is the future, and in a growing number of places the present, of building design and energy policy. A growing strategy to get to ZNE is to separate the building’s heating/cooling from the ventilation/dehumidification. Design firms and owners are striving to meet heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) loads with optimum comfort and minimal energy. Radiant systems can provide heating and cooling through pipes while ventilation and any humidity control requirements are efficiently met by a Dedicated Outdoor Air System (DOAS). This guide provides an overview of Radiant Heating and Cooling + DOAS systems."