The hot climates of California’s high growth areas are causing increased energy use for cooling. Most California buildings experience large afternoon “load spikes” that are the major cause of electric load peaks.  Conventional cooling systems are sub-optimal for California; for example, they usually dehumidify unnecessarily, increasing loads and operating costs by as much as 15%. Conventional practice also suffers from inattention to integrated design strategies, application of oversized system designs, and a general failure to take advantage of natural cooling alternatives such as flushing buildings with cool night air. The WCEC catalogs and supports a range of cooling strategies that in concert can significantly and cost-effectively reduce the impact of cooling systems on California’s electricity grid.  Several projects completed over the last ten years show the potential to reduce cooling energy consumption on California buildings by 50 to 90% with improved or equivalent comfort compared to conventional systems. Modeled after the CLTC, the WCEC is implementing an organized process for bringing a wide range of emerging cooling technologies to market, with a combination of technical support and educational efforts.

The WCEC is guided by a 12 person Steering Committee that meets three times annually.  Steering Committee members currently represent the major California electric utilities, the California Energy Commission, the UC Davis Energy Efficiency Center, the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, major retailers, and the New Buildings Institute. 

The WCEC will accomplish its mission and goals through activities that:

1. Confront Market Barriers; we will develop strategies to overcome market impediments for energy-saving cooling systems
2. Guide Research and Development; we will identify and support technology development projects that can cost-effectively reduce cooling system energy use and peak demand in California within a market-oriented context.
3. Support Full-Scale Demonstration Projects; we will encourage, organize, and monitor “high impact” emerging cooling technology demonstrations, and publicize results.
4. Provide Business Support; by working with the UC Davis Graduate School of Management, we will support product and business plan development, and entrepreneurial firms committed to producing and marketing emerging cooling technologies.
5. Conduct Outreach Activities; we will catalog available energy-efficient cooling systems, create a Cooling Center website, and conduct educational activities that support the WCEC Mission.
6. Develop Example Facilities; we will design WCEC offices that function as a working laboratory and allow partners and affiliates to display and demonstrate emerging cooling technologies.