ASHRAE Insights

BORÅS, Sweden—Organized under the umbrella of the International Energy Agency in 1978, the IEA Heat Pump Program is a nonprofit organization under which participants from different countries cooperate on projects in the field of heat pumps, air conditioning and related refrigeration technologies.

Under the management of an Executive Committee representing the member countries, the Program carries out a strategy to accelerate the use of heat pumps in applications where they can reduce energy consumption for the benefit of the environment.

As a signature supporter of the IEA Heat Pump Program, the United States assists in collaborative research and cooperative information sharing. The undertakings are performed under collaborative efforts or “annexes” where participating countries agree to cost- or task-share to achieve the goals of a particular investigation or project.

Information sharing is accomplished through a central Web site, www.heatpumpcentre.org. The site includes a summary of the 28 completed annexes, a quarterly newsletter, triennial international heat pump conferences, and numerous technical publications.

ASHRAE has been a cosponsor (or endorser) of the IEA heat pump conferences from the first of the series in 1984.  ASHRAE members’ involvement with the IEA efforts takes many other forms. One  example is by conducting research projects that serve as task-share contributions from the U.S

In the case of ongoing Annex 33 (on compact heat exchangers), ASHRAE is supporting efforts to closely monitor the ongoing research contributions from the other participating countries so results can be shared promptly with ASHRAE members, in particular TCs 8.5, 8.11, and other related TCs.

Activities within the U.S. National Team (USNT) of the IEA Heat Pump Program focus on diagnostic and real-time monitoring tools; design tools for heat pumps and air conditioners; improvements in supermarket refrigeration; HVAC systems for low energy homes; compact heat exchangers; thermally activated heat pumps; and residential thermal distribution.
 
USNT meetings are held 2 – 3 times per year, generally in conjunction with the ASHRAE Annual and Winter Meetings. These meetings are open to all interested persons.
Persons interested in receiving the IEA Newsletter (which is free to U.S. participants) should contact Melissa Lapsa at lapsamv@ornl.gov.

Additional background information on the IEA U.S. National Team can be found at www.ornl.gov/estd/usiea.