Utility recognized for energy-efficient housing development
Southern California Gas Co.’s Emerging Technology team has received the Technology Transfer Award from the Electric Power Research Institute for achievements in research and development.
Team members Jeff Horn and Joe Shiau were recognized for an innovative energy efficiency project at a low-income housing development in Lancaster, California, that combined energy-efficient natural gas and electric technologies to achieve a near net-zero energy status.
Net-zero energy status means the total amount of energy used by the homes on an annual basis is roughly equal to the amount of renewable energy created on-site.
The results from this project show that natural gas is an affordable, reliable and important component in achieving net-zero energy use, SoCalGas officials said.
“Our Emerging Technologies team has always understood that natural gas plays a critical role in achieving net-zero energy use while maintaining its reliability and affordability,” Yuri Freedman, senior director of business development for SoCalGas, told American Gas. “The results of this pilot project prove to a far wider audience that natural gas is not only a source of clean energy, but its use will also be needed in order for California to achieve its climate goals.”
Some of the gas-related products installed for this project included smart thermostats, solar water heaters, smart showerheads and energy-efficient ducts and sealings. The energy savings led to reduced bills for both the property owner and the tenants.
The property owner of the low-income community in Lancaster is now using this net-zero energy program in its other properties in Northern California, outside SoCalGas’ territory, because of the success of the pilot program.
“The Lancaster project is just one of the net-zero energy projects SoCalGas is involved with,” Freedman added. “We’ve also had success with a single-family demonstration project and a 25,000-square-foot recreation center that also boasts NOx emissions below 1 ppm.”