california public utilities commission energy efficiency

California Public Utilities Commission

Energy Efficiency Program Evaluation of the Group B Sectors

Research Workplan: Year 2 Update

Sector Areas: ZNE and Building Decarbonization

Original Date: December 11, 2019

Updated: July 20, 2020

opiniondynamics.com Page ii

Table of Contents

1. Zero Net Energy (ZNE) .................................................................................................................................. 3

1.1 Deliverable 31 (ZNE-1) ZNE Community Case Study ......................................................................... 5

1.2 Deliverable 32 .................................................................................................................................. 13

1.3 Deliverable 33 (ZNE-3) IOU and CCA Cross-Cutting Program Evaluation and Program

Facilitation ........................................................................................................................................ 14

1.4 Deliverable 34 .................................................................................................................................. 22

1.5 Deliverable 35 (ZNE-5) ZNE Retrofit Timelines and Costs ............................................................... 23

Zero Net Energy (ZNE)

opiniondynamics.com

1. Zero Net Energy (ZNE)

Buildings are a primary opportunity for meeting worldwide energy and climate change goals. While

“green buildings” have been a tool for reducing CO2 emissions for some time, Zero Net Energy (ZNE)

Buildings and building decarbonization efforts are evolving how we think about new construction and

existing building retrofits to manage building energy use and Green House Gas (GHG) emissions today

and into the future.

ZNE

A ZNE building is defined as one that produces as much energy as it consumes over the course of a

year through combining high levels of efficiency, renewable generation, and effective maintenance

and operation procedures. At its most fundamental level, designing a ZNE building is a balancing act

of reducing building loads and increasing efficiency enough to be able to produce sufficient renewable

energy to completely offset the remaining projected energy use over the course of a year.

In 2007, as a part of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007), the US

Department of Energy (DOE) created the Net-Zero Energy Commercial Building Initiative, which

supported a ZNE goal for all new commercial buildings by 2030, a 50% target for existing commercial

buildings by 2030, and a 100% ZNE target for all U.S. commercial buildings by 2050. For residential buildings, California set a goal to achieve 100% ZNE for new construction by 2020. Building design

professional associations set complementary ZNE targets, including the American Society of Heating,

Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

While many states have been slow to take up these goals, the state of California has been committed

to “the development of a robust and self-sustaining ZNE market” (California Energy Commission,

2015). ZNE was introduced into state policies as a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,

conserve state energy resources, and lead the state by example. Zero Net Energy will be a key

contributor to meeting the goal set forth in SB350 of increasing energy efficiency in buildings by 50%

by 2030. Specific statewide ZNE goals12 include:

◼ By 2020, all residential new construction and 40% of existing homes are ZNE;

◼ By 2025, state agencies should also take measures toward achieving ZNE for 50% of all

existing state-owned building square footage;

◼ By 2030, all commercial new construction and 50% of existing commercial buildings are ZNE;

◼ 50% of all new state buildings beginning design after 2020 should be ZNE; and,

◼ 100% of all new state buildings beginning design after 2025 should be ZNE.

The California Energy Commission (CEC) passed in May of 2018 new provisions to the state’s building

code--Title 24 (Part 6) Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Residential and Nonresidential). Among

them is that most new single- and multifamily residences of three stories or fewer, along with all major

renovations, must have solar panels. In addition, the CEC increased standards for insulation, air

conditioning, water heaters, and many other measures that will drive many single-family and low-rise

apartments to ZNE.

1 Residential and commercial goals initially established in California’s Long Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan, developed by the CPUC in 2008. Original plan and recent updates: http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/general.aspx?id=4125 2 Specific state-owned ZNE building goals were established in Executive Order B-18-12, April 2012.


opiniondynamics.com

Building Decarbonization

In buildings, decarbonization involves substituting technologies for end uses such as heating and

cooling appliances, which are typically powered by solid, liquid, or gaseous fossil fuels (e.g. natural

gas, or propane). For example, replacing gas-powered furnaces and domestic water heaters or boilers with electric heat pumps or electric heat pump water heaters. There are many benefits to building

decarbonization including greater utilization of electricity generated by renewable sources, increased

control over load shapes, greater grid flexibility, greenhouse gas reductions, better indoor air quality,

increased safety, and greater energy security, among others.

In the state of California, direct emissions from buildings comprise 10% of the State’s GHG emissions

and mostly stem from natural gas appliances such as furnaces and water heaters. In September of

2018, Governor Brown signed into law three key pieces of legislation addressing this issue— Senate

Bill 100, Assembly Bill 3232 and Senate Bill 1477. Senate Bill 100 raises California’s renewable

energy requirement to 60 percent by 2030 with interim targets and gives the state until 2045 to

generate all electricity from carbon-free sources. Assembly Bill 3232 requires the CEC to assess the

potential for the state to reduce carbon pollution from residential and commercial buildings by 40%

from 1990 levels by 2030. Senate Bill 1477 authorizes the California Public Utilities Commission

(CPUC) to allocate $50M/year on building decarbonization through portfolio incentives and market

development programs. These three laws follow the CEC’s announcement of the 2019 Residential

Building Efficiency Standards in May of 2018, which largely incorporates Zero Net Energy (ZNE)

principles. Collectively, these new goals and standards signal a recognition that the real issue that

concern policymakers now may not just be energy use, but also instead carbon emissions.

Balancing Building decarbonization and ZNE Goals

In recent years, there has been a rising tide of experts in the field questioning the merits of ZNE as a

policy framework, especially in an environment with increasing focus on GHG reduction goals. Despite

electric-only home designs being better suited for ZNE, many existing ZNE buildings do not achieve

this distinction. Another complicating factor is that the original intent, or "spirit of ZNE", asserted that

renewables be sited within the building footprint or on-site. Although there is now a call for more

flexible definitions of ZNE while still adhering to the principles of energy efficient buildings with low

carbon footprints, onsite renewable siting is often not practical due to the type of roof, shading over

the roof and lack of space on the roof.

The suite of studies discussed in the following sections aims to provide actionable insights for the

State of California as it strives to meet its range of policy goals related to ZNE, decarbonization, and

ultimately, reduction of CO2 emissions. Where possible, this body of work will elucidate the complex interplay and overlap between building decarbonization and ZNE goals amidst an ever-changing policy

landscape. The first study (Deliverable 31) takes a holistic approach to understanding how developers

can achieve ZNE by studying an extensive ZNE community being constructed in southern California—

the first in the nation to meet ZNE and carbon emissions goals on a such a scale. The second study

(Deliverable 33) examines the effectiveness of cross-cutting new construction programs in supporting

the State’s building decarbonization and ZNE goals. Lastly, Deliverable 35 focuses on the retrofit

market and aims to develop an effective pathway by which existing, occupied buildings may be

renovated to meet decarbonization and ZNE goals.3 Together, insights gained from these studies will

improve the transition to low-carbon building infrastructure across the State.


opiniondynamics.com

1.1 Deliverable 31 (ZNE-1) ZNE Community Case Study

Introduction

Newhall Ranch is a master-planned development slated for construction along the Santa Clara River

in northern L.A. County. Newhall Land and Farming Company first proposed the development in the

late 1980s, but planning and approvals have spanned decades, from the project's inception to the

present. Currently, FivePoint Holdings leads the project, which will include 21,500 homes, a

commercial district, public schools, fire stations, and a water reclamation plant, in addition to a range

of recreational facilities and parks.

Environmentalists have long fought the Newhall Ranch development, as the community infringes on

sensitive habitats that support threatened and endangered species. After developers made repeated

attempts to achieve certification of the project's environmental impact report (EIR), the L.A. County

Board of Supervisors approved the project in July 2017, and the development broke ground in October

2017. During the approval process, the California Supreme Court raised concerns that the

development did not meet the state's goals for reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and the

approved plan addressed those concerns. As such, Newhall Ranch aims to mitigate all GHG emissions

associated with the development and its construction, branding the project "Net Zero Newhall."

To meet ZNE goals, Newhall Ranch purportedly will include thousands of solar panels, numerous

electric vehicle charging stations, and energy-efficient residential and commercial building designs.

However, details on how ZNE goals will be met from both the energy efficiency (e.g. home design) and

generation (e.g. on-site versus power purchase agreement) perspectives have not yet emerged. This

study will play an important role in elucidating the process of ZNE planning, development, and

pathways to success.

Currently 12,5004 residential ZNE units have been built across the United States, with the largest ZNE-

planned community in North America being a University of California Davis student housing

development for just under 2,000 students. By comparison, Newhall Ranch, with its over 20,000

planned units, greatly exceeds the scale of any ZNE construction project to date. Given that Newhall

Ranch comprises the largest ZNE community in North America, the opportunity to learn from the

development process is unparalleled. Further, the project will embody many of the challenges that the

state of California, and specifically the CPUC, are diligently working to resolve as the state aims to

meet its GHG emissions and decarbonization goals. The proposed study will closely track the

development process of Newhall Ranch and document decisions, strategies, and plans regarding

crucial topics on the pathway to zero energy infrastructure.

Study Objectives

This study investigates and documents a range of questions related to the Newhall Ranch

development. The specific study objectives include:

◼ Documenting how the local utilities (Southern California Edison and Southern California Gas)

are planning for the unique attributes of this community on its grid;

◼ Uncovering how the developer is defining "Net Zero" and the subsequent strategy to meet both

ZNE and GHG goals;

4 To Zero and Beyond: Zero Energy Residential Buildings Study (2017) Net-Zero Energy Coalition. Accessed on May 8, 2018.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/121AztewufuOhTvSCryN4XuydacLqSMTN/view


opiniondynamics.com

◼ Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of ZNE construction at the community scale versus single-

home scale;

◼ Documenting how much renewable generation and storage will be behind and in front of the

meter; and,

◼ Researching policy barriers to ZNE and understanding how incentive structures can be

improved to make this and future ZNE community projects successful.

Overview of Evaluation Methodology

Two guiding principles underlie the methodology for this research. First, the developer, FivePoint

Holdings, and other associated parties may not divulge detailed and/or proprietary information

regarding the project. However, insights from the developer will be invaluable to painting a complete

picture of the Newhall Ranch case study, particularly with respect to plans for power generation and

storage and how ZNE is being defined and executed. Given this, we see establishing relationships and

building trust with the prime developer and subcontractors as a critical, ongoing aspect of the

evaluation. By building trust and framing the study as a unique opportunity to learn from a first-of-kind

project, we hope to gain deeper access to the inner workings of the project over the three years of the

evaluation. The second guiding principle of the proposed methodology is that the study should evolve

with the project. As such, we will repeat data collection efforts at strategic intervals over the course of

the study, and we may adapt research methods as the Newhall Ranch development undergoes

changes in plans or meets milestones.

We present a summary of research objectives, data collection methods and potential synergies with

other sector areas in Table 1.

Table 1. Study Objectives and Methods

Study Objective Policy Review

Legal

Document Review

Depth

Interviews

In-person Depth

Interviews

Cost Effectiveness

Literature Review

Document how the local utilities

(Southern California Edison and Southern California Gas) are

planning for the unique attributes of this community on their grids

X X X

Uncover how the developer is defining "Net Zero" and the

subsequent strategy to meet that definition, including achieving

carbon balance during construction

X X X

Evaluate the cost-effectiveness

of ZNE construction at the community scale versus single-

home scale

X X

Document how much renewable

generation and storage will be behind and in front of the meter

X X X

Research policy barriers to ZNE

and document how incentive structures can be improved to

make this and future ZNE community projects successful

X X


opiniondynamics.com

Evaluation Methodology: Detailed Efforts and Deliverables

Task 1: Newhall Ranch Legal Document Review

In Year 1, we reviewed legal documentation pertinent to the Newhall development and created a clear

timeline of events, particularly with respect to decision-making around GHG and ZNE goals. For

example, we reviewed and distilled relevant information from the final Newhall Settlement Agreement

and EIR, which includes subsections defining and describing ZNE plans (e.g. the Mission Village Net

Zero Plan and the Landmark Village New Zero Plan). We also reviewed entitlements in the forms of

land use approvals, zoning, and site approval plans.

The Year 1 memo addressed three research objectives: (1) uncovering how the developer is defining

"Net Zero" and the subsequent strategy to meet that definition, (2) characterizing how the developer

plans to meet the zero carbon emission goal of the community’s construction, and (3) documenting

how much renewable generation and storage will be behind and in front of the meter. We tracked legal

proceedings regarding the construction of power generation facilities at Newhall Ranch, and dissected

land use approvals, zoning documents, and site approval plans. These documents provided detailed

information on ZNE definitions, power generation, electric vehicle charging, and energy efficiency

home design plans, as mandated in the final EIR.

In the Year 2 memo, we will update this document to include key information from the Zero Net Energy

Confirmation Reports (“ZNE Confirmation Reports”) that must be prepared and submitted to confirm

that development plans meet the ZNE standard set forth in the final agreement, before building

permits are issued. As the ZNE Reports become available, they will be an asset to this evaluation and

to understanding how ZNE is being defined and implemented. In addition, we will track project

progress, updates to plans, and additional legal action concerning the project.

Deliverables: Year 1 memo (complete) and Year 2 memo elucidating legal agreements pertinent to

zero net energy goals and power generation and storage

Task 2: Policy and Incentive Structure Review

In Task 2, we will conduct two subtasks: Policy Review and Incentive Structure Review.

Task 2a: Policy Review

California has passed a robust suite of legislation relating to energy efficiency, GHG emissions

reductions, and building energy standards, many aspects of which surpass other state and federal

standards. However, not all energy-related legislation adopted by California includes implementation

plans, timelines, or specified metrics of success. This can lead to misalignment with other policies. For

example, AB 32 and the California Long-Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan (CALTEESP) both specify

metrics for achieving ZNE, but the metrics are different; AB 32 uses carbon dioxide emissions as the

variable against which to measure ZNE compliance, while the CALTEESP uses energy consumption

(kWh) to measure the “net” balance of buildings. Recent legislation such as SB 100, SB1477, and AB 3232 may also play a potential key role in influencing the development, with their emphasis on

decarbonization of the building stock. We anticipate that the Newhall Ranch development will face

policy barriers due to such misalignment, along with increasing federal preemption of energy

standards. In the Year 1 Memo described above, we reviewed California policy related to ZNE buildings,

specifically focusing on alignment of timelines and metrics to identify gaps or conflicts that may impact

the Newhall development. For the Year 2 Memo described above, we will continue to review existing

and anticipated federal policy that will likely affect California’s ability to regulate certain energy

efficiency measures within the Newhall development in addition to any new relevant California policies.

We will also identify in this Year 2 Memo key places where the CPUC or the IOUs (through their codes


opiniondynamics.com

and standards advocacy program) should become involved in the federal rulemaking process, so that

federal preemption does not slow ZNE progress. Additionally, we will review best practices and case

studies showcasing legislation/policies that are conducive to achieving ZNE goals. These areas

include, but are not limited to:

◼ Building codes and timelines for updates

◼ Public availability of building performance data

◼ Building performance targets and improvement

◼ Appliance standards

◼ Expedited permitting for ZNE buildings

◼ Low or zero carbon grid-based electricity and gas

◼ Community—scale renewable and storage systems

◼ Local zoning regulations

◼ Policy opportunities that encourage ZNE building and achieving the ZNE goals specified in the

CALTEESP

We will conduct research on policy barriers and incentive structures early in the evaluation, as findings

in this area may inform policy decisions early in the Newhall Ranch development process.

Task 2b: Incentive Structure Review

A central barrier to the development of ZNE buildings is the incremental cost of construction to build

above current code standards. Financial and regulatory incentives can alleviate some of this burden.

Currently, programs like the California Advanced Homes Program (CAHP) and the California Multifamily

New Homes Program (CMFNH) offer incentives, design assistance, verification support, and

recognition for construction projects that exceed code and approach ZNE. However, increasingly

stringent Title 24 code strains these programs by increasing the cost of achieving energy savings

beyond the 2016 code for incremental savings.

In the Year 1 Memo mentioned above, we presented an overview of programs that are most relevant

to the Newhall Ranch development today, but it is important to note that the shift from ZNE to

decarbonization goals has been and will continue affecting energy efficiency program design. In the

writing of this memo, we confirmed that Newhall Ranch developers would be eligible for programs,

similar to any other customer--provided they meet the program’s requirements. However, program free

ridership deserves special attention. Since the developer of Newhall Ranch is legally obligated to meet

certain GHG mitigation standards, participation in programs could inherently make them free riders

(i.e., they would have taken these measures in the absence of the program). Given that Newhall Ranch

is a for-profit development and must operationalize the GHG mitigation measures according to their

approved plan, the use of rate-payer dollars to fund meeting those requirements is an area that

deserves continued examination as the project unfolds.

Deliverables: Integration of Information into Year 1 Memo mentioned as part of Task 1 (Complete).

Integration of additional information, where relevant, in Year 2 Memo also mentioned as part of Task

1.


opiniondynamics.com

Task 3: Primary Data Collection via In-Depth Interviews

In-depth interviews will serve as the cornerstone of the study. We will leverage them to collect detailed

information on each of the research objectives and to establish direct lines of communication with the

developer, contractors, utility staff, designers, and homebuyers/residents. We will conduct interviews on a rolling basis to capture the various stages of the project and document progress, short-falls, and

barriers. In many cases, we will interview the same party on several evaluation topics. We will strategize

our interviews to minimize respondent burden, while still collecting as much information as possible

from primary sources. Importantly, we will conduct in-person interviews with contractors, utility staff,

and FivePoint Holdings, where possible, so as to establish rapport and trust with our target

stakeholders. Meeting with individuals face-to-face early in the evaluation process will ensure better

communication over the years of the study. Specifically, we will conduct in-person interviews with

FivePoint Holdings, utility staff, and subcontractors. Interviews for each subject area and with each

interviewee will last approximately one hour. We provide an overview of planned interviews by topic

area in Table 2.

Table 2. Interview Topic Areas and Target Audiences

Research Topic Area

Interview Target Audience

Utility

Planning for

the ZNE

Community

Defining

and

Executing

"Net Zero"

Relative Cost-

Effectiveness of

Large-Scale ZNE

Community

Developments

Renewable

Generation and

Storage Plans

Policy

Barriers and

Incentives

FivePoint Holdings X X X X X

Subcontractors X X X X

Utility Staff

▪ Engineering Staff

▪ IT Staff

▪ Legal Staff

▪ Policy Team

▪ General Rate Case Group

X X X

Designers X X X

Residents X X

ZNE Experts

▪ New Buildings Institute

▪ Rocky Mountain Institute

▪ Net-Zero Energy

Coalition

X X X

Utility Planning for the ZNE Community

To understand how the local utilities, Southern California Edison and Southern California Gas, is

planning for the unique attributes of Newhall Ranch on its grid, we will conduct in-depth interviews

with a wide range of utility professionals that will contribute to this effort. Key topic areas will include:

◼ History of planning for the Newhall development from the utility’s perspective;

◼ New grid infrastructure that will be needed, if any, to support the community;

◼ Expectations of the magnitude and timing of demand and usage increases;

◼ Ratemaking to accommodate infrastructure needs at Newhall Ranch;


opiniondynamics.com

◼ Considerations of social equity in the ratemaking process;

◼ Policy perspectives, including policies needed to support utilities in serving large-scale ZNE

community developments; and,

◼ Legal and contractual progress and proceedings between the developer and the load serving

entity, to the extent publicly available.

Of note, electric-only home designs are better suited for ZNE, but we do not yet know whether Newhall

Ranch housing will offer an electric-only option.

Defining and Executing Zero Net Energy

We will interview a range of stakeholders to develop a comprehensive understanding of how ZNE is

being defined and operationalized at Newhall Ranch. Key topic areas for these depth interviews will

include:

◼ How ZNE is being defined legally, per the EIR;

◼ How the developer plans to operationalize the definition of ZNE through community design;

◼ How ZNE is being defined and/or marketed to an external audience, and if this definition

differs from the technical definition;

◼ What challenges and barriers exist to reaching these ZNE goals; and,

◼ How Newhall Ranch residents interact with their ZNE homes.

Relative Cost-Effectiveness of Large-Scale ZNE Community Developments

We will interview builders with a track record of completing ZNE projects, such as those identified by

the Net-Zero Energy Coalition as the top-ten builders/developers by number of ZNE projects completed

(e.g. BrightBuilt Home, Greenhill Contracting, De Young Properties, and Palo Duro Homes). We will then

contrast those findings to findings from interviews with builders that have completed a smaller number

of projects, indicating that they are not building ZNE homes at a community scale. Key topic areas for

these depth interviews will include:

◼ Price premiums and overall costs for ZNE homes in various-sized developments versus

individual projects;

◼ Opportunities for economies of scale and strategies adopted by builders to reduce ZNE costs;

◼ Outlooks on ZNE costs in the long-term (e.g. if prices are falling and will continue to fall); and,

◼ Barriers or high-priced attributes that make achieving ZNE more costly.

Renewable Generation and Storage Plans

Primary data collection efforts around renewable generation and storage plans will focus on the local

utility and FivePoint Holdings, as they are the most likely to have detailed information beyond what is

published in the ZNE Reports. We will also interview other stakeholders, such as subcontractors

responsible for designing and executing energy generation and storage at Newhall Ranch. Key topic

areas for these depth interviews will include:

◼ Centralized power generation within the community versus rooftop solar;


opiniondynamics.com

◼ Storage capacity needs and plans for how those needs will be met;

◼ Distributed Energy Resource plans for the community at large, including plans for electric

vehicle charging stations;

◼ Expectation of the magnitude of daytime overgeneration, if any, and how this will be addressed;

and,

◼ Emerging technologies being utilized at Newhall Ranch, if any (e.g. smart invertors, innovative

storage equipment).

Policy Barriers and Incentives

We will interview all stakeholders regarding policy barriers and incentives. Importantly, we will speak

with individuals at institutions with leading expertise in ZNE, with whom we have built relationships

through our prior ZNE research experience. Institutions such as the New Buildings Institute and the

Rocky Mountain Institute have a rich history of studying and championing ZNE, and we anticipate that

they will offer key insights on pathways to achieve sound and effective policy around ZNE

implementation. Key topic areas for these depth interviews will include:

◼ Barriers to ZNE implementation from the perspective of all stakeholders;

◼ Interpretation of codes and standards;

◼ Needed policies and incentives that bolster ZNE adoption;

◼ How federal and state policies have influenced home design, particularly with respect to

appliance standards; and,

◼ How residents/homebuyers perceive the price premium of ZNE homes and how they were

incentivized, if at all.

Deliverables: Draft and final depth interview guides for each of the topic areas and target audiences;

Results from interviews will be incorporated in memos on respective topic areas and in the final report.

Task 4: Literature Review on ZNE Cost-effectiveness

As noted previously, we do not expect full access to FivePoint Holdings’ proprietary information,

including their business plans. Due to this limitation, we will utilize alternative methods to assess the

cost of building individual ZNE homes versus building at a community scale. In the past year, literature

has emerged suggesting that ZNE home construction costs can match traditional home construction

costs in some cases. We will conduct a literature review of all studies related to Zero Net Energy home

construction costs and projections of those costs into the future.

In addition, as described under Task 2, we will conduct in-depth interviews with contractors who have

ample experience building ZNE homes, which will also inform the study on ZNE cost-effectiveness.

Deliverables: Draft and Final Memo on the Relative Costs of Building ZNE homes at the individual

versus community scale

Task 5: Reporting

The final report will tie together information obtained throughout the three years of the study to create

a comprehensive case study on this first-of-kind ZNE community development. The report will


opiniondynamics.com

document milestones, barriers faced and overcome, progress made toward ZNE goals, and the current

stage of the project. The final report will include inputs and perspectives from the diverse set of

stakeholders involved in the Newhall Ranch development and will provide a landmark study on ZNE

adoption processes and potential.

Opinion Dynamics will work with the CPUC to develop draft and final reports in accordance with CPUC

standards.

Deliverables: Draft and Final Reports

Study Timeline and Milestones

The table below provides the timeline and milestones for this deliverable.

Table 3. ZNE Deliverable 31 Evaluation Timeline

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Newhall Ranch Legal

Document Review

Starts in Year 1, Q1 and will be updated on a rolling basis as documents such as the ZNE

reports become available

Policy and Incentive

Structure Review X X X

Depth Interviews* X X X X X

In-person Depth

Interviews X X X

Literature Review on

ZNE Cost-effectiveness X

Interim Memos X X

Reporting X X


opiniondynamics.com

1.2 Deliverable 32

This Deliverable was cancelled per the CPUC’s request.


opiniondynamics.com

1.3 Deliverable 33 (ZNE-3) IOU and CCA Cross-Cutting Program

Evaluation and Program Facilitation

Overview of Program(s)

California policy has de-emphasized ZNE building goals and has pivoted to instead focus on a more

holistic goal: building decarbonization. Because of this shift, research that previously intended to delve

deep into ZNE-focused programming will no longer serve the state’s goals as much as research

specifically into decarbonization strategies. As such, we have redesigned the present research plan to

focus on a technology that will play a central role in the decarbonization process of California

buildings—heat pumps.

In the state of California, direct emissions from buildings comprise 12% of the State’s GHG emissions

and mostly stem from natural gas appliances such as furnaces and water heaters. Heat pumps will be

instrumental to reducing building energy use because they offer a low- or no-carbon pathway to

meeting critical building functions (e.g. water and space heating) that have traditionally been achieved

through GHG-emitting appliances.

Study Objectives

The primary objectives of this study are to develop a market baseline and market characterization of

the California heat pump market, understand the efforts and effectiveness of CCAs, LGPs, and RENS

in contributing to building and ZNE goals; and, exploring barrier to incorporating passive house

principles into energy code and new construction programs. The specific study objectives include:

◼ Explore barriers to incorporating passive house concepts into California Energy Code and new

construction programs;

◼ Investigating the strengths and weaknesses of CCAs, LGPs, and RENs and examining how they

can contribute to Building decarbonization and ZNE goals;

◼ Conducting a market baseline of heat pump technologies (including air source heating and

cooling heat pumps, ground source heating and cooling heat pumps, heat pump water heaters,

heat pump pool heaters, and heat pump clothes dryers) in the residential retrofit and new

construction markets in California;

◼ Investigating trade ally experiences deploying heat pumps to improve heat pump delivery and

anticipate barriers to delivering this technology at scale;

◼ Understanding California market rate and low-income new construction trade allies

motivations and barriers to building all-electric residential and multifamily housing units;

◼ Conducting a heat pump program best practices assessment with other jurisdictions with

mature heat pump programs; and,

◼ Ensuring that evaluation findings are received and incorporated into program design in real

time through stakeholder engagement and facilitation.


opiniondynamics.com


We will address each of these tasks in detail below.

Task 1: Thought Paper Memo

The purpose of this memo was to provide an input into the CEC, CPUC, and California Governor’s Office

Staff Whitepaper on the implementation of SB 1477. This thought paper addressed--for both the

Building Initiative for Low Emissions Development (BUILD) and Technology and Equipment for Clean

Heating (TECH) pilot programs--the following: (1) potential program implementation designs; (2) real-

time/developmental evaluation best practices; (3) integration with other programs considerations;

and, (4) contractor landscape factors. This thought paper grounds the methodology and follow-on work

described below.

Deliverables: Thought Paper Memo

Task 2: CPUC and PA Interviews

We conducted in-depth interviews with up to 12 relevant CPUC stakeholders and PAs across existing

new construction programs to assess and understand program theories, program changes over time,

definitions of key terms, key details and nuances about data availability and collection. The interviews

will also be used to get a historic perspective on new construction programs as well as future goals for

such programs.

Deliverables: Draft and Final Interview Guides

Task 3: Barriers to Achieving Passive House Standards

In Year 1, we conducted informational interviews with up to 20 subject matter experts in passive house

standards and “beyond code” programming. Drawing on the data from these interviews, and the

literature review, we developed a report that addresses the barriers that new construction programs

face to integrate “beyond code” measures that would lead to passive house standards.

Deliverables: Draft and Final Report (Complete)

Task 4: Case Studies of Partnerships

The evaluation team will conduct five total case studies of utility partnerships with CCAs, LGPs, and

RENs. While the ultimate candidates for case study selection will depend on the applicability and

viability of actual partnership efforts, the team will strive to identify cases demonstrating the following

selection criteria: (1) serving residential and/or nonresidential new construction projects; (2)

exemplifying a partnership with the local Load Serving Entity (LSE); (3) serving to advance the state’s

understanding of the most effective ways of achieving the state’s decarbonization and decarbonization

goals in new construction through the CCA, LGP or REN model; (4) demonstrating accessibility of

information related to the project; and, (5) ensuring the applicability and transferability of information

learned in the case study to other projects and programs.

The evaluation team will conduct initial investigations into a select group of CCAs, RENs and LGPs. The investigation will include online reviews and direct contact with organizational representatives to

assess candidate case study opportunities. After initial contacts, candidate opportunities will be

prioritized with the CPUC project manager.


opiniondynamics.com

To standardize the case studies the evaluation team will create a template by which to research and

document the case study project, resulting in structured and comparable information. The case

studies will consider the following questions:

◼ What are key lessons learned?

◼ What were the key drivers that initiated ZNE and/or building decarbonization project

objectives?

◼ What definition of ZNE, building decarbonization, and/or sustainability was used?

◼ What program(s) were involved and what were the experiences of the various players with

the program processes, procedures and outcomes?

◼ What difficulties were encountered and how were these difficulties addressed?

◼ What level of energy savings was achieved (or other outcomes, such as reduced water use,

etc.)?

◼ How satisfied are the various players with the resulting home, the design, the construction

process, the program(s) and timeline to completion -- and why?

◼ How willing are various players to pursue ZNE and/or building decarbonization in future

projects, and why?

◼ Were there important financing, design or code/permit barriers to ZNE and/or building

decarbonization, and how were those barriers overcome?

For each study, the evaluation team will develop draft and final case study reports. In year 1, we

developed case studies for Sonoma Clean Power and PG&E’s Advanced Energy Rebuild Program and

for BayREN Municipal ZNE Technical Assistance Program.

Task 5: Conduct interviews with California heat pump trade allies

Trade allies play an essential role in helping customers decide on new equipment. As such, they can

provide invaluable insights to understanding the barriers and successes associated with heat pump

sales, installations, and maintenance. In addition, trade allies can discuss marketing and selling heat

pumps to customers and can help us understand why homeowners do or do not choose these

technologies. Finally, they can provide firsthand data on equipment and installation costs and

maintenance costs. We will utilize these interviews to determine equipment and installation costs for

heat pump clothes dryers and heat pump pool heaters. We will explicitly address costs for ductless

mini-splits, ground source heat pumps and heat pump water heaters in Task 8.

We will interview trade allies with awareness and/or experience in each of the different heat pump

technologies, including air-source heat pumps, ductless mini-split heat pumps, ground source heat

pumps, heat pump water heaters, heat pump dryers, and heat pump pool heaters. We will also interview manufacturers and distributors to attain a full picture of the market. We will target

interviewing up to 60 trade allies including manufacturers and distributors. We will provide a $150

check as a thank you for their time. Our research objectives for these interviews include:

◼ Trade ally perceptions on the HP market in general;

◼ Trade ally considerations when selling and sizing;

◼ Trade ally perceptions on benefits and drawbacks of heat pump technology;

◼ Considerations for previous system configuration decommissioning;


opiniondynamics.com

◼ Use of back-up systems;

◼ Controls strategy;

◼ Equipment, installation, and maintenance costs;

◼ Trade ally perceptions of customer awareness and interest;

◼ Trade ally perceptions of customer concerns;

◼ Availability of heat pump technologies from suppliers;

◼ Technical challenges;

◼ Utility program potential impact on markets;

◼ Equipment costs (for heat pump clothes dryers and heat pump pool heaters);

◼ Installation costs (for heat pump clothes dryers and heat pump pool heaters); and,

◼ Predicted market trends in next 5-10 years.

Deliverables: Draft and Final Interview Guides, Interim Findings Memo

Task 6: Conduct interviews with California market rate and low-income new construction builders

The evaluation team will conduct up to 40 interviews with new construction developers, builders,

architects, engineers and building department staff in the market rate and low-income residential and

multifamily markets to understand motivations and barriers to building all-electric homes. We will

provide a $150 check as a thank you for their time. California’s decarbonization and affordable

housing goals will create a challenging intersection for builders that must balance their bottom line,

affordability for their residents, and their efforts to reach California’s increasingly stringent code. To

give builders and other stakeholders the tools to meet this challenge successfully, we must first

understand what barriers or opportunities exist when introducing technologies like heat pumps into

affordable housing new construction and new construction at large. This task also necessitates the

identification and documentation of affordable housing builders, which we will provide to the CPUC for

further outreach and communications about opportunities and programming. We provide the interview

topic areas in Table 4.

Table 4. New Construction Builder Interview Topics

Interview Topic Area ▪ Detailed Research Topic

Knowledge and Awareness

▪ Awareness and familiarity with California’s electrification goals

▪ Awareness and familiarity with heat pump technologies across market

rate and low-income housing builders

▪ Training needs in terms of planning, designing, and building all electric

homes

▪ Knowledge of heat pump rebates for residential new construction

Heat Pump Perceptions

▪ Perceived benefits and drawbacks of utilizing heat pumps in market

rate and low-income new construction

▪ Cost considerations for new developments with special consideration of

affordable housing limitations

Decision Making and Marketing

▪ Decision making for installing heat pump technologies versus standard

technologies

▪ Role of program incentives and tax credits in decision making


opiniondynamics.com

Interview Topic Area ▪ Detailed Research Topic

▪ Role of Codes and Standards in decision making

Market Trends and Customer

Interest

▪ Customer awareness and interest in efficient appliances and

sustainable home attributes in general

▪ Customer awareness and interest in heat pump technologies

▪ Customer concerns with heat pump technologies (e.g. examples of

customers disliking certain technologies)

▪ Marketing and sales techniques with respect to efficiency and

sustainability, and in particular, with heat pumps

▪ Predicted market trends in the next 5 years

Deliverables: Draft and Final Interview Guides, Interim Findings Memo

Task 7: Conduct interviews with heat pump program staff in other US jurisdictions

The evaluation team will conduct interviews with program staff in states that have achieved success

in deploying heat pump technologies (e.g. New York, Vermont, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, and

Maine). The interviews will consider the following questions:

◼ What efforts has your jurisdiction undertaken to deploy heat pump technologies?

◼ Where are you on the road to market transformation?

◼ What is the total budget of your program efforts to date?

◼ What are key lessons learned?

◼ What were the drivers that initiated heat pump deployment in your area?

◼ What barriers have you faced?

◼ What motivates customers to choose heat pumps, in your opinion?

◼ Is anyone implementing heat pump hot water heater thermal storage in your jurisdiction?

◼ Are heat pump installations being paired with energy efficiency envelope programs? Paired

with solar programs? Paired with other DER programs?

We will interview program staff from up to 6 mature heat pump programs and capture results in the

final report.

Deliverables: Draft and Final Interview Guides, Results included in Final Report

Task 8: Develop baselines of cost-related heat pump key performance indicators in the residential

market

To effectively evaluate the outcomes of programs, it is essential to determine what would have

happened absent programmatic interventions. Given that heat pump measures are relatively new

additions to programs, we have a unique opportunity to measure baselines for KPIs. There are many

KPIs that are relevant, some of which are being pursued by other studies in California. For example,

penetration and saturation of heat pump technologies will likely be available from the 2019 RASS

study due out in June of 2020.


opiniondynamics.com

However, the current state of research could benefit greatly from primary data collection around the

question of heat pump costs. In the past, pricing differentials have largely been determined and

applied using theoretical approaches. This study offers the opportunity to collect primary data from

the individuals interfacing with the heat pump market, which can then be used to update and bolster

models.

This task will develop baselines for the following KPIs:

◼ Upfront incremental equipment costs

◼ Upfront incremental installation costs (including labor and infrastructure upgrades (e.g.

electrical panel upgrades))

◼ Upfront permitting costs and timelines

◼ Upfront incremental design costs

◼ Costs for work required to bring buildings up to code as a result of installing heat pumps

◼ Annual incremental operation and maintenance costs

We will use a modified Delphi approach to collect primary data on heat pump incremental costs. We will leverage the itracks online platform to collect primary data from 20 trade allies for the following

technologies: ductless mini-split heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, and heat pump water

heaters. For each of the three technologies, we will recruit 25 trade allies to account for potential

study attrition. We will present specific customer-facing scenarios to the trade allies to ensure we are

comparing apples to apples. In the first phase of the Delphi panel, the trade allies will be stepped

through the process of creating a quote for a homeowner that includes the key cost elements (i.e.

KPIs) listed above. We will complete this exercise twice—once with a standard equipment scenario,

and once with a heat pump scenario. In subsequent phases of the Delphi panel, participants will

interact with each other to build consensus on areas of discrepancy between their quote estimates.

Through this process, we will arrive at a thoughtful and vetted estimation of standard equipment

installation and operation costs versus heat pump installation and operation costs. We will aim for

our trade ally sample to achieve coverage across California, and we will offer participating trade

allies $500 for their time.

Deliverables: Results included in Final Report

Task 9: Effective Implementation of New Construction Programs Stakeholder Process

The evaluation team will hold stakeholder meetings to discuss how to address recommendations

from this research as well as how new construction programs can be leveraged to drive new

decarbonization strategies such as passive house concepts and potentially inform future codes and

standards. These meetings will include:

◼ Meeting Preparation: For each meeting, the evaluation team will develop meeting agendas

based on objectives reviewed with CPUC staff (as needed), additional meeting materials,

including but not limited to comment cards, meeting presentations and materials, and

educational information. The evaluation team will coordinate meeting logistics, including

outreach to stakeholders, venue set up, and coordination with the CPUC. It is assumed that all

venues will be provided for no charge by the CPUC, IOUs, or RENs/CCAs.

◼ Meeting Facilitation: Mindy Craig will facilitate and graphically record each meeting. Kris Meek

will provide meeting support and take notes.


opiniondynamics.com

◼ Summary Notes: After each meeting, the evaluation team will develop a meeting summary and

share materials and notes with the stakeholders.

Deliverables: Stakeholder meetings inclusive of preparation, facilitation, and notes as needed

Task 10: Reporting

Opinion Dynamics will work with the CPUC to develop draft and final reports that capture the results

from the previous tasks in accordance with CPUC standards. We will present a summary of all findings

from this study in a ZNE/Decarbonization PCG meeting, or elsewhere if deemed appropriate.

Deliverables: Draft and Final Reports; Draft and Final Presentation to disseminate findings


opiniondynamics.com


The table below provides the timeline and milestones for this deliverable. As designed, most of our

data collection to inform the first evaluation report will happen in Year 2. In Year 3, we will just track

program tracking data and changes to program materials.

Table 5. ZNE Del 33 Evaluation Timeline


Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Sign Contract X

Develop Thought Paper X X

CPUC and PA interviews X X X

Barriers to Achieving

Passive House

Standards

X X X

Conduct case studies X X X X X X X X

Stakeholder Process

and Meeting Notes X X X X X X X X

Conduct interviews with

California heat pump

trade allies

X


California market rate

and low-income new

construction trade

allies

X


mature heat pump

program staff in other

US jurisdictions

X

Develop baselines of

cost-related heat pump

key performance

indicators in the

residential market

X X X X

Reporting X X X X X X


opiniondynamics.com

1.4 Deliverable 34

This Deliverable was cancelled per the CPUC’s request.


opiniondynamics.com

1.5 Deliverable 35 (ZNE-5) ZNE Retrofit Timelines and Costs

Introduction

To meet California’s building decarbonization and ZNE goals, it is essential to understand how these

projects can be successfully deployed in existing occupied buildings. Through primary and secondary

research (e.g., literature review, interviews and surveys) and stakeholder engagement, the objective

of Deliverable 35 is to present the CPUC with a framework for identifying the most impactful retrofit

measures to drive towards decarbonization of energy use in existing buildings, while advancing

building decarbonization in a way that benefits building owners/occupants, supports decarbonization

goals, and promotes electric grid reliability. Preliminarily, we expect to focus on the multifamily and

commercial kitchens market segments based on their proportionate share of gas consumption. The

intention of selecting these sectors is to focus the study on high impact building types and targeted

end-uses but the final selection will be based on the landscape analysis findings from year 1. The

landscape analysis will balance the customer perceptions of ZNE opportunities, and the climate

benefits associated with measures that align to those specific sectors.

The evaluation team will frame the research around building decarbonization and ZNE retrofit market

opportunities relative to the broader context of energy market transformation, climate and efficiency

goals, grid reliability, and sustainability. The study will focus on multifamily buildings and commercial

kitchens within all applicable commercial building types due to the high emissions reduction potential

of retrofitting electric hot water heating, high efficiency cooking technologies and space heating.5,6

These retrofit options offer significant energy savings but also controllability for enhanced grid

balancing benefits. The retrofit analysis will also highlight retrofit options with less aggregate energy

savings and climate impact potential in other sectors to convey the greater market context to fully

articulate the challenges and opportunities for key stakeholders as well as the broader CPUC

objectives in "The California Long-term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan," "The Existing Buildings Energy

Efficiency Action Plan," and other recent legislation such as SB 100, SB 1477 and AB 3232.

Study Objective

The evaluation team understands the challenges and opportunities associated with the timelines and

costs for ZNE and decarbonization retrofits and the influence of these variables on project viability and

market development in multifamily buildings and commercial kitchens. The study will outline benefits

of advanced planning as an important element of the strategy for minimizing total impact on tenants

while maintaining cost effectiveness. Our research will highlight the importance of effective

communication around the benefits but also potential disruption of ZNE and decarbonization retrofits

with key stakeholders including:

◼ Advocates and early adopters

◼ Electric and gas utilities

◼ Regulators

◼ Policy-makers, local and regional governments

◼ Manufactures and service providers

5 2006 CEUS Report, Table E-4, Natural Gas Usage by Building Type 6 Based on a conversation with Rory Cox on February 5th, evaluation team may decide to add additional sectors to the study

based on the results of the landscape analysis from year 1.


opiniondynamics.com

◼ Architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC)

◼ Building owners/real estate and facilities management services

◼ Occupants

The state of California cannot meet its building decarbonization and ZNE goals without gaining

significant momentum in the retrofit space. However, customer acceptance of building

decarbonization and ZNE retrofits are contingent on project design and implementation that minimizes

business disruption. Market education and outreach will be necessary to assure building owners and

key stakeholders that such retrofits will benefit multifamily buildings and commercial kitchens, support

their occupants, customers, and employees both in terms of return on investment and resulting

experience within the updated building. To this end, the findings of this project will help provide the

critical data on the impact of timelines on the economics, disruption, and end-product for ZNE and

decarbonization retrofits in multifamily buildings and commercial kitchens.

Overview of Evaluation Methodology

The evaluation team proposes to achieve the study objectives through a combination of a literature

review, in-depth interviews with a variety of key stakeholders, and online surveys. Drawing on our

extensive network of contacts through prior similar research activities, we will develop a sample frame

that adheres to the CPUC's guidelines for research requirements for these types of surveys.


Below is a listing of the key research topics that we will address in this evaluation study to characterize

tenant inconvenience and financial cost associated with building decarbonization and ZNE retrofits. A

combination of primary and secondary research will be used to evaluate the changes in project costs

associated with retrofitting an existing building to meet State building decarbonization and ZNE goals.

◼ Project Strategy: This portion of the analysis will focus on how advanced planning can help

minimize disruption. In addition, the research will evaluate how to develop a strategy for

ongoing process evaluation to update timelines and manage extensions because of unplanned

barriers or challenges.

◼ Classifying Owner Perspectives: The benefits and challenges for ZNE and decarbonization retrofits are different depending on ownership structures. This section of the research will

explore the perceptions, benefits, challenges, and expectations for the single building and

portfolio owner, along with the role of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and service

providers. Understanding the building owner dynamics is key to effective communication on

potential tenant disruption and willingness to accommodate uncertain or extended project

timelines.

◼ Communications Plan Development: Effective stakeholder communications are critical to

educate potential building decarbonization and ZNE retrofit customers of the benefits and

process. This section of the study will explore the role of the regulator, utilities, and public-

private partnerships in developing communications and messaging around the benefits of

building decarbonization and ZNE retrofits and the ways to manage tenant disruption.

◼ Business Model Assessment: New and alternative business models can help promote building

decarbonization and ZNE retrofits as well as illuminate new roles for the integrator of the final

project that translate into new market opportunities. The findings from this section of the study

will describe the impact of different business models on project timelines.


opiniondynamics.com

◼ Technology Selection: Building decarbonization and ZNE can be achieved through a broad mix

of technologies. This section of the assessment will explore the value proposition, costs, and

impacts that resonate with the key stakeholders in multifamily buildings and commercial

kitchens. Understanding the stakeholder perspective on building decarbonization and ZNE

technologies is important to inform the messaging on both the benefits of the retrofit project

and the payoff for tenant disruption.

◼ Partnership Assessment: Customers are also sensitive to the profile of partners for long-term

projects. Due to the timelines for building decarbonization and ZNE retrofits, it will be critical

to characterize the following qualities to help promote the projects--pricing models, staying

power, partner networks, and experience. The selection of the retrofit team can have a direct

impact on both the timeline for project completion and the type or level of tenant disruption.

There will be a total of four tasks, with the detailed efforts and deliverables listed below.

Task 1: CPUC and SME Interviews

At the outset of this project, the evaluation team conducted in-depth interviews with CPUC staff

members to review project objectives, agree upon definitions, collect guidance on data availability,

review draft IOU data requests, and solicit names for key Subject Matter Experts (SME) interviewees.

This task coordinated with Task 31 and Task 33 to develop a master list of interviewees. We also

interviewed 10 SME’s to further our understanding of the research context and provide input into

primary research instruments.

Deliverables: Master List of Interviewees, Draft Interview Guides and Final Interview Guides

(Complete)

Task 2: Literature Review

The purpose of a literature review is to describe, summarize, synthesize, and analyze the literature

that exists related to a topic area. For this task, we conducted a literature review to better (1)

understand the commercial building ZNE landscape; and, (2) ground the methodology and follow-on

efforts. We included academic research, industry papers and relevant policies and legislation.

Deliverables: Year 1 Literature Review Memo (Complete)

Task 3: Conduct Primary Research

This task builds on the primary research conducted in Task 1 to gain an understanding of the key

drivers and motivations of various stakeholders relating to building decarbonization and ZNE retrofit

activities in buildings in multifamily and restaurant buildings. Using a combination of online surveys

and targeted interviews, we will reach out to representative samples of stakeholders in the multifamily

and restaurant buildings with the aim of understanding the dynamics of building decarbonization and

ZNE retrofit projects--how are projects carried out over extended periods of time with a minimal impact

to building owners and occupants, what are the cost premiums associated with extending projects

over longer periods to accommodate occupant needs, and how can program cost-effectiveness

requirements be maintained under these circumstances? The primary research will be carried out for

each of the key stakeholders in the following manner:


opiniondynamics.com

Interviews

◼ IOUs: In-depth interviews with key program managers from each of the 4 IOUs;

◼ Regulators: In-depth interviews with key CPUC and CEC staff responsible for building

decarbonization and ZNE activities;

◼ Advocates and early adopters: In-depth interviews with four to six parties;

Interviews + Surveys

◼ Manufacturers and service providers: Online survey of representative sample followed by four

to six in-depth interviews for select sub-samples of respondents;

◼ Architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC): Online survey of representative sample

followed by four to six in-depth interviews for select sub-samples of respondents;

◼ Building owners/real estate and facilities management services: Online survey of

representative sample followed by four to six in-depth interviews for select sub-samples of

respondents; and,

Survey

◼ Occupants: Online surveys for multifamily and commercial kitchen, and other building

managers/owners identified in the landscape analysis (customer lists provided by IOUs

through CPUC data request).

Based on our prior experience, we believe it will be challenging to receive meaningful data regarding

time and cost premiums regarding building decarbonization and ZNE retrofits given the hypothetical

nature of these issues. To address this challenge, we plan to identify various scenarios that

respondents can react to. This will allow us to build in quasi-experimental design components into our

analysis framework.

The analysis will include an analysis of the cost premiums associated with extending project timelines

for retrofitting existing buildings with emphasis on occupants and owners of multi-family and

commercial buildings. Drawing on the primary data, the analysis will also address the issue of tenant

inconvenience associated with ZNE and decarbonization measures, as well as financial costs of

extending a project timeline which can be used to minimize the total impact on tenant while

maintaining cost effectiveness.

Deliverable: Draft and final survey instruments and interview protocols; survey response tabulations

database and analysis files in Excel format along with summary findings for Year 2 and Year 3

activities.

Task 4: Progress Memos and Final Evaluation Report

This deliverable will be a concise, accessible document of streamlined information gathered through

the primary and secondary research efforts. The full evaluation report will be submitted in accordance

with the CPUC’s Evaluation Report Requirements. The final report will include:

◼ Landscape analysis of overall market opportunities for ZNE retrofits, highlighting key measures

in terms of their aggregate GHG reduction impacts and alignment with ZNE goals


opiniondynamics.com

◼ Multifamily Assessment

◼ Commercial Kitchen Assessment

In each of the assessments (i.e., Multifamily and Commercial Kitchen), the report will provide the

following analysis:

◼ Most promising retrofit measures

◼ Likely measure impacts tied to cost, timelines, inconvenience, etc.

◼ Suggestions for overcoming barriers to individual measure installation specifically and ZNE

retrofits generally

◼ Case Studies: real world examples with respect to cost, timelines, inconvenience, and barriers

at the measure and building level will be highlighted when available

Deliverable: Data tracking memos for Year 2. Draft and Final evaluation report for Year 3.


The table below provides the timeline and milestones for this deliverable.

Table 6. Evaluation Timeline


Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Sign Contract X

CPUC & SME Interviews X X X

Literature Review X X X

Conduct Primary Research X X X X X X X

Reporting X X X X

california public utilities commission energy efficiency

Documents