Technology Assessment
New technologies, devices, and approaches continually emerge in the efficiency marketplace, all with the ostensible aim of saving resources and money for customers, organizations, and society. For many years, SBW has specialized in the rigorous measurement, testing, and verification of emerging technologies. In fact, SBW performed some of the first field tests on the efficiency of front-loading clothes washers back in the 1990s when they were still considered an experimental technology.
Since then, we have carried out field research and analysis of a wide ranging variety of high-efficiency products. Products we have tested have included devices such as, industrial pulsing compressed air nozzles, commercial dishwashing spray valves, salon sprayers, ozone laundry systems, and high-efficiency toilets; other products have been broader approaches such as, building retro-commissioning and end use disaggregation software.
SBW also develops analytical tools for understanding data and estimating resource savings. We have developed a variable speed drive (VSD) calculator that supports savings estimates before and after installation, using measured and observed data together with manufacturer performance curves.
We are particularly proud of ECAM (Energy Savings & Metrics), an Excel-based tool for finding and measuring energy savings developed by senior staff at SBW. ECAM provides a standardized, repeatable, and transparent means for measuring and verifying energy savings. Its methodology adheres to major industry standards such as ASHRAE Guideline 14 and IPMVP Option C.