The overall emphasis of the 21CR initiative is to undertake research that enables HVAC&R
manufacturers to offer equipment and services in the next decade that, once integrated into
building and process applications, utilizes dramatically less energy (as compared to today's
applications) while addressing the comfort and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) needs of
building occupants. Some of these energy and IEQ improvements will accrue by innovative
advancements in the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R)
equipment itself. Other benefits will be garnered by better incorporation of improved equipment
into more comprehensive systems for particular applications such as buildings or refrigeration
processes.
The 21CR program fosters an environment where technical barriers are identified,
research priorities set, solutions investigated, and information shared. The effort undertakes
precompetitive research that focuses on resolving
technological hurdles and difficulties that prevent or impede manufacturers from introducing
next generation systems and components. Once these technical challenges have been addressed,
the various stakeholders are positioned to apply the 21CR research results and to produce the
products/services that satisfy market needs within the HVAC&R sector.
Justification
The envisioned research is on the "cutting-edge" of the HVAC&R industry, and entails a high
degree of technical risk. Currently, personnel and testing resources within individual HVAC&R
companies are spread thin because of the pace of product changes necessitated by development
of new equipment that use alternative refrigerants and offer improved efficiencies; with global
warming implications to come. Precompetitive collaboration
among HVAC&R companies and other interested entities will enable significant resources to be
applied to strategic research areas. As a result, substantial savings should be realized by
building owners and operators through reduced operating costs, even greater equipment
reliability, and improved comfort levels.
21CR Focus areas
The effort fosters an environment where technical barriers are identified, solutions
investigated, and information shared. Areas of interest are related to all aspects of the HVAC&R
industry. Focus areas are:
ARTI Organization for the 21CR Effort
The 21CR effort is guided by experts from industry, related trade and professional
organizations, national laboratories, governmental agencies, universities, utilities, and other
interested stakeholders. The Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Technology Institute (ARTI), a
not-for-profit research entity, is the administrator for the effort. It is ARTI's role to provide guidance and cohesiveness to the overall investigation while providing an umbrella for related research by others which advances the goals of the 21CR program.
A committee structure guides the 21CR initiative and monitors the
research. The committee membership comprises authorities in the research area drawn from
industry, research organizations, universities, utilities, scientific laboratories, and
government.
Steering Committee
A Steering Committee, comprising senior industry executives, assures that the work is of
value to industry and has a path to commercialization. These executives also assure that the
subcommittee members have access to necessary information, resources, and personnel. The
21CR Steering Committee assigns priority levels and approves funding support of individual
projects recommended by its three Subcommittees:
21CR Subcommittees:
The three 21CR Subcommittees, comprising senior industry engineers and technologists as
well as competent, knowledgeable persons from pertinent industry sectors, identify specific
project needs, prepare work statements, prioritize the research, and identify contractors capable
of performing the individual research. Once individual projects have been approved for funding
by the Steering Committee, the pertinent Subcommittees provide technical review of contractor-submitted proposals, recommend contractor selection, monitor and oversee the on-going research, and review the submitted final reports. In performing their duties, the Subcommittees review/monitor and coordinate (where possible) industry/public-sector precompetitive research. The purpose of this ancillary focus is to encourage other entities (e.g., government laboratories, university researchers, etc.) to perform work of interest to the industry while also striving to minimize duplication of effort.
Specific research projects, prioritizations, dollar allocations, and scheduling are directed
by the 21CR Steering Committee and its Subcommittees.
Level of Effort:
To undertake the effort outlined above, the three 21CR Subcommittees meet on a schedule of
two times per year; generally in Arlington, Virginia. In
addition to attending scheduled meetings, each participant dedicates the equivalent
of two man-weeks during the course of a given year for work statement creation, proposal
review/scoring, site visits, report reviews, etc.
Travel, labor, and other associated costs incurred by subcommittee members are generally
borne by their parent companies and are considered as in-kind
contributions to the effort without reimbursement from the 21CR program.
Reporting of Technical Program Results
ARTI disseminates research results via periodic seminars and symposia at suitable
industry conferences. ARTI includes requirements for technical papers and
conference presentations in all contracted research. Where needed, ARTI will host or coordinate
seminars at prominent technical conferences:
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