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Rooftop Air Conditioning Unit Evaluation Methodology

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RTU Incentives Database Guidance

This spreadsheet lists financial incentives and financing programs in areas for the highest energy savings opportunities.

Rooftop solar units.
Adidas RTU Procurement Specification Technology Specifications

Adidas developed an RTU procurement specification to standardize equipment and to obtain competitive pricing through National Accounts for future planned replacements.

RTU Comparison Calculator Energy Savings Calculator

The Rooftop Unit Comparison Calculator (RTUCC) compares high-efficiency rooftop air conditioners to standard equipment in terms of life cycle cost. 

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Target: Rooftop Unit Replacement Case Study

Through its partnership with the Better Buildings Advanced Rooftop Unit Campaign (ARC), Target has developed a highly successful rooftop unit replacement program that will produce estimated cost savings of $1.3 million annually.

JC Penney: Variable Frequency Drive Retrofit Upgrade on Rooftop Units (RTUs) Case Study

JC Penney pursued a pilot program for RTU variable frequency drive (VFD) technology. Following the successful pilot program, JC Penney retrofitted 1,330 rooftop units in 130 stores with the VFD solution and reported saving $5 million and 48 million kWh, a 22% reduction from before the VFD retrofit.

Rooftop conditioning unit on a roof
Business Case for Proactive Rooftop Unit (RTU) Replacement Report

This document introduces the key elements to consider in making the business case for a proactive high-efficiency RTU replacement strategy for facility maintenance staff and building engineers responsible for energy management.

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Walgreens: Rooftop Unit (RTU) Replacement Program Case Study

This case study details Walgreens' successful development of a program to strategically retire RTUs prior to failure and replace them with high-efficiency units. In just 150 stores, this project brought back more than $1 million in savings from material and labor budgets.

Rooftop conditioning unit on a roof
Publix: RTU Evaluation Case Study

The U.S. Department of Energy developed the RTU Challenge to test high-performance rooftop air-conditioning units versus standard units at two Publix store locations, which resulted in annual energy and utility costs savings of 16,000 kWh and $1,600 respectively. 

Outside view of an 'adidas' retail store
Adidas: Rooftop Unit Replacement Case Study

As part of their efficiency efforts, Adidas is involved in DOE's Advanced Rooftop Unit Campaign (ARC). They successfully implemented a planned rooftop unit (RTU) replacement program to save energy and avoid costly emergency replacements. The new high-efficiency RTUs have helped Adidas reduce both maintenance costs and electricity consumption by 20% and 40% depending on location. 

RTU Sizing Guidance Guidance

Common sizing mistakes (with respect to cooling tonnage and supply fan horsepower) can be controlled with these recommended processes to help project teams avoid those mistakes and ensure effective RTU replacement investments.

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High-Efficiency RTU Specification for Advanced RTU Campaign: CEE Tier II Specification

This specification provides a description of rooftop unit (RTU) efficiency and functionality characteristics that align with the goals of DOE’s Advanced RTU Campaign for new or replacement installations.

RTU Measurement and Verification Guidance Fact Sheet

This fact sheet explains the variety of benefits from rooftop unit (RTU) replacements by validating energy and cost savings and other improvements through measurement and verification (M&V) methods.

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RTU Inventory Spreadsheet Guidance

Use the RTU Inventory Spreadsheet to gather basic information (i.e., number, size, age, condition, etc.) about your RTUs. Use the detailed fields to gather additional information (i.e., controls, usage patterns, features, etc.) for additional analysis of the RTUs identified for retrofit, replacement, or further analysis.

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Decision Tree for RTU Replacements or Retrofits Guidance

This decision tree guides the reader through the challenging task of determining how to manage existing rooftop units with easy to follow evaluation questions and links to additional resources for more information.

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Implementing High-Efficiency Rooftop Units in Leased Buildings Case Study

Efficiency Vermont successfully completed a 66-rooftop unit (RTU) high-efficiency replacement project on a large 140,000 square foot office building in Vermont. Real savings nearly doubled the estimated savings of $41,000 annually and was recognized by DOE's Advanced RTU Campaign.

High Performance Rooftop Unit Specification: RTU Challenge Specification

The Offeror shall provide a detailed description of the rooftop unit (RTU) model offered for sale in response to this Solicitation.

Retrofitting Inefficient Rooftop Air-Conditioning Units Reduces U.S. Navy Energy Use Case Study

As part of the U.S. Navy’s overall energy strategy, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) partnered with the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) to demonstrate market-ready energy efficiency measures, renewable energy generation, and energy systems integration.

Retail Rooftop Unit Lease Language Report

The purpose of this document is to provide a menu of lease clauses to facilitate rooftop unit (RTU) efficiency in retail leases for both retail tenants and commercial real estate landlords.

Advanced RTU Controller Specification Specification

This specification lists potential important features and best applications for advanced rooftop unit controllers.

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Arby’s Innovative RTU Management Approach Case Study

Arby's Restaurant Group developed a comprehensive, portfolio-wide rooftop unit (RTU) assessment approach that has led to over $280,000 and nearly 3 million kWh in annual savings.

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Fontana Unified School District Goes Back to School with High-Efficiency RTUs Case Study

Fontana Unified School District in Southern California used grant money to install over 200 high-efficiency RTUs in 30 buildings across four schools, resulting in $214,000 saved per year.

Replacing and Retrofitting Rooftop Units through the Advanced RTU Campaign Report

This report from the Professional Retail Store Maintenance Association (PRSM) highlights the benefits of proactive rooftop unit replacement and retrofits within the retail sector with support from Advanced RTU Campaign resources.

HVAC   Rooftop Unit (RTU)   Better Buildings Alliance