Sumner County, Kansas Building Tech Proving Ground DE-EE 0009467

04/12/2024

Wellington is the proving ground for a first-of-its-kind material that could lower energy costs.

04/12/2024

This new technology comes from Armstrong World Industries which is the nation’s largest ceiling manufacturer.

08/28/2022

https://www.kansas.com/news/local/article263893877.html

“It is a solution that has a lot of transformative potential.”

05/18/2022

We invite you to follow this page as we share each step of the installation process and document the subsequent energy savings gathered in the field from Sumner County’s U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Building Technologies Proving Ground – Public Sector Field Validation Funding Opportunity.

Awarded in partnership with the City of Wellington, KS, Sumner County Economic Development Commission, University of Kansas School of Engineering, Insolcorp, LLC, PlaNet Productions, Inc. and Decent Energy, Inc., the project is field-testing a Passive Thermal Energy Storage (PTES) ceiling tile that is based on Phase Change Material (PCM). PCMs change between solid and liquid form, storing extreme cold and heat and then releasing that energy. The study expects to validate a 20% reduction in cooling, heating and electric demand.

The buildings being monitored in the study include: EMS Police/Fire Station, Wellington City Hall, Sumner County Courthouse, Raymond Frye Complex, Santa Fe Building and Sumner County Health Department. The tile installation will improve energy efficiency and lower energy costs in all six facilities.

As the energy reductions are validated, building owner adoption and implementation of this promising smart technology is expected to increase, improving building energy efficiency and demand flexibility further supporting the objective of more grid-interactive efficient buildings (GEBs).