Developing and Evaluating Two Design Approaches for Space Conditioning Heat Pumps Using Ultra-Low GWP Refrigerants
Summary
SCH Number
2026030754
Public Agency
California Energy Commission
Document Title
Developing and Evaluating Two Design Approaches for Space Conditioning Heat Pumps Using Ultra-Low GWP Refrigerants
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
3/18/2026
Document Description
The purpose of the project is to develop and evaluate two next-generation residential heat pump technologies that use ultra-low global warming potential refrigerants while maintaining safety, high efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. The project will test and optimize an air-to-water and an air-to-air heat pump pathway, each integrated with thermal energy storage to improve performance, grid flexibility, and emissions reductions. The results will inform California energy policy and industry decisions by assessing technical, environmental, grid, cost, and equity implications of future refrigerant transitions.
Contact Information
Name
Felix Villanueva
Agency Name
California Energy Commission
Job Title
Commission Agreement Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Address
Phone
Name
Curtis Harrington
Agency Name
UC Davis
Job Title
Project Manager
Contact Types
Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Email
Location
Coordinates
Cities
Davis
Counties
Yolo
Regions
Citywide
Cross Streets
Sage St and Tilia St.
Zip
95616
State Highways
SR 113
Other Location Info
215 Sage St Ste 100
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 15301 ; Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 15306
Reasons for Exemption
The activities would include developing high efficiency ultra-low global warming potential heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) heat pumps to be tested in an existing laboratory and installed or used in existing buildings, especially, residential buildings. The equipment and materials would include, but may not be limited to, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning units; building energy controls (e.g., heating, cooling, lighting); and evaluation, measurement, and verification equipment (e.g., power meters, flow meters, sensors, and data loggers). The physical work would include installing this equipment. The project would not involve adding residential units or substantially enlarging buildings.
The above activities fall under two categorical exemptions. First, the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, licensing, and minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, and mechanical equipment, involving negligible or no expansion of use, falls under California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15301. Second, the project includes data collection and analysis to be conducted in residential buildings and in existing laboratories of the grant recipient team. California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15306 exempts basic data collection, research, experimental management, and resource evaluation activities that do not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource. The proposed project's data analysis activities will have no significant effect on the environment and fall within the categorical exemption of section 15306.
This project does not involve impacts on any particularly sensitive environment; does not involve any cumulative impacts of successive projects of the same type in the same place that might be considered significant; does not involve unusual circumstances that might have a significant effect on the environment; will not result in damage to scenic resources within a highway officially designated as a state scenic highway; the project site is not included on any list compiled pursuant to Government Code section 65962.5; and the project will not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource. Therefore, none of the exceptions to categorical exemptions listed in CEQA Guidelines section 15300.2 apply to this project, and this project will not have a significant effect on the environment.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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