Mexico
AIR CONDITIONING ELECTRICITY MONITORING IN SONORA, MEXICO
During the summer of 2019, EE4D conducted a pioneering direct measurement of residential air conditioners in Sonora. While residential air conditioners are the subject of MEPS in Mexico, to date, these regulations have not specifically required the use of an important efficiency technology (variable-speed, or “inverter” units) due to uncertainties about net financial benefits to consumers. The EE4D measurement helps clarify this picture, and may also be helpful in designing effective financial incentive programs and construction codes to increase insulation.
MEXICO COOLING INITIATIVE
The result of FY18 activities is to establish the Mexico Cooling Initiative as an active organizing force in the energy efficiency world in Mexico, focusing priorities and building a stakeholder base. Three main outputs of that work are:
- A Cooling Fact Book laying out the case for increased action on cooling in Mexico and serving as an easily quotable ‘executive summary’ for proponents of EE in Mexico.
- A Cooling Summit bringing together important stakeholders in Mexico and highlighting main areas for further action.
- A Cooling Community of Practice providing a clearing house of relevant resources and tools in each identified area.
BUILDING CODES IN MEXICO CITY
Background
With the help of LBNL in 1990s, Mexico developed two national standards through CONAE/CONUEE (Director Odon de Buen Rodríguez):
- NOM-008-ENER-2001 – “Eficiencia energética en edificaciones, envolvente de edificios no residenciales”
- NOM-020-ENER-2011 – “Eficiencia energética en edificaciones, envolvente de edificios para uso habitacional.”
These national building codes are used as a reference in several local and state guidelines, but are not a mandatory requirement for construction in any Mexican locality. During the past mayoral administration of Mexico City, extensive attempts were made at implementation with the participation of CONUEE and international partners, but were not finalized
Activities
State of Play and Lessons Learned – This task will produce a brief document evaluating the history of building codes implementation efforts to date in Mexico City.
Stakeholder Engagement Forum – Based on the outputs of the State of Play, Berkeley Lab and its partners will organize a workshop to bring together decisionmakers and implementers at the city with other Mexican institutions and international partners to discuss the priority and mechanics of building code implementation, as well as hurdles and strategies to overcome them.
Output
Workplan – The output of the Engagement Forum will be a work plan with identified leads and milestones towards implementation over the following 12 months.
Meeting with the Chief of Government of Mexico City, Dr. Claudia Sheinbaum
Meeting with officials from the Mexico City International Affairs Office and the Secretariat of Environment
