In 2017 ICI completed the installation of DualCool evaporative pre-coolers on 100 more Walmart and Sam’s Club stores. Each of these stores now has DualCool equipment on six or more 10- to 20-ton rooftop HVAC units (RTUs) that supply dedicated fresh air into the stores. Installations were in California, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Utah, Nevada, and New Mexico. The 2017 program is the fourth major series of DualCool installations for Walmart.     MORE …

ICI has partnered with Target and California electric utilities to test and demonstrate evolving DualCool® designs since 2001. The first DualCool for Target was placed on a 13-ton rooftop unit at the El Cajon store. This project was a demonstration supported by the San Diego Gas and Electric Company under the PG&E “Cross-Cutting Demand Reduction Program” sponsored by the California Public Utilities Program. Project data showed more than 6 kW peak reduction and annual savings more than double the original estimate. The project was part of 300 tons of DualCool installations for Target during the CPUC program.     MORE …

Trane is one of the largest manufacturers of cooling equipment worldwide. ICI has partnered with Trane for advanced cooling system applications since 1997 when a Trane chiller was incorporated on the Vacaville CA building now occupied by ICI.


The first (and still-operating) DualCool® installation was completed in 2001 on a Trane Voyager unit at the Trane Sacramento office in Rocklin, CA. The Davis Energy Group completed detailed monitoring on this unit in the summer of 2001. The results were impressive for an office application (45 hours/week occupancy compared to 168 for 24/7 “big-box” retail). DualCool caused 55% demand reduction in 105°F outdoor air, because DualCool’s capacity increase eliminated the need for second-stage cooling. Projected annual energy savings were 440 kWh/yr-ton, without any blower speed reduction.     MORE …

The Western Cooling Challenge (WCC) was developed by the Western Cooling Efficiency Center (WCEC) at UC Davis to “accelerate the development, commercialization, and market adoption of packaged air conditioners that are dramatically more energy efficient than current equipment” (Dr. Mark Modera, Director of the WCEC). The Challenge responds to requests from building owner and electric utility affiliate members of the WCEC, motivated by state and corporate goals for energy efficiency and sustainability. For example, the California Public Utility Commission’s Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan gives specific priority to the application of climate-appropriate cooling technologies.

Trane and ICI have partnered to develop the VoyagerDC® packaged cooling series that was rigorously tested and qualified to WCC standards in July, 2012. Trane is the first major HVAC manufacturer to offer a Challenge-certified product line.      MORE …