Evercloak, based in Waterloo, Ontario, is accelerating the commercialization of its market-first, building dehumidification technology. This momentum is fueled by funding awarded through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to support a pilot project valued at up to US$3 million.
Evercloak will initially receive US$350,000 to accelerate the scale-up of its graphene oxide composite membrane production and build an advanced dehumidification system prototype. The system is enabled by Evercloak's proprietary membrane that allows water vapour to pass through while blocking the passage of air. Removing humidity from the air and keeping it in a vapour phase radically reduces the energy required to dehumidify, and subsequently cool, air.
"Conventional air conditioning uses so much energy because it cools and dehumidifies at the same time, chilling the air until the moisture condenses out," explains Evercloak CEO Evelyn Allen. "By separating those two steps and using membrane-based technology to handle the dehumidification, we can achieve the same building cooling results using far less energy."
The award is part of NYSERDA's NextGen Buildings Innovation Challenges, which provides support for companies that are developing, commercializing, and demonstrating new technologies that can boost building performance and energy efficiency, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This program supports innovative technologies including ground source heat pumps, cutting-edge geothermal technologies, and novel building envelope solutions in addition to intelligent building control solutions.
Once the scale-up phase is complete, NYSERDA has the option to extend the award, providing an additional US$1.15M to fund the development of a full-scale HVAC system and commercial demonstration of the system in a New York City building.
Doreen M. Harris, President and CEO, NYSERDA said, "The next generation of heating and cooling technologies will be critical to modernizing buildings, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and tackling rising temperatures due to climate change. Innovative solutions like Evercloak's dehumidification technology are helping to advance scalable systems that can be implemented in existing buildings across the state while helping to provide a safe and comfortable living environment for residents."
Evercloak estimates that using its technology could reduce emissions within the State's building sector by 40 percent and cut the sector's peak energy consumption by 25 percent. As a result, it would eliminate two-five megatonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalents a year — numbers that Evercloak calculated as a member of the NYSERDA-funded Scale for ClimateTech program in 2021. It would also make cooling more affordable, enhancing quality of life for residents during hot, muggy summer weather.
