Nostromo Energy’s IceBrick Innovation Center Named a “2024 Outstanding Energy Project” by the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers

The award recognizes projects that use innovation and unique design to advance the practice of energy engineering in Los Angeles. Nostromo’s IceBrick Innovation Center, which includes a 1,400 kWh energy storage facility, is open for tours by appointment.

As buildings become more sustainable, air conditioning remains a significant obstacle, accounting for up to 70 percent of a building’s peak energy load. In Los Angeles, air conditioning in commercial buildings accounts for about 35 percent of peak electricity demand, putting significant strain on the city’s power grid and increasing reliance on fossil fuels.

Installed at the iconic Beverly Hilton Hotel, Nostromo’s carefully implemented project involved the retrofitting of the 69-year-old building with a state-of-the-art Grid Interactive Asset system. The project involved moving 300,000 pounds of IceBrick cells and supporting plumbing and electrical equipment through a 10-foot walkway and installing them in a renovated old boiler room.

The IceBrick system provides the Beverly Hilton with a solution that shifts cooling energy use to off-peak hours when solar energy is most prevalent, reducing the load on the grid. It reduces the building’s energy use during peak hours, when solar energy is no longer being used, by freezing 150,000 pounds of water in capsules into ice during off-peak hours. The ice then cools the water circulating through the air conditioning during peak hours, eliminating the need for energy-hungry chillers to operate during those hours and reducing the load on the grid. The system’s off-peak energy use reduces the hotel’s annual energy cooling costs by 50 percent and CO2 emissions by 150-200 metric tons per year.

“We are honored to receive this award, which recognizes our commitment to paving the way for a more sustainable future in Los Angeles and beyond,” said Yoram Ashery, CEO of Nostromo Energy. “We look forward to strengthening our partnership with the city’s commercial sector and partnering with additional properties that together can significantly contribute to our clean energy goals while delivering cost-efficiency benefits to commercial businesses.”

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Nostromo Energy