Simplified method for predicting building energy consumption using average monthly temperatures

Conference · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:474419

White, J A ^[1]; Reichmuth, H ^[2]

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1. Energy Management Services, Portland, OR (United States)
2. MicroGrid, Inc., Portland, OR (United States)

A new method has been developed to predict monthly building energy use using average monthly temperatures. This newly discovered procedure can be applied to simple or complex buildings and is more accurate than standard calculation procedures that use heating and cooling degree days or temperature bins. The method provides useful insight into a buildings energy use, without requiring complex inputs that are normally required in running sophisticated building energy programs. This new method for calculating energy consumption can be used to: predict total monthly energy consumption and costs for an entire campus, large commercial building, or residential home; calculate energy savings of various energy conservation measures, including control strategies; size heating and cooling equipment; compare alternative HVAC systems; compare actual weather and billing to hourly simulation results based on typical meteorological year (TMY) data; evaluate a building`s potential for heat recovery, and check for gross errors of hourly simulation results. This calculation procedure is based on the premise that a straight line results when the different between monthly heating and cooling loads are plotted as a function of average monthly temperature. In addition, the slope of this line is equal to the building`s conduction UA and infiltration heat loss coefficients of the building when normalized on a per unit of conditioned floor area basis.

• OSTI ID: 474419
• Report Number(s): CONF-960805--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
BUILDINGS
CALCULATION METHODS
CONTROL
COOLING LOAD
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
HEATING LOAD
SOLAR FRACTION
SPACE HVAC SYSTEMS