Effective, low-cost HVAC controls upgrade in a small bank building

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:5188041

Sharp, T R; MacDonald, J M

This report summarizes the measured results from a field study of the performance of a low-cost controls retrofit in a small bank building in Knoxville, TN. The retrofit consisted of a simple upgrade of heating and cooling system controls and new operating strategies. The project was undertaken to better understand how commercial energy use measurement studies should be performed and to demonstrate the effectiveness of a low-cost controls retrofit in a small commercial building. This report describes the details of the project, including building and building system characteristics, the HVAC control changes made, energy end use patterns, and the heating and cooling energy savings achieved. An improved control strategy involving thermostat setback/setup and on/off control was devised around a single replacement programmable thermostat. The strategy allowed thermostat setback/setup control of the primary HVAC system in the building and provided on/off (time-of-day) control for the two secondary systems. The energy efficiency improvements provided a 33% reduction in heating and a 21% reduction in cooling energy consumptions. Simple payback for the retrofit, including installation cost, was under 1 year. In addition to reducing the energy needs of the building, the replacement electronic thermostat provided improved interior comfort. 9 refs., 12 figs., 3 tabs.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/CE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 5188041
• Report Number(s): CONF-900203-3; ON: DE90004922
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320106* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Building Equipment-- (1987-)
BUILDINGS
COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
COOLING SYSTEMS
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT
HEATING SYSTEMS
RETROFITTING
THERMOSTATS