Simplified method for calculating heating and cooling energy in residential buildings
A microcomputer-based program, Computerized, Instrumented, Residential Audit (CIRA), for determining economically optimal mixes of energy-saving measures in existing residential buildings was developed which requires extensive calculation of heating and cooling energy consumptions. In this paper, a simplified method of calculation that satisfies the requirements of speed and memory imposed by the type of microcomputer on which CIRA runs is presented. The method is based on monthly calculations of degree days and degree nights for both heating and cooling seasons. The base temperatures used in calculating the degree days and degree nights are derived from thermostat settings, solar and internal gains, sky radiation losses, and the thermal characteristics of the building envelope. Thermostat setbacks are handled by using the concept of effective thermal mass of the house. Performance variations of HVAC equipment with changes of part load and ambient conditions are taken into account using correlation curves based on experimental data. Degree days and nights for different base temperatures are evaluated by using a climate-specific empirical correlation with monthly average daily and nightly temperatures. Predictions obtained by this method and by DOE-2.1 are compared for the so-called Hastings ranch house for seven different climates in the United States. Heating and cooling energy consumptions predicted by CIRA lie generally within +- 10% of DOE-2.1 predictions.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 5485579
- Report Number(s):
- LBL-13508; CONF-820309-2; ON: DE82003625
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 3. international symposium on energy conservation in the built environment, Dublin, Ireland, 30 Mar 1982
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
14 SOLAR ENERGY
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
COOLING LOAD
CALCULATION METHODS
HEATING LOAD
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
ENERGY AUDITS
AIR INFILTRATION
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPUTER CODES
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
D CODES
DEGREE DAYS
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
HEAT GAIN
MICROPROCESSORS
RETROFITTING
SPACE HEATING
SPACE HVAC SYSTEMS
THERMOSTATS
TIMING CIRCUITS
AUDITS
BUILDINGS
COMPUTERS
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT
HEATING
MICROELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
SIMULATION
320101* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Residential Buildings- (-1987)
140901 - Solar Thermal Utilization- Space Heating & Cooling
298000 - Energy Planning & Policy- Consumption & Utilization