Assessment of the energy savings potential of building foundations research
Building foundations are an important and integral part of the thermal envelope of buildings. In most buildings the proportion of the surface of a building in contact with the ground rather than the outside air is substantial. In housing this percentage may range from 45% for a one-story residence with a full basement to 25% for a two-story house with a slab on grade. For nonresidential buildings the percentage area of earth contact surfaces can also approach 45% for large one-story buildings and only becomes insignificant for large multistory buildings (without multiple basement levels). Since approximately 57% of all floor space existing in the United States is in single family detached houses and only 7% of nonresidential buildings have more than three stories, foundation heat transfer is clearly a major component of the thermal interaction of buildings with their environment. Possible energy savings for the residential building sector resulting from a change of foundation insulation from no insulation to a moderate level of slab perimeter or basement wall insulation are of the order of 0.40 to 0.46 quads or 0.5 to 0.6% of the US National Energy Consumption in 1984. The highest energy savings come from the northern and mid-state regions. The opportunity for energy conservation in building foundations is to capture as high a level as possible of the potential energy savings. This work cannot be restricted only to new construction if large savings are to be realized. About 450 refs.
- Research Organization:
- Minnesota Univ., Minneapolis (USA); Undercurrent Design Research, New Haven, CT (USA); Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 5683724
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/Sub-84-00240/1; ON: DE85013549
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
BUILDINGS
FOUNDATIONS
HEAT TRANSFER
THERMAL INSULATION
BIBLIOGRAPHIES
CALCULATION METHODS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
DRAINAGE
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HEAT LOSSES
RECOMMENDATIONS
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
SOILS
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
DATA
DOCUMENT TYPES
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY LOSSES
ENERGY TRANSFER
INFORMATION
LOSSES
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
NUMERICAL DATA
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SUPPORTS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
320100* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Buildings