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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Monitoring and evaluation of foundation insulation retrofits in single family detached houses in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5745224
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4]; ;  [5]
  1. Robinson Technical Services, St. Paul, MN (USA)
  2. Nelson (Gary) and Associates, Minneapolis, MN (USA)
  3. Center for Energy and the Urban Environment, Minneapolis, MN (USA)
  4. Natural Resources Corp., Minneapolis, MN (USA)
  5. Minnesota Univ., Minneapolis, MN (USA). Underground Space Center
The effectiveness of foundation insulation retrofits in 15 Minnesota houses was evaluated using a before-after experimental method. A two- parameter linear regression model of total space heating load versus outside temperature was used to evaluate changes in energy use. The average whole-house energy savings for the interior and exterior cases were 92 and 24 therm per year, or 7.9 (range {minus}0.6 to 17. 8) and 3.0 (range {minus}2.9 to 8.3) percent, respectively. Minimum payback periods for the interior and exterior cases were 12 and 37 years, respectively. All homeowners reported increased comfort in their basements. Average measured savings were about one-third of those predicted. The findings show that the application of insulation in an uncontrolled zones produces highly variable results, and has the principal effect of increasing the temperature and comfort of the basement, rather than producing cost effective whole-house energy savings, 13 refs., 11 figs., 14 tabs.
Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA); Robinson Technical Services, St. Paul, MN (USA)
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400
OSTI ID:
5745224
Report Number(s):
ORNL/Sub-86-SA711/V; ON: DE91014956
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English