Simulated attic radiant barrier performance
This project was completed for EPRI to evaluate potential residential energy and demand impacts of attic radiant barriers (ARB's) in six US locations. ARB's offer the potential of reducing the projected impact of utility summer demand growth due to residential cooling. ARB energy and demand impacts were evaluated in the project by improving an existing full-year hourly ARB simulation model, calibrating the model using Nevada Power field test data, and completing parametric runs with the calibrated model for a range of climates, residential building loads, and attic conditions. A savings worksheet'' was also developed for rapid estimation of location-specific ARB annual energy cost impacts. Results indicate that ARB's (installed in the under roof'' or truss location) are increasingly effective in reducing cooling energy use as insolation increases and ceiling R-value decreases. For homes with R19 ceiling insulation, projected cooling energy savings per ceiling ft{sup 2} range from 0.07 kWh in Portland, Oregon to 0.31 kWh in Miami, Florida. Projected peak day demand savings per ceiling ft{sup 2} range from 0.11 Watts in Portland to 0.20 Watts in both Miami and Abilene, Texas. ARB's located above attic ductwork reduce duct losses, increasing projected energy and demand savings. 14 refs., 10 figs., 8 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (USA); Davis Energy Group, CA (USA)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- EPRI; Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6026290
- Report Number(s):
- EPRI-CU-7220
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
320107* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Building Systems-- (1987-)
ATTICS
BUILDINGS
CALIBRATION
CLIMATES
ENERGY MODELS
ENERGY TRANSFER
HEAT TRANSFER
PERFORMANCE
R FACTORS
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
SIMULATION
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
THERMAL INSULATION