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Title: Data-driven evaluation of HVAC operation and savings in commercial buildings

Journal Article · · Applied Energy
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [3]
  1. Case Western Reserve Univ., Cleveland, OH (United States). SDLE Research Center, Great Lakes Energy Institute
  2. Case Western Reserve Univ., Cleveland, OH (United States). SDLE Research Center
  3. Case Western Reserve Univ., Cleveland, OH (United States). Great Lakes Energy Institute

Commercial buildings consumed 36% of electricity, or 1.35 trillion kWh, in the United States in 2017, and almost 30% of this energy was wasted. Much of this loss can be attributed to inefficient heating ventilation and air con­ditioning (HVAC) systems. By improving the operational conditions of HVAC, significant savings can be achieved. However, most buildings and building equipment do not use costly sub-meters to monitor and address performance issues, and on-site auditing can be expensive and insufficient. Alternatively in this study, we propose a data-driven method to identify savings opportunities using only whole building meter data and without setting foot in the building. For this purpose, we introduced two algorithms that virtually quantify the value of a thermostat setpoint setback and HVAC rescheduling. Additionally, we developed novel methods for detecting occupancy patterns and quantifying the baseload of the HVAC operation. Using a clustering algorithm, we identified those buildings for which HVAC savings was significant and further categorized the buildings based on their potential for savings. A population study of over 432 commercial buildings demonstrated a median percentage energy savings of 1.6% from a baseload reduction and 2.1% from HVAC rescheduling. Additionally, results indicate that retail buildings have the highest potential for savings among the building types studied.

Research Organization:
Case Western Reserve Univ., Cleveland, OH (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E)
Grant/Contract Number:
AR0000668
OSTI ID:
1782098
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1647101
Journal Information:
Applied Energy, Vol. 278; ISSN 0306-2619
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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