Low-risk and cost-effective prior savings estimates for large-scale energy conservation projects in housing: Learning from the Fort Polk GHP project
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
- Thermal Energy Systems Specialists, Inc., Madison, WI (United States)
Many opportunities exist for large-scale energy conservation projects in housing. Energy savings performance contracting (ESPC) is now receiving greater attention, as a means to implement such projects. This paper proposes an improved method for prior (to construction) savings estimates for these projects. The proposed approach to prior estimates is verified against data from Fort Polk, LA. In the course of evaluating the ESPC at Fort Polk, the authors have collected energy use data which allowed them to develop calibrated engineering models which accurately predict pre-retrofit energy consumption. They believe that such calibrated models could be used to provide much more accurate estimates of energy savings in retrofit projects. The improved savings estimating approach described here is based on an engineering model calibrated to field-collected data from the pre-retrofit period. A dynamic model of pre-retrofit energy use was developed for all housing and non-housing loads on a complete electrical feeder at Fort Polk. The model included the heat transfer characteristics of the buildings, the pre-retrofit air source heat pump, a hot water consumption model and a profile for electrical use by lights and other appliances. Energy consumption for all 200 apartments was totaled, and by adjusting thermostat setpoints and outdoor air infiltration parameters, the models were matched to field-collected energy consumption data for the entire feeder. The energy conservation measures were then implemented in the calibrated model: the air source heat pumps were replaced by geothermal heat pumps with desuperheaters; hot water loads were reduced to account for the low-flow shower heads; and lighting loads were reduced to account for fixture delamping and replacement with compact fluorescent lights. The analysis of pre- and post-retrofit data indicates that the retrofits have saved 30.3% of pre-retrofit electrical energy consumption on the feeder modeled in this paper.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-96OR22464
- OSTI ID:
- 578623
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-970868-3; ON: DE97008245; BR: EB402000; TRN: AHC29806%%96
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 1997 international energy program evaluation conference, Chicago, IL (United States), 27 Aug 1997; Other Information: PBD: [1997]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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