Engineering Commons^™

The Benefits Of Using Window Shades, Florida Solar Energy Center, Ross Mccluney

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Windows play an important aesthetic role in our daily lives. At the same time, windows typically add significantly to the cost of heating and cooling buildings. After reviewing the physical principles by which windows add heat to buildings and the standard techniques employed to reduce unwanted heating, this paper focuses on one type of device which is readily available, inexpensive to purchase and operate, and capable of being adjusted to changing conditions on even an hourly basis. The device is the common window shade. This paper develops a simple, but realistic, model for computing the advantage of using reflective interior …

Complying With Florida's Green Land Development Standard: Case Studies And Lessons Learned, Florida Solar Energy Center, Robin Vieira

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The Florida Green Building Coalition, Inc. (FGBC), developed a standard for green land development. It is the first voluntary, non-government standard of its kind to target an entire state. Other groups have created development standards that apply to just a local Home Building Associations (HBA) or a local jurisdiction. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is beginning a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEEDTM) for neighborhoods. To comply with Florida's standard, a developer has to earn sufficient points among six categories:

1. Protect Ecosystems and Conserve Natural Resources: for example, surveys, conservation areas, wildlife corridors, wetland preservation and management
2. Circulation: …

Achieving Airtight Ducts In Manufactured Housing, Florida Solar Energy Center, Janet Mcilvaine

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Data and findings presented here were gathered between 1996 and 2003 during 39 factory visits at 24 factories of six HUD Code home manufacturers interested in improving the energy efficiency their homes. Factory observations typically showed that building a tighter duct system was the most cost effective way to improve the product's energy efficiency.

Renewable Energy Limits, Florida Solar Energy Center, Ross Mccluney

FSEC Energy Research Center®

"The more we get out of the world the less we leave, and in the long run we shall have to pay our debts at a time that may be very inconvenient for our own survival." - Norbert Wiener

Introduction: The world's energy and environmental crises are inextricably linked. The processes of extracting, processing, and burning fossil fuels generates copious pollution of air, water, and land. Fossil-fuel-derived energy lies at the heart of other environmental problems. Fossil energy powers the bulldozers clearing rainforests. It runs the tractors and other farm equipment of industrial agriculture, compacting and mineralizing soils thus increasing …

Sunup To Sundown - Energygauge Usa 2.0, Florida Solar Energy Center, Robin Vieira

FSEC Energy Research Center®

You need special tools to design high-performance homes - residences where energy efficiency creates greater comfort, health, and energy savings. Making decisions about energy efficiency requires the accurate calculation of energy use and demand, and the comprehensive evaluation of proposed improvements.

A new software tool helps meet these requirements. EnergyGauge USA, an hourly simulation tool for the design and analysis of high-performance homes, performs detailed hourly simulation analysis for energy use, ratings and code calculations. Version 2.0 adds many features to the first-generation product, including thermal mass, photovoltaic (PV) system simulation, solar water heating, and detailed hourly outputs.

The software, …

Fsec Approved Solar Energy Systems: Domestic Hot Water And Pool Heating, Florida Solar Energy Center, John Harrison

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This listing contains Florida Energy Factors for solar domestic hot water systems that have been approved by the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) for use in the State. These energy factors represent the dimensionless ratio of the hot water energy made available by each approved system divided by the electrical energy used by the system. The Florida Energy Factor (FEF) is used to determine hot water credit multipliers for residential solar water heating systems in the 1993 Florida Energy Efficiency Code for Building Construction. The FEF can also be used to compare the efficiency of solar water heating systems with …

Air Handler Leakage: Field Testing Results In Residences, Florida Solar Energy Center, James Cummings

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Testing was performed to characterize air leakage in 30 air handler cabinets and at connections to supply and return ductwork. Operating pressures were measured in the air handler and plenums. Q 0.1 (Q 25) in the air handler averaged 23.9 cfm (11.3 l/s) in 30 homes. Leakage at the return and supply ductwork connections averaged 3.9 Q 0.1 (1.8 l/s Q 25) and 2.2 Q 0.1 (1.0 l/s Q 25), respectively. Actual return side leakage of 77.5 cfm (36.6 l/s) and supply side leakage of 3.1 cfm (1.5 l/s) are calculated based on Q 0.1 (Q 25) and measured operating …