Engineering Commons^™

Rbs Technology: Task 3 Report, Florida Solar Energy Center, Philip Fairey

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The purpose of this report is to discuss the current state of attic radiant barrier system (RBS) technology. Concepts, research issues and experimental test results are presented and discussed.

Radiant Barriers: A Question And Answer Primer, Florida Solar Energy Center, Philip Fairey

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Attic radiant barriers made of aluminum foil are becoming a popular way for homeowners to save energy and money in Southern states. They are increasing in popularity for two reasons. First, tests by the Florida Solar Energy Center and other groups show that they work. Second, manufacturers are improving the quality of radiant barrier materials.

To most homeowners, attic radiant barriers are a new energy conservation concept; many of them have questions about how radiant barriers work and how to use them. This Energy Note answers some of the most commonly asked questions. It also recommends ways to install radiant …

Procedures For Calculating Natural Ventilation Airflow Rates In Buildings. 03-87, Florida Solar Energy Center, Subrato Chandra

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This is the final report of ASHRAE research project 448-RP "Building Pressure Distribution for Natural Ventilation" initiated in October 1985. The objective of the research was to review the worldwide data on building pressure coefficient and to assimilate the data for use in hourly calculation of natural ventilation airflow rates in buildings. This report is organized in two parts. Part 1 is written for the user who wants to use the information. Part 2 provides the background and research data analysis which was conducted to come up with the Part 1 information.

Field Data Delivery - Thermal Performance Field Monitoring Of Various Conservation Construction Techniques. Final Report., Florida Solar Energy Center, Charles Cromer

FSEC Energy Research Center®

No abstract provided.

Heat Pipe Application Program, Florida Solar Energy Center, Mukesh Khattar

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The Florida Solar Energy Center has begun a project to develop a high efficiency air conditioner/dehumidifier using heat pipes between the warm return and cold supply air streams. Such systems will save energy in hot, humid climates.

Radiant Energy Transfer And Radiant Barrier Systems In Buildings, Florida Solar Energy Center, Philip Fairey

FSEC Energy Research Center®

In Florida and other southern climates we depend on a number of strategies to keep heat out of buildings. Mostly, these affect heat gains by conduction or convection. In the average house, insulating walls and ceilings primarily restricts conduction. Double-glazed windows restrict both conductive and convective heat gain. We have largely ignored radiation - the third means of heat transfer - except in using window treatments and coatings that reflect, absorb or shade from solar energy. But research points to exciting potential for reducing heat gain in buildings by controlling radiation transfer in walls and ceilings through the use of …

Techniques For Shading Residential Walls And Windows, Florida Solar Energy Center, Philip Fairey

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Solar radiation is a major heat source in buildings - welcome in cold weather but a summertime problem. Florida's long cooling season and short heating season increase the importance of protecting windows, walls and sliding glass doors during hot weather, while still permitting solar heat to enter a building during cold weather. cooling and heating energy savings of 10% - 20% are possible through good shading strategies. Properly designed roof overhangs can provide adequate sun protection, especially for south-facing surfaces. Vertical shading devices such as trees, trellises, trellised vines, shutters, shading screens awnings and exterior roll blinds are also effective. …

Cooling With Ventilation, Florida Solar Energy Center, Subrato Chandra

FSEC Energy Research Center®

In keeping with the national energy policy foal of fostering an adequate supply of energy at a reasonable cost, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) supports a variety of programs to promote a balanced and mixed energy resource system. The mission of the DOE Solar Building Research and Development Program is to support this goal by providing for the development of solar technology alternatives for the buildings sector. It is the goal of the Program to establish a proven technology base to allow industry to develop solar products and designs for buildings that are economically competitive and can contribute …

Systems Building Theory Application Within The Residential Housing Construction Market, Gary Alexander Newhard

Theses

The primary purpose of this report is to introduce the economical value in utilizing certain "systems building" applications. In this report I focus on integrated system methodologies that encourage residential building economy and submit such systems as a viable alternative to traditional labor intensive housing construction. The consumer market that could be particularly enhanced by these systems ranges from low income to middle income and the by-product would be classified as "affordable" housing.

This report focuses on the New Jersey real estate market and presents certain prefabricated housing systems as an economical means of meeting the large demand for residential …

Latent And Sensible Load Distributions In Conventional And Energy Efficient Residences. Final Report, January 1983 - January 1986. 05-86., Florida Solar Energy Center, Alp Kerestecioglu

FSEC Energy Research Center®

To develop a method to characterize the cooling load distributions in conventional and energy efficient residences, specifically as related to building dehumidification loads, as they pertain to the potential for the use of gas-fired dehumidification and cooling equipment.

Air Conditioner Fan Speed Controller For Comfort And Dehumidification, Florida Solar Energy Center, Mukesh Khattar

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Air conditioners perform the dual functions of cooling and dehumidifying. Many air conditioner units do not adequately dehumidify the air in Florida's humid climate. The quest for higher energy efficiency ratings (EER) has produced units that perform poorly in moisture removal. What follows is a simple and cheap method to increase the moisture removal performance of any air conditioner.

Effective Energy Conservation And Management In The Building Sector : The Answer To The Energy Predicament, Jorge C. Cano

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Modern civilization has developed principally through man's harnessing of forces. For centuries man had to rely on wind, water and animal force as principal sources of power. The advent of the industrial revolution, electrification and the development of new technologies led to the application of wood, coal, gas, petroleum, and uranium to fuel new industries, produce goods and means of transportation, and generate the electrical energy which has become such an integral part of our lives.

The geometric growth in energy consumption, coupled with the world's unrestricted growth in population, has caused a disproportionate use of these limited natural resources. …

Fans To Reduce Cooling Costs In The Southeast, Florida Solar Energy Center, Subrato Chandra

FSEC Energy Research Center®

During the hot, humid summer months in the southeastern U. S., air conditioning costs are a substantial part of the average home's utility bill. In Florida, for example, air conditioning accounts for about 30 percent of the annual utility bill for an all electric house. Fans can help lower air conditioning costs.

There are three generic types of fans to reduce summer air conditioning costs: air circulating fans to create air motion which increases comfort, whole house fans to promote fresh air exchange, and attic vent fans to lower attic temperatures.

Window Treatment For Energy Conservation, Florida Solar Energy Center, Ross Mccluney

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This Energy Note gives the non-technical reader a clear look at windows - how to get the most from them in cooling, heating, ventilating and illuminating the home. Although most of the points are applicable anywhere in the country, emphasis is on summer solar heat gain experienced in buildings in Florida. Two common features of Southern building style are large window areas to let the light and breezes in, and shading devices or window films to keep the hot sunshine out. This energy note addresses design guidelines and strategies as well as shading devices and window films for existing windows.

Designing And Installing Radiant Barrier Systems, Florida Solar Energy Center, Philip Fairey

FSEC Energy Research Center®

A radiant barrier system is, in general, a layer of foil facing an airspace, installed in the envelope of a building. Such systems are very effective in impeding radiant heat transfer and consequent heat gain, especially in southern residences. Before designing and installing a radiant barrier system, you should become familiar with the concept of radiant energy transfer. Design Note 6, Radiant Energy Transfer and Radiant Barrier Systems in Buildings, is required reading if you are not familiar with this concept.

Passive Cooling Ideas For The Southeast, Florida Solar Energy Center, Chris Beck

FSEC Energy Research Center®

A passively cooled home is one which is kept relatively comfortable through natural means. Homeowners in the Southeast have been using passive building techniques in order to live more comfortably during hot, humid seasons since the early 1900's. The concept of designing for minimum use of artificial cooling and heating systems is not new, but with the advent of sophisticated mechanical air-conditioning and heating systems and the availability of inexpensive fossil fuels in the '40s and '50s, builders began bypassing passive techniques. Too many of today's homes are designed with more concern about accomodating a mechanical conditioning system than with …

A Checklist For Building An Energy Efficient Home In Florida, Florida Solar Energy Center, Michael Houston

FSEC Energy Research Center®

To design and build an energy-efficient home in Florida, seriously consider each of the steps listed here. Some are common sense, most are relatively inexpensive, and all add up to much lower energy bills. In fact, by following this checklist, you could expect to be very comfortable year round in your home and save about 30%-50% on your utility bills.

Concepts In Passive Design #2 Devices For East And West Shading, Florida Solar Energy Center, Ross Mccluney

FSEC Energy Research Center®

A major source of heat in buildings is direct solar radiation through east and west windows--welcome heat energy in cold weather, but a summertime problem. Since Florida has such a long cooling season and generally a short heating season, it is especially important to protect east and west walls, windows, and sliding glass doors from the summer sun while allowing adequate light to enter the building year-round. From a lighting standpoint, natural daylight is on the whole quite good but it can produce unwanted heat and visual glare if not properly controlled.

Concepts In Passive Design #3 Passive Cooling Categorizations, Florida Solar Energy Center

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Editor's Note: While passive solar heating is relatively well evolved, passive cooling is only on the threshold of development, and many of its terms are new to the practicing professional. At the Fourth Annual Passive Cooling Conference this problem was addressed by William W. Holmes of the University of Nebraska with the presentation of a 10-point categorization of cooling techniques. We are indebted to Mr. Holmes for this contribution to the emerging field of passive cooling and present it here as a point of departure and working vocabulary for the design professional.

Concepts In Passive Design #1 Roof Overhangs, Florida Solar Energy Center, Philip Fairey

FSEC Energy Research Center®

A major source of heat in buildings is direct solar radiation through windows--welcome in cold weather, but a problem in hot weather. Since Florida has such a lengthy cooling season, it is most important to protect windows from the sun; however, there are times between November and March when some heat is needed. Fortunately, the change in the sun's path from summer to winter is such that a properly designed roof overhang can protect south-facing windows from the high summer sun, yet allow the lower winter sun to come in.

New Perspectives On The Materials Interface With The Three E'S -- Energy, Environment And Economics, Donald S. Remer

All HMC Faculty Publications and Research

New perspectives are presented on the material interface with the three E's -- Energy, Environment, and Economics. The past, present, and future energy picture is described from 1850 through the year 2030. The major energy sources such as oil, natural gas, coal, nuclear, and several new emerging energy options are compared and contrasted. The lead time, capital, and materials required for bringing on-stream new energy sources is described. Previous U.S. energy forecasts are reviewed and are found to be too optimistic. The U.S. materials situation is outlined with an emphasis on per capita materials use and the critical role that …

Termites Or White Ants, Clee Francis Howard Jenkins

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

TERMITES are commonly but erroneously called "white ants."

Actually they are more nearly related to cockroaches than to ants, but their general appearance and subterranean habits have given strong support to the popular designation.

They may be divided into two major groups from an economic point of view, viz., wood-dwelling and earth-dwelling termites.

Wind And Earthquake Stresses In Tall Buildings, Henry A. Reynolds

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

With the increasing cost of land in the modern city it has been necessary to expand upward rather than on the surface. The result has been to concentrate commercial and industrial enterprises in small areas whose influence is felt over the entire world. Notable examples are New York and Chicago. In these developments the engineer has played no small part. It is claimed by some that the maximum economic height has been reached at a thousand feet. However, both the Chrysler and Empire State Buildings have slightly passed this mark. It is not improbable that even taller buildings then these …