Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation, 7th Edition (2020) Vs. 2018 International Energy Conservation Code Residential Stringency Analysis, Florida Solar Energy Center, Jeffrey Sonne

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This report summarizes the review and evaluation activities carried out to make a determination whether the residential provisions of the 7th Edition (2020) Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation meet or exceed those of the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) code.

Market Driven Residential Energy Codes: Comparing Performance In A Changing Technical Environment, Code Official Survey Results, Florida Solar Energy Center, Karen Fenaughty

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The DOE Code Survey conducted for this project was launched on 2/18/2020 and closed 3/20/2020. There were 907 participants responding to at least some portion of the 48 question survey, though some questions received poor attention. Note that the number of responses to each question varies by design and depends on answers to prior questions. Further, multiple answers are sometimes allowed.

Fsec Energy Research Center Highlights 2020, Brochure, Florida Solar Energy Center, Sherri Shields

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This 5-page "brochure" provides an overview of capabilities at the FSEC Energy Research Center. As Florida's statewide energy research center, FSEC has a 45-year history of basic and applied research excellence, which has grown in scope to include all aspects of renewable energy, energy storage, electric vehicles, and energy efficiency technologies. FSEC's education and outreach programs have trained thousands of energy practitioners and informed energy consumers. This document was originally created to inform City of Cocoa Council members about FSEC during their external visit to the Center in June 2020, during COVID-19. FSEC Art#: PIO-104

Who's Leading: The Dance Between Mini-Splits And Existing Hvac Systems, Florida Solar Energy Center, Cheryn Metzger

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Recently, many utilities across the U.S. have provided incentives for ductless mini-split heat pumps due to their relatively high efficiencies. However, when these ductless mini-splits are installed in existing homes, utilities and researchers find that they are not living up to their energy saving potential, due to a lack of coordinated controls with the existing HVAC system. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), and The Levy Partnership are all leading projects across the country to address this problem. The goal for this body of work is to determine which control strategies provide the most …

Targeting The Best Performing Home Efficiency Programs With Advanced Metering Evaluation Supplemented By Simulation, Florida Solar Energy Center, Robin Vieira

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The authors investigated the impacts of seven residential rebate energy efficiency programs offered by a municipal utility. The evaluation examined energy use pre and post retrofit using the Advanced Mete1ing Infrastructure (AMI) data, disaggregated by major end-use and weather-adjusted; and also by detailed simulations. Residences modeled were representative of typical participants for that measure based on factors such as year built, conditioned square feet and number of bedrooms.

Our analysis found the residential rebate programs to be of highly varied effectiveness, but important differences surfaced between the simulation and the AMI data evaluation. Not surprisingly, programs with larger samples tended …

Measured Cooling Energy Savings From Reflective Wall Finishes: Evaluation As An Efficiency Measure Across Climates, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

In past research, reflective roofs have shown significant potential to reduce cooling in buildings. However, there have been few empirical evaluations of cooling reductions from changing wall reflectance. In the reported study, several experiments with instrumented scale test buildings are used to provide validation for a detailed simulation analysis across varied North American climates. The simulations establish the potential of reflective walls as an efficiency measure in existing buildings against climate.

This paper was published in the 2020 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings.

Analysis Techniques For Evaluating Energy Conservation Programs Using Utility Ami Data, Florida Solar Energy Center, Richard Raustad

FSEC Energy Research Center®

With the evolution of Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) electric meters, utility companies now have direct access to whole building electricity use at a granular time scale. AMI data can be used for a variety of purposes beyond billing, for example, to evaluate the efficacy of energy conservation (EC) programs. Historical methods for calculating EC program savings include building simulation models and laboratory and/or field testing. With big data now available, which analysis methods are more likely to yield quality results?

In a recent project, the Orlando Utility Commission provided monitored AMI data from Oct 1, 2015 - Sep 27, 2018 …

Improving Energy Savings And Peak Demand Reduction Estimates Using Ami Data For Utility Commercial Rebate Programs, Florida Solar Energy Center, Karen Fenaughty

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Solar reflective, or cool roofs, are a demonstrated method of reducing air conditioning energy, particularly in cooling-dominated climates. Similarly, efficient lighting or mechanical equipment replacement programs have a reputation for achieving large savings in c01mnercial buildings. Savings estimates for such measures have historically used monthly utility bills, which only provide a macroscopic view of utility program savings. Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is commonly used in the U.S. by utilities for residential and commercial customers and provides not only a valuable record of changing premise energy use and demand profiles but in much greater detail than utility bills, if desired.

Partnering …

Characterization Of Mechanical Ventilation Systems In New Us Homes: What Types Of Systems Are Out There And Are They Functioning As Intended?, Florida Solar Energy Center, Eric Martin

FSEC Energy Research Center®

As the airtightness of homes improves to meet energy efficiency goals, it becomes more important for mechanical ventilation systems to help maintain a comfortable and healthy indoor air environment. ASHRAE Standard 62.2 provides national guidance for mechanical ventilation system design and installation, however adoption of those guidelines into local building codes has occurred at different rates. Once provisions for mechanical ventilation are adopted in a local code, are mechanical ventilation systems properly designed, installed, commissioned and operated according to code or above-code program requirements? This paper presents results from field studies that include characterization of whole house mechanical ventilation (WHMV) …

Measured Energy And Moisture Performance Impacts From Vented And Unvented Attic With Insulation On Top Of Ceiling In The Hot Humid Climate Zone, Florida Solar Energy Center, Charles Withers, Jr.

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Sealing attic vents helps decrease house air leakage and may reduce some moisture issues in attics in hot humid climates. new code-approved unvented attics can use different types of insulation materials, however, there are specific requirements that vary by materials used and climate zone. These requirements may be complex and may increase construction and operational energy costs.

This paper was published in the 2020 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings.

Fsec Energy Research Center Strategic Plan (2020-2025) Executive Summary, Florida Solar Energy Center, James Fenton

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The Florida Legislature created the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) in 1975 to support the growth and development of renewable energy. The year 2025 will mark the half-century mark for FSEC's service as the statewide energy research and education institute. In preparation for the next 50 years of dynamic energy developments, the FSEC Energy Research Center is undertaking a strategic planning and rebranding process.

Side-By-Side Testing Of Solaire Solar Ac, Florida Solar Energy Center, John Sherwin

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The FSEC Energy Research Center performed a series of side-by-side tests to compare a heat pump system with a SolAire thermal collector against one without. The tests were performed in three phases: 1) baseline operation, 2) heat pump system operating with SolAire collector using collector manufacturer's wiring specifications, and 3) heat pump system operating with SolAire collector using Daiken/OEM wiring specifications. Each phase represented 5 full days of continuous operation during August of 2018 in Cocoa, Florida. Phase 1 baseline testing demonstrated that the two Daiken heat pump systems and test houses performed similarly and there were no differences between …