Engineering Commons^™

Phased Deep Retrofit Project: Real-Time Measurement Of Energy End-Uses And Retrofit Opportunities, Florida Solar Energy Center, Karen Fenaughty

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This paper describes how utilities can 'make reductions real' through real-time measurement of energy end-uses and corresponding retrofit opportunities. A field evaluation of the methodology was conducted from 2012 to 2016 with Florida Power and Light (FPL), an investor owned utility. A collaborative program between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Building America and FPL led to an ambitious residential energy-efficiency retrofit study aimed to represent FPL's customer base. Fifty-six existing, all electric, occupied Florida homes were instrumented to collect one-minute data on most all energy end-uses in advance of energy-efficiency retrofits. Baseline measurements enabled the development of end-use profiles …

Achieving Very High Efficiency And Net Zero Energy In An Existing Home In A Hot-Humid Climate: Long-Term Utility And Monitoring Data, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This study summarizes the first six months of detailed data collected about a single-family home that experienced a series of retrofits targeting reductions in energy use. The project was designed to develop data about how envelope modifications in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning and domestic hot water and renewable measures can result in considerable energy reductions and potentially net zero energy for an existing home. Using utility billing records and recent detailed monitoring data, this study was also able to chronicle the progress of energy reduction over a 22-year period.

Field Monitoring And Hourly Simulation Of Energy And Demand Savings From Use Of The Telkonet Ss5000 System Hotel Ac Occupancy Control, Florida Solar Energy Center, James Cummings

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Air conditioning and heating control systems were installed in a 56-room hotel in central Florida. Thermostat setpoints in half of the rooms were adjusted when the room was detected to be unoccupied. Heating and cooling energy use was monitored for a period of 9.5 months. Energy and demand savings were analyzed.

Very Low Energy Homes In The United States: Perspectives On Performance From Measured Data, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

We present measured annual performance data from a dozen recent-vintage very low energy homes in North America. Many of the designs combine greater energy efficiency with solar electric photovoltaic power in an attempt to create Zero Energy Homes (ZEH). We also provide measured data from the first home constructed to the German Passivhaus standard in the United States. Several projects either exceeded or come very close to true net zero energy when evaluated over a year.

The data indicate that very low energy use buildings can very readily be achieved in North America. Annual energy use half that or less …

Airflow Network Modeling In Energyplus, Florida Solar Energy Center, Lixing Gu

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The airflow network model in EnergyPlus provides the ability to simulate multizone wind-driven airflows. The model is also able to simulate the impacts of forced air distribution systems, including supply and return air leaks. The air distribution system portion of the model is currently applicable for constant-air-volume systems. Future enhancements will include adding hybrid ventilation control and possible extension to include variable-air-volume distribution systems.

This paper describes the input objects, calculation procedures, model validation, and example results. The model inputs consist of five main objects: simulation control, multizone data, node data, component data, and linkage data. The model calculates pressure …

Measured Energy And Peak Demand Reduction From High Efficiency Air Conditioner Replacement, Florida Solar Energy Center, John Masiello

FSEC Energy Research Center®

A utility load research project has monitored over 167 single-family residences in Central Florida collecting baseline 15-minute data on air conditioner (AC) power consumption, interior air temperatures and appliance loads over a two year period. Within the project we evaluated the impact of replacing older existing air conditioners with modern high efficiency equipment.

Research Highlights From A Large Scale Residential Monitoring Study In A Hot Climate, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This load research project by a large utility has monitored 204 residences in Central Florida, collecting detailed electricity end-use load data. In each home, 15-minute electric demand data is obtained on total electric power, space heating, cooling, water heating, dryers, cooking and pool energy use. Interior and exterior temperatures were also recorded. This is similar to other detailed end-use data monitored in the U.S. Pacific Northwest in the ELCAP project (Pratt et al., 1989) and the PG&E Appliance Metering Project (Brodsky and McNicoll, 1987). However these data are of a more recent vintage and from a cooling dominated climate.

The …

Fpc Residential Monitoring Project: New Technology Development Radiant Barrier Pilot Project, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The FPC Monitoring project has evaluated radiant barrier systems (RBS) as a new potential DSM program. The objective was to examine how the retrofit of attic radiant barriers can be expected to alter FPC residential space conditioning loads. An RBS consists of a layer of aluminum foil fastened to roof decking or roof trusses to block radiant heat transfer between the hot roof surface and the attic below. The radiant barrier can significantly lower summer heat transfer to the attic insulation and to the cooling duct system. Both of these mechanisms have strong potential impacts on cooling energy use as …

Executive Summary - Fpc Residential Monitoring Project: New Technology Development Radiant Barrier Pilot Project, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The FPC Monitoring project has evaluated radiant barrier systems (RBS) as a new potential DSM program. The objective was to examine how the retrofit of attic radiant barriers can be expected to alter FPC residential space conditioning loads. An RBS consists of a layer of aluminum foil fastened to roof decking or roof trusses to block radiant heat transfer between the hot roof surface and the attic below. The radiant barrier can significantly lower summer heat transfer to the attic insulation and to the cooling duct system. Both of these mechanisms have strong potential impacts on cooling energy use as …

Factors Influencing Water Heating Energy Use And Peak Demand In A Large Scale Residential Monitoring Study, Florida Solar Energy Center, Matthew Bouchelle

FSEC Energy Research Center®

A load research project by the Florida Power Corporation (FPC) is monitoring 204 residences in Central Florida, collecting detailed end-use load data. The monitoring is being performed to better estimate the impact of FPC's load control program, as well as obtain improved appliance energy consumption indexes and load profiles. A portion of the monitoring measures water heater energy use and demand in each home on a 15-minute basis. The paper summarizes the various impacts identified on water heating energy use and demand.

Energy Efficient Industrialized Housing Research Summary Of Fy 1998 Activities (July 1998 - August 1999), Florida Solar Energy Center, Janet Mcilvaine

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The objectives of this work are to increase the market share of energy-efficient housing by conducting field testing and monitoring, research, development, design assistance, and training activities in partnership with housing manufacturers, production builders, non-profits and related members of the housing industry.

Measured Ceiling Fan Performance And Usage Patterns: Implications For Efficiency And Comfort Improvement, Florida Solar Energy Center, Jeffrey Sonne

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Simulations suggest residential cooling energy use can be reduced up to 15% through the use of ceiling fans with thermostat set-up. However, monitoring data from a large scale study of Florida homes found that air conditioning consumption was not lower because thermostats settings were not raised in response to fan use, and many fans were apparently left on for long periods in unoccupied zones. To further study these findings, we collected field data on actual ceiling fan usage patterns and how they might be affected by education. We also studied power characteristics and air moving efficiency of current generation ceiling …

Limiting Solar Radiation Effects On Outdoor Air Temperature Measurement, Florida Solar Energy Center, Robin Vieira

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This experimental study compares various methods of reducing the effects of solar radiation on outdoor air temperature measurements. It indicates that radiation effects can introduce significant measurement error, even with the use of shielding devices and aspiration, and outlines efforts that were taken to lessen the error caused by radiation.

Two separate tests were conducted, one comparing naturally ventilated and fan-aspirated radiation shields, the other comparing seven identical fan-aspirated shields. Results from the first test showed that one of the naturally ventilated shields was generally more effective than a fan- aspirated unit-at some instances of high radiation giving daytime temperatures …

Monitored Energy Use Characteristics Of A Florida Residence: Demonstration Of A Research Monitoring Protocol, Data Acquisition System And Associated Analysis Methods, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This report summarizes the first four months of data collection on the author's home in Cocoa Beach, Florida. This project was designed to develop and test a residential monitoring protocol for a cooling dominated climate. The project has demonstrated that useful research results can be obtained from the detailed monitoring of a single occupied residential home.

Thermal Performance Monitoring Results From The Residential Standards Demonstration Program, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The Model Conservation Standards (MCS) were developed by the Northwest Power Planning Council in 1983. These standards were designed to save large amounts of space heating energy in new U.S. residential construction in the Pacific Northwest. Creation of the MCS resulted in a desire to demonstrate the actual savings of such energy efficiency standards. The Bonneville Power Administration sponsored the Residential Standards Demonstration Program (RSDP) in 1984 which resulted in the construction of 410 energy-efficient single-family homes in the four-state region. Typically these buildings incorporated design features such as high levels of insulation for attic, walls and floors, triple-glazed windows …