Energy Systems Commons^™

Field Evaluation Of Efficient Building Technology With Photovoltaic Power Production In New Florida Residential Housing, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The objective of the project, sponsored by the Florida Energy Office and Sandia National Laboratories, is to test the feasibility of building very efficient residential buildings that when combined with utility-interactive PV power, exert little net demand on the utility during the summer peak demand period.

Two single family homes - one, a super efficient residence with a utility interactive photovoltaic (PV) system, and another, a control home - have been constructed in Lakeland, Florida. The PV residence, or PVRES, was constructed with many measures designed to make it more efficient (Fig.E-1). These include a white tile reflective roof system, …

A Summary Report On The Application Of Photovoltaic Systems And Metal Roofs, Florida Solar Energy Center, Stephen Barkaszi

FSEC Energy Research Center®

A recent resurgence of interest in roof-mounted photovoltaic systems has prompted the Florida Solar Energy Center to assess the current state of the technology from a systems viewpoint. A major part of the system that is often underestimated in the performance and economics of the system is the roof structure. The type of roof can significantly affect both the initial cost of an installation and the life cycle costs.

Stand-Alone Photovoltaic Lighting Systems - A Decision-Maker's Guide, Florida Solar Energy Center, James Dunlop

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This document provides general considerations for evaluating the feasibility of photovoltaic (PV) lighting applications. These considerations include assessing lighting requirements, understanding site conditions and investigating alternative lighting and power source options. These guidelines are intended to help prospective buyers of PV lighting equipment evaluate applications, as well as helping those supplying systems and equipment identify potential markets for their products. Also covered in this document is an overview of popular PV lighting system applications, including area and sign lighting, signal and warning systems, consumer lighting devices and solar home lighting systems.

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 …

Comparative Summer Attic Thermal Performance Of Six Roof Constructions, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) has measured summer attic thermal performance of six roofs at a heavily instrumented test site, the Flexible Roof Facility (FRF). The FRF is a 1,152 square foot (107 m2) building with six roof adjacent test cells which are heavily insulated from each other. Some 233 channels of data were obtained; this includes twenty temperature measurements per cell, extensive meteorological conditions, surface and tower wind speeds and attic humidity and roof surface moisture accumulation. The data were collected over the ASHRAE definition of summer (June - September) to compare cooling season thermal of roofing systems. Six …

Needs Assessment: Photovoltaics In Disasters, Florida Solar Energy Center, William Young

FSEC Energy Research Center®

In recent years, solar energy has been used sporadically for disaster relief. Disaster relief organizations knew very little about photovoltaics; therefore, the technology was not included in their plans or operations. Likewise, the photovoltaic (PV) industry has not been directly involved on disaster teams, and did not aggressively pursue associated markets.

However, the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) recently completed an energy needs assessment of disaster response, recovery and mitigation activities. The study found that PV is best suited for specialized or dedicated applications that need to operate for long periods of time. This paper …

Measured Energy Savings From Retrofits Installed In Low-Income Housing In A Hot And Humid Climate, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) is metering energy use in a Habitat for Humanity housing development. The objective is to understand the way in which energy is used in low income housing and how it can be effectively reduced.

The ten homes come from a conventional housing project built by in 1993 Habitat for Humanity in Homestead, Florida. The instrumentation was installed in the homes in July of 1994 with over three years of 15-minute data collected on all sites. Data were obtained on seven electrical end-uses (air conditioning, heating, hot water, dryer, range, refrigerator, washer/freezer) as well as …

Monitored Summer Peak Attic Air Temperatures In Florida Residences, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) has analyzed measured summer attic air temperature data taken for some 21 houses (three with two different roof configurations) over the last several years. The analysis is in support of the calculation within ASHRAE Special Project 152P which will be used to estimate duct system conductance gains which are exposed to the attic space. Knowledge of prevailing attic thermal conditions are critical to the duct heat transfer calculations for estimation of impacts on residential cooling system sizing.

The field data was from a variety of residential monitoring projects which were classified according to intrinsic differences …

Ventilation, Humidity, And Energy Impacts Of Uncontrolled Airflow In A Light Commercial Building, Florida Solar Energy Center, Charles Withers, Jr.

FSEC Energy Research Center®

A small commercial building was monitored before and after energy saving retrofits to study the impact of retrofits upon ventilation rates, humidity, building pressure and air conditioning energy use. Duct airtightness testing identified severe duct leakage as a significant source of uncontrolled airflow. Differential pressure and infiltration measurements using tracer gas indicated an attic exhaust fan as another significant source of uncontrolled airflow. Duct repair resulted in a 31% drop (30.5 kWh/day) in cooling energy, and an increase in relative humidity from 72% to 76%. Turning off the attic exhaust resulted in an additional 36% energy savings (14.3 kWh/day), including …

Evaluation Of The Pv Systems At Martin Power Plant. 07-14-98 (Rev. 07-23-98), Florida Solar Energy Center, Jennifer Skislak

FSEC Energy Research Center®

On June 3, 1998, researchers from the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) conducted a field test of six, independent photovoltaic (PV) systems at the Florida Power and Light (FPL) Martin Power Plant. The weather conditions during test were hazy with a few clouds. This test was performed at the request of FPL to determine the operational status of the PV systems and to provide recommendations for upgrading or repairing these systems. Of the six systems, three were fully operational and were providing power to the grid.

Energy-Efficient Florida Educational Facilities: Improvements To A Portable Classroom At A Volusia County School. Final Report. 06-98, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

An ambitious project by the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) and sponsored by the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) is monitoring the energy use of two adjacent portable classrooms to see how they might be made more energy efficient in a hot-­humid climate. These classrooms have been monitored for one year to collect baseline data before the energy efficient measures are installed. These measures include an efficient lighting system, a new air conditioner, and a reflective white metal roof.

Solar Weatherization Assistance Program, Program Final Report, Volume 1: Main Report. 08-25-98, Florida Solar Energy Center, John Harrison

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The Solar Weatherization Assistance Program (SWAP) was a joint effort of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the Florida Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) to provide solar water heating systems for low-income residents in Florida.

Raising families, incurring everyday bills and purchasing common necessities are all part of daily life that can rapidly drain a family's budget. This is especially burdensome for low-income and elderly residents on a fixed income. A major part of the budgetary concerns are the recurrent and unavoidable electric bills.

In northern colder climates, weatherization programs assist low-income clients …

Advanced Fenestration And Daylighting Systems, Florida Solar Energy Center, Ross Mccluney

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Advanced fenestration and daylighting systems form an interesting new class of devices and products for introducing natural lighting (daylight illumination) into buildings. They are split into two distinct classes. Advanced fenestration systems are new high-performance glazing and reflecting systems for otherwise conventional windows which offer specialized spectral and/or angular selectivity, intended for improved illumination quantity and quality while managing solar radiant heat gain to meet both human comfort and energy conservation objectives. These spectral and/or angular selectivities can be built into the glazings, incorporated into new objects placed between the panes, or they can be part of objects attached to …

Standards And Verification Protocols For Commissioning Air Flows In Buildings, Florida Solar Energy Center, James Cummings

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Commissioning involves three major elements - 1) process, 2) standards, and 3) protocols to verify compliance with the standards. Process is the step-by-step oversight of and involvement in the design, build, and start-up of the facility, to make sure that the design matches the customer's needs, that the design is consistent with good building science practice, that construction matches the construction documents, and that systems and system interactions are properly tested at start-up. This paper does not address process, rather it focuses on the second and third elements -- standards and compliance protocols. It presents standards related to airtightness, air …

Leaking Electricity: Individual Field Measurement Of Consumer Electronics, Florida Solar Energy Center, David Floyd

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Leaking electricity or "parasitic load" is energy wasted by electronic devices when they are not performing any useful function, typically in an "off" or "standby" state. Before this study, little was known about the magnitude or source of this waste. While whole house losses have been estimated to be approximately 50 watts, little data has been available to quantify energy waste from individual loads. This paper summarizes measurements of over 600 consumer electronic devices taken by researchers at both the Florida Solar Energy Center and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Combined they form the largest data set of consumer electronic loads …

Daylighting: Measuring The Performance Of Light Shelves And Occupant-Controlled Blinds On A Dimmed Lighting System, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The design of a daylighted space is both an art and a science. The biggest challenge facing the lighting designer is to admit only as much light as necessary and distribute it evenly throughout the space without introducing glare or heat. In warm climates such as Florida, it has become common practice in windowed spaces to specify blinds and glazing with high shading coefficients to control glare and minimize heat gain. However, this practice reduces the effectiveness of lighting systems that dim automatically. Improved systems are needed to capture natural daylight and distribute it uniformly throughout a space while controlling …

Building Cavities Used As Ducts: Air Leakage Characteristics And Impacts In Light Commercial Buildings, Florida Solar Energy Center, James Cummings

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Field testing in 70 small commercial buildings in central Florida identified that building cavities were used as part of the air distribution system in 33 buildings. The various building cavity types (# of buildings in parentheses) are: enclosed air handler support platforms (10), mechanical closets (8), mechanical rooms (6), ceiling spaces (7), wall cavities (6), chases (1), and "other" building cavities (2). Testing found that these building cavities are considerably more leaky than standard ducts and plenums because they are generally not built to the same airtightness standard as ducts. Actual air leakage is a function not only of duct …

A Portable Photovoltaic Water Aeration System, Florida Solar Energy Center, William Young

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Water aeration is a method to improve the water quality in a lake by adding oxygen to the water. Because water aeration systems are often located in remote locations, photovoltaics are ideal for powering these systems. This paper describes a water aeration system powered by photovoltaics that is used in Florida. The portable nature of this system permits the owner to conveniently relocate the system and aerate bodies of water as needed.

Measured Energy Savings Of A Comprehensive Retrofit In An Existing Florida Residence, Florida Solar Energy Center, Charles Withers, Jr.

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Simulation analysis suggests that electricity consumption can be reduced up to 40% in existing Florida homes with judicious use of methods to reduce loads, as well as more efficient equipment. To test this theory, an all-electric home was located in Miami, Florida upon which to perform a variety of retrofits. The total annual electricity consumption in the one year base-line period preceding the study was 20,733 kWh. Although high, this is not unusual for a South Florida home with a swimming pool since pool pumping often accounts 3,000 -4,000 kWh per year. Detailed instrumentation and metering equipment was installed in …

Energy Needs During Disasters: Workshop Summary Report, Florida Solar Energy Center, Gerard Ventre

FSEC Energy Research Center®

When natural disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes and floods, occur, thousands of people can be left without homes, electrical power, communications, potable water, and food storage capabilities. Adequate electrical power is imperative for both disaster relief operations and community rebuilding. However, the disaster may have disrupted the commercial power supply to a community, requiring disaster relief agencies to rely on alternative sources of power. Photovoltaic-powered equipment provides electrical power which is renewable, quiet, and safe, and which can be used for many essentials of disaster relief efforts, such as refrigeration, communications and lighting. However, at present, photovoltaic (PV) technology is …

Pv Powering A Weather Station For Severe Weather, Florida Solar Energy Center, William Young

FSEC Energy Research Center®

A natural disaster, such as Hurricane Andrew, destroys thousands of homes and businesses. The destruction from this storm left thousands of people without communications, potable water, and electric power. This prompted the Florida Solar Energy Center to study the application of solar electric power for use in disasters.

During this same period, volunteers at the Tropical Prediction Center at the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and the Miami Office of the National Weather Service (NWS) were working to increase the quantity and quality of observations received from home weather stations.

Many weather data collecting stations are at remote sites, which are …

Demonstration Of Cooling Savings Of Light Colored Roof Surfacing In Florida Commercial Buildings: Retail Strip Mall, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

A series of tests were conducted in seven retail shops in a strip mall in Cocoa, Florida to examine how roof whitening would impact air conditioning load. The roof of the strip mall was conventional: unsurfaced galvanized corrugated metal with R-11 insulation suspended by purlins underneath. Below the insulation was the roof plenum which contained both the air handler and duct air distribution system. Cooling was accomplished in each shop by a dedicated direct expansion air conditioning (AC) system between 3 and 4 tons in size. Each had its air conditioning metered for half of the summer in a baseline …

Photovoltaic Equipment For Disaster Relief, Florida Solar Energy Center, William Young

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Photovoltaic (solar electricity) has been used to power various equipment used in disasters. Previously, no organized program had used photovoltaic powered equipment in disasters. In response to an energy needs study with disaster relief organizations, Sandia National Laboratories for the U.S. Department of Energy sponsored the Florida Solar Energy Center to provide PV equipment to selected disaster relief organizations and evaluate its performance and acceptability. The purpose of the report is to describe the six PV-powered systems that were provided.

Controlling Ventilation And Space Depressurization In Restaurants In Hot And Humid Climates, Florida Solar Energy Center, Charles Withers, Jr.

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Testing was performed in 9 restaurants to identify uncontrolled air flows and pressure imbalances, building and duct system airtightness, building air barrier location, pressure differentials, building air flow balance, and ventilation rates. All restaurants are depressurized under normal operating conditions, ranging from -1.0 to -43 pascals. Space depressurization is a function of exhaust fan flow rates, missing or undersized make-up air, intermittent outdoor air caused by the cycling of air handlers, dirty outdoor air and make-up air filters, and building airtightness. Ventilation rates were found to be high, generally exceeding ASHRAE 62-1989 minimum recommended levels. Pressure imbalances and excessive ventilation …

Moving Mountains With Good Research - A Case Study, Florida Solar Energy Center, Ross Mccluney

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Mountains can be moved by good ideas based on good research. A wonderful example comes to us from, of all things, the Naval Facilities Command (NAVFAC), headquartered in Washington, DC. This agency of the Department of Defense is responsible for some $5 billion per year in new and retrofit construction, with naval facilities all over the globe. The federal government alone is responsible for $50 billion per year of construction, which Terry Emmons of NAVFAC claims is half of total U.S. construction. It seems that the Navy has 120,000 buildings around the world, some buildings, or groupings, are the size …

Batteries And Charge Control In Stand-Alone Photovoltaic Systems, Florida Solar Energy Center, James Dunlop

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This report presents fundamentals of battery technology and charge control strategies commonly used in stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) systems. This work is a compilation of information from several sources, including PV system design manuals, research reports and data from component manufacturers.

Details are provided about the common types of flooded lead-acid, valve regulated lead-acid, and nickel cadmium cells used in PV systems, including their design and construction, electrochemistry and operational performance characteristics. Comparisons are given for various battery technologies, and considerations for battery subsystem design, auxiliary systems, maintenance and safety are discussed.

Requirements for battery charge control in stand-alone PV systems …

Needs Assessment For Applying Photovoltaics To Disaster Relief, Florida Solar Energy Center, William Young

FSEC Energy Research Center®

When disaster strikes, such as a hurricane, flood, tornado, or earthquake, it can leave many people without adequate medical services, portable water, electrical service and communications. It can be as destructive as Hurricane Andrew, which left several hundred-thousand people homeless. Those fortunate enough to survive the disaster could be without local utility power and other services for long periods of time as services are restored.

When such disasters occur, emergency management teams, the military, and many public and private organizations respond with massive relief efforts. Dependency on electrical utility power becomes pronounced as emergency services are rendered and rebuilding begins. …

Energy Efficiency For Florida Educational Facilities: The 1996 Energy Survey Of Florida Schools, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

A detailed survey of energy use and related physical and operational characteristics of Florida's public schools has been completed. A mailed survey instrument was sent to all 2,512 schools throughout the state in March 1996. A total of 1, 298 surveys were returned -- a response rate of approximately 52%. Of these some 680 provided matching utility data. The survey data was analyzed to create a school energy use profile as well as to identify characteristics that may influence efficiency. Based on our findings, the total annual energy cost for the Florida school system totaled $205 million in 1995. As …

The Effect Of Residential Equipment Capacity On Energy Use, Demand, And Run-Time, Florida Solar Energy Center, Jo Ellen Cummings

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Installed central air conditioning system capacities in 368 recently-built Florida homes were compared with Manual J load values calculated from house audit data. Over 50% of the homes had installed systems with a cooling capacity greater than 120% of the calculated Manual J value. Thirty-one percent of the 78 heat pump homes in this study had installed heating capacity greater than 120% of the calculated Manual J value. Using submetered data from the air conditioning system, a definite increase in peak energy use was observed for systems sized over 120% of Manual J calculations. The effect of system sizing on …

Photovoltaic System Design Course For Savannah State College: Course Evaluation, Florida Solar Energy Center, Gerard Ventre

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This report describes the evaluation of a course entitles Photovoltaic System Design (PVSD), which was presented by the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) to faculty members of Savannah State University (SSU). This distance education (DE) course was delivered via a two-way audio/video delivery system from FSEC to SSU. This course evaluation report is included as one of the deliverables in a contract awarded to SSU and FSEC as part of the Advanced Communications Technologies Satellite research project sponsored by the NASA Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio.