Impact of conservation measures on Pacific Northwest residential energy consumption. Final report

The objective of this study was to estimate the relationship between residential space conditioning energy use and building conservation programs in the Pacific Northwest. The study was divided into two primary tasks. In the first, the thermal relationship between space conditioning energy consumption under controlled conditions and the physical characteristics of the residence was estimated. In this task, behavioral characteristics such as occupant schedules and thermostat settings were controlled in order to isolate the physical relationships. In the second task, work from the first task was used to calculate the thermal efficiency of a residence's shell. Thermal efficiency was defined as the ability of a shell to prevent escapement of heat generated within a building. The relationship between actual space conditioning energy consumption and the shell thermal efficiency was then estimated. Separate thermal equations for mobile homes, single-family residences, and multi-family residences are presented. Estimates of the relationship between winter electricity consumption for heating and the building's thermal shell efficiency are presented for each of the three building categories.