Oak Ridge National Laboratory's residential energy-use model: Version 7. 1

The ORNL residential energy-use model simulates energy use in the residential sector from 1977 to 2005. The model provides considerable detail on annual energy use by fuel, end use, and housing type. It also estimates annual equipment installations and ownership, equipment energy requirements, structure thermal performance, fuel expenditures, equipment cost, and costs for improving thermal performance of new and existing housing units. Thus, the model provides considerable detail on residential energy uses and associated costs. These details are useful for evaluating alternative energy-conservation policies, programs, and technologies for their energy and economic effects during the next quarter century. The present version of the model (Version 7.1) incorporates changes in energy-use data and in the housing, technology, and market-penetration submodels. This paper describes the most-recent changes in the model and how these changes affect output from the model when compared to Version 6. A brief overview of the model is provided.