Applying the Leap Experience to Monitoring of Commercial Buildings in Hot and Humid Climates

Energy use monitoring projects for commercial buildings must be carefully configured and\nmanaged to assure useful data products are\nproduced in a timely and cost-effective manner.\nMany challenges associated with site selection,\ndata definition, hardware installation, and\nquality assurance should be addressed before\nmonitoring is attempted. This presentation\ndescribes our experience with these challenges\nand offers advice for those considering the\nmonitoring of buildings in hot and humid\nclimates.\nOver one hundred commercial buildings have\nbeen instrumented by Pacific Northwest Laboratory\nto provide an empirical basis for utility end-use\nload forecasting and conservation assessment.\nFor the largest project, The End-Use Load and\nConsumer Assessment Program (ELCAP), specific\nprotocols were developed for management, initial\nsite inspection, measurement plan development,\ncharacteristics data collection, equipment\ninstallation, and data collection and verification.\nThe purpose and general structure of these\nprotocols will be described, and our experiences\nwith their application will be shared in the hope\nthat others undertaking commercial building\nenergy use monitoring projects can benefit.