Occupancy-counter-based control system. Final report

Excessive mechanical ventilation of commercial and institutional buildings can result in significant waste of energy required for space heating and cooling. Ventilation rates are typically set to satisfy building design occupancy levels, in accordance with local codes, even though the building may s...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Schultz, G., Hoagland, L. C., Bowman, J. K.
Language:unknown
Published: 2015
Subjects:
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION
CONSUMPTION
AND UTILIZATION
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS
VENTILATION SYSTEMS
COMPUTERIZED CONTROL SYSTEMS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
COOLING LOAD
ENERGY CONSERVATION
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FIELD TESTS
FUEL CONSUMPTION
HEATING LOAD
LIGHTING LOADS
MASSACHUSETTS
OCCUPANTS
PAYBACK PERIOD
POWER DEMAND
SPACE HVAC SYSTEMS
BUILDINGS
CONTROL SYSTEMS
DATA
ENERGY SYSTEMS
INFORMATION
NORTH AMERICA
NORTH ATLANTIC REGION
NUMERICAL DATA
TESTING
USA
North Atlantic
Online Access:http://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/6540547
https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6540547
https://doi.org/10.2172/6540547
Description
Summary:Excessive mechanical ventilation of commercial and institutional buildings can result in significant waste of energy required for space heating and cooling. Ventilation rates are typically set to satisfy building design occupancy levels, in accordance with local codes, even though the building may seldom or never experience design occupancy. A method of eliminating this waste to utilize an occupancy-based ventilation control system wherein a counting device records people entering and leaving the building, to maintain a continuous record of people inventory, and to regulate mechanical ventilation control dampers to supply only that amount of ventilation air required for current occupancy levels is described. A device of this type was installed and tested in a department store in Framingham, Massachusetts and fully instrumented and operated over a 14 month period. Test results on energy usage were correlated with weather severity in order to determine the savings resulting from use of the control system. This system provided a savings of 33% in gas usage during the winter period and a savings of 23% in electricity usage during the summer period. These savings would return the installed cost of the control system in about 1 1/2 years. Projections of the performance of this system in other climatic regions (Chicago, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Miami, Minneapolis) are also presented illustrating payback periods ranging from 1/3 year in Miami to 2 2/3 years in Los Angeles. Complete details of the occupancy based ventilation control system, the test site instrumentation and data gathering procedure, the test results and their interpretation are given. (MCW)

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