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The case against the superinsulated house
Author(s) -
Ramadan Basem H.,
Potter Merle C.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
international journal of energy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.808
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1099-114X
pISSN - 0363-907X
DOI - 10.1002/er.4440120303
Subject(s) - thermostat , energy conservation , ceiling (cloud) , building envelope , energy consumption , environmental science , infiltration (hvac) , engineering , architectural engineering , mechanical engineering , meteorology , structural engineering , electrical engineering , materials science , composite material , physics , thermal
The energy needed to condition an average residential building in a heating‐dominated region is analysed, using the DOE‐2.1 energy analysis computer program. The objective of this study is to identify those energy conservation measures that are economically viable, and answer the question, ‘Does the superinsulated house make economical sense?’ Parameters that are varied include: thermostat control, infiltration rate, number of window panes, wall and ceiling insulation thicknesses, and glass conductance. Certain conservation measures are not recommended because of high initial costs and the low savings which result; these include high envelope insulation thickness, triple‐pane glass, and window insulating panels. The results show that air infiltration dominates the annual energy consumption. Significant savings can be achieved when set‐back and set‐up are used, because of the low cost of the thermostat as compared with the corresponding savings. The study includes an economic analysis that compares the predicted savings with the present value for each conservation measure.