Improving Automation Routines for Automatic Heating Load Detection in Buildings

Stephen Timlin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Energy managers use weather compensation data and heating system cut off routines to reduce heating energy consumption in buildings and improve user comfort. These routines are traditionally based on the calculation of an estimated building load that is inferred from the external dry bulb temperature at any point in time. While this method does reduce heating energy consumption and accidental overheating, it can be inaccurate under some weather conditions and therefore has limited effectiveness. There remains considerable scope to improve on the accuracy and relevance of the traditional method by expanding the calculations used to include a larger range of environmental metrics. It is proposed that weather compensation and automatic shut off routines that are commonly used could be improved notably with little additional cost by the inclusion of additional weather metrics. This paper examines the theoretical relationship between various external metrics and building heating loads. Results of the application of an advanced routine to a recently constructed building are examined, and estimates are made of the potential savings that can be achieved through the use of the routines proposed.
Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Sustainable Design and Applied Research
Volume1
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2012
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • automation
  • heating
  • buildings
  • energy
  • controls

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