III. BAIHP Research

BAIHP Research Overview

Figure 43 Distribution of Residential Energy Consumption measured in 171 Florida homes shows typical energy profile for homes in hot-humid climates. Source: Parker, D. S., 2002. "Research Highlights from a Large Scale Residential Monitoring Study in a Hot Climate." Proceedings of International Symposium on Highly Efficient Use of Energy and Reduction of its Environmental Impact, pp. 108-116, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Research for the Future Program, JPS-RFTF97P01002, Osaka, Japan, January 2002. (Also published as FSEC-PF369-02, Florida Solar Energy Center, Cocoa, FL.)

Figure 44 Typical components of annual residential cooling load in hot-humid climates. Source: Florida Solar Energy Center web site: http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/bldg/fyh/priority/Index.htm

BAIHP conducts research with Industry Partners in manufactured and site built housing and using the laboratory facilities at the Florida Solar Energy Center.

Research Context for Hot-Humid Climate

The primary opportunities for improving energy efficiency can be generalized into two categories: increasing equipment efficiency and reducing equipment loads. The latter of these contributes to improving comfort, durability, and indoor air quality also.

In hot humid regions, the primary building energy use (Figure 43) is air conditioning (AC) with heating making up only a small portion of total. As in other climates, water heating constitutes the second largest residential energy draw. Refrigerators follow just ahead of other household appliances such as stoves and dryers.

The primary loads on residential AC systems (Figure 44) are appliance generated heat, window radiant heat gain, attic and duct related heat gain, infiltration (primarily latent heat gain), and wall heat gain coming in last.

By systematically evaluating the savings potential technologies and construction techniques, research provides the home building industry with vital information needed to meet the Department of Energy’s industry challenges of building high performance homes. BAIHP Research presented here is grouped into three categories:

• Manufactured Housing Research
• Site Built Housing Research
• Field and Laboratory Building Science Research.