Page 23 - Green Builder Sept-Oct 2016
P. 23
Solutions for H IGH-PERFORMANCE BUILDINGS have much more localized heating and cooling loads
Multi-Zone than traditional construction, which relies on large volumes of air measured at one zone
Heating and to achieve the best level of comfort. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
Cooling developed a software that would determine optimal air flow for each zone of a house.
The tool uses the Energy Plus simulation engine and air flow network to determine optimal
temperature distribution throughout a home. It considers the walls and windows in each zone to
determine the amount of heating or cooling necessary to maintain a set temperature.
“The industry is starting to realize that for high-performance homes, designing a system based
on one day of the year is not appropriate,” says Jon Winkler, senior engineer for NREL. “This tool
solves that problem by making sure the home is comfortable throughout the whole home for the
whole year.”
NREL currently is validating the model in a Building America field test. It should be available on
the market within two years.
Optimal temperatures. The home of the
future will include tools, such as the one
being developed by NREL, to determine the
best temperature levels and amount of air
flow necessary for each room.
CREDIT: DOE “TOUR OF ZERO”
