Optimizing Energy Efficiency in a Terraced House: Data Collection and Analysis

[eddiej90]

I am planning on calculating the heat loss and heat gain of a terraced house.

The data I have collected so far are the footprints of the house, with the size of windows and walls, roof and floors and the materials of which these are made. I know the rear of the house faces S-SE and its approximate location in Sheffield.

I would like to represent the heat loss and heat gain of the house in a spreadsheet however I am quite a novice when it comes to Excel.

I would also like to collect some data of outside temperature, wind direction and speed, and sun intensity over a year long period. I would ideally like this data over hourly intervals as the houses heating is controlled by a varying thermostat throughout the day and night.

Any suggestions as to where I can find this data (preferrably at no cost) and any hints and tips you can offer me? Anything will be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance

 

[russ_watters]

The data is the easy part. The government publishes typical hourly weather data including solar insolation information for lots of locations. The data is available for download here: http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/old_data/nsrdb/1991-2005/tmy3/

Calculating the heat gain/loss of a house is pretty difficult with a spreadsheet. Typically, a specially designed piece of software is used. One example with a partially functional demo: http://www.elitesoft.com/web/homepage/elite_demonstration_limits.html#chvacw

 

[jim mcnamara]

An alternative:

Electric utilities in many US states offer energy audits. An audit can help you determine where heat loss/gain occurs. In New Mexico PNM offers these audits. The data provided gives you estimated R values for your windows, doors, etc. of your house. And looks for "leaky" places and points them out.

There is a consumer hit list generated -- things to do to improve problem areas, based on data from the audit. Generally most audits turn up the same sorts of problems. One tech told me he found a wall in a newer home that had no insulation, no Tyvek, nothing but sheathing and some paneling -- it kind of glowed in infared on a cold day. I do not know if PNM still uses the infared camera or not.

This audit feature may be available for you to use.

 

[eddiej90]

Thanks for your help but I should probably have mentioned I'm in the UK. Would help if we didnt both have a city named Sheffield. Any ideas on where to get the data for the UK?

 

[russ_watters]

Oops, no sorry -- I can try some googling for you, but that's about all I can do.

 

[eddiej90]

The best website iv found is http://www.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=ISOUTHYO14&day=22&year=2012&month=11&graphspan=year
Its the best one iv found so far and even shows most of the data i need over a daily period for a year :) although to see the hourly data i need to click on each individual day. It will take me forever to collect the data for all 365 days, copying and pasting into excel. Is there a way I can import all the data without having to click on every single link?

 

[xxChrisxx]

I am planning on calculating the heat loss and heat gain of a terraced house.
its approximate location in Sheffield.

Typical Yorkshireman. Just put another quid in the meter.