System and method for empirical electrical-space-heating-based estimation of overall thermal performance of a building

A method for empirical electrical-space-heating-based estimation of overall thermal performance of a building the aid of a digital computer, comprising:

• providing a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising program code;
• providing a thermometer located inside a building;
• providing a thermometer located outside of the building;
• using at least one portable electric space heater located inside the building, comprising:
• stopping operations of the portable electric space heater at the beginning of an unheated period;
• resuming operating the portable electric space heater at the end of the unheated period and continuing operating the portable electric space heater for a duration of a heated period;
• stopping the operations of the portable electric space heater at the end of the heated period;
• providing a computer processor interfaced to the storage medium, wherein the computer processor is configured to execute the program code;
• recording with the computer processor into the storage medium a baseline indoor temperature taken by the indoor thermometer and a baseline outdoor temperature taken by the outdoor thermometer prior to the stop of the operation of the at least one portable electric space heater at the beginning of the unheated period;
• recording with the computer processor into the storage medium a starting indoor temperature taken by the indoor thermometer at the end of the unheated period prior to the resumption of the operation of the at least one portable electric space heater;
• recording with the computer processor into the storage medium a final indoor temperature from taken by the indoor thermometer after a stabilizing period following the heated period;
• measuring with the computer processor energy consumed in the building from the beginning of the unheated period to the ending of the stabilizing period as equaling heat gained inside the building from internal sources of heat;
• estimating with the computer processor an expected final indoor temperature at the end of the stabilizing period based on the at least one portable electric space heater not having been run for the heated period;
• determining with the computer processor the heat gained inside the building over the heated period through operation of the portable electric space heater using the electricity requirements of the at least one portable electric space heater, the baseline indoor temperature, the final indoor temperature, the expected final indoor temperature, and the duration the heated period;
• and
• estimating with the computer processor overall thermal performance of the building using the heat gained through using the at least one portable electric space heater, the measured energy, the indoor temperatures, the baseline outdoor temperature, and the estimated final indoor temperature;
• and
• using with the computer processor the overall thermal performance of the building to analyze one or more potential energy investments into the building, wherein at least one of the energy investments is performed based on the analysis, wherein the potential energy investments affect only a portion of the building's envelope by changing that portion's conduction;
• evaluating with the computer processor a change to the overall thermal performance of the building if the potential energy investments are performed, wherein the changed overall thermal performance is evaluated in accordance with
• Total
• =
• U
• ⁢
• A
• Total
• +
• ∑
• j
• =
• 1
• M
• (
• U
• j
• -
• U
• ^
• j
• )
• ⁢
• A
• j
• where the is the changed overall thermal performance, UATotal is the overall thermal performance, M is a number of the energy investments being performed on the envelope, Uj and Ûj respectively represent existing and proposed U-values of surface j comprised in the envelope, and Aj represents the surface area of surface j.

A method for empirical electrical-space-heating-based building overall thermal performance estimation the aid of a digital computer, comprising:

• providing a non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising program code;
• providing a thermometer located inside a building;
• providing a thermometer located outside of the building;
• using at least one portable electric space heater located inside the building, comprising:
• stopping operations of the portable electric space heater at the beginning of an unheated period;
• resuming operating the portable electric space heater at the end of the unheated period and continuing operating the portable electric space heater for a duration of a heated period;
• stopping the operations of the portable electric space heater at the end of the heated period;
• providing a computer processor interfaced to the storage medium, wherein the computer processor is configured to execute the program code;
• recording with the computer processor into the storage medium a baseline indoor temperature taken by the indoor thermometer and a baseline outdoor temperature taken by the outdoor thermometer prior to the stop of the operation of the at least one portable electric space heater at the beginning of the unheated period;
• recording with the computer processor into the storage medium a starting indoor temperature taken by the indoor thermometer at the end of the unheated period prior to the resumption of the operation of the at least one portable electric space heater;
• recording with the computer processor into the storage medium a final indoor temperature from taken by the indoor thermometer after a stabilizing period following the heated period;
• measuring with the computer processor energy consumed in the building from the beginning of the unheated period to the ending of the stabilizing period as equaling heat gained inside the building from internal sources of heat;
• estimating with the computer processor an expected final indoor temperature at the end of the stabilizing period based on the at least one portable electric space heater not having been run for the heated period;
• determining with the computer processor the heat gained inside the building over the heated period through operation of the portable electric space heater using the electricity requirements of the at least one portable electric space heater, the baseline indoor temperature, the final indoor temperature, the expected final indoor temperature, and the duration the heated period in accordance with:
• Q
• Heat
• ⁢
• Delivered
• -
• Furnace
• =
• (
• R
• Furnace
• )
• ⁢
• (
• t
• 2
• -
• t
• 1
• )
• ⁢
• (
• T
• 0
• -
• T
• 3
• No
• ⁢
• Heat
• T
• 3
• -
• T
• 3
• No
• ⁢
• Heat
• )
• where QHeat Delivered-Furnace is the heat gained inside the building by the at least one portable electric space heater having operated for the heated period, RFurnace are the electricity requirements of the portable electric space heater, t1 is the starting time of the heated period, t2 is the ending time of the heated period, T0 is the baseline indoor temperature, T3 is the final indoor temperature, T3No Heater is the expected final indoor temperature;
• and
• estimating with the computer processor overall thermal performance of the building using the heat gained through using the at least one portable electric space heater, the measured energy, the indoor temperatures, the baseline outdoor temperature, and the estimated final indoor temperature.