There are four categories of end-uses where energy
consumption is estimated; heating & cooling, water heating, appliances (including misc plug loads), and lighting. The Home Energy Saver uses engineering
models to estimate energy consumption for all these end-uses. The legacy energy calculation methods used by the Home Energy Saver API are located here.
For both the “quick inputs” and “detailed inputs” levels,
the models used to estimate energy consumption are identical, with user-entered
values substituting for default values as the user progresses through the
“detailed inputs” level.
The Home Energy Saver utilizes data from a variety of
sources to provide default input values and energy consumption. The bulk of the
data compilation for the Home Energy Saver was completed in 1997-1999, and the
most current data available at that time was used. For time-sensitive series such
as equipment efficiencies and state energy
prices, the data are updated to the most current data available on an annual basis.
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Major End-Use
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Quick Inputs Level
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Detailed Inputs Level
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Heating and Cooling
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City with similar climate
House construction year
Conditioned floor area
Stories above ground level
Orientation
Foundation type
Ceiling/floor/wall
insulation
Heating/cooling equipment
Window area (each side of
house)
Number of occupants in age
groups (also
affects water heating)
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Approximately 80 additional
questions about house shape & size; exterior shading; air-tightness;
foundation & floor; walls; doors & windows; skylights; attic &
roof; ducts & boiler pipes; thermostat details; heating & cooling
equipment (efficiency, vintage, etc.)
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Water Heating
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Water heater fuel
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Eight additional questions
about temperature settings, water heater location and specifics, etc.
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Major Appliances
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Number of refrigerators
(1-3)
Number of freezers (0-2)
Presence of clothes washer
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Specific details about the
refrigerators and freezers specified in the simple level; 8 questions about
cooking and your dishwasher; 5 questions about clothes washers/dryers; 8
questions about hot tubs, spas and pumps
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Lighting
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No questions
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Two levels – 1st asks for
the number of fixtures/room, energy consumption/fixture defaulted based on
TPU study, 2nd asks for detains on the number of bulbs, bulb type, total
wattage and usage for each fixture.
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Small Appliances
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No questions
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Roughly 50 questions about
entertainment, home office, misc. kitchen appliances and other appliances.
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