Week 12 revision questions

Q1.
Describe in detail the objectives of an energy audit and the procedure you would
adopt in carrying out an energy audit of a typical air-conditioned four-storey office
building built in 1975 located in Scotland.

Outline typical measures you might adopt to improve the energy efficiency of the
building and ensure that the improved energy performance is maintained into the
future.

Answer to Q1
The objective of an energy audit is to analyse the energy consumption of a building or site
with a view to reducing it. Information is gathered in a variety of ways on the energy
consumption of the building, the data is analysed to highlight areas where consumption is
high and savings might be made, and suggestions are put forth for methods of reducing the
consumption. These methods are subject to economic analysis to ascertain their viability.
The main procedures are;
Gather data on the building fabric
Gather data on the building services
Gather data on energy use and supplies
Find out where the energy is being used
Find out where energy is wasted
Suggest ways of improving the performance
Cost out these suggestions
Calculate cost effectiveness of measures.
Produce a hierarchical list of measures
Methods used to obtain information are use of Plans, walk-round survey, interviews with
staff, utility bills. BMS data.
Walk-round would give info on building fabric, state, type of plant used, conditions in the
building, items such as broken windows, draughts etc which affect energy consumption.
Gaps in information could be filled by monitoring, using standard data such as from CIBSE
guide, computer simulation.
Some of the following should be included.
Member of staff made responsible for energy management
Improved thermal insulation
Draught-proofing installed
Manually-operated blinds installed on south-facing windows
Building Management System installed
Each floor sub-metered
Assess whether air conditioning still needed.
Maintaining good performance after measures have been put in place is difficult. Peoples
behaviour tends to relax and bad habits return. One main measure which should be
implemented is proper monitoring and targeting of energy use. If a BMS is in place this is
relatively easy as software can be obtained for use in conjunction with the BMS. Even
without a BMS proper monitoring of consumption could be implemented, from simple
things such as manual daily reporting of meter readings to automated meter reading.
Sensible targets should be set up for year on year reductions. Incentives can be put in place
for employees and rewards for good energy consumption, or suggestions for energy saving,
can be offered. Simple campaigns such as posters, making some individual responsible for
switching lights, etc, can be used depending on the kind of workplace. In large organisations
healthy competition between divisions or buildings may be set up, with rewards for
excellence. Maintaining contact with government bodies promoting energy efficiency will
give access to the latest information, free guidance, and grants available.

Q2
(a) Describe, using appropriate diagrams, how the following may be measured.
Indicate any likely sources of error in the measurements and describe how
you would eliminate or reduce them.
i) The U-value of a wall in a building

ii) Leakiness testing of a building using the blower door method.

(b) In a tracer gas test to measure the ventilation rate in a room the values in
Table Q2.1 were obtained. Estimate the ventilation rate in the room.

Table Q2.1.
Time (Hours)
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2

Concentration (arbitrary units)

897
735
601
492
403
330
270

Answer Q2.
U-value can be measured by monitoring, using temperature sensors either side of the wall
and heat flux sensors placed on the wall. The monitoring should take at least a day,
preferably three, and ideally when there is little solar radiation, but a large temperature
difference between inside and outside.
The u-value is given by: U =q/DT.
Inaccuracies come through; placing of heat flux sensor affects the heat flow slightly, solar
radiation may give false temperature readings, thermal storage in the wall may nor reflect
accurate heat flow. Thermal bridges may affect heat flow either where it is measured or
elsewhere.
Blower door method, Uses a fan to pressurize the building, with instruments to measure
pressure difference in/out and air flow rate.
Test over a range of pressured differences - quiet high DP needed to get reasonable air flow
and accuracy. Also test at positive and negative pressures (blow air in and out).
Flow and pressure related by Q=kDPn, therefore can deduce k and n by drawing graphs of
logs. n is slope and k is intercept. Either compare flow rates at high DP say 50Pa, or use to
estimate flow at more realistic DP. Limitation is that it gives a snapshot of the values under
particular conditions and my change with different wind speed and direction.
b) tracer gas test
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2

897
735
601
492
403
330
270

Take natural logarithms of conc, then plot time vs lnconc. Slope is vent rate = 1.0 air changes
per hour.

Q3
Discuss the cost and benefits of a district heating system taking waste heat from a
brewery to heat a housing estate. With the aid of diagrams, describe a generic
district heating system, indicating the equipment and controls that would be required
in the users dwelling.

Answer Q3
District heating system includes source of heat, distribution pipework and consumer
interface.
Advantages can use free waste heat.
Costs pipework, excavation.
Need to have secure supply of heat or backup boiler.
- Hydraulic Interface Unit (HIU) for individual dwellings ( diagram should be shown).
- Instantaneous DHW via plate heat exchanger
- Metering can use heat meter arrangement.
Heating system internals
- Radiators etc. as normal building
- No flues
- No space required for boiler