This paper presents the findings of two equivalent size homes (990 ft2) using Energy-10 (version 1.8) software. The home's design was based on the solar house entry from Missouri S&T into the Department of Energy 2013 Solar Decathlon. The intent of the research was to determine the energy efficiency, consumption, and generation. The comparative home of similar size and layout was modelled using the IBC 2012 recommended insulated values and standard construction methods. As a baseline for occupant usage, a fictional American couple was created and a breakdown of their daily lifestyle was recorded to accurately depict the magnitude of energy consumption. Based on the comparative analysis and suggested energy conserving strategies, a 71% energy savings was forecasted using the Energy-10 software. In addition, if a 9.1 kW photovoltaic array is also installed on a home of this size, it is possible to fully offset the energy consumption of the home. The Missouri S&T Solar House Team used the forecasted energy usage and production to evaluate the integrity of their design for the Solar Decathlon in October 2013.
- Energy efficiency,
- Energy utilization,
- Houses,
- Photovoltaic cells,
- Solar buildings,
- Solar heating,
- Comparative analysis,
- Department of Energy,
- Energy usage,
- Energy-conserving,
- Equivalent size,
- Photovoltaic arrays,
- Solar decathlon,
- Standard constructions,
- Energy conservation
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/stuart-baur/9/