Method to account for energy conservation measure interactions

The incorrect handling of energy conservation measures (ECM) interactions was one of the most common errors encountered in the technical review of more than 100 energy analyses. ECM interaction is defined as the difference between the sum of individual effects and the total combined effect of ECMs on building energy use. The neglect or miscalculation of ECM interaction is shown to have a significant impact on the calculated energy savings and, thus, on project recommendations. This paper explains the concept of ECM interaction and proposes a procedure that accounts for interaction. Use of the proposed method will yield the combination of ECMs that will provide the maximum life-cycle savings for a given period of analysis. The added complexity of this procedure is compensated for by the increased usefulness and reliability of the analysis.

Method to account for energy conservation measure interactions Conference Paper