The Cost of Comfort in Your Home: Peak-Time Energy and Cost Savings from Setpoint Adjustment of Space Heating and Cooling

Research output: NRELPoster

Abstract

This poster presents the tradeoff between energy costs and thermal comfort in homes. Residential heating and cooling systems use a thermostat control to maintain a comfortable temperature range, but tighter temperature control leads to higher annual energy costs. We estimate the impact of temperature setpoint adjustment on annual energy costs using a residential building model developed at NREL. We show that increasing the allowable temperature range reduces energy costs in all five of the climate zones in the U.S. Annual costs reduced by about $100, with larger savings in areas with more heating and/or cooling loads.
Original languageAmerican English
StatePublished - 2020

Publication series

NamePresented at the Mines Graduate Research and Discovery Symposium, 22-23 April 2020, Golden, Colorado

NREL Publication Number

  • NREL/PO-5D00-76179

Keywords

  • building modeling
  • HVAC setpoint adjustment
  • residential buildings
  • thermostatic loads

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