AT-90-03-1 -- Categorizing the Building Stock for Energy Studies: Using Survey Data and Statistical Methods to Define Effective Categories PDF

Researchers have traditionally used categories based on climate, building type, and building size when studying energy use in the building stock. Energy simulations based on typical building descriptions for each category have been used to analyse performance, and results have been extrapolated to the actual building population. A nontraditional approach has been developed for categorising the building stock for energy studies. A statistical technique known as cluster analysis is a key element of this new approach for defining categories, as is energy modelling. Building simulations based on these categories have been integrated with a data base of the nation's office buildings. Integration of test buildings with the data base provides researchers a statistical basis for making inferences from simulation results to the office building stock. This paper explains the methodology used for categorising the building stock and provides sample results from the office building categories.

KEYWORDS: buildings, energy consumption, offices, calculating, performance.