RP-1120 -- Develop Full Load Heating and Cooling Hours for GCHPs Applied in Various Building Types and Locations PDF

This report presents the results of ASHRAE research project 1120-TRP, with a goal of developing equivalent full load hours for heating and cooling loads in GCHP systems. We used data from 20 buildings to develop building load models. We used these models to estimate heating and cooling loads across the range of climates depicted by the TMY2 data set and to subsequently develop EFLHs.

Our analysis of the EFLHs showed the need to normalize the equipment sizing among the buildings so that varying sizing practices did not add large variability to the EFLHs. We also found that variations in operating hours produced large variations in EFLHs, as the added operation of the building added load but did not increase peak loads. We think the operating hours are the main determinant in defining differing building types (uses). The operating hours also enhance variations in other parameters, such as internal gains, by changing the amount of time these loads are active.

We used the models to investigate the EFLH variations and to ultimately generate EFLH tables for 35 climate locations with four different occupancy schedules and two levels of internal gains."