Bin Weather Data for HVAC Systems Energy Calculations

• Published in: Energies (Basel) 2021-06, Vol.14 (12), p.3501
• Main Authors: Papakostas, Konstantinos T., Kyrou, Dimitrios, Kourous, Kyrillos, Founda, Dimitra, Martinopoulos, Georgios
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air conditioning; Air temperature; bin data; bin methods; Biodiversity; building energy analysis; Buildings; Climate change; Climatic conditions; Climatic data; Cost control; Efficiency; Energy consumption; Energy requirements; Green buildings; Heating; High temperature; Humidity; humidity ratio; HVAC; HVAC equipment; Meteorological data; Office buildings; Relative humidity; Ventilation
• ISSN: 1996-1073; 1996-1073
• DOI: 10.3390/en14123501

The increase in global air temperature is well documented, as during the last several years each decade has been consecutively warmer than the preceding. As climatic conditions affect the energy performance of buildings, the changes in outdoor air temperature and humidity will inevitably lead to significant alterations in energy consumption and costs for the heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) of buildings. The availability and quality of climatic data play an important role in the accuracy of energy analysis results. In this study, the hourly temperature and relative humidity of outdoor air measurements, for a period of three decades (1983–2012), recorded at the climatic station of the National Observatory of Athens were processed, and an up-to-date set of specific data for the application of bin methods was produced and presented. The data were then used to calculate changes in the energy demands in a typical office building throughout the specified period. Results showed a progressive reduction in the low and increase in the high temperature intervals, leading to an increase in the building’s annual energy requirements for air conditioning of up to 14.5% from the first to the third decade, with decrease in the energy demands for heating and increase in the energy demands for cooling.