<p>Pages 8, 38, 70, 116 and 120 have no body of text in the hardcopy. All are end pages of sections with a title at the top.</p> / <p>Many symbols could not be replicated using the Special Characters list. Please download thesis to read abstract.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

A modeling tool was developed capable of evaluating the thermal performance of a commercial building, for the purpose of objectively quantifying the impacts of both operational changes and technological retrofits. The modeling tool was created using a steady state energy balance approach, discretized into half hour time steps to capture the time varying characteristics of the rate of heat transfer through the building envelope, the ventilation systems, appliance heat gains, heat generated by electricity consumption, solar energy transfer and space heating through exhaust gas energy recovery with the TEG POWER system. Several experimental facilities were used to validate the modeling tool, and to provide inputs to the case studies presented. Data from two separate commercial baking operations was collected, and was shown to be in agreement with the model predictions with a 7% error. Several energy conservation measures were simulated, including switching to idealized methods of exhaust ventilation, sealing and insulating appliances, shutting down appliances during unoccupied hours, and the inclusion of exhaust gas energy harvesting. Implementing all four conservation measures at a single restaurant had the effect of reducing electricity consumption by 14% or approximately 17,700 kWh (64 GJ), and reducing natural gas consumption by 60% or approximately 18,200 m3 (608 GJ) annually. In contrast, proceeding directly to the energy harvesting solution, and bypassing other conservation measures, only allowed for 20% of the total potential energy savings to be realized. If the concepts identified are implemented across 2000 comparable restaurants in Ontario, there is a potential to reduced electricity consumption by 44.4 million kWh and natural gas consumption by 33.7 million cubic meters annually. The measures would effectively eliminate 65,500 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions every year. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

An evaluation of energy conservation landscape strategies implemented in a two block section of a single family neighborhood was conducted. A questionnaire containing graphic representations of the energy conservation landscape designs was used and mailed to practicing landscape architects. South wall solar access and rooftop solar access planting schemes were evaluated in addition to the existing condition of the two block study area. The rooftop solar access planting scheme was the most preferred with respect to fulfilling the current design paradigm for single family neighborhood landscapes. In it each residence receives at least rooftop solar access, with half of the dwelling units also implementing northwest windbreaks and east-west shading strategies. The study includes a description of the development of the energy conservation landscape designs and the evaluation process. Also included are discussions of the single family neighborhood landscape design criteria, the preference for the rooftop solar access planting scheme, and recommendations for further research. / M.L. Arch.

One of the most significant event of the recent past has been the 1973-74 Arab oil embargo. This event more than any other has illuminated the fact that energy resources are limited and the cost of these resources will tend to increase fairly rapidly in the near future. One of the sectors in America most severely impacted by this"Energy Crisis'' is local governments. Local governments are in the unique position of being mandated to serve the public while at the same time operating and maintaining publicly owned buildings and equipment. Local government administrators are more often finding themselves required to make energy conservation decisions with a significant amount of experience in management procedures, but little or no experience in evaluating technical energy conservation data. This document was written in an attempt to provide local government administrators with necessary energy conservation information in such a manner that the body of knowledge of planning and management is integrated with technical energy conservation information. It includes discussions of energy conservation actions in the areas of administration, public buildings, fleets public services and community planning. These discussions include a good deal of technical data but this information is presented within a management and planning framework geared toward helping an administrator evaluate and implement conservation actions. / Master of Urban and Regional Planning

Effective energy management programs rely upon readily accessible energy consumption information. This thesis presents a Lotus Symphony based microcomputer system developed to monitor, analyze, and report on energy usage for a select group of Virginia state facilities. A review of significant program routines and procedures is presented, along with key assumptions and limitations of the system, and example inputs and outputs. A User's Guide is also included to aid first-time users of Symphony and/or the Energy Monitoring and Reporting System (EMRS). Available system outputs, in the form of spreadsheet printouts and graphs, enable detailing energy consumption patterns for each facility by fuel type for any given year. The capability of outlining the progression of a facility's energy management program is provided by comparison of a given year's energy consumption records to the previous and base (FY 1985-86) years. In addition, facilities with similar operational characteristics were segregated into divisions, providing the capability to rank facilities within divisions based upon several energy consumption criteria. Extensive use of the Symphony Command (or Macro) Language permitted creation of customized, interactive menus, which allows those not familiar with Lotus Symphony to fully utilize the capabilities of the EMRS. / Master of Science

Past research in communication and diffusion has yielded few systematic studies on disseminating research and applying empirical findings. The present research was conducted as an exploratory study of information adopt ion and diffusion. Low-cost, no-cost energy conservation strategies were presented as an innovation in a large-scale residential energy conservation project. This information was presented by videotape broadcast on cable television and by written and illustrated booklets to twenty-eight participants in the study. Adoption of particular conservation strategies was influenced by the participants’ perceptions of how observable its effects were and how compatible it seemed with their lifestyle. The speed, extent, and location of information dissemination were measure in an attempt to trace social communication networks among the project participants. It was found that diffusion did take place, after prompting, approximately one month after participants received the initial information. Each participant contacted an average of 2-3 additional people to inform them about the conservation strategies. More than half of all reported diffusion occurred through the workplace, that is among co-workers. This documentation and measurement of diffusion is expected to change the current estimates of benefit-cost ratios used in research today. The application of information diffusion is discussed within a behavior change paradigm incorporating concepts of social marketing, communication, consumer behavior, and social influence. / M.S.

This Thesis is aimed at evaluating the options of renovation for an existing residential building to make it more energy efficient. The various aspects in the basic structures of residential homes are discussed in order to help the user identify the areas of the house for which renovation is required to improve the energy efficiency of the building. These aspects include doors, roof and wall in addition to various systems of electrical wiring, mechanical systems of ventilation, heating and cooling and plumbing systems for the efficient flow of water throughout the house. The renovation options have been described in detail to provide as many possibilities to the user as possible. The building taken for renovation is a 1953 suburban home which has been awarded the honor of being the first building to be labeled as Zero Energy Home in its vicinity. This has made the home so efficient that its expenditure of energy has become equivalent to its energy generation, therefore, cancelling each other out and creating an estimate of zero energy.

Improving the energy efficiency of manufactured homes is important, as manufactured homes are built to a federal code which may not capture all the cost effective efficiency options available today. Energy efficiency improvements range from simple and inexpensive changes in manufacturing techniques (e.g. sealing duct systems) to more expensive additions (e.g. high performance windows) which still may be cost effective. This study will examine the most cost-effective options for energy conservation in manufactured homes including enhanced envelope and heating and cooling equipment options. Using cost information from various manufacturers and the simulation tool, Energy Gauge USA®, optimum energy conservation packages will be created for one or more climates. These packages will present manufacturers and homeowners with a guide to the costs and savings associated with various levels of energy conservation.

The purpose of this research, based on classical diffusion of innovations theory, was to examine factors related to the probable adoption or nonadoption of energy-efficient housing alternatives, specifically passive and active solar and earth sheltered/underground dwellings. Three types of factors were examined: demographics (geographical location by state, type of household, stage in family life cycle, race, age, and educational level); energy (belief in the energy crisis, the impact of energy on housing decisions, efforts to reduce utility costs, average monthly utility costs, and the presence of energy-conserving features in the dwelling); and, local regulatory codes for building (the presence of housing alternatives in the locality, the presence of regulatory codes, and the prior need for variances in order to construct alternative forms of housing). The study utilized daca collected as part of a regional research project, S-141, Housing for Low- and Moderate-Income Families. Data from households were collected by means of an interview schedule using a random sample of 1804 households from four counties selected in each of seven southern states after stratification on the basis of income and the number of nonfarm households. Data from local building officials in the same counties were collected using mailed questionnaires. Techniques of analysis utilized included the chi-squared test, analysis of variance, analysis of covariance, the t-test, and discriminant analysis. Findings indicated that probable adopters of the housing alternatives were usually younger, had more education, were in the earlier stages of the family life cycle, believed in the energy crisis, believed the energy situation had impacted housing decisions, had attempted to reduce utility costs, and lived in houses with more energy-conserving features than probable nonadopters. / Ph. D.

published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management