Implementation of a Canadian residential energy end-use model for assessing new technology impacts

This paper discusses the present status and implementation of a new energy model that is used for evaluating the impact of new technologies when they are applied to the Canadian housing stock (CHS). The model batch processes a database of nearly 17,000 real house descriptions that statistically represent the CHS. The model employs statistical and heat/mass transfer techniques to encompass energy consumption due to occupancy and thermal conditioning. So far, a majority of the features required for adequate building simulation have been implemented in the model. Simulation of all 17,000 houses requires two days on a dedicated computing system, resulting in annual energy consumption of major loads. The key strength of the model is its capability to accurately predict performance of new technologies as applied to the wide variety of houses encountered in the present CHS. It is enabled to do this by providing the ESP-r simulation engine with detailed descriptions of each dwellings’ thermal envelope, air tightness, and plant systems.