Energy Use for Heating

From Swikipedia

Introduction

Energy Use for Heating is the amount of energy needed to cover the heating demand, including losses of the installation.

A major capital and on-going expense in budget is the provision of energy for heating a building and providing hot water for showers, baths, washing etc.

Brief Description

There are two broad categories of heating systems available:

o Heating systems that generate heat in central unit in a building (i.e. boiler) and distribute the heat using water (i.e. pipes to radiators) or air (i.e. ducting to grilles).

o Heating systems that generate heat in each room separately by means of a solid fuel, gas, oil or electricity.

Process heating systems include combustion systems that run on fossil fuels and biomass; electric systems; and heat recovery and exchange systems (see diagram). Process heating systems can also include sensors, controls, material handling equipment, emission controls, and safety equipment. About 90% of process heating energy comes from the combustion of fossil fuels; electricity supplies the rest. Advanced processes, improved designs, and thermal efficiency gains are helping to reduce the environmental impacts of combustion-related emissions.

Benefits:

o Energy efficiency improvements can reduce utility bills and improve your plant’s bottom line.

o Many improvements require little or no extra investment, are easy to implement, and have payback times of less than a year.

o Strategies that increase energy efficiency often reduce operating and maintenance costs, minimize waste, and enhance production.

o Energy efficiency helps to reduce negative impacts on the environment and can enhance corporate community relations programs.

No matter what kind of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system you have in your building, you can save money and increase your comfort by properly maintaining and upgrading your equipment. But remember, an energy-efficient furnace alone will not have as great an impact on your energy bills as using the whole-building approach. By combining proper equipment maintenance and upgrades with appropriate insulation, air sealing, and thermostat settings, you can cut your energy use for heating and cooling, and reduce environmental emissions, from 20% to 50%.

Heating Tips

Ways to make your building heating more efficient and reduce your energy costs.

o Insulate:

One of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to make your building warmer is to insulate. While it's easier to install insulation when you are building or renovating, there are ways to improve the insulation in your existing building. For example, thermal drapes will prevent heat escaping from windows. It's also worth considering double-glazing or other glazing options to help your building retain heat.

o Use the sun:

The sun's energy can be harnessed to provide free building heating. How well your building catches the sun's warmth will depend on factors such as placement and orientation of windows, insulation, and use of materials such as concrete which can store heat in the day and release it at night. In a well-designed building, solar energy should be able to provide sufficient warmth day and night, throughout most or all of the year, in most locations.

o Choose the right heater for your needs:

When you're choosing a heater or heating option, it's worth considering whether you want to heat a single person, a single room or the whole building. There's no point paying to heat the whole building if you'll only be using one room. Some types of heating warm the person they're faced towards (these are known as radiant heaters) while others provide gentle background warmth through the whole room or building (these are known as convection heaters).

o Use a heater with a thermostat:

A thermostat turns your heater or heating system on and off as the room temperature rises and falls. This can save energy by ensuring you don't run the heater/heating system more than you need to.

o Other tips:

If you use a heater, wood-burner or other source of heat:

• put it near a source of thermal mass such as an internal concrete wall - that way the heat will be absorbed and re-radiated at night

• don’t put the heater near a window - a lot of the heat will escape through the glass panes

• don’t put the heater where it will create uncomfortable draughts (heat flows from warm areas to cool ones)

• keep heaters clean - they’ll be more efficient

• Turn off the heater if possible, if you’re leaving the room for more than a few minutes.

References:

http://www.sei.ie/uploadedfiles/InfoCentre/Energyefficientheating.pdf

http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy06osti/39155.pdf

http://www.smarterhomes.org.nz/energy/heating/energy-saving-tips-for-home-heating/#toc_0