Review of Microcomputer Residential Energy Analysis Software Applications. Final Report

摘要

The research phase of the project identified approximately 30 microcomputer energy analysis tools presently on the market. Nine of those packages were selected for evaluation by the study team. In addition, available energy retrofit data bases which could be used in validating the various software tools were researched. However, data suitable for our validation needs - detailed descriptions of the houses, retrofit descriptions, and pre- and post-retrofit consumption records - were extremely difficult to locate. A prototype house was developed based on data received from the Ramsey Action Program, St. Paul, Minnesota, and supplemented with typical house descriptors. The study team defined the end-user needs of energy analysis software in the Weatherization Assistance Program based, in part, on feedback from participants in the Computers Workshop at the National Weatherization Conference, July 9-12, 1984, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. With that groundwork completed, the software selection and evaluation began. Study team members evaluated the applications based on user-friendliness and accuracy. (ERA citation 10:018560)