Effects of atmospheric variability on energy utilization and conservation. Final report, 1 January 1979-31 December 1979 (open access)

Effects of atmospheric variability on energy utilization and conservation. Final report, 1 January 1979-31 December 1979

An interdisciplinary approach towards a detailed assessment of energy consumption in urban space-heating and cooling is presented in terms of measurement and modeling results. Modeling efforts concentrated on the city of Minneapolis, MN, using data from the winter seasons 1977/78 and 1978/79. Further developments of a reference model also fall back on data from Cheyenne, WY, and Greeley, CO. Mean absolute daily errors of gas consumption estimated by the physical model applied to Minneapolis are 6.26% when compared to actual energy usage for the period 12/1/77 to 2/28/78. The mean daily absolute errors for the statistical reference model for the same time period were 5.54%. Modeling of the energy consumption required detailed input of meteorological parameters from a special network of stations. As a spin-off an assessment was obtained of the effects of anthropogenic heat on urban heat-island generation under various synoptic conditions. A detailed building census, comprised of 105.722 heated structures, was obtained. A field survey in Greeley indicated that investment returns from insulating houses might not be as high as hoped for; possibly a considerable amount of insulating material is applied wastefully. Misinformation seems to be the primary cause of misguided energy conservation. Progress in conservation could be …
Date: April 1980
Creator: Reiter, Elmar R.; Burns, C. C.; Cochrane, H.; Johnson, G. R.; Leong, H.; McKean, J. et al.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Effects of atmospheric variability on energy utilization and conservation. Final report, 1 November 1976--31 October 1977 (open access)

Effects of atmospheric variability on energy utilization and conservation. Final report, 1 November 1976--31 October 1977

A space-heating energy-consumption model for Greeley, Colorado for the winter of 1976-77 was within 98.9 percent of actual natural gas consumption for that city. Modeling of Cheyenne, Wyoming, including the testing of a new statistical scheme to develop the building census required by the energy consumption model, has progressed to the point where reliable natural gas consumption estimates can be made with the model for that community. A detailed study of temperature and surface wind patterns in and near the city of Greeley, Colorado revealed that, at times, an urban heat island effect is present, in spite of the relatively small size of that town. Various feedback mechanisms between the oceans and the atmosphere were examined. Several of these mechanisms appear to be the cause of the interannual variability of the atmosphere's general circulation and of climatic changes on a time scale of several tens of years. A recent cooling trend in the North Pacific north of 40/sup 0/N, and sea-surface temperature fluctuations with an irregular periodicity of 2 to 4 years superimposed upon this trend were studied. To advance regional long-range forecasting skills January temperature anomalies over the eastern United States were correlated with flow patterns over the U.S. …
Date: February 1978
Creator: Reiter, Elmar R.; Dreiseitl, E.; Johnson, G. R.; Leong, H. H.; Macdonald, B. C.; Somervell, W. L. Jr. et al.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Effects of atmospheric variability on energy utilization and conservation. Progress report (open access)

Effects of atmospheric variability on energy utilization and conservation. Progress report

Research progress for the period September 1979 to July 1980 is reported. Research was structured along four major tasks: (1) atmospheric circulation and climate variability; (2) urban mesoclimate; (3) energy demand modelling; and (4) economic implications of weather variability and energy demand: stimulating residential energy conservation through the financial section. (ACR)
Date: July 1980
Creator: Reiter, Elmar R.; Burns, C. C.; Cochrane, H.; Johnson, G. R.; Leong, H. & Sheaffer, J. D.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Effects of atmospheric variability on energy utilization and conservation. Summary of research conducted, 1 November 1976--31 July 1977 (open access)

Effects of atmospheric variability on energy utilization and conservation. Summary of research conducted, 1 November 1976--31 July 1977

Various feedback mechanisms between the oceans and the atmosphere were examined. Several of these mechanisms appear to be the cause of the interannual variability of the atmosphere's general circulation and of climatic changes on a time scale of several tens of years. Specifically, a recent cooling trend in the North Pacific north of 40/sup 0/N, and sea-surface temperature fluctuations with an irregular periodicity of 2 to 4 years superimposed upon this trend were examined. To advance regional long-range forecasting skills we correlated January temperature anomalies over the eastern United States with flow patterns over the U.S. and Canada. The space-heating energy-consumption model for Greeley, Colorado, for the winter of 1976-77 was within 98.9 percent of actual natural gas consumption for that city. Modelling of Cheyenne, Wyoming, including the testing of a new statistical scheme to develop the building census required by our energy consumption model, is under way.
Date: September 1977
Creator: Reiter, Elmar R.; Johnson, G. R.; Macdonald, B. C.; Somervell, W. L. Jr. & Starr, A. M.
System: The UNT Digital Library