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The Relationship between Building Electrification and Weatherization: The Impact of Heat Pumps on Utility Costs and Carbon Emissions for Building Heating and Cooling

Browning, Victoria
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin166863740034587

Abstract Details

2022, MS, University of Cincinnati, Engineering and Applied Science: Civil Engineering.
Building electrification defines the shift to use electricity in place of non-renewable resources and has become a common avenue for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Replacing combustion-fueled heating systems with heat pumps, specifically air-source heat pumps, is the most common path to building electrification as installation increases in the U.S. However, in regions where the electricity generation is made up of predominately coal, gas, and other non-renewable resources, building electrification through heat pump installation can actually increase GHG emissions and raise annual utility costs for heating and cooling. To avoid this issue, other energy efficiency measures, such as building weatherization, should be considered before electrification. This thesis models energy use for a mid-rise multi-family building in Cincinnati, OH to determine if it is more beneficial to prioritize weatherization measures over building electrification based on system and building envelope efficiency, electricity fuel mix, and utility costs. Twenty different building energy models were run to compare GHG emissions and utility cost savings for replacing a low, medium, and high efficiency existing natural gas furnace with an air source heat pump (ASHP) along with three different weatherization measures. Results of this thesis conclude that weatherization measures achieve more savings than furnace replacement alone for medium and high efficiency furnaces and maximum savings are achieved when weatherization measures and natural gas furnace replacement are combined. This indicates that electrifying building heating systems in Cincinnati will result in savings, but weatherization measures are the best first step to take if deciding between weatherization and electrification.
Amanda Webb, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Leah Hollstein, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Hazem Elzarka, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
48 p.
Energy
Electrification; Heat pump; Weatherization

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Browning, V. (2022). The Relationship between Building Electrification and Weatherization: The Impact of Heat Pumps on Utility Costs and Carbon Emissions for Building Heating and Cooling [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin166863740034587

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Browning, Victoria. The Relationship between Building Electrification and Weatherization: The Impact of Heat Pumps on Utility Costs and Carbon Emissions for Building Heating and Cooling. 2022. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin166863740034587.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Browning, Victoria. "The Relationship between Building Electrification and Weatherization: The Impact of Heat Pumps on Utility Costs and Carbon Emissions for Building Heating and Cooling." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2022. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin166863740034587

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin166863740034587
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This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.
Release 3.2.12