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ABSTRACT
This paper describes the development of a new climate classification for use in characterizing the performance of energy efficiency measures for buildings. The classification is designed for use in energy codes and standards, design guidelines, and building energy analyses. This is the first paper in a two-paper set. This first paper contains background on climate classification and describes the development process for the new classification. The second paper presents the actual zone definitions, describes related climatic materials that have been developed, such as maps, and provides a comparison of the new classification with existing classifications. This paper includes a review of traditional climate classifications used by other disciplines and examines how climate is treated in current energy codes and standards. Details of the process used to develop the new classification system are presented along with a general description of the resulting classification.
INTRODUCTION
This is the first paper in a two-paper set. This paper contains background on climate classification and describes the development process for a new classification. The second paper presents-both descriptively and mathematically-the climatic zone definitions under the new climate classification, describes related climatic materials that have been developed to support use of the classification, such as maps, and provides a comparison of the new classification with existing classifications.
Climate has a major impact on the energy use of most commercial and residential buildings. Current energy codes and standards contain numerous requirements based on climate; for example, minimum R-values for roof insulation and maximum solar heat gain coefficients (SHGCs) for window glazing. Currently, ASHRAE's residential and nonresidential energy standards and the residential and commercial sections of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) use four different methods for specifying climate-dependent requirements. In many situations, the climate data needed to determine which requirements apply are not included in the standard or code documents. Only the lECC's commercial section is fully self-contained with respect to climatic data. It is also the only one of the four that provides clear and unambiguous specification of which requirements apply anywhere in the United States. To use the others, a user must locate referenced documents and then exercise judgment in selecting the most appropriate location for climatic data for the project. In addition to creating usability problems, the...