CNG energy index provides more-accurate readings than degree-days
✍ Scribed by Wade, Chet
- Book ID
- 102842960
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2007
- Weight
- 824 KB
- Volume
- 12
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0743-5665
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
uppose that the meteorologist on the evening S news gave this forecast for tomorrow: "Average temperature, 54 degrees." That is it, just the average temperature. N o afternoon high, no overnight low, no relative humidity, no idea of whether you will need your sunglasses or an umbrella. Not very helpful, is it?
That is just the kind of weather forecast that many people use to predict heating and cooling demand. It is called degree-days, which is nothing more than the average of the day's maximum and minimum temperatures compared with an arbitrary reference temperature, usually 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Just like the hypothetical weather forecast cited above, degree-days are at best inadequate.
That is why CNG Energy Services Corporation created the CNG Energy Index, a new, better way to forecast and measure residential heating and cooling requirements. Along with minimum and maximum outdoor temperatures, the CNG Energy Index takes into account the impact of sunshine, humidity, and the previous day's weather on heating and cooling needs. The index is based on a computer model of a typical single-family home that also weighs the effect of nonweather factors, such as modern residential construction standards, home occupancy, lights, appliances, and night-time thermostat setback.