As a part of the Hood River Conservation Project (HRCP), 320 homes were monitored to measure electrical energy use on a 15-min basis. The total electrical load, space-heating load, water-heating load, woodstove heat output, and indoor temperature were monitored for one full year both before and after retrofit. Special weather stations collected detailed local weather information, also on a I 5-min basis.
This data base was used to evaluate the load savings attributable to HRCP. Two methods of weather normalization were used and showed close agreement. Measurable demand and energy savings were achieved by the HRCP. These savings are significant in magnitude and are available at the time of the system peak load.
The weather.normalized diversified residential load savings on the Pacific Power & Light system and Hood River area peak days were greater than 0.5 kW/household. Savings were greatest in single.family electrically heated homes where the diversified seasonal peak was reduced by 0.8 kW/household. The load factor for the diversified residential load decreased following the conservation retrofit actions because heating equipment modifications (such as reductions in name-plate ratings or efficiency improvements) were not included in the program. Conservation programs could avoid this load factor reduction by decreasing the heating system capacity of each home commensurate with its thermal shell improvements. Demand savings in woodheated homes were less than in electrically