Modeling Energy Impacts of Passive Attic Ventilation in the Southwestern United States

Minimum levels of attic ventilation have been required by residential building codes in the United States for years, but the precise attic temperature reductions of “poking holes in the roof” and corresponding energy impacts have rarely been robustly quantified. This study investigates electric energy and demand impacts from passive attic ventilation using field study measurements and building energy simulations for homes in the American Southwest. The results of the parametric simulations are used to determine qualitative and statistical trends for attic ventilation energy impacts, provide insight on the main drivers of changes in energy use, validate simplified models from the field study, and explore cost effectiveness and program design topics.