Experimental lifestyle simulation for validating energy-saving techniques

The evaluation of the effectiveness ofcogenerations in energy saving is dependent onthe profile of electricity demand and heatdemand as many experts know. Those demandsdepend on the use and the energy efficiency ofappliances, on the envelope performancereflecting upon the heatinglcooling loads, on theclimatic conditions such as outdoor temperatureand city water temperature, etc. Thecogeneration system is not the only one energysavingtechnological element, whoseeffectiveness depends on those conditions.Although such dependency makes theevaluation of the effectiveness in energy savingmore difficult, there is a necessity fordeveloping a method, by which theeffectiveness of various kinds of technologicalelements can be estimated very clearly. Asmethods for that purpose, 1) field survey underreal occupancy, 2) experiment in researchhouses, 3) computer siniulation and 4)laboratory experiment, have been used inresearches. These methods have merits anddemerits. To overcome demerits of thesemethods, especially to produce easilyunderstandable information in terms ofassumptions for the evaluation, this researchproject is focused on the mechanicallysimulated occupancy implemented in researchhouses. The simulated occupancy has ever beenapplied sometimes in the experiment, butoverall simulation of occupants' behavior andoperation of almost all kinds of equipment isapplied in this research project.This paper introduces the background of theresearch project and the framework of theexperimental method, and describes an exampleof the experimental result and the theoreticalframework on how to utilize the experimentalresults for developing regulations and designmethods.