Commissioning of the 

Fresno, California, Retrofit 

Unoccupied Test House 

D. Stecher and C. Imm

IBACOS, Inc. 

June 2013
NOTICE

This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States government. 

Neither the United States government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, subcontractors, or 

affiliated partners makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for 

the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or 

represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial 

product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily 

constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States government or any 

agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those 

of the United States government or any agency thereof.

Available electronically at http://www.osti.gov/bridge

Available for a processing fee to U.S. Department of Energy

and its contractors, in paper, from:

U.S. Department of Energy

Office of Scientific and Technical Information

P.O. Box 62

Oak Ridge, TN 37831-0062

phone: 865.576.8401

fax: 865.576.5728

email: mailto:reports@adonis.osti.gov

Available for sale to the public, in paper, from:

U.S. Department of Commerce

National Technical Information Service

5285 Port Royal Road

Springfield, VA 22161

phone: 800.553.6847

fax: 703.605.6900

email: orders@ntis.fedworld.gov

online ordering: http://www.ntis.gov/ordering.htm

Printed on paper containing at least 50% wastepaper, including 20% postconsumer waste
iii

Commissioning of the Fresno, California, 

Retrofit Unoccupied Test House

Prepared for: 

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory 

On behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America Program 

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy 

15013 Denver West Parkway 

Golden, CO 80401 

NREL Contract No. DE-AC36-08GO28308 

Prepared by: 

D. Stecher and C. Imm 

IBACOS, Inc.

2214 Liberty Avenue 

Pittsburgh, PA 15222 

NREL Technical Monitor: Michael Gestwick

Prepared under Subcontract No. KNDJ-0-40341-03 

June 2013 
iv

[This page left blank]
v 

Contents

List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................ vi

List of Tables .............................................................................................................................................. vi

Definitions .................................................................................................................................................. vii

Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................................... viii

Executive Summary................................................................................................................................... ix

1 Introduction and Background ............................................................................................................. 1

1.1 Background ..........................................................................................................................1

2 Mathematical and Modeling Methods................................................................................................. 4

2.1 BEopt ..................................................................................................................................4

2.2 Load Calculation and Distribution System Development— ACCA Manuals J, S, and D ..6

2.3 Computational Fluid Dynamics ...........................................................................................8

3 Long-Term Test Equipment............................................................................................................... 10

3.1 HVAC Distribution Systems..............................................................................................10

3.2 Long-Term Measurements .................................................................................................17

4 Short-Term Testing and Calibration—Experimental Methods....................................................... 19

4.1 Ice Bath Testing of Thermocouples ...................................................................................19

4.2 Determination of Air Handling Unit and Outdoor Unit “On” Electricity Threshold .......20

4.3 Airflow Testing of the Distribution Ductwork ..................................................................20

4.4 Whole-House Air Leakage ................................................................................................22

4.5 Testing of Operation of Data Logger-Controlled Output Devices ....................................22

5 Conclusions ........................................................................................................................................ 24

References................................................................................................................................................. 25
vi 

List of Figures

Figure 1. BEopt results............................................................................................................................... 5

Figure 2. CFD model mesh of the bedroom (light blue), bathroom (gray), and hallway (tan)............. 8

Figure 3. Close-up of CFD model mesh showing the upper transfer grille (pink) connecting the 

bedroom (light blue) and hallway (tan) .............................................................................................. 9

Figure 4. Test HVAC equipment installed in the living room, showing dampers to enable a single 

point of delivery.................................................................................................................................. 10

Figure 5. Test ductwork routed through the hallway and located inside conditioned space........... 11

Figure 6. Distribution strategy 1.............................................................................................................. 12

Figure 7. Distribution strategy 2 .............................................................................................................. 13

Figure 8. Distribution strategy 3.............................................................................................................. 14

Figure 9. Typical bedroom with active forced-air register (upper left), above-door transfer grille 

(upper right), and bottom-of-door transfer grille (middle right) .................................................... 15

Figure 10. Bedroom door actuator.......................................................................................................... 16

Figure 11. Test AHU location (upper right) in the main living space; a typical shielded aspirated 

thermocouple is shown in the foreground ...................................................................................... 16

Figure 12. Sensor locations ..................................................................................................................... 18

Unless otherwise noted, all figures and photos were created by IBACOS. 

List of Tables

Table 1. Retrofit Specifications ................................................................................................................. 4

Table 2. Individual Room Loads ................................................................................................................ 7

Table 3. Distribution System Control Dampers ..................................................................................... 15

Table 4. Long-Term Measurements......................................................................................................... 17

Table 5. Data Logger-Controlled Devices............................................................................................... 18

Table 6. System 1—Design and Measured Room Airflows .................................................................. 21

Table 7. System 2—Design and Measured Room Airflows .................................................................. 21

Unless otherwise noted, all tables were created by IBACOS.
vii 

Definitions

ACCA Air Conditioning Contractors of America

ACH50 Air changes per hour at 50 Pascals

AHU Air handling unit

BEopt Building Energy Optimization (software)

Btu British thermal unit

Btu/h British thermal unit per hour

CFD Computational fluid dynamics

CFM Cubic feet per minute

DHW Domestic hot water

EF Energy factor

ERV Energy recovery ventilator

HSPF Heating seasonal performance factor

HVAC Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning

SEER Seasonal energy efficiency ratio

SHGC Solar heat gain coefficient

XPS Extruded polystyrene
viii

Acknowledgments

The authors thank GreenEarthEquities for its involvement in the development, design, and 

construction of this innovative project. The authors also thank the U.S. Department of Energy’s 

Building America Program for funding this research. 
ix

Executive Summary

Commissioning of instrumentation and limited short-term testing have been completed on a 

retrofit unoccupied test house in Fresno, California. This house is intended to be used as a 

laboratory in which several different methods of space conditioning distribution will be 

evaluated. This report provides background on the project, including specifications of the house 

and models used in its development, along with models to be evaluated through its operation. 

IBACOS anticipates that houses achieving 50% whole-house source energy savings with respect 

to the Building America 2010 Benchmark (Hendron and Engebrecht 2010) will be “low load.” 

Low load is defined by IBACOS as a house with a thermal enclosure that yields a maximum 

space heating and cooling load of less than 10 Btu/ft2-h of conditioned floor area (31.5 W/m2). 

IBACOS hypothesizes that heating and cooling energy in low-load houses would be distributed 

sufficiently throughout the house via convective currents through open doors or transfer grilles, 

buoyancy, and conduction through interior partition walls. 

To evaluate this hypothesis, IBACOS worked with a retrofitter in Fresno, California, to create a 

test facility and instrumentation setup to enable the testing of several experimental alternatives to 

traditional forced-air distribution designs. Based on the specifications implemented during the 

retrofit, resultant calculated design loads are 16,680 Btu/h (4,888 W) in heating and 15,934 Btu/h 

(4,700 W) in cooling. This corresponds to 10.3 Btu/ft2

-h (32.5 W/m2) and 9.8 Btu/ ft2-h 

(31.2 W/m2) on a per-unit area basis, respectively. Building Energy Optimization (BEopt) 

modeling shows energy savings of 50.1%. 

IBACOS installed a central space conditioning unit with flexible configuration options, including 

shutting off supply ducts to specific rooms, and passive high- and low-through-wall transfer 

grilles to simulate various terminal conditions that are characteristic of simplified systems such 

as those incorporating mini-split heat pumps, distributed fan coil units, or central ventilation 

systems. Through the course of one year, IBACOS will assess the ability of each system to meet 

Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) Manual RS standards for temperature 

uniformity (Rutkowski 1997) and ASHRAE Standard 55-2010 sections: 5.2.5 Temperature 

Variations with Time, 7.3.2 Temperature Cycles and Drifts, and 7.4 Measuring Conditions 

(ASHRAE 2010). This field work and corresponding analytic modeling will be used to draw 

larger conclusions for a variety of climatic regions and house configurations. 

The initial test to be performed in the facility is to determine the ability of market-available, 

acoustically dampened, and light-shielding passive high and low transfer grilles located in 

interior partition walls to maintain sufficient room air temperatures in non-actively conditioned 

rooms when partition doors are closed. This testing will be performed in conjunction with a 

computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. The CFD model includes the air volume of the 

hallway, hall bathroom, and northeast bedroom of the house. 

To assess the performance of the distribution strategies, monitoring equipment was installed in 

the house to assess the temperature of air in each room and relevant external conditions acting on 

the enclosure (e.g., outdoor temperature and incident solar radiation). This equipment was 

calibrated during the initial setup and short-term testing of the house. Work performed included 

ice bath testing of the thermocouples, determination of the air handling unit (AHU) and outdoor 
x 

unit electricity consumption values to trigger runtime “on” status, airflow testing of the 

distribution ductwork, whole-house air leakage testing, and operation of the door actuator 

mechanisms. 

Commissioning of long-term installed instrumentation showed all devices, except the bottom-ofdoor transfer grille flaps, to be functioning properly within the discussed limits of their 

measurement capabilities. Results of these tests also revealed an issue with the ice bath test 

method: accidental electrical grounding of the thermocouple junction when the wire shielding 

also is in contact with the ice bath. 

The next steps are to perform testing to validate the CFD model for room-to-room air transfer via 

over-door and bottom-of-door transfer grilles, with the eventual goal of using that model to 

determine the expected airflow volume through the transfer grilles under various conditions. 

Those results will be discussed in a future report. 
1 

1 Introduction and Background

There are alternatives to today’s standard ducted forced-air systems, such as distributed fan coils 

with minimized ducts, terminal fan coil units, and point source units with buoyant force or 

ventilation driven distribution. These systems, which can have lower total installed costs than 

traditional ducted forced-air systems (Stecher 2011), allow the thermal enclosure characteristics 

of low-load houses to provide first-cost savings in addition to operational cost savings. More 

research is needed to evaluate the conditions where simplified space conditioning systems will 

work in new and retrofitted houses. Guidance is needed on the design and installation of these 

systems to support a wider adoption throughout the new construction and retrofit markets. 

1.1 Background

IBACOS anticipates that houses achieving 50% whole-house source energy savings with respect 

to the Building America 2010 Benchmark (Hendron and Engebrecht 2010) will be “low load.” 

Low load is defined by IBACOS as a house with a thermal enclosure that yields a maximum 

space heating and cooling load of less than 10 Btu/ft2-h of conditioned floor area (31.5 W/m2). 

IBACOS hypothesizes that heating and cooling energy in low-load houses will be distributed 

sufficiently throughout the house via convective currents through open doors or transfer grilles, 

buoyancy, and conduction through interior partition walls. 

This hypothesis is based, in part, on research performed by Brown and Solavson (1962), who 

first characterized heat flow through a rectangular opening using the Nusselt, Grashof, and 

Prandtl numbers as shown in Equation 1: 

CNu Gr Pr D ××=

5.0

, (1) 

where

C is an experimentally determined coefficient in the range of 0.2 to 0.33 

Nu is the Nusselt number, the ratio of convective to conductive heat transfer through the opening 

GrD is the dimensionless Grashof number, which approximates the ratio of buoyancy to viscous 

forces acting on the air

Pr is the Prandtl number, the ratio of the momentum diffusivity to thermal diffusivity of the air 

Characterizing the flow mathematically enables approximation of convective airflow through an 

open doorway based on the dimensions of the doorway and the temperature difference between 

the two rooms. 

Additional research by Barakat (1985) helped validate Brown and Solavson’s work and indicated 

that the steady-state heat transfer through an open doorway at a 2.7°F (1.5°C) temperature 

difference was 1050 Btu/h (308 W) via natural convection with 48 Btu/h (14 W) via radiation. 

Building on this work, multizone airflow calculations and CFD simulations performed by Feist et 

al. (2005) of dwellings meeting the Passivhaus energy standard indicate that, at a temperature 

difference of 1.8°F (1°C) between spaces, expected heat transfer rates are 300–600 Btu/h (100–
2 

200 W) through open doors and 0.3–0.6 Btu/ft2-h (10–20 W/m2) of internal partition wall area. In 

a low-load home, these values may provide a substantial contribution to satisfying an individual 

room load before providing active conditioning. Field test data obtained by IBACOS (2008, 

2010a, 2010b) from a Passivhaus in Climate Zone 5 also support this hypothesis. 

However, if interior partition doors are not always open, the potential for heat transfer to occur 

via natural convection can be reduced. Fortunately, Emery (1969) found that when a small 

rectangular opening of height h is placed in a wall at the ceiling plane and one is placed at the 

floor plane on the order of h/H ≥ 0.05, where h is measured up from the floor for the lower 

opening and down from the ceiling for the upper opening and H is the floor-to-ceiling height, no 

loss in flow occurs compared to the baseline case of a single, clear opening of height H in the 

wall spanning from the floor to the ceiling. This assumes the width of all openings is the same in 

both cases. Based on this work, there is potential for an approach of strategically locating holes 

in interior partition walls to enable airflow via natural convection from one space to another in a 

house, even when interior partition doors are closed. 

The purpose of this multi-report study is to determine the viability of strategically placed holes

(also known as passive high- and low-through-wall transfer grilles) in interior partition walls to 

maintain sufficient room air temperatures in non-actively conditioned rooms when partition 

doors are closed by evaluating the modeled and field-measured performance of a system using

market-available, acoustically dampened, and light-shielding through-wall transfer grilles. The 

general approach for the study is to measure the temperature differentials between the bedrooms 

when not directly served by the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system and 

the main living space of the house, in addition to the temperature of air moving through the 

transfer grilles. This information will be used to calibrate a CFD model, which then will be used 

to determine the expected flow rate through the transfer grilles at various temperature 

differentials between the spaces on either side of the transfer grilles. Using a model to determine 

the flow rate is necessary because direct measurement of airflow is impractical due to the 

expected low velocity through the transfer grilles.

The following research questions will be answered: 

• Over the course of one year, to what extent is the experimental space conditioning 

distribution strategy able to meet ACCA and ASHRAE guidelines for room-to-room 

temperature uniformity and stability, respectively? What are the frequency, duration, and 

amplitude of non-uniformity of the temperature between bedrooms/bathrooms and the 

thermostatically controlled space? Under what weather conditions does the nonuniformity occur? 

• In what ways and by how much does the measured performance of the distribution 

system differ from the computer-modeled performance? 

• How substantially does the experimental strategy differ from the control strategy in its 

ability to meet the ACCA guidelines? 

To ensure that temperature differences are within reasonable occupant expectations, the research 

team will use guidance by Rutkowski (1997). Rutkowski requires dry-bulb temperature variances 

from the thermostat setting during the cooling season as measured at the thermostat to be ± 3°F 
3 

(± 1.67°C). Similarly, the temperature variances during the heating season in any room should be 

± 2°F (± 1.11°C) of the thermostat set temperature. Room-to-room temperature differences or 

floor-to-floor temperature differences should be no greater than 4°F (2.22°C) in the heating 

season and no greater than 6°F (3.33°C) in the cooling season. Although air temperature is only 

one factor in measuring overall thermal comfort (ASHRAE 2010), Rittelmann (2006) found that, 

in well-insulated houses with low-E windows, air temperature and mean radiant temperature 

track fairly closely, except when the windows are experiencing direct solar gain. Therefore, the 

research team did not measure mean radiant temperature in this study.

The research team will compare the measured performance of the experimental transfer grille 

system to the measured performance of a typical distribution system with conditioned air 

actively supplied to all living spaces, bedrooms, and bathrooms via a ducted forced-air system. 

This will serve as the experimental “control.” In all cases, supply registers will be mounted high 

on interior partition walls in a retrofit unoccupied test house in Fresno, California. This test 

facility and the instrumentation setup discussed herein are intended to enable the testing of the 

heretofore discussed experimental air-based alternatives to traditional forced-air distribution and 

other experimental options as they come to light. 
4 

2 Mathematical and Modeling Methods

Modeling was performed for whole-house load and distribution system development using the 

appropriate ACCA manuals as cited below. Energy modeling was performed using the Building 

Energy Optimization with Hour-by-Hour Simulations, Version 1.2 (BEopt) software to provide a 

context with respect to annual energy for the pre-retrofit and post-retrofit cases. CFD models 

were developed to be validated using data obtained from the field test results. 

2.1 BEopt

Although the focus of this research is not to validate whole-building energy consumption 

models, to put the results in context with other Building America projects, modeling was 

completed using BEopt Version 1.2 with the specifications shown in Table 1. Note that many of 

these specifications, such as lighting and appliances, are not relevant to the testing to be 

performed in the house and will not be installed in the house at the time of testing. Therefore, 

their values were not modified between the pre- and post-retrofit models. 

Table 1. Retrofit Specifications

Assembly Pre-Retrofit Specification Post-Retrofit Specification

Exterior Walls 2 × 4 studs at 16 in. on center 

with R-13 fiberglass batts 

2 × 4 studs at 16 in. on center with 

fiberglass batts removed and 

replaced by R-13 blown-in cellulose 

Ceiling R-7 blown cellulose R-60 blown cellulose

Foundation Uninsulated slab on grade Uninsulated slab on grade

Windows Double-pane aluminum frame 

with 1⁄4 in. air space

Double-pane low-E vinyl frame, 

U-0.30, SHGC-0.30

Infiltration 1660 CFM50 (7.66 ACH50) 345 CFM50 (1.59 ACH50)

Ventilation Exhaust only—intermittent, user 

actuated

Single-point ERV, continuous 

runtime at 40 CFM

Appliances Standard, not ENERGY STAR® Standard, not ENERGY STAR

Lighting 14% compact fluorescent 14% compact fluorescent

HVAC Air source heat pump— 

13 SEER, 8.1 HSPF

Air source heat pump—20.5 SEER, 

13 HSPF*, installed capacity at 

500 CFM, 16,890 in heating, 

16,710 in cooling

DHW 40-gal tank—gas fired, 

atmospheric vented, 0.67 EF

40-gal tank—gas fired, atmospheric 

vented, 0.67 EF

*Note: The manufacturer’s ratings are 20.5 SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio) and 13 HSPF (heating seasonal 

performance factor); however, these values were unavailable in BEopt, and insufficient information was available 

from the manufacturer at the time of modeling to manually create a user option. Therefore, the values modeled were 

the highest available. 

ACH50 is air changes per hour at 50 Pascals. CFM is cubic feet per minute. DHW is domestic hot water. EF is 

energy factor. ERV is energy recovery ventilator. SHGC is solar heat gain coefficient. 

2.1.1 Specification Development

Discussions occurred with the builder on the cost of measures for the thermal enclosure of the 

test house to achieve a minimum of 50% energy savings from pre-retrofit conditions. A rigorous 
5 

cost analysis for the thermal enclosure was outside the scope of this project, and IBACOS 

assumed that other U.S. Department of Energy research projects are more aggressively 

investigating that issue. Trade-off options that the research team considered during discussions 

with the retrofit contractor include the following: occupant comfort, health and safety; building 

and equipment durability; system reliability; building code compliance; and building and 

equipment maintainability. Some measures were acknowledged to be cost effective in the future, 

and for some measures, future advancements in technology are expected to result in greater 

energy savings. 

The enclosure retrofit specifications determined by the design team for the west-facing, slab-ongrade, 1,621-ft2 Fresno, California, retrofit unoccupied test house include the following: 2 × 4 

wall construction with R-13 cellulose, vented attic with R-60 blown-in cellulose, windows with a 

0.30 U-value and 0.30 SHGC, and rigorous air-sealing measures. For the most part, these 

specifications—shown in Table 1—are the standard practice for the retrofitter on their projects. 

However, the addition of 1-in. extruded polystyrene (XPS) (R-5) insulated sheathing for the wall 

assembly was initially discussed as an option to meet the energy consumption and peak load 

requirements. This option also was modeled in BEopt. Although the option ultimately was not 

selected, it is discussed in the modeling results. 

2.1.2 BEopt Results

BEopt results indicated a whole-house energy savings of 50.1% based on the specified thermal 

enclosure strategy. These results are shown graphically in Figure 1. No changes to other major 

energy consumption areas were modeled for this study because the house will remain unfinished 

without final lighting, appliances, or DHW system throughout the course of the research. 

However, substantial savings could be realized by making upgrades in these areas to bring a 

completed house incorporating the specified thermal enclosure upgrades beyond the 50% savings 

level. 

Figure 1. BEopt results
6 

The modeling results in Figure 1 show that the above inputs without exterior foam would 

provide a savings of 50.1% (Point 1) and with 1 in. of XPS (R-5) exterior foam a savings of 

51.7% (Point 2). Insufficient retrofit construction cost data are available in BEopt. Therefore, 

discussions with the builder indicated that, because the existing stucco needed only minor 

repairs, it was not economically viable on a first-cost basis to add exterior foam. 

An infiltration level of 2 ACH50 was used in initial models, with the following actions 

performed by the builder in an attempt to achieve this goal: 

• Applying spray foam to all top plates and penetrations through the ceiling, including 

exterior walls (performed by removing perimeter roof sheathing) 

• Patching all cracks in the exterior stucco finish and sealing around all penetrations 

• Caulking the bottom plate of the exterior walls to the concrete slab

• Installing new windows and doors with functional weather stripping (the old windows 

were removed with existing stucco immediately adjacent to the windows, and new 

construction windows with flanges were installed and the stucco patched). 

Whole-house air leakage testing discussed later in this report revealed the actual leakage rate of 

the house to be 1.59 ACH50. This value was used in the BEopt models in Figure 1. 

2.2 Load Calculation and Distribution System Development— 

ACCA Manuals J, S, and D

To establish the low-load nature of the house, ACCA Manual J (Rutkowski 2006) calculations 

for peak total and room-by-room design loads were performed based on the post-retrofit 

specification packages outlined in Table 1. The calculations were performed using the 

Wrightsoft software Right-Suite Universal 8.0.11 (Wrightsoft). The input assumptions include 

the following: 

• One occupant in each bedroom and one occupant in the family room (four total 

occupants) 

• Peak internal gains of 2,400 Btu/h (703 W) according to ACCA Manual J Section 9 

Appliance, Equipment and Lighting Load Scenario 1, which assumes the house contains 

“a refrigerator, range with vented hood, dish washer, clothes washer and vented clothes 

dryer, and contains electronic equipment and lighting allowances.” The peak internal 

gains are distributed as follows: “1000 Btu/h (293 W) for the kitchen, 500 Btu/h (147 W) 

for the utility room, and 900 Btu/h (264 W) for a TV or computer and a few lighting 

fixtures” (Rutkowski 2006). 

The resultant whole-house design loads were 16,680 Btu/h (4,888 W) in heating and 

15,934 Btu/h (4,700 W) in cooling. This corresponds to 10.3 Btu/ft2

-h (32.5 W/m2) and 

9.8 Btu/ft2

-h (31.2 W/m2) on a per-unit area basis, respectively. Although the cooling value is 

below the low-load threshold of 10 Btu/ft2-h (31.5 W/m2), the heating value is slightly greater. 

However, the exact threshold value is somewhat arbitrary, and the heating value for this house is

appreciably small and close enough to the threshold value to facilitate the testing of the 

alternative distribution system. 
7 

Table 2 shows the individual room loads. Using these loads and ACCA Manual S protocol 

(Rutkowski 1995), the research team selected the equipment to be installed in the house based on 

the manufacturer’s equipment data. Because the calculated airflow value needed for the house

was smaller than the smallest size of AHU available, it was necessary, upon system installation 

and commissioning, to set the volumetric airflow of the electronically controlled AHU to the 

appropriate value using the manufacturer-provided interface. The variable capacity outdoor unit 

was able to reduce its output to match this reduced airflow value. Due to the climate and 

unoccupied status of the house, sensible loads account for 95% of the design load. 

Table 2. Individual Room Loads 

Room Area

(ft2)

Heating Load

(Btu/h)

Cooling Load

(Btu/h)

Family 311 3,179 4,268

Dining 374 2,383 1,992

Kitchen 105 1,616 1,114

Laundry 38 964 442

Hall 133 652 480

Master Bedroom 213 1,377 1,828

Master Bath 42 626 309

Master Walk-in Closet 35 875 336

Bedroom 2 154 2,123 1,965

Bedroom 3 142 1,404 1,488

Bath 2 75 462 347

Three distribution system possibilities were evaluated in the ACCA Manual D (Rutkowski 

2009a) design process: 

1. A ducted distribution system to the bedrooms and bathroom and a single point of distribution 

into the main living space 

2. A ducted distribution system to the bedrooms, a single point of distribution into the main 

living space, and no conditioned air to the bathrooms 

3. A system with a single point of delivery into the main living space, with no additional active 

circulation to the remainder of the house but including over-door and bottom-of-door transfer 

grilles to facilitate free movement of air with the bedroom doors closed. 

Using ACCA Manual D protocol (Rutkowski 2009a), the duct systems were sized based on the 

individual room loads calculated by Wrightsoft Right-Suite Universal 8.0.11 (Wrightsoft). 

Trunks were sized to enable 700–900 fpm (3.56–4.57 m/s) and branches at 400–500 fpm (2.03–

2.54 m/s). The design pressure drop between each branch was maintained to within ±0.01 in. of 

water column (±2.5 Pa). 

The team sized the supply registers in the bedrooms and bathrooms using ACCA Manual T 

protocol (Rutkowski 2009b), which states that at terminal velocity, the registers should have a 

throw distance of 1.0–1.2 times the distance from the register to the opposite wall. To 

accomplish this, the team measured the distance from the register face to the exterior wall and 
8 

added 2 ft to ensure the register has sufficient throw to reach the exterior wall and turn down to 

create air circulation within the space. The team used these throw distances and ACCA Manual T 

noise criteria requirements to select the registers.

2.3 Computational Fluid Dynamics

To assess the viability of the natural convection air transfer strategy (System 3), the research 

team created a finite element CFD model using ANSYS CFX (ANSYS). The CFD model 

consists of a single fluid material (air) encompassing the volume of the hallway, hall bathroom, 

and northeast bedroom (see Figure 2 and Figure 3). The purpose of the model is to determine the 

expected flow rates through the over-door and bottom-of-door transfer grilles under various 

exterior temperatures and temperature differences between the hallway and bedroom. The heat 

transfer via conduction is expected to occur through the interior partition walls in the as-built 

house; however, because of the limited wall area in direct contact with the actively conditioned 

hallway, the interior partition walls were assumed to be adiabatic. This assumption will be 

considered when comparing the modeled values to field measured data. The exterior wall, 

ceiling, and window boundaries are treated with convection boundary conditions, based on 

specified R-values and outside bulk temperature. The floor assembly also was assumed to be 

adiabatic. A curved-face free-flowing air boundary layer is established at the end of the hallway 

where it meets the main living space. This type of boundary layer enables convective heat 

transfer across it while ensuring that the amount of air in the model remains constant. 

Figure 2. CFD model mesh of the bedroom (light blue), bathroom (gray), and hallway (tan)
9 

Figure 3. Close-up of CFD model mesh showing the upper transfer grille (pink) 

connecting the bedroom (light blue) and hallway (tan)

The mesh is primarily tetrahedral, but hexahedrals, prisms, and pyramids also were used when 

appropriate. It contains 41,016 nodes and 137,512 elements. The residuals value of the mesh is 

less than 2 × 10-5. Results of this model and comparison to performance in the as-built house will 

be the subject of a future report. 
10 

3 Long-Term Test Equipment

3.1 HVAC Distribution Systems

The retrofitter’s standard practice is to relocate the AHU and ductwork inside conditioned space 

via the use of a dropped ceiling in the hallway and the use of a ducted mini-split AHU. For this 

experiment, the conventionally sized AHU was located in the living room, as shown in Figure 4. 

The ductwork was routed through the hallway, as shown in Figure 5, but the dropped ceiling was 

not installed. 

 

Figure 4. Test HVAC equipment installed in the living room, showing dampers 

to enable a single point of delivery
11 

Figure 5. Test ductwork routed through the hallway and located inside conditioned space

To answer the research questions for this project, three distribution systems will be evaluated: 

1. A ducted distribution system to the bedrooms and bathrooms and a single point of 

distribution into the main living space (see Figure 6) 

2. A ducted distribution system to the bedrooms, a single point of distribution into the main 

living space, and no conditioned air to the bathrooms (see Figure 7) 

3. A system with a single point of delivery into the main living space, with no additional 

active circulation to the remainder of the house but including over-door and bottom-ofdoor transfer grilles to facilitate free movement of air with the bedroom doors closed (see 

Figure 8 and Figure 9).

The three distribution systems were implemented in the test house by using zone dampers 

controlled by a central data logger. By opening and closing specific dampers, as detailed in Table 

3, each system could be operated for a specific duration of time (e.g., one week). The zone 

damper numbers in Table 3 correspond with the labels shown in Figure 6 through Figure 8. The 

bottom-of-door transfer grilles for System 3 were capable of being shut via a data loggercontrolled flap (Figure 9) so that they would be active only during the operation of System 3. In 

addition to their functionality in System 3, the upper transfer grilles serve as a return air pathway 

for System 1 and System 2; the bedroom doors are connected to data logger-controlled actuators 

(Figure 10) that enable them to be opened or closed remotely. The AHU is located in the living 

room (Figure 11).
12 

Figure 6. Distribution strategy 1
13 

Figure 7. Distribution strategy 2
14 

Figure 8. Distribution strategy 3
15 

Figure 9. Typical bedroom with active forced-air register (upper left), above-door transfer grille 

(upper right), and bottom-of-door transfer grille (middle right) 

Table 3. Distribution System Control Dampers

Zone Dampers 1 2 3 4

System 1 Open Closed Open Open

System 2 Open Closed Open Closed

System 3 Open Open Closed Closed
16 

Figure 10. Bedroom door actuator

Figure 11. Test AHU location (upper right) in the main living space; a typical shielded aspirated 

thermocouple is shown in the foreground
17 

3.2 Long-Term Measurements

Although the subject of another report, long-term testing will be performed at this house. Each 

system must operate in the weather conditions experienced throughout an entire year because the 

exact time and combination of conditions that may cause failure in each passively conditioned 

room currently are unknown. Although failures may occur during peak conditions, if successes 

occur during midseason conditions, the heat flux occurring through the enclosure during those 

times (either directly measured or calculated) can be determined and used as a boundary 

condition for the effectiveness of the system. 

Long-term measurements and data logger-controlled devices are listed in Table 4 and Table 5, 

respectively, and their approximate locations in the house are shown in Figure 12. 

Table 4. Long-Term Measurements

Measurement Equipment Needed

Air temperature in each of the bedrooms, 

bathrooms, kitchen, living room, dining room, 

and hallway

Shielded aspirated Type-T thermocouples 

mounted 43 in. from floor 

Air relative humidity measured in the living room Campbell Scientific CS210 mounted 43 in. from 

floor

AHU runtime averaged temperature via unshielded 

thermocouple at each supply location at point of 

maximum velocity

Unshielded Type-T thermocouples with 

maximum velocity location determined by hot 

wire anemometer trace

AHU runtime averaged temperature at central 

return via unshielded thermocouple Unshielded Type-T thermocouples

Air temperature at each above-door and 

bottom-of-door transfer grille location Unshielded Type-T thermocouples

Heat flux through floor slab to ground Hukseflux heat flux transducer

Runtime of HVAC system: 

AHU and heat pump outdoor unit Continental Control System Wattnode

Runtime of ERV Continental Control System Wattnode

Surface temperature measurements at a 

representative window (or sliding glass door) on 

each wall orientation. For each location, four 

surface temperature measurements will be made: 

center of glass, edge of glass, frame, and 

opaque wall assembly.

Unshielded Type-T thermocouples

Temperature in unconditioned attic Shielded aspirated Type-T thermocouple 

mounted 43 in. from floor

Temperature in unconditioned garage Shielded aspirated Type-T thermocouple 

mounted 43 in. from floor

Global incident solar radiation on site with specific 

amount of light incident through windows 

determined using three-dimensional (SketchUp) 

solar model of the house

LI-COR 200 silicon pyranometer

Outdoor temperature and relative humidity Vaisala HMP60 in shielded enclosure
18 

Table 5. Data Logger-Controlled Devices

Action Equipment Needed

Generate the anticipated peak sensible internal 

gains, according to ACCA Manual J (Rutkowski 

2006), in each bedroom, bathroom, and the main 

living area 

Relay-controlled unit heaters in each space with 

Continental Control System Wattnode to measure 

energy consumption

Switch between various distribution systems Electronically controlled damper in 

HVAC ductwork

Close off each bottom-of-door transfer 

grille opening Flap and relay-controlled actuator mechanism

Operate bathroom exhaust fans Relay

Figure 12. Sensor locations
19 

4 Short-Term Testing and Calibration—Experimental Methods

The long-term testing equipment described in Section 3 was calibrated during the initial setup 

and short-term testing of the house. Calibration included the following: 

• Ice bath testing of the thermocouples 

• Determination of the AHU and outdoor unit electricity consumption values to trigger 

runtime “on” status. 

Additional testing that was performed included the following: 

• Airflow testing of the distribution ductwork 

• Whole-house air leakage testing

• Operation of data logger-controlled output devices. 

4.1 Ice Bath Testing of Thermocouples

4.1.1 Methods

Thermocouple measurements were tested for consistency by inserting them into a slurry made of 

crushed distilled ice and distilled water carried in a stainless steel thermos. This slurry was used 

because the freezing point of distilled water is a known constant of 32°F (0°C), and creating a 

mixture of solid ice and water ensures that the water that contacts the thermocouple is at the 

freezing point but is still in a liquid state. The thermocouple was inserted into this mixture until 

the observed temperature on the data logger output display screen stabilized (typically two scans 

or 40 seconds). 

4.1.2 Results

Initial results from the ice bath test indicated a range of values from approximately –2°F to 2°F 

(~ –1°C to 1°C), with inconsistent results from thermocouple to thermocouple. All values should 

have been within ±0.18°F (±0.1°C) of 32°F (0°C). If all measurements had been consistently off, 

it would have indicated an issue with the reference thermistor. This somewhat inconsistent range 

of error suggested a problem with the wire. Prior to wholesale replacement, individual sections 

were tested. It was determined that the stainless steel construction of the vessel holding the slurry 

was enabling the shield wire to make electrical contact with the thermocouple junction, affecting 

the results of the test. The shielding was stripped back, and the wires were retested. Upon 

retesting, all thermocouples were shown to be within the required range. 

4.1.3 Discussion

The experience from this ice bath testing of thermocouples should be noted in future guidelines, 

particularly the importance of ensuring that any shielding does not come in contact with the 

slurry or the vessel holding the slurry. Some recommendations discussed during this testing 

included dipping the thermocouple junction in clear nail polish to electrically insulate it or 

ensuring that the shielding is stripped back sufficiently (~3 in.) so that it does not make contact 

with the slurry.
20 

4.2 Determination of Air Handling Unit and Outdoor Unit “On” 

Electricity Threshold

4.2.1 Methods

The threshold of electricity consumption at which the AHU and outdoor unit could be considered 

to be “on” was determined by operating each respective piece of equipment and observing the 

electricity consumption when operating as measured by attaching a Wattnode to the wires 

providing electricity to each piece of equipment. This Wattnode was sampled by a Campbell 

Scientific CR1000 data logger every 20 seconds. Standby electricity also was observed when the 

system was off and the runtime “on” threshold was set above that amount. 

4.2.2 Results

Standby electrical power draw of the AHU was observed to be ~4 W, whereas the heat pump 

outdoor unit was ~15 W. Steady-state power draw for each was ~24 W and ~750 W, 

respectively. Based on these measurements, the threshold of electrical power consumption at 

which the AHU and heat pump outdoor unit could be considered to be “on” was determined to 

be any time the measured electrical power draw was greater than 7 W and 150 W, respectively. 

Observations of electrical power consumption after the initial tests revealed that the electric 

resistance backup heat, which is on the same measured circuit as the AHU, has a distinct 

signature and is considered to be on when the measured electrical power of the AHU circuit is 

greater than 200 W. These values were entered into the data logger program so that runtime 

could be calculated. 

4.2.3 Discussion

Although the threshold “on” electricity consumption value was determined for both the AHU 

and the outdoor unit, this will be useful for knowing when the AHU is running to determine 

when to start or stop certain calculations within the data logger program. Although in this case it 

is not expected to be an issue due to the focus on the research of measuring the energy delivered 

at the supply register, as opposed to energy consumed by the system, note that simply knowing 

when a variable capacity outdoor unit is “on” or “off” can be insufficient for certain tests. The 

reason for this is that the system may be “on” but could be running in a range of capacities 

necessary to meet the load in the house. Analysis of these types of systems—variable capacity—

will require data logger programming that enables binning of runtime into ranges of operational 

capacity.

4.3 Airflow Testing of the Distribution Ductwork

4.3.1 Methods

The measured flow volume from each supply register was determined using a low-flow 

balometer flow hood with an accuracy of ± 3% + 5 CFM (TSI 2012). Due to the lack of 

sufficient flat wall area surrounding some registers, the opening of the flow hood was made 

smaller using duct mask such that only the register face would fit through the opening. 

Total system flow was measured using both the flow hood and a TrueFlow Air Handler Flow 

Meter with a digital manometer (DG700) (a.k.a. the flow plate) (Energy Conservatory 2012b). 

4.3.2 Results

Results from airflow testing of the distribution ductwork with supply outlets in every space 

(System 1) are shown in Table 6. Measured flow rates in heating generally were lower than the 
21 

specified flow rates in heating, with the exception of Bathroom 2. In cooling mode, measured 

flow rates were within 12% of design values, again with the exception of Bathroom 2. Total 

system flow was 421 CFM in cooling at a normal system operating pressure of 17.9. The design 

airflow was 500 CFM.

Airflow testing also was performed for System 2, where distribution ductwork supplies 

conditioned air to only the bedrooms and the main living space. Those results are shown in Table 

7. Measured flow rates in heating generally were lower than the specified flow rates, with the 

percent difference ranging from –25% to –45%. In cooling mode, measured flow rates were 

within –13% to 20% of design values. 

Table 6. System 1—Design and Measured Room Airflows

Room

Heating Cooling

Specified

CFM

Measured

CFM

Specified

CFM

Measured

CFM

Family, Dining, Kitchen, Laundry Area 265 195 265 295

Master Bedroom and Walk-In Closet 79 51 79 74

Master Bath 16 16 16 24

Bedroom 2 74 51 74 74

Bedroom 3 54 34 54 48

Bath 2 13 23 13 35

Table 7. System 2—Design and Measured Room Airflows

Room

Heating Cooling

Specified

CFM

Measured

CFM

Specified

CFM

Measured

CFM

Family, Dining, Kitchen, Laundry Area 265 216 265 320

Master Bedroom and Walk-In Closet 95 54 95 82

Master Bath – – – –

Bedroom 2 80 61 80 89

Bedroom 3 60 39 60 61

Bath 2 – – – –

Total system airflow was measured using the flow plate. The total system flow was 421 CFM in 

cooling at a normal system operating pressure of 17.9. The design airflow in cooling was 

500 CFM. 

4.3.3 Discussion

Exact correlation between the design and measured supply airflow rates was not expected; 

however, the significant differences encountered were somewhat surprising. The differences are 

a result, in part, of the AHU operating at a lower airflow rate during heating mode than in 

cooling mode. They also were due to the lack of use of manual balancing dampers in the 

ductwork. Using balancing dampers, instead of relying on duct sizing to accomplish proper 

airflow, may have prevented the difference between the calculated and measured flow rates. The 

differences between design and measured airflows will be accounted for in future analysis of this 

test house. 
22 

4.4 Whole-House Air Leakage

4.4.1 Methods

The air leakage rate of the house was measured using a Minneapolis Blower Door Model 3 

(Energy Conservatory 2012a). 

4.4.2 Results

Results of the whole-house air leakage testing prior to retrofit were 7.66 ACH50 (1660 CFM50); 

after retrofit, the results were 1.59 ACH50 (345 CFM50). Leakage points were noted at the 

location where the refrigerant lines passed through the ceiling plane on their way to the AHU 

located in the living room.

4.4.3 Discussion

It is notable that, via fairly simple retrofit measures, the house was able to attain a dramatic 

decrease in air leakage. The construction of this house—slab on grade with stucco finish—is 

inherently conducive to low air leakage rates because the stucco provides a continuous air barrier 

on the exterior of the house that ties in readily with the slab foundation, which has few air 

leakage points. The remainder of the enclosure can be air sealed from above through the attic. 

The key to this approach is that the air sealing measures are performed when another 

maintenance issue is being addressed, such as when the roof is being replaced, removing the 

lower portion of the roof sheathing to seal the top plate of the exterior wall, which is typically a 

hard-to-reach area from within the attic. Another example is installing new windows at the same 

time the exterior stucco is being repaired due to age. 

4.5 Testing of Operation of Data Logger-Controlled Output Devices

4.5.1 Methods

The research team also tested the operation of the output devices controlled by the data logger. 

The devices were simulated occupancy heaters, ductwork dampers, door actuators (Figure 10), 

and door flaps. 

Testing included the following: 

• Manual operation by direct connection to a power source 

• Manual actuation of relay

• Actuation of relay by toggling a manual switch on the Campbell Scientific SDM-CD16 

output control device (Campbell Scientific 2012)

• User-controlled remote actuation via computer (by manual entry of “1” or “0” in a textview window in LoggerNet software) (LoggerNet 2012). 

4.5.2 Results

The research team also tested the operation of the output devices controlled by the data logger. 

Testing included the following: 

• Manual operation by direct connection to a power source showed the simulated 

occupancy heaters, ductwork dampers, and door actuators operated correctly. Door flaps 

(for covering the bottom-of-door transfer grilles) did not function correctly because the 

12-V power supply provided insufficient current to operate the actuators together as 
23 

planned. Upon further testing, the research team determined that these flaps would be 

abandoned until a lower power actuator could be specified. One has since been sourced 

and was installed; the details will be included in a future report.

• Manual actuation of relay facilitated the operation of the simulated occupancy heaters, 

ductwork dampers, and door actuators with no issue. 

• Actuation of relay by toggling a manual switch on the SDM-CD16 output control device 

(Campbell Scientific 2012) facilitated the operation of the simulated occupancy heaters, 

ductwork dampers, and door actuators with no issue. 

• Actuation by manual entry of “1” or “0” in a text-view window in LoggerNet software 

(LoggerNet 2012) initially did not enable the operation of any devices because the value 

would be reset with every program scan. Creating a manual mode in the program enabled 

this manual entry to operate the simulated occupancy heaters, ductwork dampers, and 

door actuators with no issue. 

4.5.3 Discussion

The results of testing the data logger-controlled output devices reveal the need to perform bench 

testing prior to implementation in the field. Had this been performed for the door flaps, a 

significant amount of field time could have been saved. Bench testing is now being implemented 

whenever outputs are required from the data logger to increase the chance of successful 

operation in the field. 
24 

5 Conclusions

Historical research has shown that substantial amounts of energy can be transferred through open 

doors in houses. To determine if high and low transfer grilles could provide sufficient heat 

transfer to maintain temperatures in the bedrooms of a house, a CFD model was created. In 

conjunction with this model, an unoccupied test house was designed and retrofitted as a low-load 

house with peak heating and cooling loads of less than 2 tons and energy savings of 50% 

according to BEopt modeling. Three distribution strategies were installed in the house and 

successfully controlled using the data logger. Limited short-term testing was completed, 

verifying a very low air infiltration rate of 1.59 ACH50 (345 CFM50) and a minimal to 

significant difference between the modeled and measured airflow rates of the ducted distribution 

system. Instrumentation commissioned for long-term testing showed that all temperature 

measurements were operating within tolerances and revealed an issue with the ice bath test 

method with respect to accidental electrical grounding of the thermocouple junction when the 

wire shielding also was in contact with the ice bath. 

The next steps are to perform testing to validate the CFD model for room-to-room air transfer via 

high and low transfer grilles, with the eventual goal of using that model to determine the 

expected airflow volume through the transfer grilles under various conditions. 
25 

References 

ANSYS. ANSYS CFX software. Canonsburg, PA: ANSYS. Accessed June 2013. 

www.ansys.com/Products/Simulation+Technology/Fluid+Dynamics/Fluid+Dynamics+Products/

ANSYS+CFX. 

ASHRAE. (2010). ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55-2010, Thermal Environmental Conditions for 

Human Occupancy. Atlanta, GA: ASHRAE.

Barakat, S.A. (1985). “Inter-Zone Convective Heat Transfer in Buildings: A Review.” Heat 

Transfer in Buildings and Structures—HTD, Vol. 41 (August), pp. 45–52. 

BEopt. Building Energy Optimization with Hour-by-Hour Simulations, Version 1.2. Golden, 

CO: National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Accessed June 2013. http://beopt.nrel.gov/. 

Brown, W.G.; Solavson, K.R. (1962). “Natural Convection through Rectangular Openings in 

Partitions, Part I: Vertical Partitions: International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer 5, 859–

868. 

Campbell Scientific. (2012). SDM-CD16AC ac/dc Relay Controller. Logan, UT: Campbell 

Scientific. Accessed June 2013. www.campbellsci.com/sdm-cd16ac. 

Emery, A.F. (1969). “Exploratory Studies of Free Convection Heat Transfer Through an 

Enclosed Vertical Liquid Layer with a Vertical Baffle.” Journal of Heat Transfer 91, 163–164. 

Energy Conservatory. (2012a). Automated Blower Door Systems and Accessories—The 

Minneapolis Blower Door. Minneapolis, MN: The Energy Conservatory. 

Energy Conservatory. (2012b). TrueFlow Air Handler Flow Meter. Minneapolis, MN: The 

Energy Conservatory. Accessed June 2013. 

www.energyconservatory.com/products/trueflow%C2%AE-air-handler-flow-meter. 

Feist, W.; Schnieders, J.; Dorer, V.; Haas, A. (2005). “Re-inventing Air Heating: Convenient and 

Comfortable Within the Frame of the Passive House Concept.” Energy and Buildings 37, 1186–

1203. 

Hendron, R.; Engebrecht, C. (2010). Building America Research Benchmark Definition, Updated 

December 2009. Golden, CO: National Renewable Energy Laboratory. NREL/TP-550-47246. 

IBACOS. (2008). Building America Program Annual Report Budget Period 1. Pittsburgh, PA: 

IBACOS. DE-FC26-08NT02231. 

IBACOS. (2010a). Building America Program Annual Report Budget Period 2. Pittsburgh, PA: 

IBACOS. DE-FC26-08NT02231. 

IBACOS. (2010b). Building America Final Technical Report. Pittsburgh, PA: IBACOS. DEFC26-08NT02231. 
26 

LoggerNet. (2012). LoggerNet 4.1 Datalogger Support Software. Logan, UT: Campbell 

Scientific. Accessed June 2013. www.campbellsci.com/loggernet. 

Rittelmann, W. (2006). “A Systemic Short-Term Field Test for Residential HVAC Thermal 

Comfort Performance.” 2006 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings. August 

2006. 

Rutkowski, H. (1995). Manual S—Residential Equipment Selection. Arlington, VA: Air 

Conditioning Contractors of America. 

Rutkowski, H. (1997). Manual RS—Comfort, Air Quality, and Efficiency by Design, 1st ed. 

Washington, D.C.: Air Conditioning Contractors of America Educational Institute, pp. 1–9. 

Rutkowski, H. (2006). Manual J—Residential Load Calculation, 8th ed., Version 2. Arlington, 

VA: Air Conditioning Contractors of America.

Rutkowski, H. (2009a). Manual D—Residential Duct Systems, 3rd ed., Version 1.00. Arlington, 

VA: Air Conditioning Contractors of America.

Rutkowski, H. (2009b). Manual T—Air Distribution Basics for Residential and Small 

Commercial Buildings, 1st ed. Arlington, VA: Air Conditioning Contractors of America. 

SketchUp. SketchUp software. Sunnyvale, CA: Trimble. Accessed June 2013. 

www.sketchup.com/. 

Stecher, D. (2011). Final Expert Meeting Report: Simplified Space Conditioning Strategies for 

Energy Efficient Houses. Golden, CO: National Renewable Energy Laboratory. NREL/SR-5500-

52160. 

TSI. (2012). ALNOR LoFlo Balometer Capture Hood 6200. Shoreview, MN: TSI, Inc. Accessed 

June 2013. www.tsi.com/ProductView.aspx?id=21954. 

Wrightsoft. Right-Suite Universal, Version 8.0.11 RSU00593. Lexington, MA: Wrightsoft 

Corporation. 
DOE/GO-102013-3938 ▪ June 2013

Printed with a renewable-source ink on paper containing at 

least 50% wastepaper, including 10% post-consumer waste.