Window of Opportunity: Assessing Heat Loss and Energy Efficiency Improvements in Dalhousie Residence Buildings

Abstract

As universities seek to meet sustainability targets and reduce operating costs, improving the energy efficiency of campus infrastructure has become increasingly important. Heating and electricity use in student residences, which operate year-round and accommodate hundreds of occupants, are major contributors to institutional energy consumption. One key source of energy loss in these buildings is through inefficient windows, which can account for a significant percentage of heat transfer. The objective of this study was to evaluate the heat lost through existing windows in Dalhousie’s Shirreff and Risley Hall residence buildings to decipher the importance of retrofitting new windows. Shirreff Hall, built in 1923, and Risley Hall, constructed in 2004, are two residence buildings that collectively house nearly 1,000 students. Their age and high occupancy make them particularly energy intensive, emphasizing the importance of assessing energy efficiency improvements. To do this, temperature measurements were taken of the area surrounding six different windows found in both residence buildings on Dalhousie campus. Temperature models, ANOVA tests, and regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the statistical significance of the relationship between indoor temperature, outdoor temperature, and heat loss. Results show that heat loss is greater in Risley Hall than in Shirreff Hall, likely due to the greater number and larger size of windows in Risley. However, due to the age of the windows in Shirreff Hall, this building would benefit from the input of windows with a similar or higher energy efficiency as the windows found in Risley, resulting in a reduction in heat loss by over 10 percent annually. Overall, statistical analysis proved to be insignificant, indicating that other components contribute significantly to the heat lost in these buildings. To further this study, it would be beneficial to expand the analysis to include other factors of heat loss, such as insulation or light fixtures.