Research has been under way to characterize the energy use in the office building and multifamily residential sectors. The results of these research efforts form an integrated analytical capability that can be applied to the assessment of HVAC equipment performance, as well as to the analysis of a wide range of energy-related building research topics. Specific outputs of these research efforts include databases of building characteristics, DOE-2 input files for detailed analyses using hourly simulation, and building energy load data. The hourly loads databases are stored on microcomputer floppy disks, along with a preprocesslng program that allows users to extract building load data in a variety of forms and aggregations.

This paper describes the results of this research effort and describes how they can be used to address a variety of research questions regarding HVAC equipment in these building sectors. Specific examples are presented that illustrate the range of analytical capabilities that are possible using the data developed.