To heat the 2700 square foot home, a high efficiency forced air natural gas
furnace was chosen for the task. At 45,000 BTU/hr, this is a small unit but
is still oversized for this particular home. With such an impressive thermal
envelope, this furnace will be able to keep the interior of the home toasty warm,
even on the coldest Michigan winter nights. Natural gas is also used to fuel the
stove, oven, and clothes dryer. However, these appliances also have a mimimal impact
on overall gas usage, particularly due to the high-efficiency clothes washer. A
high-efficiency natural gas water heater is also in the process of being installed
in the home, with the goal of significantly reducing the home's electrical usage.
The gas usage for the home is shown in the chart below, which will be updated as
additional data becomes available.
FIGURE 1: Monthly gas usage for the Green House on Watson.
|
