Natural gas wins in three major areas, according to a NIST study
Natural gas is more energy-efficient, cost-effective and environmentally acceptable than electricity for residential space heating and water heating needs, according to a new study by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Published in the September edition of Journal of Building Engineering, the study evaluated the power usage, life-cycle cost performance and environmental impact of gas compared with electric space heating and water heating systems in low-energy residential dwellings.
Using data from NIST’s BIRDS v4.0 Incremental Energy Efficiency for Residential Buildings Database, the case study observed the impacts of fuel source type on a building’s sustainability performance based on comparisons of low-energy and zero net energy residential building designs in Maryland.
The study highlights include:
While representing a case study of the Gaithersburg facility and its Maryland location, the NIST work provides a research method that others can use to perform their own analysis on which technology is more favorable for their local areas, extending the significance of the study.
The study also marks an important first in national laboratory side-by-side comparisons on natural gas- and electricity-heated houses and the use of “source of energy” as the basis for comparison of energy and environmental performance.
Ted A. Williams, senior director, codes and standards at the American Gas Association, said that, taken in the context of recent calls for electrification of energy end uses (i.e., banning or removing natural gas appliances in the built environment), the NIST study represents an important counterpoint to electrification policies on energy efficiency and environmental grounds.
“The study also provides an opportunity to respond to electrification advocacy in the end use codes and standards area, public policy discussions, federal and state legislation and regulations activities, and energy marketing, based on the research and analysis of an independent national laboratory,” Williams told American Gas.