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5. Calculate Heating Degree Days and Cooling Degree Days

A heating degree day (HDD) is each degree that the average daily temperature is below the base temperature (65 degrees F) is one heating degree day. 

A cooling degree day (CDD) air temperature differences between the outdoors and 78 degrees F over the summer season.

Heating degree days and cooling degree days are used by energy professionals around the world for several reasons:
  • Normalize  weather factors to get an unbiased look at energy use over time.  It's used in several cost saving formulas.
  • To gauge different cities cooling and heating requirements.

Heating Degree Day and Cooling Degree Day Formulas

Balance point of HDD = 65 degrees


Balance point of CDD = 78 degrees
The HDD is a tool for predicting heating costs.

Example: Today's temperature was 10 degrees as a low and 40 degrees as a high. What is the HDD?

  1. Take the average of the high and the low temperatures - (10 + 40) / 2 = 25
  2. Subtract your average temperature from the balance point - 65 - 25 = 40
  3. HDD = 40

Next Section

3a. Applied diagnostics and troubleshooting
  1. Application of measured air leakage test results 
  2. Understand building shell/envelope leakage as a function of pressure difference and the size of holes in the air barrier 
  3. Apply fundamental construction mathematics and unit conversions 
  4. Calculate building tightness levels (minimum ventilation requirements) 
  5. Calculate heating degree days and cooling degree days 
  6. Identify proper appliance and combustion appliance venting 
  7. Ventilation calculations and strategies 
  8. Proper methods for identifying / testing fuel leaks 
  9. Blower door setup, accurate measurement and interpretation of results 
  10. Combustion Appliance Zone (CAZ): depressurization, spillage, draft, Carbon Monoxide (ambient and flue) 
  11. Carbon Monoxide (CO) evaluation: ambient 
  12. Proper applications and use of temperature measuring devices 
  13. Pressure pan and room to room pressure diagnostics 
  14. Recognize contributing factors to comfort problems 
  15. Inspect for areas containing moisture or bulk water in undesirable locations 
  16. Understand and inspect for basic electric safety (e.g. frayed wires, open boxes, etc) 

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