Field Data Collection Protocols

A major research priority identified by NIST was the need for more data of actual water usage in buildings.  Through a cooperative agreement with the University of Cincinnati (UC), NIST is developing a protocol and sensors for capturing data in non-residential buildings that are needed by the industry to better understand patterns of water usage such that plumbing systems can be designed to confidently meet occupant needs.  A key aspect of plumbing design is the estimation of the probability that a certain fixture will be providing water at a given time and the resulting statistical distribution of flow rate required in a building.  The data sampling protocol will lead to data on the frequency and duration of water fixture use in commercial buildings to assist in developing statistical  tools for assessing peak water demand in the commercial sector as has been recently done for the residential sector  .  

Team Lead:  andrew.persily [at] nist.gov (Andrew Persily)