The potential heating period is established in a pure
calendric sense from September 1 to May 31, amounting to nine
months in total.
The actual heating period falls within the potential heating
period and can only be estimated on the basis of previous
weather patterns. The period is delineated by the first outdoor
temperature reading below 15°C (as a five-day average) in
autumn and the first reading above 15°C in the spring of the
following year.
On any given day requiring heating, the daily average of the
air temperature lies below 15°C. The number of heating days
relates to the months of the heating period as well as the
summer months of June, July, and August. In the city of
Trochtelfingen, for example, there are on average 269.9 heating
days during the heating period, compared with 235.7 in
Heidelberg. The average outdoor temperature during the heating
period amounts to 3.0°C in Trochtelfingen and 6.3°C in
Heidelberg.
The day-to-degree ratio for the heating period is the sum of
the differences between the average room temperature of 20°C
and the daily averages of the air temperature across all heating
days (from September 1 to May 31). Only the heating days falling
between the beginning and end of the heating period are taken
into consideration for the day-to-degree ratio of the heating
period. The day-to-degree ratio for the heating period amounts
to 4597 Kd/a for Trochtelfingen, 3226 Kd/a for Heidelberg (Kd/a
= Kelvin x Day/Year).
Finally, the heating day-degrees (G15) is the sum
of the differences between the heating threshold temperature of
15°C and the daily averages of outdoor temperatures across all
calendar days with daily average temperatures under 15°C. The
average quantity of heating day-degrees (G15,a)
amounts to 3425 Kd/a for Trochtelfingen and 2065 Kd/a for
Heidelberg.
These data also demarcate the regional span of climatic
characteristic values occurring in Baden-Württemberg. In this,
exceeding the heating threshold temperature of 15°C (day-to-degree
ratio and heating day-degrees) and the maximum temperature
difference between inside and outside play significant roles.