Paper Conference

Proceedings of SimBuild Conference 2010: 4th conference of IBPSA-USA

     

Modeling Protocol for Early Energy Design Assistance

Chris Baker, Prasad Vaidya, Alan D'Souza
The Weidt Group, Inc., Minnetonka, MN
The Weidt Group, Inc., Berkeley, CA

Abstract: Using energy modeling to drive design decisions earlier in the design process has long been recognized as an effective way to increase the energy performance of building design. With this in mind, several utility-sponsored Design Assistance programs in the Midwest region expanded their scope to provide comparative energy analysis of design options as early as the building programming portion of the design process. These utility programs attempt to influence decisions that significantly impact the energy performance of the designed building. To be effective for market transformation, these programs need to provide incentives for more energy-efficiency decisions that occur in the conceptual stages of design. To calculate savings in a utility program and provide incentives that can be defensible, a fair and consistent baseline protocol is needed. Appendix G to ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2007 is currently the most robust energy modeling protocol that can be used by such incentive programs and rating systems. However, this protocol does not provide adequate baseline criteria to evaluate early design decisions, such as building shape, glazing and skylight area and programmatic efficiency. To enable the calculation of savings and incentives, Appendix G needs to be expanded to provide additional baseline criteria. This paper explores where Appendix G falls short of providing baseline criteria for decisions made early in the design process, and proposes changes to Appendix G that would allow these savings to be captured.
Pages: 64 - 76
Paper:
simbuild2010_TS02A-03-Baker