Based on our field knowledge of how existing buildings, design teams and owners worked, we began simulating future building performance in 1988 as consultants to other design teams. Our work in this field is primarily through five utility programs though a significant body of our work is in high profile open market projects with LEED® and Net Zero Whole Building designs. In the past decade, The Weidt Group has expanded its work with States and non-profits to return to its original work with existing buildings. The Weidt Group’s 30+ years of extensive experience in building design, energy modeling, and software development has culminated in an innovative software platform that makes it possible to programmatically create parametric models for consistent, replicable, high-speed simulations using multiple simulation engines. These tools extend deep and fast analytic capabilities beyond The Weidt Group.
The Weidt Group provides design, administration and delivery of Demand Side Management (DSM) programs. Energy Design Assistance is a quantitative comparative analysis service we provide on over 240 projects annually, using industry standard and DOE-supported simulation tools augmented with our own custom software. Our consistent EDA methodology supports equipment and system innovations on a project level through accurate contextual analysis to provide information back to the design teams and operational guidance to owners. We also provide Early Energy Design Assistance, which begin with pre-design energy simulations to set achievable energy and budget goals. Participants’ average 30% to 43% better than current code depending on the level of service provided. Measurement and Verification are integral parts of our service to utilities and reflect our founding values. We field-verify and measure the performance of roughly 150 completed buildings a year.
Utility DSM Programs ►The B3 Benchmarking System, (B3) developed specifically for public sector portfolios of buildings, is a comprehensive solution to benchmarking, baselining tracking, managing and improving facilities at a reasonable price point to meet the constraints of state budgets. B3 identifies buildings that can yield the highest return on investment for energy-related building improvements. A rich internet application (RIA) helps data owners enter and verify basic building information and energy consumption data by meter. The site then creates a predictive model of the building and compares the expected energy performance against actual consumption in real time. Our SB2030 Software Tool responds to the 2008 Minnesota Legislature bill requiring a regionalized program to meet the energy reduction goals of the Architecture 2030 Program. The SB2030 Tool is a revolutionary online interface that enables anyone to benchmark and track the energy performance metrics of their buildings from design through operations.
Benchmarks, Targets Ratings and Labels ►The Weidt Group began developing its interest in India in 2007 when it became evident that India had a need for energy conservation initiatives, policy development and capacity building. Our most significant work in India is a revolutionary online software platform that enables architects, designers and engineers to define their intended building design so that the software can run and compare energy simulation models and its comparable code baseline. This on-line code compliance application tracks the energy performance metrics of their buildings from design through permitting. We have also advanced Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) compliance and enforcement across India through stakeholder workshops, and through research and analysis to establish energy savings and incremental costs compared to the business-as-usual scenarios. The Weidt Group, with others, continues to work to build the policy framework for Demand Side Management (DSM) program planning in India.
ECOnirman Whole Building Performance ►Combining two decades of energy consulting and software development with an analysis of tens of thousands of energy simulation models, we have created software that changes the paradigm for energy simulation. The Weidt Group’s Procedural Energy Model Builder enhances consistency, transparency, and cost effectiveness for everyone interested in energy modeling and energy modeling results. What once took days to analyze, now takes minutes. Our programmatic building modeling /energy simulation technologies uniquely uses multiple energy simulation engines like DOE-2 or EnergyPlus to enable consistent, high-speed simulations for a variety of user skill levels, and end data purposes. This web-enabled technology creates new opportunities to develop applications for rigorous research, code compliance, manufacturing sales tools, and Energy Design Assistance programs. Programmatic parametric modeling for energy simulations also benefits energy auditors and asset-rating systems.
Advanced Energy Simulation Software ►