For the SB2030 Energy Standards Tool, The Weidt Group created a calculator for modeling target energy consumption for a building. A user-friendly interface with few, simple inputs, initiates multiple energy simulation runs on Cloud servers. This target setting calculator leverages 30+ years of data mined from real building simulations to intelligently derive complex building parameters such as construction materials, internal organization of space types, HVAC systems parameters, and building shape and orientation.
The user starts by inputting the total square footage, the number of floors, the choice a primary building area type from one of ten available. They indicate whether this is new construction, a remodel, or an addition. To accommodate multi-use buildings, a building can contain three different building area types. As an example, a thee story commercial/residential building where there is a coffee shop at street level with two floors of residential units above would be represented as two building area types; a one story coffee shop and a two story residential apartment. Each of these building area types can contain different space types, and each of those types can be configured and reconfigured as uses, occupancy, equipment loads, and scheduling become known and clarified through the design process.
At every phase of the construction project, the calculator is used to produce new target consumption goals. When the building is occupied, measurement and verification will show whether the building is on track to reach it’s targeted consumption. If the uses or schedules for the building change, the target can be reset for a fair assessment of the building as an asset.
The SB2030 Energy Standards Tool can also be used to gather initial project data for use in the higher fidelity simulations required by utility companies for rebates. This approach is the first time non-modelers have been able to access the Procedural Energy Model Builder using an easy-to-use web interface.