top of page

Buildings and Energy Efficiency

OpenStudio helps building designers, engineers, and architects make better design decisions based on energy savings (and other metrics) during the building design process. OpenStudio is a cross-platform (Windows, Mac, and Linux) collection of software tools to support whole building energy modeling using EnergyPlus and advanced daylight analysis using Radiance. OpenStudio is an open source project to facilitate community development, extension, and private sector adoption. OpenStudio includes graphical interfaces along with a Software Development Kit (SDK). OpenStudio plugs into Trimble SketchUp to provide geometry inputs and allows import/export to popular CAD formats including gbXML. OpenStudio provides detailed modeling of buildings to the component/system level. OpenStudio allows for design, alternative selection and evaluation of energy conservation measures. The new OpenStudio graphical applications include the updated SketchUp Plug-in, the stand alone OpenStudio application, the ParametricAnalysisTool, RunManager, and ResultsViewer. The SketchUp Plug-in is an extension to the popular 3D modeling tool that adds OpenStudio context to the SketchUp program. The Plug-in allows users to quickly create geometry and assign space attributes using the built-in functionality of SketchUp including existing drawing tools, integration with Google Earth, Building Maker, and Photo Match. The OpenStudio application is a graphical energy-modeling tool. It includes visualization and editing of schedules, editing of loads constructions and materials, a drag and drop interface to apply resources to spaces and zones, a visual HVAC and service water heating design tool, and high level results visualization. Radiance can also be integrated into the simulation workflow. This is accomplished by using an annual Radiance simulation to measure daylighting, and then creating an electric lighting usage schedule for EnergyPlus. OpenStudio also gives the modeler integrated access to data from the Building Component Library. The ParametricAnalysisTool lets users modify a baseline OpenStudio model using OpenStudio measures to produce design alternatives.
OpenStudio Tool
More...
The Impact Estimator is a standalone program that allows users to model their own custom assembly and envelope configurations, allowing them the flexibility to more accurately model proposed designs and existing buildings. The user needs some technical knowledge, but does not need to be a structural engineer or architect in order to model a building in Impact Estimator. Although not an energy simulation tool, the Impact Estimator allows the user to input energy simulation results to calculate their operating effects alongside their embodied effects. It is designed to evaluate whole buildings and assemblies based on internationally recognized life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology.
ATHENA Impact Estimator for Buildings
More...
BEopt software provides capabilities to evaluate residential building designs and identify cost-optimal efficiency packages at various levels of whole-house energy savings along the path to zero net energy. It is publically available for free. BEopt can be used to analyze both new construction and existing home retrofits, through evaluation of single building designs, parametric sweeps, and cost-based optimizations.BEopt provides detailed simulation-based analysis based on specific house characteristics, such as size, architecture, occupancy, vintage, location, and utility rates.Discrete envelope and equipment options, reflecting realistic construction materials and practices, are evaluated.
BEopt - Building Energy Optimization
More...
The Building Upgrade Value Calculator lets you analyze the financial value of efficiency-related capital investments in commercial real estate. Enter information—such as square footage, annual utility bill, the projected cost and savings for each investment, and financing terms—to determine a particular investment's energy and financial benefits. From there, you can either print out a summary report, or automatically generate a customized letter that you can take to your senior management to make the business case and secure funding.
Building Upgrade Value Calculator
More...
The Cash Flow Opportunity Calculator helps inform strategic decisions about financing energy efficiency projects. Using the tool, you will be able to estimate how much new equipment you can finance using anticipated savings, as well whether you should finance now or wait for a lower interest rate. Use the CFO Calculator to get answers to critical questions, such as:How much new energy efficiency equipment can be purchased from the anticipated savingsShould this equipment purchase be financed now, or is it better to wait and use cash from a future budgetIs money being lost by waiting for a lower interest rate
Cash Flow Opportunity Calculator
More...
EDGE is free software that helps to design green buildings in more than 100 countries. It calculates operational savings and reduced carbon emissions for buildings as measured against a base case. Design - enter your building parameters, then choose technical solutions to view the advantages of building green. Create an account and begin designing within minutes. Achieve - reach the EDGE standard when 20% efficiency is met in energy, water, and embodied energy in materials. EDGE calculates your utility savings and reduced carbon footprint. Certify - for a small investment, obtain EDGE certification and increase the marketability of your building project. Underlying the user-friendly interface is a sophisticated set of country-specic calculations that create a single picture of building performance over time—making EDGE an effective intervention tool in combating climate change. EDGE reveals the most critical solutions for going green and captures the capital costs and projected operational savings at the early conceptual stage.EDGE provides country-specifi­c advice for the most relevant project information. EDGE is hosted on a user-friendly, Excel-based platform to avoid investment in proprietary software.EDGE can be utilized by competent building professionals without the need for expensive green building specialists.EDGE can be used to assess risk reduction for residential owners interested in green mortgages. Input your building parameters and accept key assumptions or fine-tune them for greater precision. Then select your solutions for better performance, and watch your savings grow. 20% Less Energy - choose from efficient HVAC systems, superior glass,low-energy lighting, solar solutions, and more. 20% Less Water - choose from low-flow faucets, efficient water closets, recycled water systems, and more. 20% Less Embodied Energy in Materials - choose from floor, roof, wall, and window construction with low embodied energy.
Edge Green Buildings tool
More...
Energy performance improvements in consumer products are an essential element in any government's portfolio of energy-efficiency and climate change mitigation programs. Governments need to develop balanced programs, both voluntary and regulatory, that remove cost-ineffective, energy-wasting products from the marketplace and stimulate the development of cost-effective, energy-efficient technology. Energy-efficiency labels and standards for appliances, equipment, and lighting products deserve to be among the first policy tools considered by a country's energy policy makers. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Nations Foundation (UNF) recognize the need to support policy makers in their efforts to implement energy-efficiency standards and labeling programs and have developed this guidebook, together with the Collaborative Labeling and Appliance Standards Program (CLASP), as a primary reference.
Efficiency Standards and Labeling (S&L) Guidebook
More...
This webpages includes various resources for all Energy Star products and allows the user by topic, resource type, and market sector.
Energy Star Tools and Resources Webpage
More...
EnergyPlus is a physics-based timestep modeling engine, which focuses on energy efficiency of new and retrofit buildings, modelling energy and water use in buildings. It provides detailed modeling on the component/system level. EnergyPlus is designed for engineers, architects and researchers. Modeling the performance of a building with EnergyPlus enables building professionals to optimize the building design to use less energy and water. EnergyPlus models heating, cooling, lighting, ventilation, other energy flows, and water use. EnergyPlus includes many innovative simulation capabilities: time-steps less than an hour, modular systems and plant integrated with heat balance-based zone simulation, multizone air flow, thermal comfort, water use, natural ventilation, and photovoltaic systems.
EnergyPlus v9.2
More...
EPA’s Target Finder is an online calculator that helps users assess the energy performance of commercial building designs and existing buildings. It is designed for architects, engineers, and property owners and managers. There’s no login required, which makes Target Finder useful for quick-and-easy calculations and “what-if” scenarios. Target Finder accounts for building and operating characteristics, such as operating hours and number of PCs, as well as 30-year weather data for your project site. It then compares this data to the actual energy consumption of real buildings, as collected by nationally representative surveys, such as DOE’s Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS). The data from these surveys are built into Target Finder, meaning that, with a couple mouse clicks, you can assess your designs against the best-available data sample in the nation, plus have it normalized for size, operating characteristics, and weather. There are two basic ways to use Target Finder:See what annual energy usage you need to achieve to meet a target – If you enter basic information about your business activity and set a target, you can see what this target means in terms of energy use, cost, and greenhouse gas emissions.Evaluate estimated energy use – If you already have a design or retrofit project and know its estimated energy use, you can calculate the corresponding efficiency metrics. In addition, you can see the projected costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
EPA Target Finder Calculator
More...
This calculator can be used to help educate stakeholders on the broad benefits of energy efficiency. It provides a simplified tool to demonstrate the business case for energy efficiency from the perspective of the consumer, the utility, and society. It can be adapted to apply to various utility structures, policy mechanisms, and energy growth scenarios.
EPA_ Energy Efficiency Benefits Calculator
More...
bottom of page