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Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

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Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

BEMP Book

Uploaded by

Faheem Mushtaq

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The Reference for Current Building Energy

Modeling Practices and Study Guide for
Building Energy Modeling
ASHRAE’s BEMP Certification An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide
While the best teacher of best practices is hands-on work experience, even the Sanjiv (Sunny) Devnani
most seasoned professionals may want additional resources to support their
knowledge bases. Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide
Sean Harleman
supplies this additional information by delineating for practitioners the current Jonathan Schoenfeld
editions of standards and other references necessary for building energy modeling Warren Seto
and assists in preparation for ASHRAE’s Building Energy Modeling Professional
(BEMP) certification.

As interest in building sustainability has increased, so has interest in energy

modeling as a tool for achieving building energy savings. ASHRAE recognizes
the importance of energy modeling to the processes for designing, building,
operating, and maintaining buildings and facilities and thus has attempted to
create a comprehensive package of resources that includes publications, educational

All rights reserved. No further reproduction or distribution is permitted. Distributed for ASHRAE by Thomson Reuters (S
courses, and a certification program.

Excerpts of the relevant publications are included in the study guide, along with
the program’s full detailed content outline (DCO), which is a blueprint for the
certification examination, and a DCO matrix that serves as a road map for identifying
the essential resources for ASHRAE’s BEMP certification program. It lays out in a
single table which sections of the resources are applicable to the different sections
of the examination. As much as possible, this study guide identifies the specific
areas on the program’s DCO that each reference helps support.

This publication is also a valuable resource for any individual in the building
energy modeling field, whether aiming to be ASHRAE certified or not. Full of a
• Road map to prepare for ASHRAE’s BEMP certification
multitude of references, this guide serves as an indispensable source of information • Excerpts from ASHRAE resources for energy modeling
related to building energy modeling.
• Where to find other essential energy modeling guidance
• How each resource impacts energy modeling
ISBN 978-1-936504-19-0 • Review of resources needed for energy modeling practitioners
ASHRAE
1791 Tullie Circle
Atlanta, GA 30329-2305
Phone: (404) 636-8400 (worldwide)
www.ashrae.org 9 7 8 1 9 3 65 0 4 1 90 ASHRAE
Product code: 90287 1/12

BEMP cover.indd 1 1/9/2012 2:14:57 PM

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Building
Energy
Modeling
An ASHRAE Certification

Sanjiv (Sunny) Devnani

Sean Harleman
Jonathan Schoenfeld
Warren Seto
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

Integration of Education and Certification Ad Hoc Committee

Sheila Hayter Filza Walters

National Renewable Energy Laboratory Lawrence Technical University
(NREL)
David Underwood John Nix
Isotherm Engineering (ret.) Florida Power & Light (FPL)
Darryl Boyce Tim Wentz
Carleton University University of Nebraska
Amy Musser Joyce Abrams
VandeMusser Design Staff Liaison

Sanjiv (Sunny) Devnani, PE

kW Engineering, Inc.
Member ASHRAE

Sean Harleman, PE
kW Engineering, Inc.
Member ASHRAE

Jonathan Schoenfeld, PE
kW Engineering, Inc.
Member ASHRAE

Warren Seto, PE
kW Engineering, Inc.
Member ASHRAE
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

Building
Energy
Modeling
An ASHRAE Certification

ASHRAE
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

ISBN 978-1-936504-19-0

All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America on 10% post-consumer waste.

Cover image by Aleka Pappas and Sue Reilly, originally published

in ASHRAE Journal, November 2011

Although the information and materials provided in ASHRAE publications have been prepared and selected
with care, ASHRAE has not investigated, and ASHRAE expressly disclaims any duty to investigate any
product, service, process, procedure, design, or similar aspects of a system that may be described therein.
The appearance of any technical data or editorial material in this publication does not constitute endorse-
ment, warranty, or guaranty by ASHRAE of any product, service, process, procedure, design, or the like.
ASHRAE does not warrant that the information in the publication is free of errors, and ASHRAE does not
necessarily agree with any statement or opinion in this publication. The entire risk of the use of any infor-
mation in this publication is assumed by the user.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission in writing from ASHRAE, except by a
reviewer who may quote brief passages or reproduce illustrations in a review with appropriate credit, nor
may any part of this publication be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any way or by

All rights reserved. No further reproduction or distribution is permitted. Distributed for ASHRAE by Thomson
any means—electronic, photocopying, recording, or other—without permission in writing from ASHRAE.
Requests for permission should be submitted at www.ashrae.org/permissions.

Updates/errata for this publication will be posted on the

ASHRAE Web site at www.ashrae.org/publicationupdates.
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

Contents
Preface vii

Introduction ix

DCO Matrix for ASHRAE’s BEMP Certification Examination x

ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55-2010, Thermal Environmental

Conditions for Human Occupancy 1
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2010, Ventilation for Acceptable
Indoor Air Quality 5
ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010, Energy Standard

All rights reserved. No further reproduction or distribution is permitted. Distributed for ASHRAE by Thomson
for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings 7
ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 100-2006, Energy Conservation
in Existing Buildings 27
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 140-2007, Standard Method
of Test for the Evaluation of Building Energy Analysis
Computer Programs 31
ASHRAE Guideline 14-2002, Measurement of Energy
and Demand Savings 35
2009 ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals 41
Building Energy and Environmental Modelling, Applications
Manual AM11: 1998 (CIBSE) 51
IESNA Lighting Handbook, 9th Edition (IES) 55
Solar Radiation and Daylight Models, Second Edition, by T. Muneer
(Butterworth-Heinemann) 59
Heat and Mass Transfer in Building Services Design
by Keith J. Moss (Spon Press) 61
Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings, 11th Edition,
by Walter T. Grondzik, Alison G. Kwok, John S. Reynolds,
and Benjamin Stein (Wiley) 63

Appendix A—BEMP Certification DCO 69

Introduction
As interest in building sustainability has increased, so has interest in energy modeling as a
tool for achieving building energy savings. ASHRAE recognizes the importance of energy
modeling to the processes for designing, building, operating, and maintaining buildings and
facilities and thus has attempted to create a comprehensive package of resources that includes
publications, educational courses, and a certification program.
ASHRAE’s Building Energy Modeling Professional (BEMP) program was developed in
collaboration with the U.S. Affiliate of the International Building Performance Simulation
Association (IBPSA-USA) and the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America
(IES). It was designed and developed by subject matter experts and other stakeholders to
assess an individual’s mastery of the body of knowledge reflecting the best practices that a

All rights reserved. No further reproduction or distribution is permitted. Distributed for ASHRAE by Thomson
competent professional obtains through education and experience. The purpose of the pro-
gram is to certify an individual’s ability to evaluate, choose, use, calibrate, and interpret the
results of energy modeling software when applied to building and systems energy perfor-
mance and economics and to certify an individual’s competence to model new and existing
buildings and systems with their full range of physics/operations.
While the best teacher of best practices is hands-on work experience, even the most sea-
soned professionals may want additional resources to support their knowledge bases. Building
Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide supplies this additional information
by delineating for practitioners the current editions of standards and other references neces-
sary for building energy modeling and assists in preparation for ASHRAE’s BEMP certifica-
tion. Note that purchasing this publication is not required for participation in the BEMP
certification program, and studying the materials in this publication will not guarantee that a
BEMP candidate will earn the certification.
Excerpts of the relevant publications are included in the study guide. For instances in
which a whole publication or a significant amount of published material is relevant to a topic,
the study guide provides an explanation of the publication’s relevance but does not reproduce
it in its entirety. Appendix A of this study guide provides the BEMP certification program’s
full detailed content outline (DCO), which is a blueprint for the certification examination. The
DCO identifies not only the tasks that a competent energy modeler should have mastered but
also how many examination items (out of 100) covering each task area will appear on the
examination. A DCO Matrix is included on the following pages. It serves as a road map for
identifying the essential resources for ASHRAE’s BEMP certification program. It lays out in a
single table which sections of the resources are applicable to the different sections of the
examination.
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

Of course, each certification candidate has a unique combination of academic and work
experience. ASHRAE encourages each candidate to review the DCO and DCO Matrix to

• determine which task area need further study or review and

• decide how much time and effort to expend on studying each topic area, based on the
relative weight of the topic area and the individual’s experience and comfort level.
As much as possible, this study guide identifies the specific areas on the program’s DCO
that each reference helps support.
For more information about ASHRAE’s BEMP program, visit www.ashrae.org/certifica-
tion.

viii
The following DCO Matrix is a road map for identifying the standards, guidelines, and other publications essential for practicing
building energy modeling. It lays out in a single table which sections of the resources are applicable to the different sections of
ASHRAE’s BEMP certification examination.

DCO Matrix for ASHRAE’s BEMP Certification Examination

55-2010
62.1-2010
Standard 90.1-2010
Standard 100-2006
140-2007
14-2002
2009 ASHRAE Handbook
—Fundamentals
CIBSE Building Energy and
Environmental Modelling
IESNA Lighting
Handbook
Solar Radiation and
Daylight Models
Heat and Mass Transfer
in Building Service
Mechanical and
Electrical Equipment
No. of refs

Total items
ASHRAE Standard
ASHRAE Standard
ASHRAE/IES
ASHRAE/IES
ASHRAE Standard
ASHRAE Guideline
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

I. ESTABLISHING THE
17
MODELING SCOPE
A. Sect 11; Ch 1.2,
Modeling Objectives 3 Ch 19 Sect 2 4
App G 1.4
B. Sect
Sect 11;
Analysis Methodologies 8 5.1.1, Ch 19 Sect 4.1 4
App G
5.1.7
C. Sect 11;
Software and Tool Selection 4 Ch 19 Sect 4.1 3
App G
D. Project Scheduling and
2 0
Budget Considerations
II. COMPONENTS OF
BUILDING AND 48
ENERGY SYSTEMS
A. Location and
4 Sect 5.1.4 Ch 14 Ch 1 Ch 6 4
Climate Definition
B. Sect Ch 15,
Building Envelope Sect 5.1-5.6; Sect Sect
6 5.2.1, 25, 26, Ch 2-4 Ch 6, 7 7
and Partitions App C 6.2, 7.1 3.2.1
5.4 27
The items listed here may be abbreviated; refer to full DCO in Appendix A for detailed descriptions.
Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

ix
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x
DCO Matrix for ASHRAE’s BEMP Certification Examination

Total items
ASHRAE Standard
ASHRAE Standard
ASHRAE/IES
ASHRAE/IES
ASHRAE Standard
ASHRAE Guideline
C. Sect
Sect 6.8; Sect Ch 16, Ch 9,
Building HVAC Systems 9 5.8, Sect 3.4 Ch 7-9 7
App G 6.3, 7.5 19 10
6.1-6.5
D. Sect 9.4, Ch 26, Ch 12,
Lighting Systems 3 Sect 6.6 Sect 3.3 Ch 8 6
9.5, 9.6 27 14
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

E. Other Internal Ch 17,

7 Sect 3 2
ASHRAE Desk Reference: Building Energy Modeling

and Process Loads 18

F. Sect 11.2.3,
District Energy Systems 2 Ch 10.8 2
App G
G. Ch
Renewable Energy Systems 3 1
10.9, 29
H. Ch 9,
Sect 6.4, 6.5, Sect
Sect Sect 15,
Controls 14 7.4, 8.4, 9.4, 6.3,6.6, Ch 19 Sect 3 Ch 27 8
5.2, 5.4 5.3, 5.9 20-23,
11.3; App G 7.2, 7.3
31-33
III. APPLICATIONS OF
ENERGY MODELS FOR 12
BUILDINGS
A. Simulation Comparisons 4 Sect 6 Sect 5.4 Sect 4.1 Sect 6.3 Ch 19 Sect 5.5 6
B. Sect 5.3,
Modeling Energy
6 Sect 5.2 Sect 9.2.2 Sect 5.5 Sect 5 Tbl 5-2, Ch 19 Sect 3 7
Performance
Tbl 5-4
The items listed here may be abbreviated; refer to full DCO in Appendix A for detailed descriptions.
Additional reproduction, distribution, or transmission in either print or digital form is not permitted without ASHRAE’s prior written permission.

All rights reserved. No further reproduction or distribution is permitted. Distributed for ASHRAE by Thomson Copyrighted material licensed to Faheem Mushtaq on 2016-05-12 for licensee's use only.
DCO Matrix for ASHRAE’s BEMP Certification Examination

Total items
ASHRAE Standard
ASHRAE Standard
ASHRAE/IES
ASHRAE/IES
ASHRAE Standard
ASHRAE Guideline
C. Evolution of Simulation Sect
Sect 11.3;
Techniques to Meet Project 2 4.4.3; Sect 6.3 Sect 5 4
App G
Methods and Objectives Annex 2
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

IV. INTERPRETATIONS OF
ENERGY MODEL 23
RESULTS
A. Verification and
Sect 11.3;
Troubleshooting of 7 Sect 4.4 Sect 6 Ch 19 Sect 5.5 5
App G
Simulation Results
B. Analyzing and Comparing Sect
8 Sect 5.5 Sect 4.1 Ch 19 Sect 5.5 5
Modeling Results 6.3.3.6
C. Sect Sect
Economic Analyses 3 6.8.4, 5.4.3, Ch 25 3
6.8.5 6.3.3.2.2
D. Sensitivity Analyses 2 Sect 6.3 Ch 19 Sect 2.4 3
E. Sect 11.1.5;
Project Deliverable 3 Sect 2 2
App G.1.4
The items listed here may be abbreviated; refer to full DCO in Appendix A for detailed descriptions.
Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

xi
Additional reproduction, distribution, or transmission in either print or digital form is not permitted without ASHRAE’s prior written permission.

ANSI/ASHRAE
Standard 55-2010
Thermal Environmental Conditions
for Human Occupancy
RESOURCE DESCRIPTION

The 2010 edition of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55 combines Standard 55-2004 and the ten
approved and published addenda to the 2004 edition into one easy-to-use, consolidated stan-
dard. The standard outlines conditions for environmental thermal acceptability. It is intended
for use in design, commissioning, and testing of buildings and other occupied spaces and
HVAC systems and for the evaluation of thermal environments.

RELEVANCE TO ENERGY MODELING

Standard 55 establishes the thermal comfort requirements for occupied spaces based

All rights reserved. No further reproduction or distribution is permitted. Distributed for ASHRAE by Thomson
on six key parameters: metabolic rate, clothing insulation, air temperature, radiant tem-
perature, air speed, and humidity. Although the metabolic rate and clothing insulation are
not generally inputs to most energy models, the energy modeler must make assumptions
about these values for the building or space of interest in order to estimate the bounds of
the other four parameters. Building energy models must then show that the air tempera-
ture, humidity, and sometimes radiant temperature and air speed in the occupied space
meet the specifications of this standard to ensure occupant thermal comfort is achieved.

RELEVANT CONTENT WITH DCO REFERENCES

DCO Item(s):
II.B. Building Envelope and Partitions

ASHRAE Standard 55-2010 discusses the effect of the interior surface temperature on
occupant comfort. Section 5.2.1 defines the comfort zone, given various parameters as the
bounds of the operative temperature. The operative temperature as described in Section 5.4 “is
the average air temperature and the mean radiant temperature weighted, respectively, by the
heat transfer coefficient for the occupant.” The mean radiant temperature, also defined in Sec-
tion 5.4, is akin “to a spatial average of the temperature of the surfaces surrounding an occu-
pant weighted by their view factors with respect to the occupant.” The building energy
modeler must not ignore interior surface temperatures, because they impact the thermal com-
fort of the occupants.

Relevant Sections of ASHRAE Standard 55-2010: Sections 5.2.1, 5.4

Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

DCO Item(s):
II.H. Controls
Standard 55-2010 has identified six primary factors that affect occupant comfort. Three of
these factors are controlled to some extent in most occupied spaces: air temperature, humidity,
and air speed.
As described previously, Section 5.2.1 defines the comfort zone, given various parameters as
the bounds of the operative temperature. The operative temperature is described in Section 5.4 as
“the average air temperature and the mean radiant temperature weighted, respectively, by the
heat transfer coefficient for the occupant.” Air temperature is described in Section 5.4 as “the
average temperature of the air surrounding the occupant.” To maintain occupant comfort, the
operative temperature should be maintained within the bounds established using the predictive
mean vote (PMV) model described in Section 5.2.12. Output of the model is shown in
Figure 5.2.1.1 for typical parameters of clothing insulation, air speed, and metabolic rate. The
building energy modeler must be able to understand and interpret Standard 55-2010 to ade-
quately determine the bounds of the operative temperature required for the building of interest.
Section 5.2.5 governs the change in air temperature over time. Standard 55-2010 sets an
allowable cyclic variation (at periods less than 15 minutes) of no greater than 2°F
(Table 5.2.5.1). In addition, this section also defines the maximum temperature drift over time
in Table 5.2.5.2. The temperature change depends on the total time in which the change
occurs. The building energy modeler must not only ensure the HVAC system can control the

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air temperature within the bounds specified by Standard 55-2010 but also ensure that the
cyclic variation and temperature drift do not exceed the specifications described previously.
As shown in Figure 5.2.1.1, humidity also has an impact on thermal comfort. The higher
the humidity, the lower the operative temperature must be to maintain thermal comfort. Sec-
tion 5.2.2 defines the humidity ratio upper limit for thermal comfort as 0.012 grams water/
grams dry air under the same typical parameters used to define Figure 5.2.1.1. There is no
lower limit defined for thermal comfort; however, there are several nonthermal comfort issues
that do provide a lower limit, which are not discussed in any detail in this standard. The build-
ing energy modeler must ensure the HVAC system can adequately control humidity to a level
below the upper limit specified by Standard 55-2010.
Finally, elevated air speeds, within practical limitations, will increase the maximum operative
temperature for thermal comfort under some conditions. The Standard Effective Temperature
(SET) model as defined in Section 5.2.3.2 uses a thermophysiological simulation of the human
body to equate the occupants’ skin heat loss at different air speeds, temperatures, and other param-
eters. Two graphical representations of the model are shown in Figures 5.2.3.1 and 5.2.3.2. These
representations illustrate particular combinations of the governing parameters. The difference
between the mean radiant and air temperatures, clothing insulation, and metabolic rate all impact
the effect air speed has on the operative temperature range required for thermal comfort. To ade-
quately calculate unique conditions, the SET model should be used directly. Most building energy
models do not have the capability to estimate air speeds in an occupied space. However, reasonable
assumptions about air speeds can be made based on zone airflow rates and the size and shape of the
occupied space. The building energy modeler should be conscious of the dependence of the opera-
tive temperature bounds on air speeds. In some cases, elevating airflow rates may allow for opera-
tive temperatures higher than typical while still meeting Standard 55-2010 requirements.
Relevant Sections of ASHRAE Standard 55-2010: Sections 5.2.1, 5.2.2, 5.2.3, 5.4

2
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

ASHRAE Standard 55-2010

DCO Item(s):
III.A. Simulation Comparisons
Section 6 discusses compliance with Standard 55-2010. Compliance with this standard
requires that building systems maintain conditions within the range specified in this standard
during all combinations of expected conditions, except for extremes. The documentation
requirements for compliance are described in Section 6.2 and include the design operative
temperature and humidity; the design outdoor conditions and the total indoor loads; values
used for the comfort parameters clothing, metabolic rate, and indoor-air speed; a narrative
explanation of why local discomfort will not exceed Section 5 limits; and system input and
output capacities necessary to meet design indoor thermal comfort conditions at design out-
door conditions. The building energy modeler must be able to show that, during design out-
door conditions and internal loads, the operative temperature is within the bounds established
by Standard 55-2010.
Relevant Sections of ASHRAE Standard 55-2010: Sections 6.1, 6.2
DCO Item(s):
III.B. Modeling Energy Performance
As described previously, Section 5.2.1.2 defines the PMV model used to determine the
thermal comfort bounds of an occupied space. Standard 55-2010 defines the acceptable ther-
mal environment for general comfort as a predicted percent of dissatisfied (PPD) occupants of

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10%. The building energy modeler could use the PPD as a metric for comparison of a build-
ing’s envelope and systems.
Relevant Sections of ASHRAE Standard 55-2010: Section 5.2.1.2

3
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

ANSI/ASHRAE
Standard 62.1-2010
Ventilation for Acceptable
Indoor Air Quality
RESOURCE DESCRIPTION

ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2010 is ASHRAE's standard for indoor air quality (IAQ)
for commercial buildings. The 2010 revision adds new minimum filtration/air-cleaning
requirements, minimum requirements for when ventilation systems must be operated, and a
natural ventilation procedure. Other revisions include a more robust IAQ Procedure, demand-
controlled ventilation system design requirements, requirements for separation of intakes and
exhausts, and ventilation rates and occupancy categories.

RELATED PRODUCT: ASHRAE 62.1 iPHONE APPLICATION

All rights reserved. No further reproduction or distribution is permitted. Distributed for ASHRAE by Thomson
The ASHRAE 62.1 iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad application allows users to perform ven-
tilation calculations for commercial buildings based on Standard 62.1 (www.ashrae.org/
iphone).

RELEVANCE TO ENERGY MODELING

Standard 62.1-2010, Section 3, defines ventilation air as “that portion of supply air
that is outdoor air…” In the built environment, adequate outdoor air is necessary for main-
taining proper IAQ and occupant comfort. However, with the exception of air-side econo-
mizing, the introduction of outdoor air into a conditioned space typically contributes to
the building’s heating/cooling loads. Good energy modeling practice dictates that a mod-
eler properly define a building’s ventilation air and account for its impact on the heating/
cooling loads.
The standard also specifies acceptable filtration and air-cleaning measures. Filters and
air cleaners affect the total pressure drop through the HVAC fan system and thereby affect
the required fan input power. Modelers should account for the impact of filters and air-
cleaners when defining HVAC fan system power in an energy model.
Per Standard 62.1-2010, Section 1.2, “This standard is intended for regulatory appli-
cation to new buildings, additions to existing buildings, and those changes to existing
buildings that are identified in the body of the standard.” That is, the standard is not appli-
cable to existing systems. For models developed to investigate the energy use of existing
buildings, model inputs should be based on actual building parameters and characteristics.
A model based on actual building parameters can be considered the “as-is” or existing
baseline model. Subsequently, the model inputs can be altered to reflect Standard 62.1-
2010 in order to create a code-compliant baseline model.
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

RELEVANT CONTENT WITH DCO REFERENCES

DCO Item(s):
II.C. Building HVAC Systems
For both built-up air handlers and packaged HVAC units, the required system fan power is
dependent, in part, on the pressure drop across the system’s filtration and/or air-cleaning equipment.
Standard 62.1-2010, Section 5.8, states “Particulate matter filters or air cleaners having a mini-
mum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of not less than 6 when rated in accordance with ANSI/
ASHRAE Standard 52.2 shall be provided upstream of all cooling coils or other devices with wet-
ted surfaces through which air is supplied to an occupiable space.” More stringent outdoor air treat-
ment is required if ambient air conditions are determined to be unacceptable per Section 6.2.1 of
the standard. Increased filtration and/or air cleaning capacity can translate to increased fan system
pressure drops and should be accounted for when developing an energy model.
Ventilation rates impact a building’s heating/cooling loads and hence its site energy use. Standard
62.1-2010, Section 6, covers three procedures for determining acceptable intake outdoor airflow rates:
“6.1.1 Ventilation Rate Procedure. The prescriptive design procedure presented in Sec-
tion 6.2, in which outdoor air intake rates are determined based on space type/application,
occupancy level, and floor area, shall be permitted to be used for any zone or system.
“Note: The Ventilation Rate Procedure minimum rates are based on contaminant sources
and source strengths that are typical for the listed occupancy categories.
“6.1.2 IAQ Procedure. This performance-based design procedure (presented in Section 6.3),

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in which the building outdoor air intake rates and other system design parameters are based on an
analysis of contaminant sources, contaminant concentration limits, and level of perceived indoor
air acceptability, shall be permitted to be used for any zone or system.
“6.1.3 Natural Ventilation Procedure. The prescriptive design procedure presented in
Section 6.4, in which outdoor air is provided through openings to the outdoors, shall be per-
mitted to be used for any zone or portion of a zone in conjunction with mechanical ventilation
systems as required in Section 6.4.”
Exhaust airflow rates, which impact ventilation rates, are covered in Standard 62.1-2010,
Section 6.5.
Relevant Sections of ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2010: Sections 5.8, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5
DCO Item(s):
II.H. Controls
Some building energy models are capable of calculating relative humidity levels within
the spaces. According to Standard 62.1-2010, Section 5.9, “Mechanical air-conditioning sys-
tems with dehumidification capability shall be designed to comply with the following….
Occupied space relative humidity shall be limited to 65% or less when system performance is
analyzed with outdoor air at the dehumidification design condition (that is, design dew point
and mean coincident dry-bulb temperatures) and with the space interior loads (both sensible
and latent) at cooling design values and space solar loads at zero.”
Fan system schedules defined in the energy model should conform to Standard 62.1-2010,
Section 5.3: “Mechanical ventilation systems shall include controls, manual or automatic, that
enable the fan system to operate whenever the spaces served are occupied. The system shall be
designed to maintain no less than the minimum outdoor airflow as required by Section 6 under
any load condition.”
Relevant Sections of ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2010: Sections 5.3, 5.9

6
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

ANSI/ASHRAE/IES
Standard 90.1-2010
Energy Standard for Buildings Except
Low-Rise Residential Buildings
RESOURCE DESCRIPTION

ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1 has been a benchmark for commercial building

energy codes in the United States and a key basis for codes and standards around the world
for more than 35 years. This standard provides the minimum requirements for the energy-
efficient design of most buildings and offers, in detail, the minimum efficiency requirements
for the design and construction of new buildings and their systems, new portions of build-
ings and their systems, and new systems and equipment in existing buildings, as well as the
criteria for determining compliance with these requirements.
The 2010 edition has been expanded to include new features, a broader scope, and more

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detailed requirements, as well as incorporating changes from more than 100 addenda. New
content in the 2010 edition includes the following:

• Coverage of receptacles and process loads

• More precise building envelope requirements and mechanical equipment efficiencies
• Lower interior lighting power densities (LPDs)
• Additional occupant-sensing controls
• Mandatory daylighting requirements for specific spaces
• A new, five-zone exterior LPD table
• Clarified and expanded modeling requirements

RELEVANCE TO ENERGY MODELING

There are two methods for achieving compliance with Standard 90.1-2010. The first is
to follow the prescriptive requirements described in Sections 5 through 10. The second is
the Energy Cost Budget method, in which an energy model is used to compare the annual
energy cost for a proposed building design with the annual energy cost of a 90.1-compli-
ant building following the requirements described in Sections 5 through 10. The standard
establishes a protocol to make this comparison fairly and accurately, using an energy
model. Many of the practices outlined in Section 11 and Appendix G can be used regard-
less of whether the energy modeler is attempting to achieve Standard 90.1-2010 compli-
ance or investigating options in HVAC systems for a design team.
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

The building industry is rapidly moving toward sustainable design and net zero
energy buildings. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has taken the lead
through its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building
Rating System and requires whole-building, fully integrated design, construction, oper-
ation, and maintenance. The LEED rating system is one of the largest drivers for the use
of building energy modeling as described in Appendix G of Standard 90.1. The LEED
rating system has established various prerequisites and credits for various aspects of
new construction projects, including the site, design, and construction materials. The
first credit under the Energy and Atmosphere category is the Optimize Energy Perfor-
mance credit, which establishes a point system for exceeding Standard 90.1 energy cost.
To achieve the points under this credit, the team seeking LEED certification must show,
using the modeling techniques described in Appendix G, that the proposed building
design has a lower energy cost than a Standard 90.1 baseline building.

RELEVANT CONTENT WITH DCO REFERENCES

DCO Item(s):
I.B.3 Translate a Building into an Energy Model
I.C.1 Purpose of Modeling

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An energy model must be developed to address the needs of the clients and assist the client
in making well-informed decisions about an investment in their project as well as the life-
cycle cost (LCC) benefit from the proposed capital expenditure. Although the responsibility
for accuracy of the model lies with the modeler, the responsibility for the accuracy of inputs
used to develop the model resides with the various team members, design professionals, archi-
tect, and owner of the building. The modeler must collect pertinent information regarding
location, orientation, and features such as shading of the building by topography, vegetation,
or adjacent buildings. This information must be provided to the modeler along with occu-
pancy, plug loads, lighting loads, HVAC system type, and operating schedules in order for the
modeler to develop a robust and useful model.
Generally, this information should be relatively easy to obtain for an existing building. Typi-
cally, a set of “as built” drawings is available from facility personnel and includes the input val-
ues required for the model. In the event that certain information is not available, the energy
modeler can, with the assistance of facility personnel, take measurements and make observations
that can be incorporated into the model. For yet-to-be-built projects, this information may not be
made available to the energy modeler well in advance of the design development phase. In fact,
the client or architect may wait for the results from an energy model to finalize envelope choices
(e.g., a particular glass type) before finalizing the design. As a result, the modeler is forced to
make certain assumptions about the building in order to determine its performance.
One of the first steps in energy modeling is classifying the building based on usage type
categories specified in Section 9.5.1 or 9.6.1 of Standard 90.1-2010. The modeler must use
either the building type category method or the space type category method but must not use a
combination of the two. If the space type category is used, the modeler may simplify the placement
of the various spaces in the model, provided that the total building area remains the same. It is
acceptable to develop models of a building that exclude parts of the building provided that the

8
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ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010

excluded parts are served by independent HVAC systems and the design space temperatures
on either side of the boundary separating the included and excluded parts of the building are
essentially the same.
Standard 90.1-2010makes a clear distinction between thermal blocks and HVAC
zones that must be understood by any energy modeler. A thermal block is an area that
shares similar loads and is served by similar HVAC systems. For instance, the interior
HVAC zones of a multistory building, which have the same space classification and simi-
lar internal loads, may be considered a thermal block even though the area is physically
divided into several HVAC zones. This grouping method helps reduce the effort required
to model similar spaces in a building. It is also important, when comparing options in
which HVAC zones may change, that the thermal blocks remain the same to provide a fair
comparison of HVAC system performance.
The model must incorporate lighting power usage and lighting controls. Where existing
data are not available, the modeler can use the building area or space-by-space method out-
lined in Section 9.0 to determine the LPD of the building. The model must also account for
variations in the schedule for occupancy, lighting, thermostat setpoints, and HVAC system
operation.
It is important for the modeler who is not a mechanical, electrical, and/or plumbing engi-
neer to realize the difference between typical use and design or rated use. A simulation seeks
to model the typical performance of equipment over the course of a year (8760 h). This is very

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different from the design or rated use of a piece of equipment that has been sized to handle the
expected peak conditions. This is especially true for heating and cooling equipment, which is
normally designed for peak conditions that occur for a very small percentage of time over a
given year. Oversizing of equipment not only penalizes the owner of the building during the
construction phase by increasing the capital costs but, more importantly, penalizes the build-
ing owner over the life of the building. Appendix G of Standard 90.1 assists the modeler in
checking and/or verifying the reasonableness and energy impacts of the systems and equip-
ment selected by the various team members.
Not every mechanical or HVAC system can be modeled in every energy-modeling pro-
gram. ASHRAE’s 90.1 User’s Manual provides an example of how to approach modeling
program limitations by creating thermodynamically similar models. The example provided
explains how one can approximate the energy usage of a dual-fan, dual-duct HVAC system
even when only a single fan system can be modeled. The suggested approach is to run the
model twice each time with the single-fan, dual-duct system, once with the economizer con-
trolled to the cold-deck supply temperature, and once with the economizer at its minimum
position. The HVAC systems actual energy usage will be equal to the cooling energy from the
first run and the heating energy from the second.
There are two related but distinct purposes for building an energy model that are described
in Standard 90.1. The first is to show compliance with the standard through the Energy Cost
Budget method (Section 11). The second is to quantitatively compare the energy costs of a
proposed and a 90.1-compliant building through the Performance Rating Method described in
Appendix G. Through this method, the percent reduction in energy cost can be measured for a
proposed building. This is necessary when seeking LEED certification as described previ-
ously.
Relevant Sections of ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010: Sections 9.5.1, 9.6.1, 11, Appendix G

9
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Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

DCO Item(s):
I.C. Software and Tool Selection

There are well over 50 software tools available for use by energy modelers. These include
commercially available packages developed as licensed software, others developed by vendors
of HVAC equipment, and free tools from the government or electric utilities. None of these are
perfect, and it is important for the modeler to know which software is appropriate for the
building that is to be simulated.
ASHRAE does not endorse any particular tool; however, Standard 90.1 does set certain
minimum performance criteria for particular software, and those criteria should be used by
the modeler. The simulation program must be able to perform load calculations in accor-
dance with generally accepted engineering standards and handbooks (e.g., ASHRAE Hand-
book—Fundamentals) and must have been tested in accordance with ANSI/ASHRAE
Standard 140-2007. The program must be able to perform annual hourly calculations for
various geographic and climatic conditions. The software will account for hourly variations
in occupancy and scheduling of the lights, HVAC system, plug load or miscellaneous equip-
ment, as well as thermostat or control setpoint. The program must account for thermal mass
effects for a minimum of 10 zones and be able to accurately estimate the part-load perfor-
mance for mechanical equipment.
In the event that no simulation program is readily available that adequately models a par-
ticular component or system of a building, an Exceptional Calculation Method, as described in

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section 11.2.5 of Standard 90.1, can be used.
Whether the modeler uses a readily available and tested simulation tool or one devel-
oped as an exceptional calculation, it is imperative that the same program be used to evalu-
ate a baseline building as well as the proposed design. The software must be able to
generate reports that include a breakdown of energy usage by at least the following compo-
nents:

• Lighting
• Internal equipment
• Service-water-heating equipment
• Space-heating equipment
• Space-cooling equipment and heat-rejection equipment
• Fans
• Auxiliary equipment such as pumps

The software must also show the amount of time any loads are not met by the HVAC
system and provide an explanation of any error message noted in the output report. The
output reports will help the modeler validate the results and check them for reasonable-
ness.
II. COMPONENTS OF BUILDING AND ENERGY SYSTEMS

The simulation must be consistent with either the design documents or the as-is stand-
ing structure. It must account for the fenestration; envelope; interior lighting power and
controls; HVAC system types, sizes, and controls; and service-water-heating systems and
controls.

10
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ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010

It is important to produce a model that either reflects the actual operating pattern and
energy use of the existing structure that is being evaluated or, in the event of a yet-to-be-built
structure, reflects compliance with Standard 90.1. This is particularly true for any new con-
struction project that seeks LEED certification.
For a model of an existing building, the inputs are readily available from facility personnel
in the form of as-built drawings or by actual physical verification. For yet-to-be-built struc-
tures, the standard provides most of the inputs required to establish a good baseline model.
Since the inputs are well documented and familiar to the building energy modeling industry, it
is easy to compare the results to known benchmarks and judge against previous experience. A
good baseline model will lay the foundation for all the work yet to come.
The following are key inputs for developing energy models:

• Location
• Envelope
• Internal gains
• Systems
• Schedules

Building schedules have a large impact on energy consumption and must be given adequate
attention in order to have an accurate model. The modeler must know or assume the weekday,
weekend, and holiday schedules for the all of the following components of the building model:

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• Occupancy
• Lighting power
• Miscellaneous equipment power (plug loads)
• Thermostat setpoints
• HVAC systems
• Any other significant loads

Relevant Sections of ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010: Section 11, Appendix G

The following sections describe the relevance of Standard 90.1 to the key input parameters
for developing accurate energy models.
DCO Item(s):
II.A. Location and Climate Definitions
ASHRAE’s 90.1 User’s Manual discusses various aspects of the climate data that
should be considered by the energy modeler. Most importantly, the climatic data used in an
energy model must represent both average and design conditions. Average conditions alone
will not provide the data needed for equipment-sizing calculations. Second is selecting the
appropriate weather station. Because, in some cases, weather data is not available for the
exact location of the building, data for the station that shares the most comparable climate
should be chosen. This does not always mean the closest station; for example, elevation as
well as proximity to mountains and bodies of water must be considered.
Standard 90.1’s Normative Appendices B and D provide climatic information for various
domestic and international locations. Its Figure B-1 (reproduced on p. 12) shows climate zones for
the United States. Table B-1 (see sample, p. 13) lists the climate zone number and letter for each

11
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Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

Figure B-1 U.S. map showing DOE climate zones (excerpt from ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010 [Briggs et al. 2003]).

12
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ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010

Table G3.1.1A U.S. Climate Zones (ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010)

State State State State

County Zone County Zone County Zone County Zone

Alabama (AL) (Arkansas cont.) (Colorado cont.) Georgia (GA)

Zone 3a Except Washington 4A Las Animas 4B Zone 3A Except

Baldwin 2A California (CA) Otero 4B Appling 2A

Mobile 2A Zone 3B Except Alamosa 6B Atkinson 2A

Alaska (AK) Imperial 2B Archuleta 6B Bacon 2A

Zone 7 Except Alameda 3C Chaffee 6B Baker 2A

Bethel (CA) 8 Marin 3C Conejos 6B Berrien 2A

Dillingham (CA) 8 Mendocino 3C Costilla 6B Brantley 2A

Fairbanks North Star 8 Monterey 3C Custer 6B Brooks 2A

Nome (CA) 8 Napa 3C Dolores 6B Bryan 2A

North Slope 8 San Benito 3C Eagle 6B Camden 2A

Northwest Arctic 8 San Francisco 3C Moffat 6B Charlton 2A

Southeast Fairbanks (CA) 8 San Luis Obispo 3C Ouray 6B Chatham 2A

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Wade Hampton (CA) 8 San Mateo 3C Rio Blanco 6B Clinch 2A

Yukon-Koyukuk (CA) 8 Santa Barbara 3C Saguache 6B Colquitt 2A

Arizona (AZ) Santa Clara 3C San Miguel 6B Cook 2A

Zone 3B Except Santa Cruz 3C Clear Creek 7 Decatur 2A

La Paz 2B Sonoma 3C Grand 7 Echols 2A

Maricopa 2B Ventura 3C Gunnison 7 Effingham 2A

Pima 2B Amador 4B Hinsdale 7 Evans 2A

Pinal 2B Calaveras 4B Jackson 7 Glynn 2A

Yuma 2B Del Norte 4B Lake 7 Grady 2A

Gila 4B El Dorado 4B Mineral 7 Jeff Davis 2A

Yavapai 4B Humboldt 4B Park 7 Lanier 2A

Apache 5B Inyo 4B Pitkin 7 Liberty 2A

Coconino 5B Lake 4B Rio Grande 7 Long 2A

Navajo 5B Mariposa 4B Routt 7 Lowndes 2A

Arkansas (AR) Trinity 4B San Juan 7 McIntosh 2A

Zone 3A Except Tuolumme 4B Summitt 7 Miller 2A

Baxter 4A Lassen 5B Connecticut (CT) Mitchell 2A

Benton 4A Modoc 5B Zone 5A Pierce 2A

13
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Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

U.S. state and the major counties within each state. Climate zone information for a wide variety of
Canadian and international locations is shown in Tables B-2 and B-3 (see samples, pp. 15–16). Table
B-4 (reproduced on p.19) provides a summary of the eight international climate zone definitions.
Tables D-1, D-2, and D-3 (see sample, p. 18) contain climatic data necessary to determine building
envelope and mechanical requirements for various U.S., Canadian, and international locations.
Relevant Sections of ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010: Section 5.1, Appendix B, Appendix D
DCO Item(s):
II.B. Building Envelope and Partitions
It is important that the thermal properties of the building envelope are captured accurately
in the building model; however, it is usually necessary to make some simplifications for the
sake of time and budget. Standard 90.1 establishes guidelines for envelope simplifications that
can and should be performed, including the following:
• Minor assemblies that cover less than 5% of a given assembly type, such as an exte-
rior wall or roof, may be ignored when preparing the building model.
• Complicated surfaces, such as curved or domed roofs, may be modeled as a pitched
roof as long as the tilt and azimuth of the surface are within 45° of each other.
• Exterior roof surfaces shall be modeled using the aged solar reflectance and thermal
emittance determined in accordance with Section 5.5.3.11(a).
• Manually operated fenestration shading devices, such as blinds or shades, are not to

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be modeled.
The building envelope requirements, including U-factors and R-values for roofs, walls
above and below grade, floors, slab-on-grade floors, opaque doors, and fenestration for all of
the eight climate zones are shown in Tables 5.5-1 to 5.5-8 (see sample, p. 19).
Although the properties of an existing structure are readily available from the plans or
from a site audit, for yet-to-be-built structures this information might not be available, or the
design team might be looking to an energy model to guide their selection process. LEED cer-
tification requires an energy model to compare the performance of the design to a minimally
code-compliant base-case building. The material selection for minimally compliant buildings
for various climate zones is found in Section 5 of Standard 90.1.
Relevant Sections of ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010: Sections 5.1–5.6, Appendix C
DCO Item(s):
II.C. Building HVAC Systems
The HVAC system is typically the single largest energy user in a building, accounting for
40% to 60% of a building’s energy use. The HVAC system type will vary based on the use and
size of the building. A high-rise office building will probably be equipped with a central chilled-
water and boiler plant, whereas a high-rise residential tower will have various packaged terminal
air conditioners and heat pumps. Standard 90.1’s Table G3.1.1A (reproduced on p. 20) provides
guidelines for the types of systems that should be used for different building types.
From a long-term operations perspective, the ability to test configurations or improvements
of the HVAC system can be invaluable not only to the design team but also to the building’s
owner. A system that might be marginally expensive during the construction phase might pay for
itself within a year in reduced utility costs.

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ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010

Table B-2 Canadian Climatic Zones (ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010)

Province Province Province Province

City Zone City Zone City Zone City Zone

Alberta (AB) (Manitoba cont.) Ontario (ON) (Québec cont.)

Calgary International A 7 Winnipeg InternationalA 7 Belleville 6 Granby 6

Edmonton International A 7 New Brunswick (NB) Cornwall 6 Montreal Dorval 6

International A

Grande Prairie A 7 Chatham A 7 Hamilton RBG 5 Québec City A 7

Jasper 7 Fredericton A 6 Kapuskasing A 7 Rimouski 7

Lethbridge A 6 Moncton A 6 Kenora A 7 Septles A 7

Medicine Hat A 6 Saint John A 6 Kingston A 6 Shawinigan 7

Red Deer A 7 Newfoundland (NF) London A 6 Sherbrooke A 7

British Columbia (BC) Corner Brook 6 North Bay A 7 St Jean de Cherbourg 7

Dawson Creek A 7 Gander International A 7 Oshawa WPCP 6 St Jerome 7

Ft Nelson A 8 Goose A 7 Ottawa 6 Thetford Mines 7

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International A

Kamloops 5 St John’s A 6 Owen Sound MOE 6 Trois Rivieres 7

Nanaimo A 5 Stephenville A 6 Peterborough 6 Val d’Or A 7

New Westminster BC Pen 5 Northwest Territories (NW) St Catharines 5 Valleyfield 6

Penticton A 5 Ft Smith A 8 Sudbury A 7 Saskatchewan (SK)

Prince George 7 Inuvik A 8 Thunder Bay A 7 Estevan A 7

Prince Rupert A 6 Yellowknife A 8 Timmins A 7 Moose Jaw A 7

Vancouver International A 5 Nova Scotia (NS) Toronto 6 North Battleford A 7

Downsview A

Victoria Gonzales Hts 5 Halifax International A 6 Windsor A 5 Prince Albert A 7

Manitoba (MB) Kentville CDA 6 Prince Edward Island (PE) Regina A 7

Brandon CDA 7 Sydney A 6 Charlottetown A 6 Saskatoon A 7

Churchill A 8 Truro 6 Summerside A 6 Swift Current A 7

Dauphin A 7 Yarmouth A 6 Québec (PQ) Yorkton A 7

Flin Flon 7 Nunavut Bagotville A 7 Yukon Territory (YT)

Portage La Prairie A 7 Resolute A 8 Drummondville 6 Whitehorse A 8

The Pas A 7

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Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

Table B-3 International Climate Zones (ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010)

Country Country Country Country

City (Province or City (Province or City (Province or City (Province or

Region) Zone Region) Zone Region) Zone Region) Zone

Argentina Finland Japan (Russia cont.)

Buenos Aires/Ezeiza 3 Helsinki/Seutula 7 Fukaura 5 RostovNaDonu 5

Cordoba 3 France Sapporo 5 Vladivostok 6

Tucuman/Pozo 2 Lyon/Satolas 4 Tokyo 3 Volgograd 6

Australia Marseille 4 Jordan Saudi Arabia

Adelaide (SA) 4 Nantes 4 Amman 3 Dhahran 1

Alice Springs (NT) 2 Nice 4 Kenya Riyadh 1

Brisbane (AL) 2 Paris/Le Bourget 4 Nairobi Airport 3 Senegal

Darwin Airport (NT) 1 Strasbourg 5 Korea Dakar/Yoff 1

Perth/Guildford (WA) 3 Germany Pyonggang 5 Singapore

Sydney/KSmith (NSW) 3 Berlin/Schoenfeld 5 Seoul 4 Singapore/Changi 1

Azores (Terceira) Hamburg 5 Malaysia South Africa

Lajes 3 Hannover 5 Kuala Lumpur 1 Cape Town/D F Malan 4

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Bahamas Mannheim 5 Penang/Bayan Lepas 1 Johannesburg 4

Nassau 1 Greece Mexico Pretoria 3

Belgium Souda (Crete) 3 Mexico City (Distrito 3 Spain

Federal)

Brussels Airport 5 Thessalonika/Mikra 4 Guadalajara (Jalisco) 1 Barcelona 4

Bermuda Greenland Monterrey (Nuevo 3 Madrid 4

Laredo)

St. Georges/Kindley 2 Narssarssuaq 7 Tampico (Tamaulipas) 1 Valencia/Manises 3

Bolivia Hungary Veracruz (Veracruz) 4 Sweden

La Paz/El Alto 5 Budapest/Lorinc 5 Merida (Yucatan) 1 Stockholm/Arlanda 6

Brazil Iceland Netherlands Switzerland

Belem 1 Reykjavik 7 Amsterdam/Schiphol 5 Zurich 5

Brasilia 2 India New Zealand Syria

Fortaleza 1 Ahmedabad 1 Auckland Airport 4 Damascus Airport 3

Porto Alegre 2 Bangalore 1 Christchurch 4 Taiwan

Recife/Curado 1 Bombay/Santa Cruz 1 Wellington 4 Tainan 1

Rio de Janeiro 1 Calcutta/Dum Dum 1 Norway Taipei 2

Salvador/Ondina 1 Madras 1 Bergen/Florida 5 Tanzania

Sao Paulo 2 Nagpur Sonegaon 1 Oslo/Fornebu 6 Dar es Salaam 1

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ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010

Table B-4 International Climate Zone Definitions (ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010)

Zone Number Name Thermal Criteria

1 Very Hot–Humid (1A), Dry (1B) 9000 < CDD50°F

2 Hot–Humid (2A), Dry (2B) 6300 < CDD50°F < 9000

3A and 3B Warm–Humid (3A), Dry (3B) 4500 < CDD50°F < 6300

3C Warm–Marine CDD50°F 4500 and HDD65°F 3600

4A and 4B Mixed–Humid (4A), Dry (4B) CDD50°F < 4500 and 3600 < HDD65°F < 5400

4C Mixed–Marine 3600 < HDD65°F < 5400

5A, 5B and 5C Cool–Humid (5A), Dry (5B), Marine (5C) 5400 < HDD65°F < 7200

6A and 6B Cold–Humid (6A), Dry (6B) 7200 < HDD65°F < 9000

7 Very Cold 9000 < HDD65°F < 12600

8 Subarctic 12600 < HDD65°F

The energy modeler should be familiar with the zoning patterns and occupancy schedules
of various areas in a building. The modeler must use engineering judgment to create thermal
zones in order to simplify the model without compromising the accuracy of the results. One of
the most significant sources of heat gain in a building is the windows. Generally, most of this

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heat is concentrated along the perimeter of the building. As a result, perimeter spaces require
more cooling than interior spaces. The energy modeler should create thermal blocks that sepa-
rate the perimeter and interior spaces.
Additional sources of heat gain in a space are overhead lights and electrical equipment.
All the heat gained in a space through the windows, lights, and equipment must be removed
by the cooling system. If a building energy model can show the effects of altering the build-
ing’s orientation and/or window glazing, the design engineer can examine these effects on
heat load and possibly make recommendations for reducing the lighting and equipment elec-
trical loads as well as the size of the cooling equipment, fans, and pumps. The results from the
energy model can help the design team in selecting appropriately sized equipment to meet the
space’s HVAC needs.
Once the equipment size and capacity are known, the efficiency rating of the equipment
installed or from design documents can be compared to minimum efficiency ratings specified
in Standard 90.1’s Tables 6.8.1A to 6.8.1K (see sample, pp. 20–22).
Standard 90.1 requires that, when entering HVAC system performance metrics, the energy
modeler separate fan energy from cooling energy. This is important because supply fans do
not always operate on the same schedule as the cooling system. In fact, the supply fan will
typically operate continuously while the building is occupied, whereas the cooling system will
only operate when needed to cool the space. Standard 90.1 provides detailed calculations for
determining the fan and cooling power input requirements from typical rated energy perfor-
mance metrics such as energy efficiency ratio (EER).
The size of the HVAC equipment can have a significant impact on the energy usage of the
building because of part-load performance. Therefore, it is important to take a standard approach
to equipment sizing when comparing HVAC systems through energy models. Standard 90.1 has

17
Table D-1 U.S. and U.S. Territory Climatic Data (ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010)

18
Cooling Design Temperature
Heating Design No. Hrs.
State Dry-Bulb Wet-Bulb
Latitude Longitude Elev., ft HDD65 CDD50 Temperature 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
City

99.6% 1.0% 1.0% 55 < Tdb < 69

Alabama (AL)
Alexander City 32.95 N 85.93 W 640 2910 5102 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A.
Anniston FAA AP 33.58 N 85.85 W 611 2854 5217 19 93 76 N.A.
Auburn Agronomy Farm 32.60 N 85.50 W 652 2612 5428 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A.
Birmingham FAA AP 33.57 N 86.75 W 625 2918 5206 18 92 75 760
Dothan 31.32 N 85.45 W 400 1703 6659 28 93 76 N.A.
Gadsden Steam Plant 34.03 N 86.00 W 565 3317 4805 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A.
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

Huntsville WSO AP 34.65 N 86.77 W 624 3323 4855 15 92 74 N.A.

Mobile WSO AP 30.68 N 88.25 W 211 1702 6761 26 92 76 774
Montgomery WSO AP 32.30 N 86.40 W 221 2224 5990 24 93 76 734
Selma 32.42 N 87.00 W 147 2249 6080 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A.
Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

Talladega 33.43 N 86.08 W 555 2790 5097 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A.
Tuscaloosa FAA AP 33.23 N 87.62 W 169 2661 5624 20 94 77 N.A.
Alaska (AK)
Anchorage WSCMO AP 61.17 N 150.02 W 114 10,570 688 –14 68 57 521
Barrow WSO AP 71.30 N 156.78 W 31 20,226 0 –41 52 49 N.A.
Fairbanks WSFO AP 64.82 N 147.87 W 436 13,940 1040 –47 77 59 682
Juneau AP 58.37 N 134.58 W 12 8897 559 4 69 58 540
Kodiak WSO AP 57.75 N 152.50 W 111 8817 451 7 65 56 384
Nome WSO AP 64.50 N 165.43 W 13 14,129 274 –31 65 55 210
Arizona (AZ)
Douglas FAA AP 31.47 N 109.60 W 4098 2767 4786 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A.
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ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010

Table 5.5-1 Building Envelope Requirements for Climate Zone 1 (A, B)*
(ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010)
Nonresidential Residential Semiheated
Assembly Insulation Assembly Insulation Assembly Insulation
Opaque Elements Max. Min. R-Value Max. Min. R-Value Maxi. Min. R-Value
Roofs
Insulation Entirely U-0.063 R-15.0 c.i. U-0.048 R-20.0 c.i. U-0.218 R-3.8 ci
above Deck
Metal Buildinga U-0.065 R-19.0 U-0.065 R-19.0 U-0.167 R-6.0
Attic and Other U-0.034 R-30.0 U-0.027 R-38.0 U-0.081 R-13.0
Walls, Above-Grade
Mass U-0.580 NR U-0.151b R-5.7 c.i.b U-0.580 NR
Metal Building U-0.093 R-16.0 U-0.093 R-16.0 U-0.113 R-13.0
Steel-Framed U-0.124 R-13.0 U-0.124 R-13.0 U-0.352 NR
Wood-Framed and Other U-0.089 R-13.0 U-0.089 R-13.0 U-0.292 NR
Walls, Below-Grade
Below-Grade Wall C-1.140 NR C-1.140 NR C-1.140 NR
Floors

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Mass U-0.322 NR U-0.322 NR U-0.322 NR
Steel-Joist U-0.350 NR U-0.350 NR U-0.350 NR
Wood-Framed and Other U-0.282 NR U-0.282 NR U-0.282 NR
Slab-On-Grade Floors
Unheated F-0.730 NR F-0.730 NR F-0.730 NR
Heated F-1.020 R-7.5 for 12 in. F-1.020 R-7.5 for 12 in. F-1.020 R-7.5 for 12 in.
Opaque Doors
Swinging U-0.700 U-0.700 U-0.700
Nonswinging U-1.450 U-1.450 U-1.450
Assembly Assembly Max. Assembly Assembly Assembly Assembly Max.
Fenestration Max. U SHGC Max. U Max. SHGC Max. U SHGC
Vertical Glazing, 0%–40% of Wall
Nonmetal framing (all)c U-1.20 U-1.20 U-1.20
Metal framing
U-1.20 U-1.20 U-1.20
(curtainwall/storefront)d
SHGC-0.25 all SHGC-0.25 all SHGC-NR all
Metal framing U-1.20
U-1.20 U-1.20
(entrance door)d
Metal framing (all other)d U-1.20 U-1.20 U-1.20
*The following definitions apply: c.i. = continuous insulation (see Section 3.2), NR = no (insulation) requirement.
aWhen using R-value compliance method, a thermal spacer block is required; otherwise use the U-factor compliance method. See Table A2.3.
bException to Section A3.1.3.1 applies.
cNonmetal framing includes framing materials other than metal with or without metal reinforcing or cladding.
dMetal framing includes metal framing with or without thermal break. The “all other” subcategory includes operable windows, fixed windows, and non-entrance doors.

19
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Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

Table G3.1.1A Baseline HVAC System Types (ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010)

Fossil Fuel, Fossil/Electric Hybrid,

Building Type Electric and Other
and Purchased Heat

Residential System 1—PTAC System 2—PTHP

Nonresidential and 3 Floors or Less and <25,000 ft2 System 3—PSZ-AC System 4—PSZ-HP
2
Nonresidential and 4 or 5 Floors and <25,000 ft or
System 5—Packaged VAV System 6—Packaged VAV
with Reheat with PFP Boxes
5 Floors or Less and 25,000 ft2 to 150,000 ft2

Nonresidential and More than 5 Floors

System 7—VAV with Reheat System 8—VAV with PFP Boxes
or >150,000 ft2

System 10—Heating and

Heated Only Storage System 9—Heating and Ventilation
Ventilation
Notes:
Residential building types include dormitory, hotel, motel, and multifamily. Residential space types include guest rooms, living quarters, private living space, and
sleeping quarters. Other building and space types are considered nonresidential.
Where no heating system is to be provided or no heating energy source is specified, use the “Electric and Other” heating source classification.
Where attributes make a building eligible for more than one baseline system type, use the predominant condition to determine the system type for the entire building
except as noted in Exception a to Section G3.1.1.
For laboratory spaces in a building having a total laboratory exhaust rate greater than 5000 cfm, use a single system of type 5 or 7 serving only those spaces. For all-
electric buildings, the heating shall be electric resistance

ANSI/ASHRAE/IES
Standard 100-2006
Energy Conservation
in Existing Buildings
RESOURCE DESCRIPTION
ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 100-2006 provides criteria that will result in the conserva-
tion of energy resources in existing buildings.

RELEVANCE TO ENERGY MODELING

The relevance of Standard 100-2006 to building energy modeling is limited to existing
buildings, particularly those which have claimed compliance with the standard. The stan-
dard also addresses the use of historical utility data in energy analysis, benchmarking met-
rics that can be used for energy models, and the economic criteria used for prioritization
of energy conservation opportunities.

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RELEVANT CONTENT WITH DCO REFERENCES
DCO Item(s):
II.B Building Envelope and Partitions
Section 6.2 of Standard 100-2006 describes the required general condition of a building
envelope for an existing building for which compliance with the standard is claimed. Specifi-
cally, the standard requires that unnecessary gaps in the building envelope that would result in
excessive infiltration be closed. Such areas include broken or missing windows, door sweeps,
obsolete chimneys, door closers, etc. When modeling an existing building for which compli-
ance with Standard 100 is claimed, the energy modeler should ensure that air infiltration rates
reflect the true conditions of the building envelope.
Section 7.1 requires that where the building envelope has been improved or replaced it
must meet the requirements of section 5 of ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010. The modeler
should be familiar with that section when modeling a building for which compliance with
Standard 100-2006 is claimed.
Relevant Sections of ASHRAE/IES Standard 100-2006: Sections 6.2, 7.1
DCO Item(s):
II.C. Building HVAC Systems
Section 6.3 of Standard 100-2006 addresses a limited number of topics relevant to energy
modeling. The standard requires that electric heaters be eliminated, fossil-fueled heating
equipment be adequately maintained to operate at the highest possible efficiency, and air fil-
ters be replaced regularly to prevent excessive pressure drop, which would increase fan energy
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

consumption. The energy modeler should be familiar with these requirements when modeling
a building for which compliance with Standard 100-2006 is claimed.
Section 7.5 defines the requirements for replacement motors rated at 1 hp or greater
that operate more than 1000 h per year. The standard requires that motor efficiency meets
or exceeds that shown in Table 2 and that the motor horsepower does not exceed 125% of
the calculated maximum load being served. Finally, the standard also requires the use of
variable-speed operation whenever variable output is required unless an alternative, such
as throttling, results in a lower life-cycle cost. The energy modeler should be familiar
with the motor requirements defined in this section when modeling a building in compli-
ance with Standard 100-2006.
Relevant Sections of ASHRAE/IES Standard 100-2006: Sections 6.3, 7.5
DCO Item(s):
II.D. Lighting Systems
Section 6.6 of Standard 100-2006 defines lighting operations and maintenance require-
ments for existing buildings. Included in this section are the burnout replacement require-
ments for various types of lamps. A building energy modeler should be familiar with these
requirements when modeling a building for which compliance with this standard is claimed.
Relevant Sections of ASHRAE/IES Standard 100-2006: Section 6.6
DCO Item(s):

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II.H. Controls
There are various relevant HVAC controls requirements for existing buildings seeking
compliance with Standard 100-2006. The first and probably the most important requirement is
that all HVAC systems be equipped with automatic shutdown and setback controls. HVAC
equipment should be scheduled to operate only when required by the building. Setback con-
trols should increase the deadband between heating and cooling setpoints from 45°F to 90°F.
If the building has an energy management system (EMS), Standard 100-2006 requires that
the EMS be used to adjust the start time of HVAC equipment to minimize runtime. In addi-
tion, the standard requires the use of chilled water and heating hot water reset controls on sys-
tems with capacities over 300,000 Btu/h.
Section 7 of Standard 100-2006 establishes the requirements for building modifications.
This section requires that all HVAC equipment be controlled by at least one thermostat for the
regulation of temperature. The standard also sets ranges for heating and cooling setpoints as
well as for deadbands.
Section 7.2.2 discusses the requirements for spaces with relative humidity controls for
comfort purposes. The standard requires that, when used for comfort purposes, the humidity
must not require the use of nonrenewable energy while the relative humidity in the space is
between 30% and 60%.
Finally, Section 7.3 defines the requirements for air distribution systems. The standard
requires that all units with outdoor air supply greater than 200 cfm have adjustable dampers
and controls that can close during unoccupied periods. In addition, all dual-duct and reheat
multizone systems must have supply air temperature reset controls for cold and hot decks.
Standard 100-2006 requires that manual switches be replaced with occupancy sensors,
interval timers, or timed switches, with the exception of emergency egress. In addition, the

28
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

ASHRAE/IES Standard 100-2006

standard requires that lights be turned off in areas adequately illuminated by daylight, using
photocell switches or dimming systems.
Relevant Sections of ASHRAE/IES Standard 100-2006: Sections 6.3.1, 6.3.2, 6.3.3.4, 6.6.3,
6.6.4, 7.2.1, 7.2.2, 7.2.3, 7.3
DCO Item(s):
III.A Simulation Comparisons
Section 5.4 discusses the use of building energy usage and electric demand data in the
analysis of existing buildings. The standard requires energy-use benchmarking the building
against similar buildings with similar usage and climates. In addition, the standard recom-
mends the collection of 12 months of utility bills for all energy and demand purchases.
Relevant Sections of ASHRAE/IES Standard 100-2006: Section 5.4
DCO Item(s):
III.B. Modeling Energy Performance
IV.B. Analyzing and Comparing Modeling Results
Section 5.5 defines one metric that can be used to compare existing buildings and energy
models. The Energy Utilization Index (EUI) is the total annual energy use in Btu/ft2 of condi-
tioned floor area. In order to use this metric, all energy purchases must be converted to British
thermal units. Table 1 provides fuel-to-Btu conversion factors. A second metric that could be

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used is the Cost Index (CI), which is the total annual energy cost per square foot of condi-
tioned floor area.
Relevant Sections of ASHRAE/IES Standard 100-2006: Section 5.5
DCO Item(s):
IV.C. Economic Analysis
Section 6.8.4 defines the evaluation of energy conservation opportunities (ECOs) for exist-
ing buildings. For each ECO, the cost estimate and annual energy savings should be deter-
mined. Energy cost savings should be calculated using the current utility rate structure and not
a simple average blended rate. There are two recommended approaches to ranking ECOs. The
first and most simple is a simple payback period, which is the estimated capital cost divided
by the annual energy cost savings. The second and more complicated method is life-cycle
costing, which also takes into account the time value of money, annual maintenance costs, and
the life of the measure.
Relevant Sections of ASHRAE/IES Standard 100-2006: Sections 6.8.4, 6.8.5

29
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ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 140-2007

Standard Method of Test for the
Evaluation of Building Energy Analysis
Computer Programs

RESOURCE DESCRIPTION

There are no formal criteria for confirming the accuracy of the results of a particular
model; that decision is generally left to the user. The simulation program must be robust
enough to provide simulation results that are comparable to results using other simulation
software packages and consistent against a previous version of itself.
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 140-2007 specifies test procedures for evaluating the technical
capabilities and ranges of applicability of computer programs that calculate the thermal per-
formance of buildings and their HVAC systems.
Standard 140-2007 can be used for identifying and diagnosing predictive differences

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from whole-building energy simulation software that may possibly be caused by algorith-
mic differences, modeling limitations, input differences, or coding errors. The current set
of tests consists of (1) comparative tests that focus on building thermal envelope and fabric
loads and mechanical equipment performance and (2) analytical verification tests that
focus on mechanical equipment performance. This procedure tests software over a broad
range of parametric interactions and for a number of different output types, thus minimiz-
ing the concealment of algorithmic differences by compensating errors. Different building
energy simulation programs, representing different degrees of modeling complexity, can be
tested. However, some of the tests may be incompatible with some building energy simula-
tion programs.

RELEVANCE TO ENERGY MODELING

Standard 140-2007 is most relevant for a building modeler when developing proprie-
tary simulations or performing “Exceptional Calculations” per the provisions of
ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2010, Section 11.2.5 or Appendix G2.5.
The standard will guide the modeler to test the output of proprietary simulation pro-
grams that are used to evaluate the thermal performance of buildings and their HVAC sys-
tems under prespecified conditions to minimize the impact of input errors or differences
on the result. The modeler can then compare the results of the model against known
results provided in Annex B8 and B16 in this standard. The standard will not test the
appropriateness of the model or algorithms used in the program; it is intended to highlight
any major flaws or limitations in capability of the building energy program. These must
be addressed before using the program.
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

RELEVANT CONTENT WITH DCO REFERENCES

DCO Item(s):
I.B. Analysis Methodologies
When developing building energy computer simulation programs for evaluating the ther-
mal performance of buildings and their HVAC systems, all time references must be to local
standard time, with hour 1 taken as the interval from midnight to 1:00 a.m. The program can-
not use daylight savings time or holidays for scheduling. Typical meteorological year (TMY)
weather data in hourly bins corresponding to solar time should be used in these programs.
Relevant Sections of ASHRAE Standard 140-2007: Section 5.1.1
DCO Item(s):
III.A. Simulation Comparisons
Section 4.1 of the standard provides the method of test for analyzing and diagnosing the
accuracy of the output from customized building energy simulation software using software-
to-software, software-to-analytical-solution, and software-to-quasi-analytical-solution com-
parisons. The methodology allows different simulation programs, representing varying
degrees of complexity, to be tested by

• comparing the predictions from other simulation programs to the example results pro-
vided in the standard,

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• checking the program against previous versions of itself after any changes to the algo-
rithms or code to ensure that only the intended changes resulted;, or
• diagnosing the algorithm sources of prediction differences.

Relevant Sections of ASHRAE Standard 140-2007: Section 4.1, Annexes B8, B9, B16
DCO Item(s):
III.B. Modeling Energy Performance
Section 5 of the standard provides input specifications for building thermal envelope and
fabric load tests, space-cooling equipment, and space-heating equipment to check the appro-
priateness of output and sensitivity of the building energy simulation software. The inputs will
guide the modeler in assembling an accurate base-building model that is thermally decoupled
from ambient conditions. This is done to allow the modeler to test the performance of the
heating and cooling equipment.
Relevant Sections of ASHRAE Standard 140-2007: Section 5
DCO Item(s):
III.C. Evolution of Simulation Techniques to Meet Project Methods
and Objectives
It is likely that the modeler will have to make changes to the source code of a particular
energy modeling software for the purpose of testing. These changes must have a mathematical,
physical, or logical basis and be applied consistently across the test. The standard does not allow
arbitrary modifications to the simulation program. The changes must be made available in pub-
licly released versions of the software. If the changes are not publicly available, the modeler
must document the changes in sufficient detail using the template provided in Annex A2.

32
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

ASHRAE Standard 140-2007

Modifications for infiltration and fan adjustments for altitude, exterior radiative and con-
vective surface coefficients, infrared portion of film coefficients, window optical properties,
and solar fractions can be found in Annexes B3 through B7 of the standard.
Relevant Sections of ASHRAE Standard 140-2007: Section 4.4.3, Annexes A2, B3 to B7
DCO Item(s):
IV.A. Verification and Troubleshooting of Simulation Results
IV.B. Analyzing and Comparing Modeling Results
The energy modeler can compare the output results of the simulation per Section 4.4 of
the standard. Annex B8 gives the example simulation results for the building thermal enve-
lope and fabric load tests. Annex B16 gives example simulation results for HVAC equip-
ment performance tests. These comparisons allow the modeler to then verify the accuracy of
the model and highlight any major flaws or limitations in the capability of the building
energy program.
Relevant Sections of ASHRAE Standard 140-2007: Sections 4.1, 4.4, Annexes B8, B16

33
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ASHRAE Guideline 14-2002

Measurement of Energy
and Demand Savings
RESOURCE DESCRIPTION
ASHRAE Guideline 14-2002 provides guidelines for reliably measuring energy and
demand savings of commercial equipment. Energy service companies (ESCOs), ESCO cus-
tomers, utilities, and others can use these measurements before the sale or lease of energy-
efficient equipment to determine post-transaction savings. These measurements can also be
used to document energy savings for various credit programs, such as emission reduction
credits associated with energy efficiency activities.

RELEVANCE TO ENERGY MODELING

Guideline 14-2002 provides calculation methodology to determine energy and

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demand savings of commercial equipment. Additionally, guidelines for calibrating sim-
ulation models to measured data and sensitivity analyses are covered in detail. Energy
modelers should refer to this guideline to determine an approach to estimate baseline
and proposed energy usage as well as calibrate baseline and proposed energy simulation
models.

RELEVANT CONTENT WITH DCO REFERENCES

DCO Item(s):
III.B Modeling Energy Performance
Guideline 14-2002 describes that a simulation must be calibrated or checked against actual
measured energy use, energy bills, demand data, or other operating data. The calibrated model
must be used as a baseline condition. Savings can be determined by comparing the calibrated
model under two different sets of conditions or by comparing the baseline model to actual
metered data.
Appendix B7 of this guideline further summarizes calibrating simulation models:
“As described in clause 6.3 of this guideline, calibrated simulation is an appropriate
method to consider when one or more of the following conditions are present:
1. No pre-retrofit whole building hourly monitored data other than utility bills available,
while monitored post-retrofit data are available,
2. Retrofit measures interact with other building systems, and it is desired to account for
those interactions when savings are reported.
3. Only whole-building energy use data are available, and the [measurement and verifica-
tion] M&V calls for verifying savings due to individual retrofits.
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Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

ASHRAE Guideline 14 allows all three cases to be treated. It suggests that when
only whole building energy use is being monitored, that uncertainty be reported
solely for this energy use, and that no attempt be made to estimate uncertainty at a
more disaggregated level or for individual retrofits. A building energy simulation
model once calibrated with hourly data would still differ from the measured values.
This difference between modeled and measured hourly data allows the analyst to
compute a CV (coefficient of variation) just as when a regression model approach
was adopted. It is this CV that will be used along with equations (B13) or (B15)
(found in Appendix B) to estimate the fractional uncertainty.”

Relevant Sections of ASHRAE Guideline 14-2002: Sections 6.2, 6.3, Appendix B7

DCO Item(s):
III. A. Simulation Comparisons
III. B. Modeling Energy Performance
IV. B. Analyzing and Comparing Model Results
III. D. Sensitivity Analyses
Section 5 of the guideline defines and summarizes the common elements of three
approaches for measuring energy savings. Section 6 focuses on unique aspects of each approach.

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Guideline 14-2002 defines three standard approaches to determining energy savings:

• Whole-Building Approach. The most appropriate method when the total building
performance is to determined, rather than the performance of specific retrofits. Figure
6.1-1 (reproduced on p. 37) shows a flowchart of the whole-building approach.
• Retrofit Isolation Approach. This approach should be used when a whole-building
approach is not appropriate and the energy use can be determined by measurements
taken at a specific equipment or subsystem. Figure 6.2-1 (reproduced on p. 38) shows
a flowchart of the retrofit isolation approach.
• Whole-Building Calibrated-Simulation Approach. This approach is appropriate
when one or more of the following conditions are present:
• Either pre-retrofit or post-retrofit whole-building metered electrical
data are not available.
• Savings cannot be easily determined using before/after measurements.
• Measures interact with other building systems, and it is desired to account
for those interactions, and retrofit isolation methods are not readily feasible.
• Only whole-building energy use data are available, but savings from
individual retrofits are desired.
• Baseline adjustments are needed.
• Figure 6.3-1 (reproduced on p. 39) shows a flowchart of the calibrated-simulation
approach.

Sections 5 and 6 describe whole-building and performance approaches, calculation meth-

odologies of energy and demand usage, uncertainty analyses, and modeling demand in a sim-
ulation program.
Relevant Sections of ASHRAE Guideline 14-2002: Sections 5, 6

36
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

ASHRAE Guideline 14-2002

Figure 6.1-1 Flowchart for whole-building approach (ASHRAE Guideline 14-2002).

37
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Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

Figure 6.2-1 Flowchart for retrofit isolation approach performance path

(ASHRAE Guideline 14-2002).

38
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

ASHRAE Guideline 14-2002

Figure 6.3-1 Flowchart for whole-building calibrated-simulation performance path

(ASHRAE Guideline 14-2002).

39
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

2009 ASHRAE Handbook—

Fundamentals
RESOURCE DESCRIPTION
The 2009 ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals covers basic principles and data used in the
HVAC&R industry. Updated with research sponsored by ASHRAE and others, this volume includes
over 1000 pages and 39 chapters covering general engineering information, basic materials, climate
data, load and energy calculations, duct and pipe design, and sustainability, plus reference tables for
abbreviations and symbols, I-P to SI conversions, and physical properties of materials.

RELEVANCE TO ENERGY MODELING

The 2009 ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals provides relevant information regard-
ing energy modeling techniques, selection of analysis methodology, and impacts of model

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results. The information in Chapter 19 is especially relevant to energy modeling and
should be familiar to any energy modeler.

RELEVANT CONTENT WITH DCO REFERENCES

DCO Item(s):
I.A. Modeling Objectives
I.B. Analysis Methodologies
I.C. Software and Tool Selection
Chapter 19, Energy Estimating and Modeling Methods, in 2009 ASHRAE Handbook—
Fundamentals contains much information relevant to energy modeling. The chapter starts
with a description of its intention:

Energy requirements and fuel consumption of HVAC systems directly

affect a building’s operating cost and indirectly affect the environment.
This chapter discusses methods for estimating energy use for two pur-
poses: modeling for building and HVAC system design and associated
design optimization (forward modeling), and modeling energy use of
existing buildings for establishing baselines and calculating retrofit sav-
ings (data-driven modeling).

The definition of a model and two broad modeling approaches are described starting on
the first page of Chapter 19. Table 1 (reproduced on p. 42) classifies methods for analyzing
building energy use as either forward or data-driven and either steady-state or dynamic.
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

Table 1 Classification of Analysis Methods For Building Energy Use

(2009 ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals, Chapter 19)

Data-Driven

Empirical Physical
or Calibrated or
Method Forward Black-Box Simulation Gray-Box Comments

Steady-State Methods

Simple linear regression — X — — One dependent parameter, one independent

(Kissock et al. 1998; Ruch and Claridge parameter. May have slope and y-intercept.
1991)
Multiple linear regression — X — — One dependent parameter, multiple
(Dhar 1995; Dhar et al. 1998, 1999a, independent parameters.
1999b; Katipamula et al. 1998;
Sonderegger 1998)
Modified degree-day method X — — — Based on fixed reference temperature of 65°F.
Variable-base degree-day method, or X X — X Variable base reference temperatures.
3-P change point models
(Fels 1986; Reddy et al. 1997; Sonderegger
1998)
Change-point models: 4-P, 5-P — X — X Uses daily or monthly utility billing data
(Fels 1986; Kissock et al. 1998) and average period temperatures.
ASHRAE bin method and data-driven bin X X — — Hours in temperature bin times load for that
method (Thamilseran and Haberl 1995) bin.
ASHRAE TC 4.7 modified bin method X — — — Modified bin method with cooling load
(Knebel 1983) factors.

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Multistep parameter identification — — — X Uses daily data to determine overall heat
(Reddy et al. 1999) loss and ventilation of large buildings.

Dynamic Methods

Thermal network X — — X Uses equivalent thermal parameters (data-

(Rabl 1988; Reddy 1989; Sonderegger driven mode).
1977)
Response factors X — — — Tabulated or as used in simulation
(Kusuda 1969; Mitalas 1968; Mitalas and programs.
Stephenson 1967; Stephenson and Mitalas
1967)
Fourier analysis X — X X Frequency domain analysis convertible to
(Shurcliff 1984; Subbarao 1988) time domain.
ARMA model — — — X Autoregressive moving average (ARMA)
(Rabl 1988; Reddy 1989; Subbarao 1986) model.
PSTAR X — X X Combination of ARMA and Fourier series;
(Subbarao 1988) includes loads in time domain.
Modal analysis X — — X Building described by diagonalized
(Bacot et al. 1984; Rabl 1988) differential equation using nodes.
Differential equation — — — X Analytical linear differential equation.
(Rabl 1988)
Computer simulation: DOE-2, BLAST, X — X — Hourly and subhourly simulation programs
EnergyPlus with system models.
(Crawley et al. 2001; Haberl and Bou-
Saada 1998; Manke et al. 1996; Norford et
al. 1994)
Computer emulation (HVACSIM+, X — — — Subhourly simulation programs.
TRNSYS)
(Clark 1985; Klein et al. 1994)
Artificial neural networks — X — — Connectionist models.
(Kreider and Haberl 1994; Kreider and
Wang 1991)

The chapter’s Table 10 (reproduced above) presents a decision diagram for selecting a for-
ward or data-driven model where use of the model, degree of difficulty in understanding and

42
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2009 ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals

Table 10 Capabilities of Different Forward and Data-Driven Modeling Methods

(2009 ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals, Chapter 19)
Methods Usea Difficulty Time Scaleb Calc. Time Variablesc Accuracy

Simple linear regression ES Simple D, M Very fast T Low

Multiple linear regression D, ES Simple D, M Fast T, H, S, W, t Medium
ASHRAE bin method and data-driven bin ES Moderate H Fast T Medium
method
Change-point models D, ES Simple H, D, M Fast T Medium
ASHRAE TC 4.7 modified bin method ES, DE Moderate H Medium T, S, tm Medium
Artificial neural networks D, ES, C Complex S, H Fast T, H, S, W, t, tm High
Thermal network D, ES, C Complex S, H Fast T, S, tm High
Fourier series analysis D, ES, C Moderate S, H Medium T, H, S, W, t, tm High
ARMA model D, ES, C Moderate S, H Medium T, H, S, W, t, tm High
Modal analysis D, ES, C Complex S, H Medium T, H, S, W, t, tm High
Differential equation D, ES, C Complex S, H Fast T, H, S, W, t, tm High
Computer simulation (component-based) D, ES, C, DE Very complex S, H Slow T, H, S, W, t, tm Medium
(fixed schematic) D, ES, DE Very complex H Slow T, H, S, W, t, tm Medium
Computer emulation D, C Very complex S, H Very slow T, H, S, W, t, tm High
bTime
Notes: scales shown are hourly (H), daily (D), monthly (M), and sub-
a Use shown includes diagnostics (D), energy savings calculations (ES), design (DE), and
hourly (S).
cVariables include temperature (T ), humidity (H), solar (S), wind (W),
control (C).
time (t), and thermal mass (tm).

applying the model, the time scale for data used by the model, calculation time, and input vari-
ables used by the models are the criteria used to choose a particular model.

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There are a variety of modeling methods and it is important to use the right analytical
approach. Decision criteria for selecting the most appropriate calculation methodology
include accuracy, sensitivity, versatility, and ease of use, among others. Choosing an analysis
method is described on p. 19.3 of Chapter 19.
There are several analytical methods that can be developed using spreadsheet calculations.
These include degree-day method, temperature-bin method, and correlation. The two methods
are described in detail in Chapter 19.
Relevant Sections of 2009 ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals: Chapter 19 (pp. 19.1–
19.3, 19.17–19.22, 19.24–19.31)
DCO Item(s):
II.C. Building HVAC Systems
II.E. Other Internal and Process Loads
II.H. Controls
There are many elements that contribute to the cooling and heating loads on an HVAC sys-
tem, including external loads, internal loads, infiltration, and system loads. The energy mod-
eler should account for these elements. Chapters 17 and 18 of 2009 ASHRAE Handbook—
Fundamentals cover these topics and provide examples of calculating the heat gains of the
respective loads. Chapter 17 focuses on residential applications, whereas Chapter 18 focuses
on nonresidential applications. Chapter 19 gives further detail on building loads and also dis-
cusses the equipment end-use energy and controls.
The energy modeler should also be aware of the differentiation of the following heat flow
rates:

43
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Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

• Space Heat Gain. An instantaneous rate of heat gain at which heat enters into and/or is
generated within a space. Sensible heat is added directly to the conditioned space by
conduction, convection, and/or radiation. Latent heat gain occurs when moisture is
added to the space. Radiant heat is first absorbed by surfaces that enclose the space then
is released to the air by convection when the surfaces become warmer than the sur-
rounding air.
• Space Cooling Load. The rates at which sensible and latent heat must be removed
from the space to maintain a constant air temperature and humidity.
• Space Heat Extraction Rate. The rates at which sensible and latent heat are removed
equal to the space cooling load (if room air temperature and humidity are held con-
stant).
• Cooling Coil Load. The rate at which energy is removed at a cooling coil equals the
sum of instantaneous space cooling loads plus any system loads.

Energy absorbed by walls, floor furniture, etc., contributes to space cooling load only after
a time lag. Chapter 18 shows two calculation methods to take this time delay effect into con-
sideration: the heat balance (HB) method and the radiant time series (RTS) method.
Tables 1 through 10 of Chapter 18 (see samples, p. 48) list recommended heat gains for peo-
ple and equipment. Chapter 18 also includes detailed examples of cooling and heating load cal-

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culations.
Modeling primary and secondary HVAC equipment and their controls is described in
Chapter 19.
Relevant Sections of 2009 ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals: Chapters 17, 18, 19
(pp. 19.3–19.17, 19.22–19.24)

DCO Item(s):
III.A. Simulation Comparisons
III.B. Modeling Energy Performance
IV.A. Verification and Troubleshooting of Simulation Results
IV.B. Analyzing and Comparing Modeling Results
IV.D. Sensitivity Analyses

Chapter 19 concludes with a brief discussion of model validation and testing.

MODEL VALIDATION AND TESTING

ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 140, Method of Test for the Evaluation of Building Energy Analysis Computer Programs,
was developed to identify and diagnose differences in predictions that may be caused by algorithmic differences, model-
ing limitations, or coding or input errors. Standard 140 allows all elements of a complete validation approach to be added
as they become available. This structure corresponds to the following validation methodology, with subdivisions creating
a matrix of six areas for testing:
1. Comparative tests—building envelope
2. Comparative tests—mechanical equipment
3. Analytical verification—building envelope

44
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

2009 ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals

4. Analytical verification—mechanical equipment

5. Empirical validation—building envelope
6. Empirical validation—mechanical equipment
The current set of tests focus on categories 1 and 4. These tests are based on procedures developed by the National
Renewable Energy Laboratory and field-tested by the International Energy Agency (IEA) over three IEA research tasks
(Judkoff and Neymark 1995a; Neymark and Judkoff 2002). Additional tests are being developed under ASHRAE research
projects (Spitler et al. 2001; Yuill and Haberl 2002) and under joint IEA Solar Heating and Cooling Programme/Energy
Conservation in Buildings and Community Systems Task 34/Annex 43 (Judkoff and Neymark 2004) that are intended to
fill in other categories of the validation matrix.

METHODOLOGICAL BASIS
There are three ways to evaluate a whole-building energy simulation program’s accuracy (Judkoff et al. 1983; Neymark
and Judkoff 2002):
• Empirical validation, which compares calculated results from a program, subroutine, algorithm, or software object to
monitored data from a real building, test cell, or laboratory experiment
• Analytical verification, which compares outputs from a program, subroutine, algorithm, or software object to results
from a known analytical solution or a generally accepted numerical method calculation for isolated heat transfer under
very simple, highly constrained boundary conditions
• Comparative testing, which compares a program to itself or to other programs
Table 11 compares these techniques (Judkoff 1988). In this table, the term “model” is the representation of reality
for a given physical behavior. For example, heat transfer may be simulated with one-, two-, or three-dimensional
thermal conduction models. The term “solution process” encompasses the mathematics and computer coding to
solve a given model. The solution process for a model can be perfect, while the model remains inappropriate for a
given physical situation, such as using a one-dimensional conduction model where two-dimensional conduction
dominates. The term “truth standard” represents the standard of accuracy for predicting real behavior. An analytical
solution is a “mathematical truth standard,” but only tests the solution process for a model, not the appropriateness

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of the model. An approximate truth standard from an experiment tests both the solution process and appropriateness
of the model within experimental uncertainty. The ultimate (or “absolute”) validation truth standard would be com-
parison of simulation results with a perfectly performed empirical experiment, with all simulation inputs perfectly
defined.
Internal Error Types
• Differences between actual thermal transfer mechanisms in the real building and its HVAC systems versus the simpli-
fied model of those processes in the simulation (all models, no matter how detailed, are simplifications of reality)
• Errors or inaccuracies in the mathematical solution of the models
• Coding errors

Table 11 Validation Techniques

Technique Advantages Disadvantages

Empirical (test of model • Approximate truth standard within • Experimental uncertainties:

and solution process) experimental accuracy
• Any level of complexity • Instrument calibration, spatial/temporal discretization •
• Imperfect knowledge/specification of experimental object •
(building) being simulated
• High-quality, detailed measurements are expensive and time-
consuming
• Only a limited number of test conditions are practical
Analytical (test of • No input uncertainty • No test of model validity
solution process) • Exact mathematical truth standard • Limited to highly constrained cases for which analytical solutions
for given model can be derived
• Inexpensive
Comparative (relative • No input uncertainty • No absolute truth standard (only statistically based acceptance ranges
test of model and • Any level of complexity are possible)
solution process) • Many diagnostic comparisons
possible
• Inexpensive and quick
Source: Neymark and Judkoff (2002).

45
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Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

The simplest level of empirical validation compares a building’s actual long-term energy use to that calculated by a
computer program, with no attempt to eliminate sources of discrepancy. Because this is similar to how a simulation tool
is used in practice, it is favored by many in the building industry. However, it is difficult to interpret the results because
all possible error sources are acting simultaneously. Even if there is good agreement between measured and calculated
performance, possible offsetting errors prevent a definitive conclusion about the model’s accuracy. More informative lev-
els of validation involve controlling or eliminating various combinations of error types and increasing the density of out-
put-to-data comparisons (e.g., comparing temperature and energy results at time scales ranging from subhourly to annual).
At the most detailed level, all known sources of error are controlled to identify and quantify unknown error sources and
to reveal causal relationships associated with error sources.
This principle also applies to intermodel comparative testing and analytical verification. The more realistic the test case,
the more difficult it is to establish causality and diagnose problems; the simpler and more controlled the test case, the easier
it is to pinpoint sources of error or inaccuracy. Methodically building up to realistic cases is useful for testing interactions
between algorithms modeling linked mechanisms.
A comparison between measured and calculated performance represents a small region in an immense N-dimen-
sional parameter space. Investigators are constrained to exploring relatively few regions in this space, yet would like
to be assured that the results are not coincidental (e.g., not a result of offsetting errors) and do represent the validity
of the simulation elsewhere in the parameter space. Analytical and comparative techniques minimize the uncer-
tainty of extrapolations around the limited number of sampled empirical domains. Table 12 classifies these extrap-
olations. Use of the term “vice versa” in Table 12 is intended to mean that the extrapolation can go both ways (e.g.,
from short-term to long-term data and from long-term to short-term data). This does not mean that such extrapola-
tions are correct, but only that researchers and practitioners have either explicitly or implicitly made such inferences
in the past.
Figure 21 shows one process to combine analytical, empirical, and comparative techniques. These three techniques may
also be used together in other ways; for example, intermodel comparisons may be done before an empirical validation exer-
cise, to better define the experiment and to help estimate experimental uncertainty by propagating all known error sources
through one or more whole-building energy simulation programs (Hunn et al. 1982; Lomas et al. 1994).
For the path shown in Figure 21, the first step is running the code against analytical verification test cases to check its
mathematical solution. Discrepancies must be corrected before proceeding further.

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Second, the code is run against high-quality empirical validation data, and errors are corrected. Diagnosing error
sources can be quite difficult and is an area of research in itself. Comparative techniques can be used to create diagnostics
procedures (Judkoff 1988; Judkoff and Neymark 1995a, 1995b; Judkoff et al. 1980, 1983; Morck 1986; Neymark and Jud-
koff 2002; Spitler et al. 2001) and better define the experiments.
The third step is to check agreement of several different thermal solution and modeling approaches (that have passed
through steps 1 and 2) in a variety of representative cases. This uses the comparative technique as an extrapolation tool.
Deviations in the program predictions indicate areas for further investigation.
When programs successfully complete these three stages, they are considered validated for cases where acceptable
agreement was achieved (i.e., for the range of building, climate, and mechanical system types represented by the test
cases). Once several detailed simulation programs have satisfactorily completed the procedure, other programs and sim-
plified design tools can be tested against them. A validation code does not necessarily represent truth. It does represent a
set of algorithms that have been shown, through a repeatable procedure, to perform according to the current state of the art.
NREL methodology for validating building energy simulation programs has been generally accepted by the Interna-
tional Energy Agency (Irving 1988), ASHRAE Standard 140 and Addendum p to ASHRAE Standard 90.1, and else-
where, with refinements suggested by other researchers (Bland 1992; Bloomfield 1988, 1999; Guyon and Palomo
1999b; Irving 1988; Lomas 1991; Lomas and Bowman 1987; Lomas and Eppel 1992). Additionally, the Commission
of European Communities has conducted considerable work under the PASSYS program (Jensen 1989; Jensen and
van de Perre 1991).

Table 12 Types of Extrapolation

Obtainable Data Points Extrapolation

A few climates Many climates

Short-term total energy use Long-term total energy use, or vice versa
Short-term (hourly) temperatures and/or fluxes Long-term total energy use, or vice versa
A few equipment performance points Many equipment performance points
A few buildings representing a few sets of variable and parameter Many buildings representing many sets of variable and parameter
combinations combinations, or vice versa
Small-scale: simple test cells, buildings, and mechanical Large-scale complex buildings with complex HVAC systems, or
systems; laboratory experiments vice versa
Source: Neymark and Judkoff (2002).

2009 ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals

Fig. 1 Validation Method

Fig. 21 Validation Method

(Neymark and Judkoff 2002)

Relevant Sections of 2009 ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals: Chapter 19 (pp. 19.31–19.33)

DCO Item(s):

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II.A. Location and Climate Definition
Building energy use is typically dependent, in part, on local climatic conditions. Accord-
ingly, building energy modelers should account for climatic conditions in their models. Chap-
ter 14 (and the accompanying CD) of 2009 ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals provides “the
climatic design information for 5564 locations in the United States, Canada, and around the
world” (14.1). Chapter 14 provides procedures for generating and using temperature data in
formats suitable for energy modeling.
Relevant Sections of 2009 ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals: Chapter 14
DCO Item(s):
II.B. Building Envelope and Partitions
Heat transfer through a building’s envelope contributes to its heating and cooling loads
and, eventually, to its energy use. A building energy modeler must take care to properly define
envelope components and to account for the associated heat transfer through those surfaces.
2009 ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals provides information relevant to modeling the
building envelope and internal partitions.

Chapter 15 contains detailed discussions on fenestration: “Fenestration affects

building energy use through four basic mechanisms: thermal heat transfer, solar
heat gain, air leakage, and day-lighting. The energy effects of fenestration can be
minimized by (1) using daylight to offset lighting requirements, (2) using glazings
and shading strategies to control solar heat gain to supplement heating through pas-
sive solar gain and minimize cooling requirements, (3) using glazing to minimize
conductive heat loss, (4) specifying low-air-leakage fenestration products, and (5)

Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

Table 1 Representative Rates at Which Heat and Moisture Are Given Off by Human Beings
in Different States of Activity (2009 ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals, Chapter 18)
Total Heat, W % Sensible Heat that
Sensible Latent is Radiantb
Adult Adjusted, Heat, Heat,
Degree of Activity Male M/F a W W Low V High V

Seated at theater Theater, matinee 115 95 65 30

Seated at theater, night Theater, night 115 105 70 35 60 27
Seated, very light work Offices, hotels, apartments 130 115 70 45
Moderately active office work Offices, hotels, apartments 140 130 75 55
Standing, light work; walking Department store; retail store 160 130 75 55 58 38
Walking, standing Drug store, bank 160 145 75 70
Sedentary work Restaurantc 145 160 80 80
Light bench work Factory 235 220 80 140
Moderate dancing Dance hall 265 250 90 160 49 35
Walking 4.8 km/h; light machine work Factory 295 295 110 185
Bowlingd Bowling alley 440 425 170 255
Heavy work Factory 440 425 170 255 54 19
Heavy machine work; lifting Factory 470 470 185 285
Athletics Gymnasium 585 525 210 315
Notes:
1. Tabulated values are based on 24°C room dry-bulb temperature. For 27°C room 85% of that for an adult male, and gain from a child is 75% of that for an adult male.
dry bulb, total heat remains the same, but sensible heat values should be de- b Values
approximated from data in Table 6, Chapter 9, where V is air velocity
creased by approximately 20%, and latent heat values increased accordingly. with limits shown in that table.
2. Also see Table 4, Chapter 9, for additional rates of metabolic heat generation. cAdjusted heat gain includes 18 W for food per individual (9 W sensible and 9 W latent).
3. All values are rounded to nearest 5 W.

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a Adjusted heat gain is based on normal percentage of men, women, and chil- d Figure one person per alley actually bowling, and all others as sitting (117 W)

dren for the application listed, and assumes that gain from an adult female is or standing or walking slowly (231 W).

Table 8 Recommended Heat Gain from Typical Computer Equipment

(2009 ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals, Chapter 18)
Nameplate Power Average Power
Equipment Description Consumption, W Consumption, W
Desktop computera Manufacturer A (model A); 2.8 GHz processor, 1 GB RAM 480 73
Manufacturer A (model B); 2.6 GHz processor, 2 GB RAM 480 49
Manufacturer B (model A); 3.0 GHz processor, 2 GB RAM 690 77
Manufacturer B (model B); 3.0 GHz processor, 2 GB RAM 690 48
Manufacturer A (model C); 2.3 GHz processor, 3 GB RAM 1200 97
Laptop computerb Manufacturer 1; 2.0 GHz processor, 2 GB RAM, screen 130 36
Manufacturer 1; 1.8 GHz processor, 1 GB RAM, screen 90 23
Manufacturer 1; 2.0 GHz processor, 2 GB RAM, screen 90 31
Manufacturer 2; 2.13 GHz processor, 1 GB RAM, screen, 90 29
tablet PC
Manufacturer 2; 366 MHz processor, 130 MB RAM, screen 70 22
Manufacturer 3; 900 MHz processor, 256 MB RAM, screen 50 12
Flat-panel monitorc Manufacturer X (model A); screen 383 90
Manufacturer X (model B); screen 360 36
Manufacturer Y (model A), screen 288 28
Manufacturer Y (model B), screen 240 27
Manufacturer Z (model A), screen 240 29
Manufacturer Z (model C), screen 240 19
Source: Hosni and Beck (2008). cFlat-panel monitors have replaced cathode ray tube (CRT)
aPower consumption for newer desktop computers in operational mode varies from 50 to 100 W, but
monitors in many workplaces, providing better resolution
a conservative value of about 65 W may be used. Power consumption in sleep mode is negligible. and being much lighter. Power consumption depends on size
Because of cooling fan, approximately 90% of load is by convection and 10% is by radiation. Actual and resolution, and ranges from about 20 W (for 380 mm
power consumption is about 10 to 15% of nameplate value. size) to 90 W (for 760 mm). The most common sizes in
bPower consumption of laptop computers is relatively small: depending on processor speed and screen
workplaces are 480 and 560 mm, for which an average 30 W
size, it varies from about 15 to 40 W. Thus, differentiating between radiative and convective parts of power consumption value may be used. Use 60/40% split
the cooling load is unnecessary and the entire load may be classified as convective. Otherwise, a 75/ between convective and radiative components. In idle mode,
25% split between convective and radiative components may be used. Actual power consumption for monitors have negligible power consumption. Nameplate
laptops is about 25% of nameplate values. values should not be used.

2009 ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals

integrating fenestration into natural ventilation strategies that can reduce energy
use for cooling and fresh air requirements” (15.1).

Chapter 25 provides guidance in the analysis and design of building envelope assemblies
for good heat, air, and moisture control performance. This chapter discusses the fundamentals
of combined heat, air, and moisture movement as it relates to envelope assemblies.
Chapter 26 presents thermal and water vapor transmission data based on steady-state or
equilibrium conditions. This information can be used in the simplified calculation methods
described in Chapter 27 or in software-based methods that develop step-wise steady-state
conditions into a time-dependent solution. Table 4 shows typical thermal properties of vari-
ous building materials. Chapter 27 draws on Chapter 25’s fundamental information on heat,
air, and moisture transport in building assemblies, as well as Chapter 26’s material property
data. Examples demonstrate calculation of heat, moisture, and air transport in typical
assemblies.
Relevant Sections of 2009 ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals: Chapters 15, 25, 26, 27

Building Energy and

Environmental Modelling
Applications Manual AM11: 1998 (CIBSE)
RESOURCE DESCRIPTION
Building Energy and Environmental Modelling, Applications Manual AM11: 1998,
from the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), provides guidelines
to selecting computer software for modeling building energy performance in the form of a
reference manual. The manual also provides an outline to developing a computer-aided
building energy model. Chapters 5 and Appendix B contain outlines and checklists for cre-
ating a computer-aided simulation. Appendix C contains values used for typical end uses,
particularly for buildings in the United Kingdom.

RELEVANCE TO ENERGY MODELING

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According to Building Energy and Environmental Modelling (the BEEM Manual),
“This manual will be of interest to anyone who plays a role in creating energy-efficient
buildings that produce a healthy, comfortable and productive indoor environment.”
Energy modelers may use the BEEM Manual as a general guideline that covers the
entire process, from creating a computer-aided energy model to delivering the results to
the client.

RELEVANT CONTENT WITH DCO REFERENCES

DCO Item(s):
I.A. Modeling Objectives
Chapter 2 of the BEEM Manual discusses several modeling objectives, including the fol-
lowing:

• Principal benefits of environmental modeling

• Life-cycle costs
• Investment risk
• Benefits to interested parties (architect, building services engineer, client, cost consul-
tant, project manager, and the planning authority)
• Integration of modeling with design and operation

The energy modeler should understand these concepts when beginning any building simu-
lation project in order to achieve the main goals of the interested parties.
Relevant Sections of Building Energy and Environmental Modelling: Chapter 2
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

DCO Item(s):
I.B. Analysis Methodologies
I.C. Software and Tool Selection
Subsection 4.1 of the BEEM Manual discusses considerations for approaches to choosing
analysis methodologies and software selection. An underlying knowledge of the algorithms
used in the methodologies and software will influence the energy modeler’s decision to
choose the appropriate program.
Subsection 3.2.3 discusses several simulation methods including annual, seasonal/bin, and
hourly simulations. The energy modeler should understand the basic concepts and the advan-
tages and disadvantages when choosing an appropriate method.
Relevant Sections of Building Energy and Environmental Modelling: Subsections 3.2.3, 4.1
DCO Item(s):
II.B. Building Envelope and Partitions
Subsection 3.2.1 of the BEEM Manual discusses building envelope considerations. The
energy modeler should understand the concepts of the load calculations presented in this sec-
tion. It is especially critical to accurately define a building envelope, especially when compar-
ing changes to exterior and interior building components.

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Relevant Sections of Building Energy and Environmental Modelling: Subsection 3.2.1
DCO Item(s):
II.C. Building HVAC Systems
Subsection 3.4 of the BEEM Manual discusses tools used to evaluate ventilation and air
movement. The subsection covers five methods for predicting airflow in buildings (empirical
airtightness, simplified theoretical, network, computational fluid dynamics, and physical mod-
eling). A computer program used for energy modeling may include one or some of these
methodologies, so it is important for the energy modeler to understand them when evaluating
airflow in a computer model.
Relevant Sections of Building Energy and Environmental Modelling: Subsection 3.4
DCO Item(s):
II.D. Lighting Systems
Subsection 3.3 of the BEEM Manual covers the analysis of lighting and daylighting. The
topics presented here are more relevant to lighting design than energy performance. However,
the topics are useful to the energy modeler for understanding the basic elements of lighting
and daylighting in computer-aided software.
Relevant Sections of Building Energy and Environmental Modelling: Subsection 3.3
DCO Item(s):
III.A. Simulation Comparisons
III.B. Modeling Energy Performance

Building Energy and Environmental Modelling

III.C. Evolution of Simulation Techniques to meet Project Methods

and Objectives
Chapter 5 of the BEEM Manual provides an outline and a checklist of items to create an
energy model, including construction, materials, HVAC equipment, lighting equipment,
internal load considerations, and occupancy. The manual also provides examples of com-
mon mistakes seen in energy modeling.
Relevant Sections of Building Energy and Environmental Modelling: Chapter 5
DCO Item(s):
IV.E. Project Deliverables
Subsection 5.5 of the BEEM Manual covers interpretation and presentation of results of
energy models. This section stresses the importance of presenting results clearly, concisely,
and comprehensively, which will enable decision-making by the interested parties. Subsection
5.6 expresses that project notes should be continually documented during the project to ensure
that someone not involved in creating or testing the project can resurrect it, if needed.
Relevant Sections of Building Energy and Environmental Modelling: Subsections 5.5, 5.6

IESNA Lighting
Handbook, 9th Edition
(IES)
RESOURCE DESCRIPTION

Patterns of light and dark affect both our perceptions of the world and our emotional and
physiological responses, and thus they are essential in gathering information about the physi-
cal world. Good-quality lighting can support visual performance and interpersonal communi-
cation and improve our feelings of well-being. Poor-quality lighting can be uncomfortable and
confusing and can inhibit visual performance. Illuminating Society of North America (IES) is
the recognized technical authority on illumination. For over ninety years, its objective has
been to communicate information on all aspects of good lighting practice to its members, to
the lighting community, and to consumers through a variety of programs, publications, and

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services.
IESNA Lighting Handbook, 9th Edition, encourages good lighting principles and does not
prescribe the use of specific technologies. It guides the lighting designer to match and rank the
needs of the people using the space with the economic and environmental considerations and
the architectural objectives and then to translate the results into a workable design and func-
tional installation. Although this standard specifies the illumination levels for various spaces,
codes and standards have mandated the lighting power density (LPD) limits (such as
ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1). Proper illumination levels must be achieved within the LPD
constraints specified by applicable codes and standards.

RELEVANCE TO ENERGY MODELING

Electric lighting consumes a significant amount of energy. About 20% to 25% of all
electricity used in buildings and about 5% of total energy consumption in the United
States is used for lighting. Lighting also produces additional heat in buildings, which is
sometimes beneficial in cold climates but generally represents a significant load on air-
conditioning systems. The heat from lighting typically accounts for 15% to 20% of a
building’s cooling load.
The IESNA Lighting Handbook, along with ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1, specifies the
basic requirements with respect to lighting: include minimum criteria for lighting con-
trols, power allowance for internal building lighting, and power allowance for external
building lighting. The energy modeler must use the IESNA Lighting Handbook and
ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1 to develop models that accurately represent the illumination
level for a given space—levels that must be achieved by a combination of electrical lights
and daylighting within the specified power allowance.
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

RELEVANT CONTENT WITH DCO REFERENCES

DCO Item(s):
II.D. Lighting Systems
The lighting needs of a space must be defined to optimize proper allocation and manage-
ment of energy. Lighting needs may range from simple orientation to complex visual tasks.
Important considerations for prolonged visual tasks associated with work environments
include adequate illumination on the task surface, a proper balance of luminance between the
task surface and surrounding surfaces, control of direct and reflected glare, and acceptable
color rendering of task elements and surroundings. Other considerations also apply, depending
on the details of the specific visual task being performed.
When the nature and location of visual tasks can be identified, it is usually possible to
reduce surrounding ambient illumination and corresponding energy consumption by provid-
ing light more selectively where and when it is needed. When specific tasks and their locations
cannot be identified, a more uniform pattern of ambient illumination is generally provided,
along with provisions for task lighting and local control. In applications where there are no
prolonged visual tasks, lighting for emphasis, aesthetics, and safety are prime considerations.
Lighting needs for specific applications can be found in Chapter 10, Quality of the Visual
Environment, of the handbook. Chapter 26, Energy Management, covers some basics on light
sources, daylighting, and luminaires.

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Relevant Sections of IESNA Lighting Handbook: Chapters 10, 26, 27
DCO Item(s):
II.H. Controls
Generally, light sources are equipped with controls to either enhance or match the light
levels of a space for aesthetic appeal or for energy management. Aesthetic controls provide
the ability to change space functions and can create emotional appeal, offering control of
lighting quality, mood, color, and attitude. Energy management controls for lighting systems
provide energy and cost savings through reduced power or reduced time of use.
Lighting controls for energy management should be implemented centrally, over an entire
building, or locally, in individual areas. Various combinations of these two levels of control
are also common. Central lighting control systems allow for lighting load scheduling to
reduce peak demand as well as provide the ability to monitor and control total energy use.
Central lighting control systems can be interfaced with overall building management systems
(BMSs). A building also can be divided into areas that have different lighting needs and
require different control strategies. For example, perimeter zones consisting mainly of private
offices should be differentiated from core zones using an open-plan landscape. Private offices
are good candidates for manual and automatic lighting control because they have unpredict-
able occupancy schedules, are typically low-traffic areas requiring task-level illumination only
when occupied, and often use a significant daylight contribution. Areas where there is signifi-
cant daylight contribution are perfect candidates for daylighting controls: the power for elec-
tric lighting varies in response to the amount of daylighting available. Both dimming and
switching strategies can be used. For successful application of daylight-based switching, high
levels of daylight must be present so that sufficient illumination for the task remains after the
electric lighting has been lowered. Proper use of controls can assist with compliance with

IESNA Lighting Handbook, 9th Edition

ASHRAE/IES 90.1 Standard, reduce building operating costs, and significantly benefit the
environment.
It is incumbent on the engineer and lighting designer to be aware of the wide variety of
electronic lighting controls available and to correctly apply them to the project at hand. As
with all technology-driven areas, the energy modeler and the design team must stay current in
the field to be able to develop accurate models that can be used to make strategic economic
decisions during the building or renovation phase of a project.
Relevant Sections of IESNA Lighting Handbook: Chapter 27
DCO Item(s):
IV.C. Economic Analysis
Economic considerations invariably drive the decision-making process of any project, and
lighting design is no exception. The lighting professional must factor the economic consider-
ations as part of the overall design criteria. The economic analysis should be viewed as a
framework within which all of the needs of the client must be taken properly into account.
A comprehensive lighting economic analysis for new or existing systems should do the
following:
• Compare alternative systems
• Evaluate maintenance techniques and procedures
• Evaluate energy management technologies and strategies

DCO Item(s):
I.A. Modeling Objectives
Chapter section1.2 defines the design intent as a statement that outlines the expected out-
comes of the design process. The design intent will not capture every aspect of the design but
rather provide the defining characteristics of a proposed building solution. The energy mod-
eler must be able to clearly interpret and determine the design intent.
Section 1.4 examines the methods and tools used to accomplish the design intent. For
instance, if the design intent is to maintain acceptable thermal comfort for occupants, the book
suggests using the requirements of ASHRAE Standard 55 as the design criteria and using its
associated graphs and comfort software as a design tool. Table 1.1 illustrates various other
examples of design intent with their related criteria, tools, and methods.
Relevant Sections of Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings: Sections 1.2, 1.4
DCO Item(s):
II.A. Location and Climate Definitions
Chapter 6 discusses solar geometry and shading devices. It is essential to understand the
interaction between the sun’s position and the building’s solar heat gain and daylight when
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

modeling buildings. The position of the sun at any instant with respect to an observer is
defined by the altitude angle and azimuth angle. The altitude angle is the angle between the
horizon and the sun’s position above the horizon. The azimuth is the angle between the
sun’s projection and true south.
Sunpath projection charts define the sun’s position throughout the year. They can be used
to assess site condition, orient a building, or provide information critical for passive solar
design. Section 6.4 provides descriptions of various types of sunpath projection charts and
how they are derived.
Relevant Sections of Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings: Chapter 6
DCO Item(s):
II.B. Building Envelope and Partitions
Shading windows from solar heat gains reduces heat loads in any building. Chapter sec-
tion 6.5 discusses different shading approaches. Section 6.6 discusses the use of shadow
angles and shading masks to design shading devices.
Chapter 7 describes the various heat flow paths within a building, including sensible and
latent heat flow through the opaque envelope, heat flow through fenestration, and heat flow
via air movement. The book discusses the fundamental difference between static and dynamic
approaches to modeling heat flow. Under a static simulation, the key building component is
the thermal resistance, whereas in a more complicated dynamic simulation, the thermal capac-
itance must also be considered. The book describes the key static thermal properties of enve-

All rights reserved. No further reproduction or distribution is permitted. Distributed for ASHRAE by Thomson
lope materials, including conductivity, conductance, resistance, and emittance. The thermal
performance of air films is also discussed. Finally, the composite thermal performance of an
architectural assembly is defined as the overall heat transfer rate or U-factor. The building
energy modeler must understand these concepts to appropriately model the thermal perfor-
mance of the envelope of any building. The book provides representative values for resistance
of the various building construction materials used for walls, roofs, floors, and doors. The
book also discusses special considerations of external heat transfer on below-grade floors.
For dynamic simulations, it is necessary to consider additional building material proper-
ties, such as density, specific heat, and thermal capacity. The book defines these properties
and discusses their relevance to time lag, which is a measure of the delay in the flow of heat.
Time lag has a significant effect when modeling building environments because the greatest
heat load on the HVAC system does not always coincide with the greatest internal and exter-
nal loads.
Chapter section 7.4 describes the latent heat loads through the opaque envelope. The flow
of moisture is driven by vapor pressure differential. The permeance of the building material is
the rate at which moisture is transferred through the material.
As with the opaque envelope, the thermal performance of windows is also defined by the
U-factor or overall heat transfer rate. Unlike opaque surfaces, windows have different conduc-
tivities in different areas, depending on whether they are at the center of the glass, along the
edge, or on the frame. The U-factor is the combined heat transfer rate given these different
characteristics. In addition to the U-factor, the thermal performance of a window is also char-
acterized by the solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC). The SHGC is the percentage of solar radi-
ation incident upon a window that enters a building as heat. SHGCs typically range from 20%
to 90% and depend upon type of class, number of panes, tinting, and reflective coating. The
book also defines the shading coefficient (SC), which is a different method of describing the

Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings

same characteristic of the glass. The SC is the ratio of the radiant heat gain through a given
glass type relative to a 1/8 in. single-pane clear glass.
The visible transmittance (VT) is yet another glass property that pertains mainly to day-
lighting and daylighting controls. The VT of a window is the percentage of optical light that
passes through a particular glazing. The VT and SHGC are not always interdependent, and the
ratio between the two (light-to-solar ratio [LSG]) indicates whether a glazing is appropriate
for daylighting in a particular climate.
Infiltration is discussed in Section 7.7a. The book describes the two main approaches to
modeling infiltration: the air-change method and the crack method. (For more detail, also refer
to Chapter 16 of 2009 ASHRAE Handbook—Fundamentals.)
Section 7.8 discusses heat loss and gain calculations. The book describes in detail the pro-
cedures and equations used to calculate the design heat loss for a building. The calculation of
design heat gain is a much more complicated calculation, primarily because it requires a
dynamic heat flow analysis. An approximate method for calculating heat gain is presented in
Chapter section 8.11. Table 8.13 gives a comparison of the different detailed methods of cal-
culating heat gain.
Relevant Sections of Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings: Chapters 7, 8;
Chapter sections 6.5, 6.6
DCO Item(s):
II.C. Building HVAC Systems

All rights reserved. No further reproduction or distribution is permitted. Distributed for ASHRAE by Thomson
Chapter section 5.6 presents an overview of various building components used to control
indoor air quality. The equipment discussed includes exhaust fans, makeup air units, air-to-air
heat exchangers, energy recovery ventilators, heat pipes, enthalpy wheels, and desiccant cool-
ing components. None of these components are described in any great detail.
Chapter 9 presents HVAC systems for smaller buildings, including (1) cooling-only sys-
tems such as air conditioners, evaporative coolers, and indirect evaporative coolers; (2)
heating-only systems such as wood-burning furnaces, electric resistance heaters, gas-fired
heaters, hot-water boilers, and radiant systems; and (3) heating and cooling systems such as
ground-source and water-source heat pumps.
Chapter section 9.9 discusses psychrometrics and refrigeration. The concept of the sensible
heat factor is discussed as it pertains to building cooling systems. This is an important concept
that must be understood in order to size cooling equipment appropriately. An example is pro-
vided to illustrate the importance of considering latent loads when sizing cooling equipment.
Chapter 10 presents HVAC systems for larger buildings and discusses some general concepts
that must be understood by any building energy modeler, including zoning strategies, HVAC
system anatomy, and distribution systems. The chapter provides a brief overview of various
zone-level system types, including single-duct variable-air-volume (VAV) systems, fan-powered
VAV systems, VAV reheat systems, dual-duct systems, induction systems, fan-coil systems, radi-
ant panels, and water-loop heat pumps. The descriptions are limited, but diagrams are provided
that may be helpful for the novice energy modeler looking for an introduction to these types of
systems. The chapter provides additional detail about the various types of boilers, including how
to calculate boiler horse power. The section on chillers describes the basics of absorption and
vapor-compression chillers. Cooling towers are only discussed briefly, with little detail. A few
energy-efficiency devices or systems are also briefly discussed, including boiler flue economiz-
ers, runaround coils, economizers, geoexchange systems, and thermal energy storage. Much of

Building Energy Modeling: An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

the content comes from examples or case studies of the systems in question. Air-handling equip-
ment is also present with limited detail, including a brief description of the different fan types.
Relevant Sections of Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings: Chapter sec-
tions 5.6, 9.6, 9.7, 9.8, 9.9, 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 10.5, 10.6
DCO Item(s):
II.D. Lighting Systems
Chapter 11 provides an in-depth description of lighting fundamentals. Although not
directly relevant to energy modeling, the concepts discussed provide a background for the
lighting design process discussed in Chapter 13.
Chapter 12 is focused on light sources, which is more directly relevant to energy model-
ing. The book describes the standard lamp types, including incandescent lamps, halogen
incandescents, fluorescent lamps, compact fluorescents, and high-intensity discharge lamps.
The primary characteristic of concern to the energy modeler is the efficacy of the lamp, which
is the light output divided by the power input. Table 12.1 provides typical efficacies for vari-
ous light sources. The efficacy is required in order to calculate the LPD in a building energy
model. Other concepts discussed for each lamp type include lamp life and lumen mainte-
nance, which is the depreciation of efficacy with time.
Chapter section 12.11 describes ballasts, which are required for all gaseous discharge
lamps to trigger the lamp with high ignition voltage and to control the amount of electric cur-

All rights reserved. No further reproduction or distribution is permitted. Distributed for ASHRAE by Thomson
rent for proper operation. The ballast has a significant impact on the overall power consump-
tion of a lighting fixture.
Chapter section 13.7 discusses the energy considerations of lighting systems. The book
covers various approaches to energy-efficient design, including energy-efficient luminaires,
thermally controlled luminaires, daylighting, and control strategies, among others. Figure 13.2
provides a reference for determining where heat produced by a lighting fixture is transferred,
depending on type and location. The building energy modeler must be familiar with this con-
cept to accurately estimate the impact of the lighting system on the HVAC load.
Chapter sections 15.18 to 15.33 provide additional detail about lighting design calcula-
tions, including the calculation of average illuminance, horizontal illuminance, the light loss
factor, and the zonal cavity method. The topics covered are beyond the scope of most building
energy modelers, except those who are directed to provide a detailed lighting design or feed-
back on one.
Relevant Sections of Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings: Chapters 11,
12; Chapter sections 13.7, 15.18–15.33
DCO Item(s):
II.E. Other Internal and Process Loads
II.F. District Energy Systems
Chapter sections 10.8 and 10.9 conceptually discuss district heating/cooling systems and
cogeneration systems. Section 10.8 focuses on high-temperature-water and chilled-water sys-
tems. Section 10.9 discusses several different types of cogeneration systems, including tur-
bines, reciprocating engines, and fuel cells. None are discussed in great detail.
Relevant Sections of Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings: Chapter sec-
tions 10.8, 10.9

Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings

DCO Item(s):
II.G. Renewable Energy Systems

Chapter 29 describes photovoltaic (PV) systems. The book provides detail about PV cells
and arrays as well as the configuration of various PV systems, including stand-alone systems
with energy storage and grid-tied systems. Battery technologies are also discussed with some
detail on different types of batteries, voltage requirements, life, and ratings. Simple, single-
line wiring diagrams are provided, which greatly assist in the understanding of these complex
systems. The book also addresses some economic considerations at a high level.
Finally, the book provides a step-by-step approach for the design of stand-alone and grid-
tied PV systems, including a discussion of the current codes and standards that apply to both
types of systems.

Relevant Sections of Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings: Chapter 29

DCO Item(s):
II.H. Controls

Chapter sections 15.13 to 15.17 address lighting control systems. The book discusses the
two basic types of control functions: switching and dimming. Switching lamps and fixtures off

All rights reserved. No further reproduction or distribution is permitted. Distributed for ASHRAE by Thomson
will provide discrete steps in light levels and power consumption with efficacy maintained at
full lamp output levels. Dimming provides a continuously variable light level at a variable
power input. Depending on the type of lamp, the efficacy will change as light levels are
reduced. Figure 15.22 shows a graph of typical part-load lumen output and power input for
various lamp types. The book describes the two types of control initiation—manual and auto-
matic. Automatic controls may consist of time scheduling or occupancy sensing. Finally, day-
light compensation is also discussed in this chapter.
Chapter section 21.5 discusses well water supply, including the types of pumps required
for water extraction. Section 21.6 discusses domestic hot-water (DHW) systems and equip-
ment. Temperature setpoint requirements for various uses are provided in Table 21.6. Water-
heating systems and equipment discussed include storage tank water heaters, circulating-
storage water heaters, tankless heaters, solar water-heating systems, and heat pump water
heaters. The chapter provides details about the selection and sizing of DHW systems. Table
21.10 provides an estimate of the water usage for various building types on a per person
basis. Chapter sections 21.9 and 21.10 discuss domestic water distribution systems, including
piping, valves, and controls. It is necessary to understand the domestic water system in order
to estimate the energy use associated with the pumping and DHW heating required.
Chapter sections 31.42 to 31.45 discuss the power and energy requirements for vertical
transportation systems. In detailed energy models, it is necessary to account for this power
demand and energy usage.

Relevant Sections of Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings: Chapter sec-
tions 15.13–15.17, 21.5, 21.6, 21.9, 21.10, 31.42–31.45

Appendix A—
BEMP Certification DCO

Effective Date: 12-1-2009

Items
Cognitive
Level

Application

Analysis
Building Energy Modeling Professional Examination

Recall

Totals
Detailed Content Outline'&2*
Open cells show an examination could include items from indicated cognitive levels.
Shaded cells prevent appearance of items on examinations.

I. ESTABLISHING THE MODELING SCOPE 3 7 7 17

A. Modeling Objectives 0 1 2 3

All rights reserved. No further reproduction or distribution is permitted. Distributed for ASHRAE by Thomson
1. Define the purpose of the modeling study
2. Interpret the design intent of the building project
3. Evaluate the completeness of the design and operation
information
4. Link required project deliverables to goals of the modeling study
B. Analysis Methodologies 2 3 3 8
1. Differentiate among calculation methods within available software
and tools e.g.,
a. time-neutral e.g.,
x bin method x degree day
b. time-sequencing e.g.,
x heat balance x thermal network
x weighting factor x parametric
2. Evaluate mathematical modeling methods for building
components e.g.,
x empirical x first-principle of thermodynamics
x regression
3. Translate a building project into an energy model
a. simplify building physics to a mathematical model
b. anticipate the impact of simplification and model deficiencies
C. Software and Tool Selection 1 2 1 4
1. Evaluate the appropriateness of the methodology by
characteristics of the project e.g.,
x project phase x climate
x building type
2. Select the optimal software and tools to meet output data needs
of the project e.g.,
x life-cycle cost analysis x individual component
x energy use and demand performance
© ASHRAE (www.ashrae.org). For personal use only.

Building Energy Modeling—An ASHRAE Certification Study Guide

Effective Date: 12-1-2009

Items
Cognitive
Level

Application

Analysis
Building Energy Modeling Professional Examination

Recall

Totals
Detailed Content Outline'&2*
Open cells show an examination could include items from indicated cognitive levels.
Shaded cells prevent appearance of items on examinations.

D. Project Scheduling and Budget Considerations 0 1 1 2

Totals
Detailed Content Outline'&2*
Open cells show an examination could include items from indicated cognitive levels.
Shaded cells prevent appearance of items on examinations.

E. Project Deliverable 1 1 1 3
1. Communicate results
2. Communicate methodology and assumptions on which results are
based
3. Submit documentation that affirms the accuracy and
completeness of results
4. Recommend actions
Totals 25 41 34 100

*
Each new test form will include two 15-item pretests (e.g., 1A, 1B).

The Reference for Current Building Energy

As interest in building sustainability has increased, so has interest in energy

All rights reserved. No further reproduction or distribution is permitted. Distributed for ASHRAE by Thomson Reu
Excerpts of the relevant publications are included in the study guide, along with
the program’s full detailed content outline (DCO), which is a blueprint for the
certification examination, and a DCO matrix that serves as a road map for identifying
the essential resources for ASHRAE’s BEMP certification program. It lays out in a
single table which sections of the resources are applicable to the different sections
of the examination. As much as possible, this study guide identifies the specific
areas on the program’s DCO that each reference helps support.

BEMP cover.indd 1 1/9/2012 2:14:57 PM

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