EZ Sim
Quick spreadsheet tool equivalent to sophisticated engineering analysis. EZ Sim lets you use utility bills to calibrate a simulation of a commercial facility in an interactive graphic window. Once it matches your bills, the simulation model can provide reliable estimates of potential conservation savings. The calibration process reveals how energy is used within the facility, helping diagnose why there is excessive consumption or poorly functioning building components. Potential users can review case study examples on the web site. Model also provides precision and confidence limits of savings estimates consistent with IPMVP performance verification protocol.
Use utility bills to reveal the patterns of use in your facility:
- Diagnose energy patterns and consumption.
- Calibrate savings estimates to agree with your actual usage.
- Estimate energy end-uses within the facility.
- Verify vendor claims for energy products and services. Generate performance targets and compare against your utility bills./ul>
Keywords
energy accounting, utility bills, calibration, retrofit, simulation
Validation/Testing
N/A
Expertise Required
Basic knowledge, users should know about lighting density, U value, and types of HVAC.
Users
To date about 90 users in Pacific NW, supported by Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance.
Audience
Facility managers, resource conservation managers, utility reps, and ESCOs.
Input
Minimal building description (floor area, type of business, type of heating/cooling). Monthly utility bills. Can be cut-and-pasted from other applications. Weather files using mean daily temperature as proxy for all other weather variables. Can be easily updated to actual local weather. Website provides current local weather files for 250 US locations. Default building parameter values based on type of facility, but can be easily changed or updated by entry into spreadsheet windows.
Output
Primarily spreadsheet tables and graphs, several preformatted reports but all can be cut-and-paste into other applications.
Computer Platform
PC or Mac.
Programming Language
Excel 97and Excel 2000
Strengths
Simulation is easily tuned to match actual bills, provides performance targets to compare against post-retrofit bills--a low-cost commissioning tool. Provides precision of savings estimate (error bands) for IPMVP protocols.
Weaknesses
Simplified model, assumes one heating or cooling plant. Difficult to use when there are multiple plants.
Contact
Company: |
Stellar Processes, Inc. |
Address: |
Suite 405 |
Telephone: |
(503) 827-8336 |
E-mail: |
|
Website: |
Availability
$199 for standard version, $299 for multiple-fuels version. weather files $24 each or by annual subscription.