Simulation Modules
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Zone Geometry
Define Building Shape and Zoning
Define Zone Internal Loads
Import Weather and Metered Data
Import Annual Weather
Upload Monthly Billing Data
Upload Interval Metered Data
Building Details
Enter Building Details
Define Building Schedules
Equipment Modeling: Heating Plant
Define Heating Plant
Hot Water Loop Parameters
Equipment Modeling: Cooling Plant
Chiller Details
Chilled Water Loop Parameters
Define AHU
Specify AHU components
Zone Details
Specify Zone Equipment and Control
Calibrate Model
Calibrate Model
Re-tuning Dashboard
Re-tuning Dashboard
Trends and Visualization
Trends and Visualization
Emissions and Savings Impacts
Trends and Visualization
Trends and Visualization / Trends and Visualization
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Resources

Inputs Needed

  • No new data inputs are needed

Outputs

  • This step exists for the user to visualize the impact from re-tuning, and does not have a specific output.

Overview

This module allows the user to perform an in-depth evaluation of each measure, in order to better understand how the measure impacts the building and to troubleshoot any unexpected results by understanding the underlying behavior of sensors and actuator. This module serves as a virtual building automation system, allowing for the creation of various trend data plots and aggregated profiles of energy consumption, flow rates, temperatures, dampers, valves, etc.

In-Depth

Trend Summary Plotting Tool: This tool aggregates the simulated data from almost any data point, including individual sensors, actuators, fans, pumps, chillers, boilers, and energy meters. The user can define the X-axis (independent variable) for aggregation. There are four choices:

  • Time-of-Day: This is a classic trend plot or load profile. Data will be aggregated according to the hour of day
  • Outdoor Air Temperature: This is a temperature bin analysis plot that aggregates data according to bins of similar outdoor air temperature.
  • AHU Main/Cold Deck: Supply Air Temperature: This bins data according to the main (or cold deck) supply air temperature. This particular choice of x-value is useful for evaluating supply air
    • temperature reset measures, which are often challenging to optimize
  • AHU Outdoor air fraction: This choice of x-value bins the data according to the outdoor air fraction. This is useful for evaluating economizer operation.

    • The next step is to choose one or a set of variables to plot. Choices include:

    • Node temperatures in the AHU, plant and zones
    • Setpoints
    • Heat recovery wheel speed
    • Airflow rates
    • Hot water, chilled water and condenser loop water flow rates
    • Hot water and chilled water loop differential pressure
    • CO2 concentrations
    • Coil load or power consumption
    • Fan, pump, and chiller power consumption
    • Building pressure
    • Infiltration rate
    • Calculated average zone heating and cooling demand
    • Maximum and average zone damper
    • Zone-by-zone damper command
    • Hot water and chilled water valve commands
    • Boiler and chiller part load ratio
    • Number of running boilers, chillers, and pumps
    • Building electricity, natural gas and steam

    Each plotted data point can be assigned to either the baseline simulation or to the current measure. A common strategy would be to pick the same variable and plot it both for the baseline and for the measure.

    Finally, there are three types of filters that can be applied to each data series to select only key slices of the baseline data. These filters are

    • Day of Week: choices include Weekdays, Saturday, Sunday, Weekend, or Any day
    • Season: choices include Summer, Winter, Shoulder or Any season
    • HVAC Schedule: choices include Occupied, Unoccupied, and Any Schedule