Energy Simulation and Design Assistance


Energy Simulation and Design Assistance TDG staff routinely collaborate with several strategic partners and highly experienced modellers to conduct energy analyses for building design and retrofit projects. We have very strong experience and expertise with DOE-2, Energy Plus, and related programs, and have assisted owners and design teams worldwide by performing energy and economic analyses. We have helped an electric utility in the US mid-west to design, test and implement the highly successful Energy Edge, a design assistance program that has been used on many buildings. Buildings we examine include private offices, government offices, banks, laboratories, hotels, event centers, extended care facilities, and exhibition halls.
Services TDG's routine design assistance services include: Defining energy and cost goals. Identifying building-specific energy problems and opportunities. Identifying alternative design strategies. Evaluating energy, environmental, and cost impacts of each strategy. Preparing clear, simple reports. We have also helped developers assess LEED impacts for their planned office building projects.
Visual Comfort and Thermal Comfort Analyses In addition to standard energy and economic analyses, we perform visual studies using Radiance for visual studies and for thermal comfort analyses, using either EnergyPlus or special functions with DOE-2.
Example Projects - USA
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Thermal Storage for DC Armory: Used DOE-2.1e to determine potential cost-effectiveness of thermal storage for the DC convention Center. For Setty Associates and GSA
Embarcadero Energy "Sketches," San Francisco, CA: Used DOE-2.1e to conduct exploratory energy and economic analyses of potential cost-effectiveness of window films and more efficient lighting systems for this mid-1970's era high-rise office building in downtown San Francisco. The objective of the study was to provide basic information to the facility manager. For PG&E, through ICF Consulting, and with George Loisis.
Aurora Event Center for the City of Grand Forks, ND: Used DOE2.1e to conduct a comparative analysis of a conventional heating/ cooling system with a ground source heat pump system for this 450,000 sq. ft. event center. With CTG, Inc. and The Davis Energy Group. For Schoen Associates, Grand Forks, ND.
Emeryville Civic Center, Emeryville, CA: Performed DOE-2.1E energy and economic analyses for this 17,000 sq. ft. expansion to the city hall. Identified building envelope energy measures with potential energy savings of 20% and reduced construction costs. With CTG, Inc., for Community Energy Services Corp.
Energy Resource Center, Southern California Gas: Performed DOE-2.1E energy analyses for energy demonstration and resource center with a 40% reduction from Title 24 requirements. With RBF & Assoc. for SCE & SCG.
H. Tubman Extended Care Facility, Minneapolis, MN: DOE-2 energy analyses for a 40,000 sq. ft. multipurpose building, resulting in over 40% energy reductions. With The Weidt Group, for Northern States Power.
Medtronic Office and Laboratory, Mpls, MN: Managed the design assistance effort for this 100,000 sq. ft. addition. The owner implemented strategies producing over 30% savings. With The Weidt Group and Herzog/ Wheeler Assoc., for NSP.
Energy Analysis of Demonstration Building for Pacific Gas & Electric's (PG&E's) ACT2 Program: Participated as member of one of five nationally recognized teams that develop concepts to radically improve the energy efficiency of an existing suburban office building. Identified energy strategies and performed the DOE-2.1D energy analyses for the team. With The ENSAR Group for PG&E.
Example Projects - Worldwide
USAID Caribbean Headquarters Building, Kingston, Jamaica: The project was the design of a new, very energy-efficient US AID Caribbean Regional Headquarters Building in Kingston Jamaica. The Jamaican architecture firm Marvin Goodman Assoc. designed the building, which received an architectural design award. Marvin Goodman Assoc., TDG, and RBF Assoc. applied for and received supplemental funding from US DOE FEMP to conduct an energy analysis of the building design during the design process. TDG developed the DOE-2 model, identified the energy efficiency measures to be considered, conducted the energy analysis using for this 20,000 sq. ft. office building using the DOE-2.1E energy simulation program, and assisted RBF Assoc. in conducting the economic (LCC) analyses. Based upon the analysis, USDOE FEMP provided incremental funding to enable the project to install the energy measures that were identified as cost-effective. These energy measures resulted in an energy savings of 40% from the requirements of the 1994 Jamaican energy efficiency commercial building code.
ScotiaBank Building, Falmouth, Jamaica: The project was the design of a 8,000 sq. ft. branch bank in a small city in Jamaica. The branch bank was one of over 60 ScotiaBank branches in the Caribbean. A strong design objective was the use of daylighting to improve visual quality and to reduce lighting energy use, and associeted cooling energy from caused by heat from the lights. The Jamaican architecture firm Marvin Goodman Assoc. designed the building, and TDG performed DOE-2.1D energy analyses. For Marvin Goodman Assoc. and ScotiaBank.
PLN Pusat Headquarters Building, Jakarta, Indonesia: PLN, the electric utility on Java, was designing and constructing a new 15 story headquarters office building in Jakarta. PLN was interested in producing an energy efficient showcase building, and The World Bank provided energy design expertise from the US to assist PLN in identifying potential energy saving measures. TDG participated in an energy design assistance analysis, along with ERG and RBF Associates. The design assistance team visited the site, reviewed the plans and specifications, and interviewed key managers at PLN. TDG developed a DOE-2 model of the base case building as designed by the Indonesian architecture/engineering firms. The design assistance team identified a number of potential energy efficiency measures that could be applied to the building. These included - new glazing options, external shading, daylighting controls, improved lighting systems, and a change in the type and efficiency of the HVAC system. TDG modified the DOE-2 inputs to reflect the new energy measures. The DOE-2.1D energy simulations for the 15-story building, with accompanying economic analysis, showed that a potential annual energy savings of 40% was achievable at PLN’s marginal cost of electricity. Because the design assistance effort was accomplished late in the building’s design process, only half of the potential energy savings could be achieved. The design assistance team also presented an energy efficiency workshop to senior PLN managers. With ERG, Inc. and RBF Associates, for World Bank.
Caesar's Rose Hall Hotel, Montego Bay, Jamaica: Performed DOE-2.1D energy analyses and examined architectural strategies for this 350,000 sq. ft. resort hotel. For RBF Associates and Marvin Goodman Assoc.
Last edited 24 Nov 04