SuperCharging Standardized Asset Data with EnergyPlus

The standardized data associated with asset scores (Home Energy Score and Building Energy Asset Score) can be enhanced and used for other transactions, such as a whole building improvement incentive, or a load calculation. The reverse is also true, standardized building energy asset data collected for a load calculation or a utility incentive can be used to generate an asset score for a building, often after an improvement. However, these additional uses cases for calculation resulting from standardized asset data require credentialing of the calculations, an expensive state-by-state process. DOE and the National Labs have developed OpenStudio based methods that consume standardized data (hpXML and BuildingSync) and build energy models in EnergyPlus. These open source automated methods are extensible as is the structured asset score data. This project will adapt these methods to support use cases that will produce more asset scores, add value to asset score data, and reduce the transaction cost of energy efficiency improvements. The open source, transparent, standardized simulation methods used will reduce the cost of obtaining current and future regulatory credentialing for use in incentives and code compliance allowing products to introduced that use those methods. Phase 1 will enhance the existing residential OpenStudio to EnergyPlus methods to support the use cases and will establish data collection and works flows to support field testing in two states. Field test data, in combination with existing data from operating programs, and published DOE simulation validation test results, will be used to submit for credentialing in the two states, for three use cases, two whole house improvement programs and a simplified load calculation for code compliance. Phase 2 will enhance the scalability of the methods, develop methods for more complex energy efficiency measures such as controls and storage, and develop and field test methods for using BuildingSync data from the Building Energy Asset Score and Audit Template to obtain utility incentives for complex improvements such as VRF systems and whole building retrofit. Asset scores enhance the real estate value of energy efficiency improvements. This project will reduce the cost of obtaining an asset score and more significantly reduce the cost of getting an incentivized retrofit for a building owner with an asset score. The project will also increase the availability of asset scores from other events such as a load calculation or a whole house retrofit. The methods will also overcome cost and technology barriers to obtaining utility incentives for whole building packages of energy efficiency improvements including grid-interactive improvements. These barriers are interfering with the ability of whole building and complex measure energy efficiency to be strong contributor to strategic electrification initiatives. The resulting product will be targeted to energy efficiency program administrators and program implementors. The underlying methods will by regulatory necessity be transparent and published.