Innovative Building Energy Rating Delivery Models - BuildingSync, gbXML, and Building EQ

The BTO wishes to expand the number of third-party software tools that can import data from DOE’s Asset Score Audit Template (https://buildingenergyscore.energy.gov/ )and the accompanying data format that it supports: BuildingSync XML (https://buildingsync.net/ ). Currently, the number of software tools that import Asset Score data and BuildingSync is limited. The whole purpose of Asset Score Audit Template is to store energy efficiency data about a commercial building. However, this data is useless if it cannot easily be consumed by other related software tools that can perform building energy benchmark tests, building energy modeling, and other types of building analysis. The term used to describe how one software tool communicates with another is: interoperability. Unfortunately, developing interoperability integration tools in existing building analysis software is a tedious and time- consuming process. Therefore, it discourages software developers from creating functionality such as those that import BuildingSync. For Phase I of this project in response to DE-FOA-0002146, we propose developing a web-based software tool that will completely streamline the flow of information from Asset Score Audit Template into third-party software tools, so that all the user has to do is press one button on the producing or consuming software tool, and the software will perform quick data checks and validation and then seamlessly transfer data to the consuming tool, thereby eliminatingthe user having to manual enter the data. Phase I will focus solely on the workflow from Asset Score to one existing energy benchmarking software tool. Once it is proven that this workflow can be streamlined, future phases will focus on other software tools. Phase I will also focus on making it easier for a third-party software developer to program BuildingSync import functionality into their building analysis software tool. The benefits of the web-based software are: Help software developers more easily develop BuildingSync import functionality so that Asset Score data can be used by a wide variety of third-party software tools. Encourage energy modelers and architects to use more energy design software so they can more easily design energy efficient buildings. Reduce building owners’ utility costs over the lifetime of the building due to architects and engineers designing more energy efficient buildings with proper building analysis software. Reduce total energy usage in the U.S. by 8.0 x 10^8 kWh/yr within 5 years.