Methodology to assess “no-touch” building audit software using simulated utility data

Cheung, Howard; Langner, M. Rois; Braun, James E.

doi:10.1080/23744731.2020.1732160

Title: Methodology to assess “no-touch” building audit software using simulated utility data

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Abstract

Building audits are conducted in many commercial buildings to identify opportunities to reduce energy costs and improve building operation. Because audits require significant effort by building engineers, they are usually only affordable for larger commercial buildings. “No-touch” building audit tools have thus been developed to identify potential savings based on a simplified analysis of building energy consumption patterns via high-level energy data such as monthly utility bills. This paper presents a comprehensive and standardized methodology to evaluate the accuracy of no-touch audit tools in detecting and diagnosing building energy problems and quantifying potential energy savings. The test suite is based on output data from a well-characterized set of building energy models, and the methodology is illustrated by applying it to a representative no-touch building audit tool. Results show that the tool estimates building energy end uses with reasonable accuracy but is less accurate in identifying probably causes of high energy.

Authors:

^[1];

^[2]; Braun, James E. ^[3]

Carbon Exchange Limited, Shatin (Hong Kong)
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States)

Publication Date:: 2020-03-05

Research Org.:: National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

OSTI Identifier:: 1659941

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5500-77150
Journal ID: ISSN 2374-4731; MainId:26096;UUID:811c4fa5-c0f6-4262-b768-eaa81108e33f;MainAdminID:13669

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Science and Technology for the Built Environment

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 26; Journal Issue: 7; Journal ID: ISSN 2374-4731

Publisher:: Taylor & Francis

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION; building energy; building energy consumption; building energy model; building engineers; building operations; commercial building; reasonable accuracy; simplified analysis

Citation Formats


                    Cheung, Howard, Langner, M. Rois, and Braun, James E.. Methodology to assess “no-touch” building audit software using simulated utility data.  United States: N. p., 2020. 
Web.  doi:10.1080/23744731.2020.1732160.

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                    Cheung, Howard, Langner, M. Rois, & Braun, James E.. Methodology to assess “no-touch” building audit software using simulated utility data.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1080/23744731.2020.1732160

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                    Cheung, Howard, Langner, M. Rois, and Braun, James E.. Thu .  
"Methodology to assess “no-touch” building audit software using simulated utility data".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1080/23744731.2020.1732160.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1659941.

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@article{osti_1659941,

  title        = {Methodology to assess “no-touch” building audit software using simulated utility data},

  author       = {Cheung, Howard and Langner, M. Rois and Braun, James E.},

  abstractNote = {Building audits are conducted in many commercial buildings to identify opportunities to reduce energy costs and improve building operation. Because audits require significant effort by building engineers, they are usually only affordable for larger commercial buildings. “No-touch” building audit tools have thus been developed to identify potential savings based on a simplified analysis of building energy consumption patterns via high-level energy data such as monthly utility bills. This paper presents a comprehensive and standardized methodology to evaluate the accuracy of no-touch audit tools in detecting and diagnosing building energy problems and quantifying potential energy savings. The test suite is based on output data from a well-characterized set of building energy models, and the methodology is illustrated by applying it to a representative no-touch building audit tool. Results show that the tool estimates building energy end uses with reasonable accuracy but is less accurate in identifying probably causes of high energy.},

  doi          = {10.1080/23744731.2020.1732160},

  journal      = {Science and Technology for the Built Environment},

  number       = 7,

  volume       = 26,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2020},

  month        = {3}

}

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Methodology to Assess No Touch Audit Software Using Simulated Building Utility Data

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