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Horowitz, Scott

Publications and source records attributed to Horowitz, Scott.

17 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

OpenStudio® HPXML workflow [SWR-25-13]

OpenStudio-HPXML allows running residential EnergyPlus™ simulations using an HPXML file for the building description. It is intended to be used by user interfaces or other automated software workflows that automatically produce the HPXML file. OpenStudio-HPXML can accommodate a wide range of different building technologies and geometries. End-to-end simulations typically run in 3-10 seconds, depending on complexity, computer platform and speed, etc. For more information on running simulations, generating HPXML files with the appropriate inputs to run EnergyPlus, etc., please visit the documentation linked below. https://openstudio-hpxml.readthedocs.io/en/latest

Horowitz, Scott↗
DOE OSTI2024

ComStock™ 2024 Release 1 [SWR-19-33 and SWR-20-32]

ComStock™ is an NREL model of the U.S. commercial building stock. The model takes some building characteristics from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Commercial Prototype Building Models and Commercial Reference Building. However, unlike many other building stock models, ComStock also combines these with a variety of additional public- and private-sector data sets. Collectively, this information provides high-fidelity building stock representation with a realistic diversity of building characteristics. This repository contains the source code used to build and execute ComStock models, including upgrade scenarios. In addition, the sampling of buildings characteristics used for the initial ComStock (V1.0) release is provided. The ComStock model is under active calibration and development, which is publicly visible on this repository. Execution of the ComStock workflow is managed through the buildstockbatch repository, a shared asset of ResStock™ and ComStock™ , specifically developed to scale to execution of tens of millions of simulations through multiple infrastructure providers. The dataset output from the initial ComStock (V1.0) release can be found at the accompanying ComStock data viewer website and additional information about ComStock found on the NREL Buildings Website. For more details about ongoing model development please consult the End Use Load Profiles website. ComStock is a direct result of the NREL residential stock modeling tool ResStock™ (recipient of a R&D100 award) and was inspired by the high-fidelity solar & storage adoption model dGen™. Additionally, this tool would not be possible without the decades of work undertaken by the OpenStudio® and EnergyPlus® visionaries and contributors, significant funding, feedback and support from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and the Department of Energy's Building Technology Office ongoing support of and investment in building energy modeling software. is an analytic methodology for modeling the energy usage of the commercial building stock within the United States of America. The commercial building stock is represented through a sampling of complex probabilistic distributions of various features of interest for modeling energy usage within commercial buildings. Each sample from these distributions is converted into a building energy model based on the features of that specific sample. Each building energy model can be simulated as is, but additional changes can be made to the model through addition of energy conservation measures, component faults, or other desired alterations. The results of the simulations are then processed to provide insights for various stakeholders, including but not limited to policy makers, engineers, and marketers.

Horsey, Henry↗
DOE OSTI2024

The role of above-code labeling programs in reducing CO 2 e emissions in residential buildings

Residential buildings account for 15 % of total U.S. carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions. Voluntary, above-code labeling programs, such as the ENERGY STAR and Zero Energy Ready Home programs, can play a crucial role in reducing the carbon footprint of the new construction residential building sector by encouraging adoption of more energy-efficient and lower emissions building practices and technologies. It's important for the industry to understand the carbon dioxide equivalent (CO 2 e) and energy cost savings potential of these programs. Here, to estimate the potential CO 2 e emissions savings for homes built to above-code labeling program levels, it is imperative to have reliable and accurate tools for estimating emissions from buildings. The open-source OpenStudio-ERI workflow employs detailed physics-based building energy modeling (BEM) to estimate energy usage and operational CO 2 e emissions. In this study we use the OpenStudio-ERI workflow and regional, time-varying emissions factors from the Cambium database to compare the CO 2 e emissions and energy costs of homes built to performance levels required by these above-code labeling programs relative to homes built to model energy codes. We present the results of our analysis and provide a range of emissions and annual energy cost savings for the above-code labeling programs.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2023

ResStock™ v3.2.0 [SWR-19-15 and SWR-20-07]

The ResStock™ analysis tool was built on NREL's OpenStudio® platform, and is a project geared at modeling existing residential building stocks at national, regional, or local scales with a high-degree of granularity (e.g., one physics-based simulation model for every 200 dwelling units), using the EnergyPlus® simulation engine. Information about ComStock™, a sister tool for modeling the commercial building stock, can be found here: https://www.nrel.gov/buildings/comstock.html This repository contains: Housing characteristics of the U.S. residential building stock, in the form of conditional probability distributions stored as tab-separated value (.tsv) files. Comments at the bottom of each file document data sources and assumptions for each. A library of housing characteristic "options" that translate high-level characteristic parameters into arguments for OpenStudio measures, and which are referenced by the housing characteristic .tsv files and building energy upgrades defined in project definition files Project definition files: v2.3.0 and later: buildstockbatch YML files openable in any text editor v2.2.5 and prior: Project folder openable in PAT Unit-level OpenStudio Measures for automatically constructing OpenStudio Models of each representative dwelling unit model: v3.0.0 and later: OpenStudio-HPXML Measures v2.5.0 and prior: OpenStudio Measures Higher-level OpenStudio Measures for controlling simulation inputs and outputs This repository does not contain software for running ResStock simulations, which can be found as follows: Versions 2.3.0 and later only support the use of buildstockbatch for deploying simulations on high-performance or cloud computing. Version 2.3.0 also removed separate projects for single-family detached and multifamily buildings, in lieu of a combined project_national representing the U.S. residential building stock. See the changelog for more details. Versions 2.2.5 and prior support the use of the publicly available OpenStudio-PAT software as an interface for deploying simulations on cloud computing. Read the documentation for v2.2.5.

Horowitz, Scott↗
DOE OSTI2023

OpenStudio®-ERI (Energy Rating Index (ERI) Workflow) [SWR-18-72] 1.7.0 Released 12/14/2023

The OpenStudio®-ERI project allows calculating an Energy Rating Index (ERI) using the Department of Energy's open-source OpenStudio®/EnergyPlus® simulation platform. The building description is provided in an HPXML file format. The project supports: - ANSI/RESNET/ICC 301© Standard for the Calculation and Labeling of the Energy Performance of Dwelling and Sleeping Units using an Energy Rating Index - ENERGY STAR Certification System for Homes and Apartments Using an ERI Compliance Path - IECC ERI Compliance Alternative (Section R406) - DOE ZERH Certification Using an ERI Compliance Path For more information on running simulations, generating HPXML files, etc., please visit the documentation at https://openstudio-eri.readthedocs.io/en/latest/

Horowitz, Scott↗
DOE OSTI2023

EnergyPlus™ v.23.2.0 2023 [SWR-17-23]

EnergyPlus™ is a whole building energy simulation program that engineers, architects, and researchers use to model both energy consumption and water use in buildings. This is the EnergyPlus Development Repository. The Department of Energy maintains a public website for EnergyPlus where you can find much more information about the program. https://energyplus.net/ For detailed developer information, consult the wiki. https://github.com/NREL/EnergyPlus/wiki Many users (and developers) of EnergyPlus are active on Unmet Hours, so that's a great place to start if you have a question about EnergyPlus or building simulation. https://unmethours.com/questions/ For more in-depth, developer-driven support, please utilize the EnergyPlus Helpdesk. https://energyplushelp.freshdesk.com/support/home

Woods, Jason↗
DOE OSTI2023

BEopt™ (Building Energy Optimization Tool) version 3.0.1 3/16/2023 [SWR-05-41]

The BEopt™ (Building Energy Optimization Tool) software provides capabilities to evaluate residential building designs and identify cost-optimal efficiency packages at various levels of whole-house energy savings along the path to zero net energy. The BEopt software can be used to analyze both new construction and existing home retrofits, as well as single-family detached and multi-family buildings, through evaluation of single building designs, parametric sweeps, and cost-based optimizations. The BEopt software provides detailed simulation-based analysis based on specific house characteristics, such as size, architecture, occupancy, vintage, location, and utility rates. Discrete envelope and equipment options, reflecting realistic construction materials and practices, are evaluated. The BEopt software uses EnergyPlus®, the Department of Energy's flagship simulation engine. Simulation assumptions are based on ANSI/RESNET/ICC Standards and the Building America Housing Simulation Protocols. The sequential search optimization technique used by the BEopt software: Finds minimum-cost building designs at different target energy-savings levels Identifies multiple near-optimal designs along the path, allowing for equivalent solutions based on builder or contractor preference. Download A BEopt™ Version 3.0.1 Beta release (Mar. 16, 2023) is now available. Download the BEopt 3.0.1 Beta setup file.

Christensen, Craig↗
DOE OSTI2022

Heating and Cooling Energy Modeling of 3D-Printed Concrete Construction of Residential Buildings [Slides]

3D printed concrete construction (C3DP) is an emerging technology that comes with the associated benefits of high thermal mass walls. We investigated using BEopt software the heating and cooling energy use of a single story C3DP-constructed house. We then compared the heating/cooling energy use of the C3DP house against the corresponding energy use in a traditional timber (wood) frame construction (WFC), as well as a concrete masonry unit (CMU) construction. Both peak energy use for heating and cooling (Btu), as well as base energy use for both heating and cooling (MMBtu/yr) of the C3DP design were compared against the WFC and CMU baseline construction of identical geometries and orientations across all eight climate zones defined in the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). The BEopt models for all three constructions (C3DP, WFC, and CMU) were built to comply with the 2018 IECC code. Results indicate that C3DP construction has significant heating and cooling energy benefits in certain climate zones, with the highest peak cooling energy savings (9% compared to WFC, and 5% compared to CMU) in the IECC Climate Zone 1 in the month of July. The peak heating and cooling energy demand reduction of C3DP were found to be more significant than the base heating and cooling energy demand in all IECC climate zones. The 2018 IECC compliance-related U-Factor adjustments of all models also resulted in more peak energy savings of the C3DP design in the cooling-dominated climate zones (climate zones 1 and 2), moderate energy savings in moderate climate zones (climate zones 3, 4, and 6), and little to no change in energy savings in very cold climates (climate zones 7 and 8).

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2022

End-Use Load Profiles for the U.S. Building Stock: Methodology and Results of Model Calibration, Validation, and Uncertainty Quantification

The United States is embarking on an ambitious transition to a 100% clean energy economy by 2050, which will require improving the flexibility of electric grids. One way to achieve grid flexibility is to shed or shift demand to align with changing grid needs. To facilitate this, it is critical to understand how and when energy is used. High- quality end-use load profiles (EULPs) provide this information, and can help cities, states, and utilities understand the time-sensitive value of energy efficiency, demand response, and distributed energy resources. Publicly available EULPs have traditionally had limited application because of age and incomplete geographic representation (Frick, Eckman, and Goldman 2017; Frick 2019). To help fill this gap, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funded a three-year project - End-Use Load Profiles for the U.S. Building Stock - that culminated in the release of a publicly available dataset1 of simulated EULPs representing residential and commercial buildings across the contiguous United States. The motivation for this work is further detailed in a November 2019 report: Market Needs, Use Cases, and Data Gaps (Mims Frick et al. 2019). This Methodology and Results report provides detailed descriptions of how the dataset was developed, intended for an audience of dataset and model users interested in the technical details. These details include descriptions of all of the model improvements made for calibration and the final comparisons to empirical data sources. A companion report, End-Use Load Profiles for the U.S. Building Stock: Applications and Opportunities, will be published subsequently and will describe example applications and considerations for using the dataset, intended for an audience of general dataset users.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
DOE OSTI2022

HPXML Version Translator

HPXML is a consensus data transfer standard for residential buildings. Over several years, multiple versions of the standard have been released. This tool accepts an HPXML file in an older version and translates it to a newer version.

Merket, Noel↗
DOE OSTI2021

End-Use Load Profiles for the U.S. Building Stock

The United States is embarking on an ambitious transition to a 100% clean energy economy by 2050, which will require improving the flexibility of electric grids. One way to achieve grid flexibility is to shed or shift demand to align with changing grid needs. To facilitate this, it is critical to understand how and when energy is used. High quality end-use load profiles (EULPs) provide this information, and can help cities, states, and utilities understand the time-sensitive value of energy efficiency, demand response, and distributed energy resources. Publicly available EULPs have traditionally had limited application because of age and incomplete geographic representation. To help fill this gap, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funded a three-year project, End-Use Load Profiles for the U.S. Building Stock, that culminated in this publicly available dataset of calibrated and validated 15-minute resolution load profiles for all major residential and commercial building types and end uses, across all climate regions in the United States. These EULPs were created by calibrating the ResStock and ComStock physics-based building stock models using many different measured datasets, as described in the "Technical Report Documenting Methodology" linked in the submission.

Array↗
DOE OSTI2021

The Los Angeles 100% Renewable Energy Study (LA100): Chapter 3. Electricity Demand Projections

The City of Los Angeles has set ambitious goals to transform its electricity supply, aiming to achieve a 100% renewable energy power system by 2045, along with aggressive electrification targets for buildings and vehicles. To reach these goals, and assess the implications for jobs, electricity rates, the environment, and environmental justice, the Los Angeles City Council passed a series of motions directing the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to determine the technical feasibility and investment pathways of a 100% renewable energy portfolio standard. The Los Angeles 100% Renewable Energy Study (LA100) is a first-of-its-kind objective, rigorous, and science-based power systems analysis to determine what investments could be made to achieve these goals. The LA100 final report is presented as a collection of 12 chapters and an executive summary, each of which is available as an individual download. This chapter explores how electricity is consumed by customers now, how that might change through 2045, and potential opportunities to better align electricity demand and supply.

100% Renewable↗
DOE OSTI2020

ComStock™ [SWR-19-33 and SWR-20-32]

ComStock™ is an analytic methodology for modeling the energy usage of the commercial building stock within the United States of America. The commercial building stock is represented through a sampling of complex probabilistic distributions of various features of interest for modeling energy usage within commercial buildings. Each sample from these distributions is converted into a building energy model based on the features of that specific sample. Each building energy model can be simulated as is, but additional changes can be made to the model through addition of energy conservation measures, component faults, or other desired alterations. The results of the simulations are then processed to provide insights for various stakeholders, including but not limited to policy makers, engineers, and marketers.

Horsey, Henry↗
DOE OSTI2019

ResStock™ [SWR-19-15 and SWR-20-07]

The ResStock™ analysis tool is helping states, municipalities, utilities, and manufacturers identify which home improvements save the most energy and money.With support from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), researchers at NREL developed ResStock. It's a versatile tool that takes a new approach to large-scale residential energy analysis by combining: - Large public and private data sources - Statistical sampling - Detailed subhourly building simulations - High-performance computing. - This combination achieves unprecedented granularity and most importantly—accuracy—in modeling the diversity of the single-family housing stock.

Horowitz, Scott↗
DOE OSTI2019

OpenStudio® Energy Rating Index (ERI) Workflow (SWR-18-72)

The OpenStudio®-ERI project allows calculating an Energy Rating Index (ERI) using the Department of Energy's open-source OpenStudio®/EnergyPlus® simulation platform. The building description is provided in an HPXML file format. The project supports: - ANSI/RESNET/ICC 301© Standard for the Calculation and Labeling of the Energy Performance of Dwelling and Sleeping Units using an Energy Rating Index - ENERGY STAR Certification System for Homes and Apartments Using an ERI Compliance Path - IECC ERI Compliance Alternative (Section R406) - DOE ZERH Certification Using an ERI Compliance Path For more information on running simulations, generating HPXML files, etc., please visit the documentation at https://openstudio-eri.readthedocs.io/en/latest/

Horowitz, Scott↗