Buildings

ASEAM (A Simplified Energy Analysis Method), Version 5.0
Phone:(800) 363-3732
Website: http://www.eere.energy.gov/femp/resources.html
Description: a public domain computer program to calculate the energy consumption of proposed and existing buildings. ASEAM 5.0 uses the modified bin methodology to calculate energy consumed by the building's heating, cooling, lighting, (HVAC) and other energy consumption of buildings, for both new construction and retrofit applications.

It can calculate the predicted results of energy cost reduction measures and review energy code compliance. ASEAM 5.0 performs calculations in three segments: loads, systems, and plant. [FEMP no longer provides tech-support for this software.]

Building Energy Tools Directory
Website: http://www.eere.energy.gov/
Description: Information on 135 software tools-from research grade software to commercial products with thousands of users--including where you can get them. The common thread: energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainability in buildings.

Building for Environmental & Economic Sustainability (BEES)
Developer: National Institute of Standards and Technology Green Buildings Program (NIST)
Website: http://www.bfrl.nist.gov/
Email: ppic@epamail.epa.gov
Description: BEES is a Windows TM -based software program aimed at designers, builders, and product manufacturers. It provides a way to balance the environmental and economic performance of building products. BEES measures the environmental performance of building products by using an environmental life-cycle assessment approach specified in the latest versions of ISO 14000 draft standards.

The BEES methodology is being refined and expanded over the next three years under sponsorship of the EPA's Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program.

Building Life-Cycle Cost (BLCC)
Phone: (800) 363-3732
Website: http://www.eere.energy.gov/femp/resources.html
Description: Computer program version 4.61 provides an economic analysis of proposed capital investments expected to reduce long-term operating costs of buildings or building systems. BLCC complies with American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) standards related to building economics and NIST Handbook 135, Life-Cycle Costing Manual for the Federal Energy Management Program.

BLCC is the main program in a set of five NIST computer programs providing computational support for the analysis of capital investments in buildings.

The other four programs that can be used with BLCC are Quick BLCC 2.5, DISCOUNT 3.7, EMISS 1.0, and ERATES 1.11, Energy Price Indices and Discount Factors is an accompanying publication for these programs.

The Quick BLCC program provides a convenient method of setting up and solving relatively simple life-cycle costing (LCC) problems that require determining the design alternative with the lowest LCC for two or more mutually exclusive alternatives.

EMISS 1.00 Manual
Phone: (800) 363-3732
Website: http://www.eere.energy.gov/femp/resources.html
Description: A special-purpose computer program for use in generating data files with location specific emissions factors for CO2, SO2, and NOX-related energy use in buildings.

Emission factors are generated for electricity, distillate, and residual fuel oils, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, and coal.

The resulting data files can be accessed by BLCC to calculate reductions in air pollution emissions attributable to energy conservation investments on buildings and building systems.

ERATES (Electricity Rates), Version 1.11
Phone: (800) 363-3732
Website: http://www.eere.energy.gov/femp/resources.html
Description: a computer program for calculating monthly and annual electricity costs for a facility building, or system under a variety of electric utility schedules.

Both kWh usage and maximum kW demand charges can be included. ERATES block-rate and demand-rate schedules can be imported to BLCC 4.21 for use in computing life-cycle costing of buildings and building systems.

Energy 10 - A Design Tool for Smaller Buildings
Developer: Industry-government collaboration between the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the Berkeley Solar Group and the Passive Solar Industries Council (PSIC)
Phone: (202) 628-7400
Website: http://www.sbicouncil.org/
Email: SBIC@SBICouncil.org
Description: ENERGY-10 software keeps the evaluation of energy performance simple so that it becomes feasible to painlessly incorporate these calculations into the design process of a small building.

The program integrates day-lighting, passive solar heating, and low-energy cooling strategies with energy-efficient envelope design, and mechanical equipment, allowing detailed simulation and performance analysis.

It is designed to evaluate energy-efficient features in the very early stages of the architectural design process. Ideal building types include schools, libraries, offices, and residential buildings less than 10,000 square feet.

Federal Energy Management Program Publications
Developer: Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP)
Phone: (800) 363 3732
Website: http://www.eere.energy.gov/femp/resources.html
Description: FEMP offers a variety of newsletters, technology alerts and case studies. Information is included on reducing energy consumption in federal facilities, but the information is also useful to a far wider audience. FEMP also produces detailed case studies of completed projects, highlighting the successes of using energy efficiency and renewable energy conservation measures.

Federal Lighting Guide
Phone: (800) 363-3732
Website: http://www.eere.energy.gov/femp/resources.html
Description: The Federal Lighting Guide contains information on how to implement lighting improvement projects at Federal facilities, and provides references to specific information. Rather than attempting to answer technical questions in great depth, the guide is a "one-stop-shopping" resource that directs building and energy managers to a broad range of lighting topics. A copy of the guide can be ordered and downloaded from the FEMP website.

FLEX Version 3.0
Phone: (800) 363-3732
Website: http://www.eere.energy.gov/femp/resources.html
Description: The Federal Lighting Energy Expert (FLEX) uses a complete lighting characterization tool to survey buildings. It can be applied to anything from a single room to multi-building complexes. The most typical use is for single building.

FLEX's expert system assists users in analyzing re-lighting projects. First, FLEX contains a screening expert to make sure users have not forgotten important inputs. Second, FLEX will optionally generate and analyze re-lighting cases. A feature called Quick Inputs automates much of the lighting characterization process.

FRESA Version 2.0
Phone: (800) 363-3732
Website: http://www.eere.energy.gov/femp/resources.html
Description: The Federal Renewable Energy Screening Assistant (FRESA) allows energy auditors to quickly evaluate renewable energy opportunities and energy systems options for possible inclusion in a facility's energy program. The program is a supplement to the energy and water conservation audits. It flags renewable energy opportunities by facilitating evaluation and ranking.

Green Building Advisor
Developer: Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology (CREST), Environmental Building News, and Design Harmony, Inc. Website: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/index.html
Phone: (510) 588-5600
Description: A software program that helps identify actions to reduce the environmental impacts of a building project, while ensuring healthy and productive indoor spaces.

GBA demonstrates specific design strategies to improve the environmental performance, cost-effectiveness, and healthiness of all phases of a building and its site, from pre-design through occupancy. The strategies are prioritized by the program based on information input about the project, such as the location, type and size of the building, and characteristics of the site.

The program is designed for architects, designers, planners, students, and educators who want to evaluate the environmental opportunities of specific projects or learn about the many elements of green building design.

Green Developments 2.0 CD-ROM
Developers: U.S. Department of Energy, Rocky Mountain Institute, and the Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology
E-mail: gba@greenbuildingadvisor.com
Description: Green Developments is an interactive CD-ROM that fully describes an exciting new field in which environmental considerations are viewed as opportunities to create better buildings and communities - by working with the environmental instead of against it.

It features of 400 visuals, resource details, including financial details, and live web links to key related sites. You hear the architects talking about their designs, see how the buildings have taken shape, and listen to residents talking about their neighborhoods while viewing them.

Greening Federal Facilities
Phone: (800) 363-3732
Website: http://www.eere.energy.gov/femp/resources.html
Description: A resource guide to assist Federal facility managers to reduce energy consumption and costs, improve the working environment and reduce the environmental impacts of their facility operations. It highlights practical actions.

Manufactured Home Energy Audit (MHEA)
Developer: National Renewable Energy Laboratory Energy Science and Technology Software Center P.O. Box 1020 Oak Ridge, TN 37831-1020
Phone: (423) 576-2606; fax: (423) 576-2865
Email: estsc@adonis.osti.gov
Description: This software package predicts manufactured home energy consumption, and recommends weatherization retrofit measures. The unique construction characteristics of manufactured homes require that each measure be evaluated separately in order to devise a package that will result in high energy and dollar savings.

MHEA stands apart from other building energy analysis tools in many ways. Calculations incorporated into the computer code specifically address manufactured-home heating and cooling load trends. The retrofit measures evaluated by MHEA are all applicable to manufactured homes. These and other features make MHEA easy to use when evaluating energy consumption and the effects of weatherization retrofit measures for manufactured homes.

Master Specification for Lighting
Phone: (800) 363-3732
Website: http://www.eere.energy.gov/femp/resources/masterspec.html Description: Boilerplate specifications for lighting equipment for Federal buildings.

During the past 15 years, there has been a profusion of new lighting technologies. This Master Specification for lighting helps Federal managers take advantage of new technologies by devising language that establishes baselines and requirements for lighting projects.

These lighting specifications are distilled from the practical experience of lighting professionals and applicable Codes of Federal Regulations. This information may be downloaded from the FEMP website.

National Energy Audit (NEAT)
Developer: Oak Ridge National Laboratory Energy Science and Technology Software Center P.O. Box 1020 Oak Ridge, TN 37831-1020
Phone: (423) 576-2606; fax: (423) 576-2865
Email: estsc@adonis.osti.gov
Description: An advanced, but easy to use home energy audit software package. NEAT was developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for DOE's Weatherization Assistance Program.

This program can be used to determine most cost-effective retrofit measures to increase resident comfort while using less energy in a single family home.

NEAT has helped auditors improve average energy savings from 18 to 25% over standard selection methods. The package is available at no cost to regional, state, and local weatherization agencies. Other organizations should contact ESTSC for pricing information.

Rebuilding Your Flooded Home
Developer: U.S. Department of Energy
Description: This booklet focuses on the energy efficiency aspects of rebuilding a flood-damaged home. It demonstrates that it is possible, with little added cost or time, to rebuild your home to be more energy efficient.

Reducing Swimming Pool Energy Costs Fact Sheets and Energy Smart Pools Software
Phone: (800) 363-3732
Website: http://www.eere.energy.gov/femp/resources.html
Description: Information and software allowing pool owners to run energy analyses and make informed decisions regarding pool covers, solar heating systems, and other efficiency and renewable energy measures.

Sustainable Building Technical Manual
Developer: U.S. Department of Energy, Public Technology, Inc, and U.S. Environmental Protection
Phone: (303) 275-4813
Description: A manual intended to meet the building industry's need for a comprehensive manual of sustainable building practices. It provides clear, easily applied guidelines and useful practices that can be readily introduced into new construction, renovation, and building operations.

The manual focuses on commercial-size building projects, but includes useful tips for buildings of all sizes.