Hello. I am using the eQuest program and have a problem I'm hoping someone can help me with.
I have reviewed all of the input affecting 'Misc. Equip' energy usage (per the 'Description of eQuest/DOE-2.2 End Use Reporting Categories') and have verfied all the inputs for both my Baseline and Proposed buildings are identical, and that no parametric run parameters modify those inputs, and yet my outputs remain substantially different.
As the LEED reviewers are insisting that my 'process' loads be identical for both the baseline and proposed buildings, I need to either find a way to correct the apparent mistake, or find a way to move the portion of the Misc. Equip output that is changing to a non-process energy meter. (I have been unable to locate where these particular inputs are assigned to one meter or another).
Andrew Clagett, PE, LEED(r) AP
There is a great free program called Exam Diff that we use to track down
differences in input files: http://www.prestosoft.com/edp_examdiff.asp
If you are only looking at operating costs, another possibility is that your
are using utility billing rate information that allows demand charges to be
calculated. If you use this method rather than a straight $/kWh approach,
you will have subtle differences in operating costs for different end uses.
Eric
Eric,
Thanks for the tip about the program - that's pretty cool.
Andrew - another area that might be contributing to the discrepancy is
scheduling. Make sure you are using identical usage schedules for both
buildings.
Vikram Sami, LEED AP
The first step is to review the metering end-use assignments, which I believe you can find in the air-system -> metering tabs. Most useful in the spreadsheet view.
If that doesn't uncover it, I would use a program such as Compare-It! or WinDiff to verify that the inputs are identical in the *.inp including power usage and schedules. Sometimes the schedules can be input differently by accident when using the wizard if you are making two separate project files. (This shouldn't change if you are only using the EEM parametric features.)
David Eldridge, PE
I must acknowledge my colleague Chris Yates (also on this list) for the
below link for it was he that introduced me to this gem of a tool (free -
well charityware according to site).
The diff tool in Vim would probably be our tool of choice for comparing
input files like that. It highlights differences in blocks of colour so you
can't really miss them..
http://www.vim.org/
Cheers
Paul