The primary goal of this project
is to develop a web-based tool for benchmarking whole building energy for
California commercial buildings. This
was a three-year project which commenced in July 2000. An additional 15
months is funded beginning August 2003.
The main goal for Year 1 was to
analyze
the data given in the Commercial End-Use Survey (CEUS) and redesign an
existing benchmarking tool designed for national data to utilize CEUS
data.
By the end of Year 2 additional analysis, technical memoranda, and
software
upgrades were completed. Year 3 deliverables include a final
version of Cal-Arch, the web-based benchmarking tool, 2 public workshops,
and a final report. The next phase will primarily focus on outreach
activities and planning for an advanced software utilizing 2002 CEUS.
Approach
While there are a number of
commercial
building energy benchmarking tools available online, Cal-Arch is intended
to provide a simple way to access information that is more relevant to
California buildings. It does not provide a score but distributions
of actual energy use in similar types of buildings. The main data
source is CEUS, a population-based survey
representing the major utility
service areas in California, other data sources are being examined and
as many are feasible will be added.
Results &
Highlights
We have produced a conference
paper,
several technical memoranda, and a benchmarking tool utilizing CEUS
data.
Related
Activities
The Cal-Arch software is based on
a demonstration tool Arch,
based
on 1995 CBECS data. LBNL has also been working with EPA and CEC to
determine how California buildings compare with US buildings. Developing
techniques to use Energy Star benchmarking in California for statewide
Flex
Your Power campaign.
Status
Ongoing since August 2000.
Final deliverables are due July 2003.
Sponsors
California Energy Commission Public
Interest Energy Research program (Element 2 (Life Cycle Tools), High
Performance Commercial Building Project website.
Project Team
Mary
Ann Piette, Lead Investigator
Saki
Kinney, Database/Site Admin
Brian
Smith, Programmer
Krister Udd, Graphic
Design
Publications
This project has been funded in part by the California Energy Commission Public