whats hot

EnergyPlus -- an R&D 100 Award Winner
EnergyPlus won the coveted R&D Magazine award as one of the 100 most technologically significant new products of the year.

As of February 01, 2008, over 60,000 copies (all versions) of EnergyPlus have been downloaded by users worldwide!

Mar 24

The April 2008 User News is available to download.
Section 1 Section 2
For this, and all back issues, Click Here.

Mar 27

EnergyPlus and DesignBuilder Training in Australia
DesignBuilder-Australia will offer a series of training sessions in March-April 2008.
Instruction for DesignBuilder, EnergyPlus and EFEN software will be provided.
Here's the schedule:
27-28 March Perth, Western Australia
3-4 April Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
6-7 April Melbourne, Victoria
11-12 April Brisbane, Queensland
18 April Auckland, New Zealand (one-day introductory)
23-24 April Sydney, New South Wales
For all information please go to www.designbuilder.com.au/services.html

Mar 01

The March 2008 User News is available to download.
For this, and all back issues, Click Here.

Mar 01

New Journal!
The first issue of the Journal of Building Performance Simulation will be published in March, 2008. You are invited to consider this journal for publishing your research results. For further information about the journal, including instructions for authors, members of the editorial board, email alerts, etc., go to http://www.informaworld.com/jbps.
Jan Hensen and Ian Beausoleil-Morrison, are co-editors of the new IBPSA Journal of Building Performance Simulation

Feb 22

Feb 01

The February 2008 User News is available to download.
Section 1 Section 2
For this, and all back issues, Click Here.

Jan 01

The January 2008 User News is available to download.
For this, and all back issues, Click Here.

Jan 01

Ask an EnergyPlus Expert -- 2007 Questions and Answers
All the "Ask an EnergyPlus Expert" questions and answers from 2007 that appeared in the Building Energy Simulation User News have been combined into one .pdf file. Download here.
On our Technical Reports page, you will find six years of "Expert" questions, from 2002 through 2007.

Dec 24
through
Jan 01

Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Annual Shutdown
The lab will be closed from December 24, 2007, through January 01, 2008. Normal operation will resume Wednesday, January 02.

December

Welcome Dr. Tianzhen Hong, newest member of the Simulation Research Group!!
Dr. Tianzhen Hong has joined the staff of the Simulation Research Group as a Research Scientist. His current projects include EnergyPlus, California Building Energy Efficiency Standards, and RESFEN.
Prior to joining LBL, he was a business area team leader with Architectural Energy Corporation, where he led the commercial software development and managed the VisualDOE project. He was the lead software developer of VisualDOE, EnvStd, CodeComp, and BTP (former of DeST). He also worked in Supersymmetry Singapore, National University of Singapore, and Tsinghua University of China.
Dr. Hong has a broad interest in building science and technology. He participated in California's PIER, IEA ECBCS, and various research projects. He was the trainer for a dozen building energy simulation workshops in USA and China. He played an active role in energy analysis to support sustainable building designs and has been participating in the development and update of California Building Energy Efficiency Standards.

Dec 17

December

Release of EnergyPlus 2.1
The newest version of EnergyPlus (2.1) was completed on October 31, 2007 and is now available in versions for the Windows, Linux and Macintosh operating systems. A few key new features include new packaged terminal air conditioner, multi-speed heat pump, and additional controls for modeling hybrid ventilation systems. We have updated and extended capabilities throughout the existing building envelope, daylighting, and HVAC equipment and systems portions of the program.
EnergyPlus V 2.1 is available at no cost from the EnergyPlus web site: www.energyplus.gov.

EnergyPlus Software Named "Best Invention of the Year" by Time Magazine
Time Magazine has named the San Francisco Federal Building one of its 2007 "Best Inventions of the Year" winners in the architecture category. Its citation noted that the building is "really a machine for delivering sunlight and fresh air to the people who work there." EnergyPlus was used to model the building's energy efficiency features.

Dec 04

December User News
Volume 28, No. 12 of the Building Energy Simulation User News is ready to download.
Section 1 Section 2

Back Issues of the Newsletter
Every back issue of the User News has been scanned into PDF files by Sherrie Hughes of Texas A&M University. The good people of the Energy Systems Laboratory have generously allowed the DOE-2 user community to access them on our website. Under Newsletter in the left menu, click on "Back Issues" or follow this link to the back issues. Again, a big thank you to Sherrie Hughes and Jeff Haberl of ESL at TAMU for their generosity.

November

Nov 02

November User News
Volume 28, No. 11 of the Building Energy Simulation User News is ready to download.

Back Issues of the Newsletter
Every back issue of the User News has been scanned into PDF files by Sherrie Hughes of Texas A&M University. The good people of the Energy Systems Laboratory have generously allowed the DOE-2 user community to access them on our website. Under Newsletter in the left menu, click on "Back Issues" or follow this link to the back issues. Again, a big thank you to Sherrie Hughes and Jeff Haberl of ESL at TAMU.

Oct

Won't you Join Us???
Position Available with the Simulation Research Group
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has a new opening in the Simulation Research Group for either a Research Scientist/Engineer or a Scientific Engineering Associate. The main duties will include further development of EnergyPlus for use in California's Title-24 Building Energy Efficiency Standard. Details are posted on these links:

Computational Research Scientist/Engineer:
http://jobs.lbl.gov/LBNLCareers/details.asp?jid=20748&p=1

Scientific Engineering Associate (Computational or Mechanical):
http://jobs.lbl.gov/LBNLCareers/details.asp?jid=20762&p=1

For an informal discussion about the opening, call or email either Michael Wetter (510-486-6990), Philip Haves (510-486-6512) or Fred Buhl (510-486-4912).

Oct 01

October User News
Volume 28, No. 10 of the Building Energy Simulation User News is ready to download.
Section 1 Section 2

Back Issues of the Newsletter
Every back issue of the User News has been scanned into PDF files by Sherrie Hughes of Texas A&M University. The good people of the Energy Systems Laboratory have generously allowed the DOE-2 user community to access them on our website. Under Newsletter in the left menu, click on "Back Issues" or follow this link to the back issues. Again, a big thank you to Sherrie Hughes and Jeff Haberl of ESL at TAMU.

Sept

EnergyPlus User Survey -- FINAL MONTH!!
Your chance to participate in the EnergyPlus Survey will end on September 30. The EnergyPlus Development Team needs your input: who are you and how do you use EnergyPlus? Tell us what you think the major barriers-to-use are and what we can do to fix them. This is your chance to help guide the future development of EnergyPlus. As an extra incentive for completing the survey, we will draw five email addresses and award each respondent a handsome and useful "techie" prize! User Questionnaire

Sept

Sep 01

September User News
Volume 28, No. 9 of the Building Energy Simulation User News is ready to download.

Back Issues of the Newsletter
Every back issue of the User News has been scanned into PDF files by Sherrie Hughes of Texas A&M University. The good people of the Energy Systems Laboratory have generously allowed the DOE-2 user community to access them on our website. Under Newsletter in the left menu, click on "Back Issues" or follow this link to the back issues. Again, a big thank you to Sherrie Hughes and Jeff Haberl of ESL at TAMU.

August

Aug 31
to
Sep 01

Introduction to EnergyPlus Workshop
To be held just prior to the Building Simulation 2007 conference at Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
This workshop will introduce EnergyPlus to modelers who are familiar with the basic concepts of HVAC systems and energy simulation. The course will cover the mechanics of using EnergyPlus with an emphasis on basic concepts that provide a foundation for more advanced applications. Participants will model basic building envelopes and systems through a series of six student exercises during the two days to learn how to use EnergyPlus and associated utility programs. Day 1 covers basics and Day 2 goes into more depth.
Registration and participation is free but class size is limited. To register, please send email to Dru Crawley (Drury.Crawley@ee.doe.gov).

Aug 07

August User News
Volume 28, No. 8 of the Building Energy Simulation User News is ready to download.
Section 1 Section 2

Aug 06

Back Issues of the Newsletter
Every back issue of the User News has been scanned into PDF files by Sherrie Hughes of Texas A&M University. The good people of the Energy Systems Laboratory have generously allowed the DOE-2 user community to access them on our website. Under Newsletter in the left menu, click on "Back Issues" or follow this link to the back issues. Again, a big thank you to Sherrie Hughes and Jeff Haberl of ESL at TAMU.

Aug 06

Simupedia!
What do you get when you combine Building Simulation with a WikiPedia??
You get a user-driven encyclopedia aimed at building simulationists!
The idea originated with IBPSA-Germany and it is hoped that Simupedia will become a world-wide IBPSA effort.
Check it out at http://129.187.44.165/index.php/Simupedia/en .

July

EnergyPlus User Questionnaire
The EnergyPlus Development Team would like your input. We need to know who you are and how you use EnergyPlus. This is your chance to help guide the future development of EnergyPlus. And so, we invite all EnergyPlus users to fill out the User Questionnaire.

Jul 26

Jul 13

Big List of Free -- Updated
The link to our Big List of Free (software, books, groups, etc.) has been updated. It's also been converted from a .pdf into an easy-to-read html page. Click here to give it a whirl.

Jul 13

Jul 12

Position Available with the Simulation Research Group
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has a new opening in the Simulation Research Group for either a Research Scientist/Engineer or a Scientific Engineering Associate. The main duties will include further development of EnergyPlus for use in California's Title-24 Building Energy Efficiency Standard. Details are posted on these links:

Computational Research Scientist/Engineer:
http://jobs.lbl.gov/LBNLCareers/details.asp?jid=20748&p=1

Scientific Engineering Associate (Computational or Mechanical):
http://jobs.lbl.gov/LBNLCareers/details.asp?jid=20762&p=1

For an informal discussion about the opening, call or email either Michael Wetter (510-486-6990) or Philip Haves (510-486-6512).

Jul 06

July User News
Volume 28, No. 7 of the Building Energy Simulation User News is ready to download.
Download newsletter here.

June

EnergyPlus User Questionnaire
The EnergyPlus Development Team would like your input. We need to know who you are and how you use EnergyPlus. This is your chance to help guide the future development of EnergyPlus. And so, we invite all EnergyPlus users to fill out the User Questionnaire.

Jun 07

Big List of Free!!
Your source for free building energy software, books, weather data, user groups, etc.
Let us know if you have anything to add.

Jun 05

Notes From the BLDG-SIM Mailing List
NREL has just published a revised version of the guidelines for modeling and inspections for the commercial building federal tax deductions.
Energy Savings Modeling and Inspection Guidelines for Commercial Building Federal Tax Deductions, Second Edition
download Tax Deduction Paper here (PDF 1.5 MB)
Also from NREL, a revised publication, Source Energy and Emission Factors for Energy Use in Buildings (Revised)
download Source Energy Paper here

Jun 05

June Newsletter
Volume 28, No. 6 of the Building Energy Simulation User News is ready to download.
Section 1 news and features
Section 2 consultants, interfaces, etc.

May 11

May User News
Volume 28, No. 5 of the Building Energy Simulation User News is ready to download.
Download newsletter here.

Apr 12

Release of EnergyPlus 2.0
Yep, we're all jumping for joy at the release of EnergyPlus V.2.0!!
Read what's new in Version 2.0 then download the latest version.

Apr 09

April User News
Volume 28, No. 4 of the Building Energy Simulation User News is ready to download.
Section 1 news and features
Section 2 consultants, interfaces, etc.

Mar 13
to
Mar 15

EnergyPlus and DesignBuilder Training Workshops
March 13-15, 2007, Irvine, California
Access all information and register at www.gard.com/training.htm

Mar 15

Live Webcast • Thursday, March 15, 2007 • 10:00 am to 11:30 am Pacific Time
Comply! Energy Code Tools You May Be Missing
This live webcast, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, will showcase tools and materials designed to simplify the energy code compliance process. It will cover new features in REScheck and COMcheck and highlight the Building Energy Codes Program's web-based technical materials and services available to you at no cost. The webcast presentation will be followed by a live Q&A session.
To register and for all information, please go to www.energycodes.gov/training/onlinetraining/code-tools.stm

Feb 19

Holiday
Lab closed for Presidents Day

Feb 05

February Newsletter
Volume 28, No. 2 of the Building Energy Simulation User News is ready to download.
Section 1 news and features
Section 2 consultants, interfaces, etc.

Feb 01

EnergyPlus and DesignBuilder Training Workshops
March 13-15, 2007, Irvine, California
Access all information and register at www.gard.com/training.htm

Jan 19

The January 2007 User News is available to download.
For this, and all back issues, Click Here.

Jan 08

EnergyPlus and DesignBuilder Training Workshops
* March 13-15, 2007, Irvine, California
* January 10-12, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois
Access all information and register at www.gard.com/training.htm

Dec 19

The December User News is available to download. Section 2 is comprised of consultants, interfaces, etc.
For this, and all back issues, Click Here.

Dec 07

EnergyPlus - DesignBuilder Training
The College of Architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology will be holding a 3-day seminar on EnergyPlus, and the DesignBuilder interface, from Wednesday, January 10 through Friday, January 12, 2007. Go here http://www.iit.edu/~archdoc/energyseminar.html for details.

Dec 01

From the Building Energy Simulation User News
Ask an EnegyPlus Expert
All questions and answers from the "Ask an EnergyPlus Expert" column from 2006 have been compiled into a PDF file.
click to download

DOE-2 User Questions
All questions and answers about the DOE-2 program for 2006 have been compiled into a PDF file.
click to download

Dec 25
through
Jan 01

Christmas Holiday Shutdown
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory will be closed from Monday, December 25, 2006, through Monday, January 1, 2007. Business will resume Tuesday, January 2, 2007.

Nov 17

The November User News is available to download.
For this, and all back issues, Click Here.

Oct 10

The October User News is available to download. Click here for Section 1 Click here for Section 2.
For this, and all back issues, Click Here.

Oct 09

Won't You Join Us??
Computational Scientist position available in the Simulation Research Group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
We have an opening for a Computational Scientist (Req. No. 019491) on the EnergyPlus Development Team at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. To apply, go directly to the job listing at http://jobs.lbl.gov/LBNLCareers/details.asp?jid=19491&p=1, or review all jobs available by accessing the lab's HR page at http://jobs.lbl.gov/LBNLCareers, click the "Job Search" box and then search *all* jobs in the Environmental Energy Technologies Division. If you need help uploading your resume or have other questions, please contact Kathy Ellington, info@gundog.lbl.gov

Sep 25

The September User News is available to download.
For this, and all back issues, Click Here.

Sep 25

Won't You Join Us??
Position available in the Simulation Research Group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
We have an opening for a Computational Scientist (Req. No. 019491) on the EnergyPlus Development Team at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. To apply, go directly to the job listing at http://jobs.lbl.gov/LBNLCareers/details.asp?jid=19491&p=1, or review all jobs available by accessing the lab's HR page at http://jobs.lbl.gov/LBNLCareers, click the "Job Search" box and then search *all* jobs in the Environmental Energy Technologies Division. If you need help uploading your resume or have other questions, please contact Kathy Ellington, info@gundog.lbl.gov

Aug 29

The August User News is ready to be downloaded.
Section I (news, features) is at Section I
and Section II (consultants, software) is at Section II
For the current issue, plus all back issues, Click Here.

Aug 08

EnergyPlus Certified for U.S. Tax Deduction!!
As of June 23, 2006, EnergyPlus was certified as being Qualified Computer Software for Calculating Energy Savings for Purposes of the Energy-Efficient Commercial Building Tax Deduction under Internal Revenue Code �179D. Click here for links and background information on the tax credit.

Aug 07

Senior Research Associate Position Available in the Simulation Research Group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
NOTE: on 9/25/06 we upgraded this job posting to Scientist/Engineer. Please see "What's New" for 9/25 for the new posting.

Aug 04

Attention Building Simulation Enthusiasts
The July newsletter is ready to download. To go directly to the current issue, click July 2006 User News.
For all issues, click Here.

Jul 27

Attention Building Simulation Enthusiasts
The July newsletter is ready to download. To go directly to the current issue, click July 2006 User News.
For all issues, click Here.

Jul 27

EnergyPlus Certified for U.S. Tax Deduction!!
Background On August 8, 2005, President Bush signed into the law the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which provided a variety of tax incentives for homeowners, businesses, and manufacturers for the purchase of energy efficient equipment and buildings. The Department of the Treasury amended tax form 1040 to include a line for energy tax credits and has issued regulations specifying which energy efficiency equipment and improvements for residential buildings qualify for tax credits. The IRS recently released interim guidelines on the deduction for energy-efficient commercial buildings under Section 179D of the Tax Code. This deduction was made available to building owners and leaseholders pursuant to the Energy Policy Act of 2005, enacted on August 8, 2005. The interim guidelines supplement Section 179D and are expected to be incorporated as regulations.

Approved Software Programs Section 179D requires that certain software programs be used to identify energy expenditures for the purposes of the deduction. The Department of Energy has established a public list of software, which may be viewed at http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/info/tax_credit_2006.html

Important Links
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-06-52.pdf
IRS document that spells out details of the deduction (U.S. Internal Revenue Service website)
http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/info/qualified_software/energyplus.html
List of EnergyPlus qualifications (U.S. DOE website)
http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/info/qualified_software/
List of qualified software (U.S. DOE website) -- right now this list only includes EnergyPlus and TRACE 700
http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/info/tax_credit_2006.html
List of tax incentives for energy-efficient buildings and products (U.S. DOE website)
http://www.irs.gov/irb/2006-26_IRB/ar11.html
Complete text of Internal Revenue Bulletin: 2006-26, dated June 26, 2006, Notice 2006-52, Deduction for Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings

Jul 5

June Newsletter The June 2006 newsletter is ready to download. Section 1 contains newer information, and Section 2 lists consultants, interfaces, etc.

Month
of
June

Free Classes at Pacific Gas & Electric Co. in San Francisco. Go to www.pge.com/pec/ for more information and to enroll.

Jun 8 9:00 am - 4:30 pm EnergyPro Nonresidential Software for Experienced Users - Envelope and Lighting
Jun 9 9:00 am - 4:30 pm EnergyPro Nonresidential Software for Experienced Users . HVAC
Jun 1 9:00 am - 4:30 pm Solar Hot Water Systems Renewables
Jun 22 9:00 am - 4:30 pm Enhanced Lighting Automation in Commercial Buildings
Jul 2 8:30 am - 12:00 pm Lighting for Profit - Unlocking Hidden Energy Savings

Don't
Forget

Infiltration Paper -- "Measurement of Infiltration Using Fan Pressurization and Weather Data"
by Max H. Sherman and David T. Grimsrud, 1980
http://gundog.lbl.gov/dirpubs/10852_ShermanGrimsrud.pdf

Jun 13

National Building Museum Lecture
Building Energy Efficiency: A Key Component of Energy Independence -- How energy efficiency in buildings can reduce demand for declining resources by Philip Fairey, Deputy Director, Florida Solar Energy Center.
For more nformation on the National Building Museum Lecture Series, and all other NBM activities, please visit their website at www.nbm.org. The National Building Museum is located at 401 F Street N.W., Washington, D.C.

May 22

The May 2005 newsletter (pdf) is ready to download.
And if you need back issues, go to the User News page here.

May 12

SBSE Retreat
The Society of Building Simulation Educators will host its annual retreat in July at Pingree Park in Colorado. Go to SBSE to get the details. While you're at the website, be sure to download the excellent SBSE newsletter. It's a gem!

IBPSA Newsletter
The latest IBPSA newsletter is hot off the presses and ready to be downloaded from here: IBPSA News

Home Energy Magazine
There's a new edition of Home Energy Magazine on the streets. It features articles on wireless building controls, energy management, new daylighting software, and much more! Download (registery requirement) here: Home Energy Magazine

May 08

Attention Infiltration Enthusiasts!!
Lately we have received requests for an ancient (but important) LBNL technical report that discussed the Sherman-Grimsrud air infiltration model. We had referred to the report on p. 2.86 of the DOE-2.1E Supplement. We subsequently tracked it down, scanned it and put it on our website. So here it is, from 1980, the one, the only . . .
"Measurement of Infiltration Using Fan Pressurization and Weather Data"
by Max H. Sherman and David T. Grimsrud
http://gundog.lbl.gov/dirpubs/10852_ShermanGrimsrud.pdf

Apr 29

Release of EnergyPlus v.1.3.0. Go to www.energyplus.gov to download. Woo-HOO!

Apr 29

New issue of the Building Energy Simulation User News is ready to download. Section 1 (pdf) Section 2 (pdf)

Mar 21

Building Energy Simulation User News -- Now Published Monthly!
The March issue of the Building Energy Simulation User News is ready to be downloaded.

Vol. 27, Number 3, March 2006

Contents:
Features of EnergyPlus 1.2.3
EnergyPlus Interim Build Released December 14, 2005
Ask an EnergyPlus Expert
Scripts and Batch Files, COMIS and Nodes, Bypass,
Attached Shading Surface, Internal Gain from Lights,
Outside Air Nodes, Reports - Mafximum Heating Rate Values,
Control Node Setup
New Weather Files for EnergyPlus -- Egypt, China, Kuwait
2006 EnergyPlus Training Schedule
Spotlight on SPARK -- FAQs Part 2 of 5
California Climate Zones on Google Earth
New Report from FSEC: Evaluating Green Roof Energy Performance
FSEC's Buildings Research Post newsletter
Free Membership for 2006 in IBPSA-USA
Educational Programs from Pacific Gas & Electric
VisualDOE and LEED Training for 2006
Educational Programs from Southern California Edison
IBPSA-USA: SimBuild 2006 Conference

The newsletter features of Ask an EnergyPlus Expert and DOE-2 Modeling Tips have been compiled for 2005. Download/Read from our publications page or click the direct links here: EnergyPlus updates DOE-2 updates

Mar 01

Building Energy Simulation User News
The February issue of the Building Energy Simulation User News is ready to be downloaded. This is the long version of the User News with Section 2 that has listings of EnergyPlus and DOE-2 consultants, complementary software, etc.

Vol. 27, Number 2, February 2006 -- Part 1 Part 2

Part 1 contains the following:
Features of EnergyPlus 1.2.3
EnergyPlus Interim Build Released December 14, 2005
Ask an EnergyPlus Expert
Generating Input for Solar Collector
COMIS and CP Values
EnergyPlus Validation
Convection from Waffled Ceiling Soffits
Multiple Control of Pump Units
2006 EnergyPlus Training Schedule
California Climate Zones on Google Earth
Spotlight on SPARK -- FAQs Part 1 of 5
Free Membership for 2006 in IBPSA-USA
IBPSA-USA: SimBuild 2006 Conference

The newsletter features of Ask an EnergyPlus Expert and DOE-2 Modeling Tips have been compiled for 2005. Download/Read from our publications page or click the direct links here: EnergyPlus updates DOE-2 updates

Feb 13

Building Energy Simulation User News -- Now Published Monthly!
We are going to try to publish the newsletter monthly. True, it is February already and we've only produced the January newsletter so far but we've had problems with our PDF maker. Anyway, that's our story and we're sticking to it. The February newsletter should be out by the end of the month (the month of February, that is). So stay tuned for many exciting issues of that building simulation thrill-ride we like to call the User News !!

Download Vol. 27, Number 1, January 2006
The January 2006 issue contains the following:

Features of EnergyPlus 1.2.3
EnergyPlus Interim Build Released December 14, 2005
DesignBuilder, Release of v. 1.0.1
Ask an EnergyPlus Expert
Compact Module, Extraction Fans, Set Point Not Met,
Curve-Fit Validation, Zone Load Prediction, Coordinate Systems,
Windows, Baseboards, Design Day, Solar Array with Boiler
2006 EnergyPlus Training Schedule
JAVA Error in GenOpt
The DOE-2 "Doctors" [Joe Huang and Fred Buhl] Discuss the RESYS System
New DOE-2 Consultants
Newsletter Roundup
IBPSA-USA: SimBuild 2006 Conference . Free Membership!