Team Insane Energy Savers (IES) were awarded the most Innovative Workflow at the ASHRAE Lowdown Showdown energy modeling competition at SimBuild 2016.

1. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown
Showdown Modeling Challenge
SimBuild 2016 Conference
Insane Energy Savers (IES) Team
Kent Beason
Joanne Choi
Cory Duggin
Alexandra Gramling
Ken Griffin
Amy Jarvis
Shona O’Dea
Igor Seryapin
Irina Susorova
Tristan Truyens
Brian Tysoe
Scott West
Xiangjin Yang

2. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modeling Challenge
Project description
- 40,496 ft2, 3-story Outpatient Health Care facility1
- Baseline Building Modeling Specifications
- Maximum 10,000 ft2 of roof area for photovoltaic or solar thermal systems.
- TMY3 weather data and local utility rates (natural gas, electricity, and water)
for Omaha, Nebraska.
- Carbon emissions factors from Standard 189.1-2014 (provided in the
Challenge Resource section) to calculate carbon equivalent savings.
1 LDSd building modeling requirements are based on the 90.1-2010 Outpatient
Health Care reference
building: www.energycodes.gov/development/commercial/90.1_models
Guidelines

3. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modeling Challenge
Team’s Approach
- Divided design/modeling tasks based on team members’ individual strengths.
- Selected realistic assumptions and strategies specific for Climate Zone 5A.
- Used ASHRAE resources (Advanced Energy Design Guides and ASHRAE
Research Project 1651).
The Team

4. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modeling Challenge
Energy Metrics
- Site EUI: 61.9 kBtu/ft2
- Source EUI: 194.5 kBtu/ft2
- Cost per ft2: $0.93
- Annual electricity use: 2,989,983 kBtu
- Annual water use: 408,373 gal
- Annual cost: $42,979 + $1,859
- Energy production: 3,335,310 kBtu
Project Description // Executive Summary
Northeast
SoutheastNorthwest

5. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modeling Challenge
Energy Conservation Measures (ECM)
1. Building shape strategies based on characteristics of Climate Zone 5A and
geographic specifics of the site location (Omaha, NE)
2. Envelope strategies
3. Lighting/Daylighting strategies
4. Natural ventilation strategies
5. Plug load reduction strategies
6. HVAC systems strategies
7. Renewable energy generation on site
List of Measures & Strategies

6. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modeling Challenge
Climate Analysis
Omaha, NE
- Climate Zone 5A (cool-humid)
- Maximum temperature 106ºF DB
- Minimum temperature -22ºF DB
- Predominant wind direction: SSE-NNW
- Annual mean wind speed: 9.4 mph
Temp. distribution Summary metrics Wind rose (May)

7. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modeling Challenge
a. Use Common Sense!
1. Building Shape Strategies

8. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modeling Challenge
b. Compact Shape
- Minimize building envelope exposure to reduce heating gain and loss.
- Re-design floor layouts to fit the compact shape.
- Locate high-internal gain spaces along north façade for passive heating in
winter.
- Place auxiliary spaces (stairs, elevators, storages) along East/West facades to
serve as thermal buffer zones.
1. Building Shape Strategies

9. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modeling Challenge
Atrium
Corridors/Stairs
Lobby/Reception
Cafeteria
Office/Conf. rooms
Lounge
Medical
Procedure Rooms
Exam rooms
Medical auxiliary
Storage/Restrooms/Lockers
MEP/Utilities
2nd floor - Admin
1. Building Shape Strategies
1st floor - Critical
3rd floor - Admin
c. Updated floor layout

10. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modeling Challenge
d. Two-story Atrium
- Serves as a main circulation space on the 2nd and 3rd floors.
- Provides daylight and natural ventilation to perimeter zones.
- Atrium skylight roof sloped at optimal angle for PV arrays placement (7.6°).
1. Building Shape Strategies

11. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modeling Challenge
e. Glazing Placement and Area
- South wall (WWR 44%): glazing for passive solar heating in winter.
- North wall + Skylight (WWR 35%): glazing for daylighting.
- East/West walls (WWR 12%): minimize glazing to avoid direct solar heat gain.
- Total (WWR 31%).
1. Building Shape Strategies

12. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modeling Challenge
f. Building Orientation and Shading
- Develop building along East-West axis to reduce direct solar heat gains.
- Rotate building -20° (NNW) for optimal wind exposure.
- Floor overhangs on the south façade (7’ deep) for self-shading in summer.
- External shades on the north façade to shade from evening sun from the west.
1. Building Shape Strategies
January 15th, 12 pm July 15th, 12 pm

13. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modeling Challenge
Glazing construction
Envelope properties selected based on ASHRAE’s Advanced Energy Design
Guides and actual manufacturers’ products.
- Double-pane Krypton-filled glazing with Low-e film + Fiberglass framing
- Glazing thermal performance: U-0.14; SHGC-0.27; VT-0.44
2. Envelope Strategies
ecobuildingstore.ca

14. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modeling Challenge
Opaque construction
- Insulated metal panel exterior walls: R-13 cavity + R-23 cont. insulation (gel
insulation); U-0.294
- Roof with R-64 cont. insulation above deck (gel insulation); U-0.015
2. Envelope Strategies
-3%
-2%
-3%
HEATING
ENERGY
COOLING
ENERGY
HEATING +
COOLING…
Envelope Insulation (kBtuh/sf F) Energy Savings
ASHRAE
Exterior Wall - 1.75" - U-Value = 0.0634
Roof Insulation - 4" - U-Value = 0.0481
Flooring Insulation - 9" - U-Value = 0.0375
Thermablok Aerogel Insulation
Exterior Wall - 1.75" - U-Value = 0.292
Roof Insulation - 4" - U-Value = 0.0151
Flooring Insulation - 9" - U-Value = 0.009

15. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modeling Challenge
Lighting
- LPD reduced by 75%
Daylighting
- All perimeter spaces
- Atrium north-facing skylight
- Interior clerestory windows facing atrium
- Spatial daylight autonomy analysis to verify
adequate daylighting and to determine
ideal VT for each orientation
3. Lighting/Daylighting Strategies
Daylight intensity (fc), Sep 21, 15:00
Sunny day

16. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modeling Challenge
Natural Ventilation through Operable Windows
- 73% operable windows
- Placed in perimeter zones on the 2nd and 3rd floors, in the atrium skylight,
and the clerestory windows facing the atrium
4. Natural Ventilation
Exterior view Aug 19, 12:30
Air flow (cfm)
Wind speed: 4.03 mph
Wind direction: 245°
Air temperature: 73°F
Atrium interior view Aug 16, 20:30
Air flow (cfm)
Wind speed: 6.38 mph
Wind direction: 140°
Air temperature: 80°F

17. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modeling Challenge
Plug Load Reduction
- Reduce total building plug load from 1.61 W/ft2 to 1.18 W/ft2 using Building
Area Method for Medical Buildings and Clinics (Source: COMNET by New
Buildings Institute)
- Energy savings of 27%
5. Other Strategies
illinoisgoc.com

18. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modeling Challenge
Systems
- Individual systems for the
Critical, OR, and Admin
zones. Semi-heated stairs.
- Ventilation provided by a
DOAS.
- Cooling and Heating
provided by a water-
cooled, ground-coupled
VRV system.
- Cooling capacity: 208 tons.
- Heating capacity: 630 MBH.
- Efficiencies: 4.2 heating
COP / 3.5 cooling COP.
6. HVAC Strategies

19. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modeling Challenge
Earth Tubes
Designed for heat recovery ventilation of the 1st-floor system using heat
exchange with the earth. Assumed constant ground temperature is 53°F, total
earth tube length is 538’, cross section is 6’x 6’.
6. HVAC Strategies
Entering outdoor air temperature (°F)

20. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modeling Challenge
Transpired Solar System
Designed for heat recovery ventilation of the 2nd- and 3rd-floor systems using
solar energy. Located on the south face of the atrium skylight.
6. HVAC Strategies
sbec.eu.com
Entering outdoor air temperature, Jan 4th (°F)
30°F ΔT 30°F ΔT

21. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modeling Challenge
PV-generated Electricity
- 10,000 ft2 of PV monocrystalline cells (19.6% efficiency) on the atrium roof
- Parametric runs used to determine the optimal angle of inclination (34°)
- Generation power: 186 kW (633 kBtu)
- Annual energy generated: 273,200 kWh (932,400 kBtu/h)
7. Renewables
17,729
16,921
23,400 23,816
28,277 27,730 28,344
26,613
24,901
22,819
17,376
15,359
-
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
PV Generated Electricity (kWh)
theenergycollective.com

22. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modeling Challenge
Wind-generated Electricity
- Five (5) 70 kW wind turbines
- Generation power: 350 kW (1,194 kBtu/h)
- Annual energy generated: 704,208 kWh (2,402,857 kBtu)
7. Renewables
inerjy.com nrel.gov

23. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modeling Challenge
Energy Use by Category
Energy Performance
- Heating: 117,855 kBtu
- Cooling: 404,916 kBtu
- Int. lighting: 664,225 kBtu
- Ext. lighting: 60,990 kBtu
- Equipment: 1,405,130 kBtu
- Fans: 179,002 kBtu
- Pumps: 32,095 kBtu
- SHW heating: 125,771 kBtu

24. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modeling Challenge
LDSD Project Summary
Results – Questions/Comments?
Annual energy use by category (MBtu)
LDSd Results Summary Baseline Proposed
Total Energy Usage (kBtus) 7,970,901 2,989,983
Site EUI (kBtu/sf) 165.1 61.9
Source EUI (kBtu/sf) 355.8 194.5
Annual Electricity Usage (kWh) 1,260,019 876,314
Annual NG Usage (Therms) 36,717 0
Annual Water Usage (Gallons) 408,373 408,373
Annual Electricity Cost (US $)* $108,198 $42,979
Annual NG Cost (US $) $2,804 $0
Annual Water Costs (US $) $1,859 $1,859
Total Annual Costs (US $)* $112,861 $44,838
CPSF (US $/sf) $2.34 $0.93
Total Energy Generation (kBtus) 0 3,335,310
Net Zero Energy 7,970,901 (345,327)
Carbon Equivalent 2,267,412 1,215,448
*Does not include selling renewable energy back to the grid

25. 2016 ASHRAE LowDown Showdown Modeling Challenge
Thank You – Questions/Comments?