Energy Calculations
ASHRAE Technical Committee 4.7

The ASHRAE Handbook is published in a series of four volumes, one of which is revised each year, ensuring that no volume is older than four years.

The Handbook can be purchased at the ASHRAE Bookstore by clicking on this link.

This TC is responsible for the following chapter in the Fundamentals Volume:

Energy Estimation & Modeling Methods
Energy requirements of HVAC systems directly affect a building’s operating cost and indirectly affect the environment. This chapter discusses methods for estimating energy use for two purposes: modeling for building and HVAC system design and associated design optimization (forward modeling), and modeling energy use of existing buildings for establishing baselines, calculating retrofit savings, and implementing model predictive control (data-driven modeling).

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Technical committees develop and sponsor technical sessions at the winter and annual conferences. Information about their future technical program is discussed at each TC meeting and at the TC’s Program Subcommittee meeting.

ASHRAE publishes papers and transactions from presentations at its conference events. In addition, ASHRAE records most of the seminar sessions from its conferences on DVD. These DVDs are ideal for use at chapter meetings, in university courses, or company lunch and learns. Products available from the most recent conference may be found here.

Technical Committees are responsible for identifying research topics, proposing research projects, selecting bidders, and monitoring research projects funded by ASHRAE. Information about their specific research program is discussed at each TC meeting and at the TC’s Research Subcommittee meeting.

This TC has the following active research projects:

1588-RP: REPRESENTATIVE LAYER-BY-LAYER DESCRIPTIONS FOR FENESTRATION SYSTEMS WITH SPECIFIED BULK PROPERTIES SUCH AS U-FACTOR AND SHGC
Develop a methodology to create representative detailed specifications for fenestration systems defined only by bulk properties such as U-factor and SHGC, and generic descriptions of the system, and implement this methodology as a computer program that can be used by engineers and building energy modelers without specialized knowledge of fenestration systems.

1629-RP: TESTING AND MODELING ENERGY PERFORMANCE OF ACTIVE CHILLED BEAM SYSTEMS
TC 5.3, Room Air Distribution. Co-sponsored by: TC 4.7, Energy Calculations

The results of the project will provide a detailed assessment of the simulation capabilities of building energy simulation programs to predict the performance of active chilled beams and the resulting system performance of net-zero energy design strategies.  Recommended modeling improvements will be available for program developers to implement in their respective energy simulation programs.

ASHRAE writes standards for the purpose of establishing consensus for: 1) methods of test for use in commerce and 2) performance criteria for use as facilitators with which to guide the industry. ASHRAE publishes the following three types of voluntary consensus standards: Method of Measurement or Test (MOT), Standard Design and Standard Practice. ASHRAE does not write rating standards unless a suitable rating standard will not otherwise be available. ASHRAE is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and follows ANSI's requirements for due process and standards development. Standards may be purchased at the ASHRAE Bookstore.

This TC is cognizant for the following standards and proposed standards:

ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 140: Standard Method of Test for the Evaluation of Building Energy Analysis Computer Programs
Proposed Standard: SPC 205P: Standard Representation of Performance Simulation Data for HVAC&R and Other Facility Equipment
Proposed Standard: SPC 209P: Energy Simulation Aided Design for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings

This TC participates in the following Multidisciplinary Task Group

MTG.BIM: Building Information Modeling
This MTG will coordinate the activities of multiple TC/TG in the area of standards and approaches to support the implementation of BIM within ASHRAE products and within the industry workplace.  MTG-BIM will also represent ASHRAE interests within the BIM marketplace outside of ASHRAE and provide a conduit for funneling information about the BIM industry to ASHRAE members.

ASHRAE Technical FAQs are provided as a service to ASHRAE members, users of ASHRAE publications, and the general public. While every effort has been made to ensure their accuracy and reliability, they are advisory and provided for informational purposes only, and in many cases represent only one person’s view. They are not intended and should not be relied on as an official statement of ASHRAE. Technical questions not addressed may be submitted to the ASHRAE Technical Services department at tse@ashrae.net.

This TC is responsible for the following FAQs:

Where can I get bin weather data for my area? (40)
Where can I find weather data sources for energy modeling? (63)
Which energy estimating software packages are recommended by ASHRAE? (88)

Click Here to see general FAQs about TC 4.7.