GARD provides software that allows customers to analyze proposed system designs for energy efficiency and cost performance. These software tools include standalone application development for a variety of software environments as well as extensions to public domain simulation tools.

GARD’s historical and current focus on this area is readily evidenced by our experience in the building energy analysis field. From an historical perspective, GARD has been a pioneer in the development of building energy analysis software beginning with an active role in the creation of the first public domain hour-by-hour programs in the late 1960’s. GARD Analytics personnel have remained actively involved in the development of subsequent generations of these applications over the past thirty-five years, and are currently involved in the testing and support of the next generation of energy analysis programs called EnergyPlus. This continuity, stretching over almost four decades, brings an immense depth of understanding to research and development issues relating to energy analysis and building simulation software.

Projects include the following:

• • Testing, Support, Software Utilities for EnergyPlus.
    Providing ongoing testing and support services during the development of this next generation building energy simulation program.
    Available from the U.S. Department of Energy.
    
  • Gas cooling equipment models included in DOE-2.
    Developed simulation algorithms and FORTRAN subroutines to model desiccant dehumidifiers, direct-fired absorption chillers, gas engine-driven chillers, and gas engine-driven heat pumps.
  • Simulation library for DesiCalc™ program to analyze desiccant system applications to commercial buildings.
    Developed parameterized DOE-2 simulation input file library to compare the energy costs of a desiccant dehumidifier against a variety of cooling and dehumidification systems for 10 building types.
    Available from www.desicalc.com.
  • Simulation library for Gas Cooling Guide™ program to analyze applications of gas cooling equipment.
    Developed parameterized DOE-2 simulation input file library to compare the energy costs of gas-fired chillers and desiccant dehumidifiers against a variety of competing systems for 12 building types.
    Available from www.interenergysoftware.com.
    
  • Simulation library for Building Energy Analyzer™ program to analyze CHP applications in commercial and industrial buildings.
    Developed parameterized DOE-2 simulation input file library to compare the energy costs of thermal storage systems, on-site power generation, and waste heat recovery systems against a variety of competing systems for 12 building types.
    Available from www.interenergysoftware.com.
    
  • Compressed Air System Screening Tool (CASST) to perform preliminary analyses of industrial compressed air systems.
    Developed Microsoft Excel™ spreadsheet application to help determine which energy conservation measures (ECMs) make the most sense for a given industrial compressed air plant given the plant configuration, loads, and utility costs.
    Contact the Energy Center of Wisconsin for additional information.
    
  • Resource Energy Efficiency and Emissions Model (REEEM) used to evaluate electric utility efficiency and emissions
    Developed Microsoft Excel™ spreadsheet application and database containing monthly data for electric power plants owned by the 52 largest U.S. utilities. REEEM uses a total fuel cycle analysis to evaluate the seasonal marginal energy efficiency and emissions per unit of delivered electricity by generating plant class for a given utility.

Related Projects

EnergyPlus Testing, Development, Validation, Training and Support

Develop Life-Cycle Costing Feature for EnergyPlus

Development of Direct-Fired Absorption Chiller Model for EnergyPlus

Development of Desiccant Dehumidifier Model for EnergyPlus

Development and Integration of Thermal Energy Storage Model into EnergyPlus

BCHP Screening Tool Development