MICHAEL J. WITTE, Ph.D., BEMP
TITLE
Principal Engineer
PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Building Energy Modeling, Software Testing, EnergyPlus Support and Training
EDUCATION
B.S.M.E., Valparaiso University, 1981
M.S.M.E., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1983
Ph.D.M.E., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1989
EXPERIENCE
Dr. Witte supports GARD’s energy program activities with a primary emphasis on energy simulation software including user support, training, analysis, and software development. Other areas of expertise include literature reviews, economic analysis, data analysis and technology assessment studies.
Since 1999, Dr. Witte has led the GARD team as principal investigator for EnergyPlus Testing and Support. EnergyPlus is the U.S. Department of Energy’s premier building energy simulation tool used by architects and HVAC engineering to assist in energy-efficient building design. Dr. Witte provides daily support to EnergyPlus users by answering user questions via e-mail. He is also responsible for the development and teaching of EnergyPlus training workshops. GARD has organized more than 40 events with over 700 attendees, and Dr. Witte has taught nearly all of them. Dr. Witte is also responsible for a major portion of the development of the “HVACTemplate” system objects which can be used to simplify the preparation of HVAC system input descriptions required by EnergyPlus. He developed EnergyPlus equipment models for ice storage (simplified), multi-stage DX cooling coil, and active desiccant dehumidifiers. This project also includes formal testing of EnergyPlus, including comparative, analytical, and empirical tests using published standard test suites and newly developed test suites that were implemented by GARD.
Dr. Witte recently completed an ASHRAE research project, ASHRAE 1254-RP Evaluating the Ability of Unitary Equipment to Maintain Adequate Space Humidity Levels, Phase II. This project consisted of a large parametric simulation study using EnergyPlus to assess to humidity control performance and efficiency of eighteen HVAC system types in seven commercial building types using two set of ventilation rates in ten locations.
Prior to working with EnergyPlus, Dr. Witte’s activities included simulating gas cooling equipment such as gas heat pumps, desiccant systems, and chillers; developing libraries of parameterized DOE-2 input files for gas cooling screening tools; and investigating topics of current interest such as the impacts of deregulation on the gas and electric industries. He has also developed a database to estimate the overall resource energy efficiency and related emissions of delivering natural gas and electricity to end-use natural gas or electric appliances.
Prior to joining GARD, Dr. Witte taught in the area of building energy systems as the Oberdick Fellow in the Building Sciences at the University of Michigan. Prior to this, Dr. Witte worked for six years as a project coordinator at the BLAST Support Office at the University of Illinois. In this position, he provided user support and software development services for the BLAST building energy simulation software under contract to the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers. Through this work, and his active participation in ASHRAE and IBPSA, he has gained extensive experience in the area of building energy simulation software.
TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS
Witte, M.J., and R.H. Henninger, R.H., “Evaluating the Ability of Unitary Equipment to Maintain Adequate Space Humidity Levels (RP-1254),” ASHRAE Transactions, ASHRAE, Atlanta, GA, January 2010.
Witte, M.J., Henninger, R.H., and D.B. Crawley, “Development of New Self-Comparison Test Suites for EnergyPlus,” Proceedings SimBuild 2008, IBSPA-USA National Conference, Berkeley, CA, July 2008.
Witte, M.J., Henninger, R.H., and D.B. Crawley, “Experience Testing EnergyPlus with the IEA BESTEST E300-E545 Series and IEA HVAC BESTEST Fuel-Fired Furnace Series,” Proceedings, SimBuild 2006, IBSPA-USA National Conference, Cambridge, MA, August 2006.
Witte, M.J., and R.H. Henninger, ASHRAE 1254-RP Evaluating the Ability of Unitary Equipment to Maintain Adequate Space Humidity Levels, Phase II, Final Report, ASHRAE, May 2006.
Witte, M.J., Henninger, R.H., and D.B. Crawley, “Experience Testing EnergyPlus with the ASHRAE 1052-RP Building Fabric Analytical Tests,” Proceedings, SimBuild 2004, IBSPA-USA National Conference, Boulder, CO, August 2004.
Strand, R K, M .J Witte, and R J Liesen, “Resources for the Teaching of Building Energy Simulation,” Proceedings, SimBuild 2004, IBPSA-USA National Conference, Boulder, CO, August 2004.
Henninger, R.H., Witte, M.J., and D.B. Crawley, “Analytical and Comparative Testing of EnergyPlus using IEA HVAC BESTEST E100-E200 Series,” Energy and Buildings, 36 (2004), pp. 855-863, 2004.
Henninger, R.H., Witte, M.J., and D.B. Crawley, “Experience Testing EnergyPlus with the IEA HVAC BESTEST E100-E200 Series,” Proceedings, Building Simulation 2003, International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBSPA), Eindhoven, Netherlands, August 2003.
Witte, M.J., Henninger, R.H., Glazer, J., and D.B. Crawley, “Testing and Validation of a New Building Energy Simulation Program,” Proceedings, Building Simulation 2001, International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBSPA), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 2001.
Kosar, D.R., and M.J. Witte, “Emerging, Cost-Effective Applications for Desiccant Dehumidification,” AIRAH Journal (Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating), March 2000.
L.G. Harriman III, M. Czachorski, M.J. Witte, and D.R. Kosar, “Evaluating Active Desiccant Systems for Ventilating Commercial Buildings,” ASHRAE Journal, October 1999.
Witte, M.J., and D.R. Kosar, “Emerging, Cost-Effective Applications for desiccant Dehumidification in the U.S.,” 11th Symposium on Improving Building Systems in Hot and Humid Climates, June 1998.
Kosar, D.R., M.J. Witte, D.B. Shirey III, and R.L. Hedrick, “Standard 62-1989 Dehumidification Issues,” ASHRAE Journal, March 1998.
Kosar, D.R., and M.J. Witte, “Emerging, Cost-Effective Applications for Desiccant Dehumidification in Australia,” Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) Conference, April 1998.
Witte, M.J., and R.L. Hedrick, Ventilation Air Treatment Analysis: Preliminary Market Segmentation, Gas Research Institute, March 1997
Kosar, D.R., and M.J. Witte, “Desiccant Applications – What’s Beyond Supermarkets, Ice Arenas, and Refrigerated Warehouses,” Natural Gas Cool Times, American Gas Cooling Center, Volume 8, No. 1, Jan./Feb. 1997.
Witte, M.J., J. Glazer, and R.H. Henninger, Market Opportunities for Applied Natural Gas Engine-Driven Hybrid Chiller Plants, Gas Research Institute, GRI-97/0026, January 1997.
Glazer, J., and M.J. Witte, Optimal Mix of Gas and Electric Packaged Cooling Units, Gas Research Institute, GRI-96/0269, September 1996.
Witte, M.J., R.H. Henninger, and J. Glazer, Economic Analysis Of Packaged Engine-Driven Rooftop Gas Air Conditioners for 49 Cities, Gas Research Institute, GRI-96/0324, August 1996.
Witte, M.J., J. Glazer, R.H. Henninger, and N.P. Leslie, “An Hourly Simulation Model for Engine-Driven Gas Heat Pumps, Proceedings of CLIMA 2000, London, November 1993.
Henninger, R.H., M.J. Witte, T.L. Cornell, and J. Glazer, Commercial Building Systems Analysis, Gas Research Institute, GRI-93/0349, June 1993.
Witte, M.J., J. Glazer, R.H. Henninger, and N.P. Leslie, “New Capabilities of DOE-2 to Simulate Engine-Driven Gas Heat Pumps”, International Gas Research Conference, November 1992.
Hedrick, R.L., M.J. Witte, N.P. Leslie and W.W. Bassett, “Furnace Sizing Criteria for Energy-Efficient Setback Strategies,” ASHRAE Transactions, Volume 98, Part 1, 1992.
Von Thun, Guido, and M. J. Witte, “Applying Building Simulation Tools to Optimize System Sizing and Operation Strategies”, ASHRAE Transactions, Volume 97,Part1, 1991.
Leslie, N.P., R.L. Hedrick, R.H. Henninger, and M.J. Witte, Conventional Research House Variable Speed Electric Heat Pump Heating Characterization Test Results, Gas Research Institute, GRI-91/0084, February 1991.
Leslie, N.P., R.L. Hedrick, and M.J. Witte, Conventional Research House Variable Speed Electric Heat Pump Cooling Characterization Test Results, Gas Research Institute,
GRI-90/0101, February 1991.
Witte, M. J., C. O. Pedersen, and J. D. Spitler, “Techniques for Simultaneous Simulation of Buildings and Mechanical Systems in Heat Balance Based Energy Analysis Programs”, Proceedings of Building Simulation ’89, pp. 169-174, International Building Performance Simulation Association, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, June 1989.
Maloney, D. M., C. O. Pedersen, and M. J. Witte, “Development of a Radiant Heating System Model for BLAST”, ASHRAE Transactions, Volume 94, Part 1, pp. 1795-1808, 1988.
Various publications on salt gradient and porous medium solar ponds, 1983-1987.
Witte, M. J., and T. A. Newell, “Simulation of the Growth and Erosion of a Double Diffusive ‘Diffusive’ Interface”, ASME Winter Annual Meeting, Paper 87-WA/HT-21, Boston, Massachusetts, December 1987.
Witte, M. J., and T. A. Newell, “Transmission of Solar Radiation Through a Random Medium of Water and Glass”, ASME Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, Vol. 108, No. 3, pp. 199-205, 1986.
Witte, M. J., and T. A. Newell, “Operational Constraints and Growth/Erosion Rate Predictions for Solar Pond Salt Candidates”, ASME Solar Energy Division Conference, Solar Engineering – 1986, pp. 338-343, Anaheim, California, April 1986.
Witte, M. J., and T. A. Newell, “A Thermal Burst model for the Predication of Erosion and Growth Rates of a Diffusive Interface”, AIChE/ASME National Heat Transfer Conference, Paper 85-HT-31, Denver, Colorado, August 1985.
Witte, M.J., and T. A. Newell, “Radiation Transmission Through a Transparent Porous Medium”, Progress in Solar Energy, Vol. 6, pp. 917-922, American Solar Energy Society Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, Minnesota, May 1983.
Newell, T. A., and M. J. Witte, “Solar Pond Performance Comparisons Between Mixed and Stratified Storage Zone Concepts”, Progress in Solar Energy, Vol. 6, pp. 429-433, American Solar Energy Society Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, Minnesota, May, 1983.
AFFILIATIONS
ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating & Air Conditioning Engineers),
Voting member of ASHRAE SSPC 140 “Standard Method of Test for the Evaluation of Building Energy Analysis Computer Programs,”
Corresponding member of ASHRAE TC4.7 “Energy Calculations.”
Certified Building Energy Modeling Professional (BEMP)
IBPSA (International Building Performance Simulation Association)
ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers)
Tau Beta Pi (Engineering Honor Society)