Project Objectives

1. Adapt US DOE EnergyPlus models for Standard Commercial Building Types to represent California Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency Standards.
2. Using OpenStudio and EnergyPlus, adapt these standard building models to represent buildings that achieve Zero Net Energy.
3. Develop EnergyPlus model of an innovative Zero Net Energy commercial building in Davis CA, and validate the model performance against real-world energy use data for the facility.

Project Narrative

In coordination with California’s Global Warming Solutions Act (AB32), the California Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan (CA-EESP) has established a number of targets to transform the patterns energy use in California buildings. In particular, the CA-EESP plans to achieve Zero Net Energy (ZNE) for all residential construction by 2020, then to require ZNE for all new commercial buildings by 2030. The capstone design project will develop building energy simulations in EnergyPlus and OpenStudio to assess innovative design strategies to achieve these goals. In particular, we will study the design of a light commercial building in Davis that incorporates passive design elements such as high mass and natural ventilation to achieve substantial annual energy savings. The project will develop a detailed model of this building, and will compare it against building models that represent current Building Energy Efficiency Standards.