Energy Modeling and Consultation
BEE offers building Energy Modeling, Envelope Energy Code Compliance, Air Barrier Design, and Passive House WUFI Design services for building owners, architects, MEP engineers and sustainability consultants.
We believe that energy modeling will become more popular as a result of its potential to increase sustainability, deliver a high return on Investment, and eventually reduce carbon emission.
Our Energy Team can provide insights and assessments regarding the latest state requirements and programs for all types of buildings including commercial, residential, and industrial.
Our Energy Services
Energy Modeling
Our Energy Modeling report is a pre-construction, whole-building assessment of energy efficiency accounting for all systems within a building and examines how they impact each other. It forecasts how much energy a building could potentially use based on construction materials and methods, its mechanical systems, its orientation on the site, specific site characteristics, anticipated occupancy, and average local climate conditions. Energy models pay for themselves in a matter of months and should be included in the toolkits of architects and engineers.
Some of these benefits include helping designers to choose the best system based on projected performance in the specific to project conditions, like building geometry, envelope performance, location, climate, other building systems, working schedules and utility rates, and many other factors. The model provides the total cost-effectiveness of each system in those specific conditions and is used for green building standards like Built Green, LEED and others. It is also required by many municipality rebates and financing programs. eQUEST and REMrate are the most commonly used software for modeling.
The new energy code requires HVAC Total System Performance Ratio (HVAC TSPR) Modeling for most of the new construction with a few exceptions. BEE Consulting has succesfully modeled hundreds of these projects in recent years. We offer HVAC TSPR Modeling, as well as Total Building Energy Performance Modeling to our MEP and Architect clients. See specific language below:
HVAC TOTAL SYSTEM PERFORMANCE RATIO (HVAC TSPR). The ratio of the sum of a building’s annual heating and cooling load in thousands of Btu’s to the sum of annual carbon emissions in pounds from energy consumption of the building HVAC systems. Carbon emissions shall be calculated by multiplying site energy consumption by the carbon emission factors from Table C407.1 – Per WSEC2018
C403.1.1 HVAC TOTAL SYSTEM PERFORMANCE RATIO (HVAC TSPR). For systems serving office, medical office, retail, library and education occupancies and buildings, and the dwelling units and residential common areas within R-2 multifamily buildings, which are subject to the requirements of Section C403.3.5 without exceptions, the HVAC total system performance ratio (HVAC TSPR) of the proposed design HVAC system shall be more than or equal to the HVAC TSPR of the standard reference design as calculated according to Appendix D, Calculation of HVAC Total System Performance Ratio – Per WSEC2018.
Underlining indicates text that the city of Seattle has added to the Washington State Energy Code.
This service is focused on delivering building envelope energy code compliance in the most cost-effective way while meeting industry best practice. Our energy code experts will assess a project during design development and periodically review during construction as needed to define the most effective code compliance path, material selection, and assembly details. Along with drawing examination and energy forms, we will also provide heating equipment sizing and renewable energy system sizing.
With the new 2018 Washington State Energy Code (2018 WSEC) compliance on February 1, 2021 we’ve created a post of our summary of the changes.
Modeling in THERM helps to understand thermal bridging effects in complex assemblies. We use it to identify how much insulation should be applied before it reaches the maximum effective level. It also identifies potential condensation risk areas.
Our highly experienced team of engineers, inspectors, and testers understand the main requirements for a successful air barrier design. In our design, we account for cost impacts, material availability, project specifics, and general contractor experience and knowledge. It is crucial to coordinate the air barrier design with the weatherization barrier, vapor control, thermal boundary, and proper ventilation to avoid potential issues with the building envelope and help prevent sick building syndrome from airtight buildings.
For a full design project, BEE provides on average over a hundred building envelope details. All of them are being closely examined as part of the Energy Code Compliance and Air Barrier Design services. Most of the building assemblies have multiple layers of materials that can change the building envelope performance based on their application methods and layered position in the assembly. Many materials may perform multiple functions required for a properly functioning building envelope assembly if applied wisely.
Built Green, LEED, RESNET, Energy Star
The BEE team of approved energy raters and verifiers will guide a project through Built Green, LEED, RESNET, PHIUS, Energy Star Certification, Affordable Housing Certification, Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard & Enterprise Green Communities. We will evaluate all energy and sustainability-related aspects of design, conduct site inspections, and complete required testing and verifications to ensure successful certification of your project.
Read about us on Housing Development Consortium’s Weekly Digest. Click here.
See BEE Consulting on WSU’s list of Certified Home Energy Raters (HERS). Click here.
Incentives
Feasibility studies help identify available energy or Green Building Incentive Programs. Those programs are oriented to help offset the cost of the energy improvements beyond the minimum requirements of the local codes. Most of the projects are qualify for some of the programs with little to no change to typical construction practice.
Our Recent Projects
The Pine Apartments
Address: 116th Ave. NE, Kirkland, WA
The proposed Pine Apartments is a mixed-use development at 10930 116th Ave NE, Kirkland, WA 98033 consists two-stories of below-grade parking areas and six residential stories, consisting of approximately 140 apartment units.
The Proposed Design complies with WSEC2015 by achieving 13.8% (required min 10%) energy savings over the Standard Reference Design and complying with C406.3 Reduced Lighting Power additional efficiency package option.
Amalfi on 30th
Address: 12337 30th Ave NE, Seattle, WA
The project is a 7-story multi-family development consisting of one above grade structure with 130 apartment units and one story of below-grade parking, 118,376 sf total area. The Proposed Design complies with 2015 Seattle Energy Code (SEC2015) by achieving 10.21% (required min 10%) energy saving over the Standard Reference Design and complying with one credit C406.3 Reduced Lighting Power.
Credit C406.9 Reduced air infiltration has been removed.
C411 On-site renewable energy is not required.
Pointe by Vintage
Address: 22837 Pacific Highway S, Des Moines, WA
The Point by Vintage is a new 5-story construction with 161 dwelling units, total building area is 273,423 sf, including 88,616 sf of parking area. There are some retail and office areas on the first floor of the building.
The Proposed Design complies with 2015 Washington State Energy Code (WSEC2015) and Evergreen Sustainable Development Standard Version 3.0.1 (ESDS V3.0.1) by achieving 16.8% (required min 7% by 2015WSEC and 9% additional savings by ESDS V3.0.1, #5.2A, 15.37% total) energy saving over the Standard Reference Design with C406.3 Reduced Lighting Power and C406.5 On-site Renewable Energy additional efficiency package options.
Pastakia Dexter
Address: 1405 Dexter Ave North, Seattle, WA
The proposed Pastakia Dexter project is a new building at 1405 Dexter Ave. North, Seattle, WA 98109.
It is an eight-story, 160-unit apartment building, and parking for 62 vehicles to be provided below and partially below grade.
The Proposed Design demonstrate compliance with the 2015 Seattle Energy Code and Director’s Rule 20-2017 Green Building Standard using the Total Building Performance Method (section C407). The chosen method requires: – 23.50% reduction in modeled energy use compared to the Standard Reference Design (SRD) building with one additional energy efficiency packages option in Section C406.
The Proposed Design has reached a 23.82% reduction over the SRD with C406.3 Reduced lighting power additional energy efficiency package option.
Downtown Cornerstone Church
Address: 2800 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98121
The proposed Downtown Cornerstone Church project is a substantial alteration of the existing historical building located at 2800 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98121. The gross square footage of the building is 24,270 ft2.
An energy use analysis of the Proposed Design (PD) for the Project, was made to demonstrate compliance with the 2015 Seattle Energy Code using the Total Building Performance Method (section C407). Since the project falls under section C503.8, the chosen method requires:
– Less than 97 percent of SRD when no C406 options are included in the project and the Proposed Design.
The Proposed Design has reached 91.39% percent of Standard Reference Design.
Union 93
Address: Broadway Ave between Main St. and 3rd Ave, Meridian, ID
The Proposed Project, located at Broadway Ave between Main St. and 3rd Ave, Meridian, ID 83702 is a new construction of a 7-story 377,884 gsf mid-rise, mixed-used building. Design is comprised of 3 levels of site-built, type IA podium construction with commercial, residential amenities, parking, and associated support spaces on the ground floor with two levels of parking above. Above podium is 4 levels of type IIIA, prefabricated modular construction with 184 multifamily residential apartments and associated amenity spaces.
The Proposed Design complies with Normative Appendix G Performance Rating Method ASHRAE Standard 90.1–2016 by achieving Performance Cost Index (PCI) 0.79 (required max 0.86).
Filipino Community Village
Address: 5727 37th Ave. S, Seattle, WA 98118
The proposed Filipino Community Village project is a new apartment building located at 5727 37th Ave. S, Seattle, WA 98118. The building is five-stories tall with 95 residential units and a total floor area of 75,734 square feet.
In determining the maximum gross rent for a low-income housing unit, the Applicant must include the Utility Allowance. The actual rent cannot be greater than the maximum applicable gross rent less the Utility Allowance. However, gross rent does not include Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 8 or any comparable rental assistance payments.
The Utility Allowance calculation for Filipino Community Village based on the Total Building Energy Model which simulated on the DOE2 eQUEST software. In order to obtain the proper billing estimation updated energy and natural gas rates submitted referenced to charges of utility suppliers. The energy consumption and bill calculation presented for each dwelling unit type. Utility allowance schedules based on the typical cost of utilities and services paid by energy-conservative households in housing of similar size and type and in the same locality.
