The results were quantified using three metrics:
- energy cost savings;
- energy cost percentage savings; and
- simulation auto-sized design airflow capacity.
The modeled building
The eight-story office building was modeled with 22,389 m2 (241,000 sf) of floor area and a slightly rectangular footprint, with five zones per floor. The wall insulation varied by the location, and was based on the minimum requirements of American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 90.1, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-rise Residential Buildings. Roof insulation was R-20 continuous insulation (ci), as specified by ASHRAE 90.1, for all the modeled locations. Figure 1 provides additional details on the building envelope, while Figure 2 gives details on internal loads of the building. Figure 3 describes the heating and cooling systems.
