Q: Can you talk about  entering dates in the Analysis Period that “umbrellaed” dates. Also, Estimated vs. calculated baseload when  oil deliveries in summer

 A: It is a good practice to set analysis period start and end dates to have an additional month and the  beginning and end of the period to ensure that all desired data is included.

 

Q: What does heating “slope” mean?

 A: Heating slope is a way to represent how the energy usage intensity of a given building is to changing outdoors temperatures.

 

Q: Where can we find TREAT example projects?

 A: TREAT sample projects are included with the software and can be accessed by selecting “Project Group, Open, Samples”

 

Q: Building Air Tightness input by “guesstimate” or by measurement?

 A: Building air tightness can be entered in as a CFM50 number or an ACH estimate.

 

Q: So what’s the difference between TM2 and TM3?

A: TMY3 files contain more recent average weather data and should be used for most calculations.

 

Q: Does the conditioned space in this modeling also count the common hall ways, etc.  that may be heated by the same time of system.  Or just the  living units.

A: Spaces in TREAT can be set to conditioned or unconditioned. Spaces that are conditioned are modeled to be at the temperature specified on the thermostats section.

 

Q: How did you get the utility graph again?

A:Many views of utility usage are available on the Select Reports screen.

 

Q: Elevation ft. – does it include the height to the top floor of building

A: The elevation (ft) inputs define the height above the ground of the bottom of the surface or space in question. Most models should be run using the standard ACH estimation infiltration method, and these inputs do not have an effect so do not need to be used.

 

Q: is it true we can only combine multiple buildings in one model if there served by the same heating plant or multiple identical heating plants ?

 A: When considering combining multiple spaces into one, or multiple buildings into one model it is important that the thermal characteristics and profiles as well as the equipment serving the spaces is similar.

 

 Q: What if the wall frame you want to use doesn’t have the R value you need? Do you change the frame to get the right R value?

A: If you cannot find an ideal surface in TREAT the top priority becomes matching the R value, and secondly matching the mass or structure of the surface.

 

Q: Is the window area automatically taken out of the net wall area?

A: Yes and TREAT will issue a warning if the user attempts to model window area greater than the wall area.

 

Q: Is there an option for storm windows? Can they be modeled in addition to existing windows?

A: Fully closed and partially open storm window options are available for single pane glass in the glazing library.

 

Q: How is heat recovery handled? You said infiltration assumed all incoming air had to be conditioned to indoor setpoint.

 A: Heat recovery % effectiveness can be entered on the fans screen of TREAT.

 

Q: Can you demonstrate how to enter heat pump capacity in heating model

A: All HVAC capacities are entered in btus/hr.

 

Q: How is the pipe area calculated?

 A: Pipe area is calculated as the external area of the pipe.

 

Q: When to use Default setting for Distribution

A: Always leave the default distribution system efficiency, and edit the specific physical inputs.

 

Q: Looks like there can be only one type of AC, is that correct?

A: Only one AC system can be entered into TREAT, but multiple AC systems can be average together to create this entry.  This is a common strategy for modeling multiple window AC units in MF buildings.

 

Q: How is the default calculated if we don’t enter pipe length and diameter?

A: Default distribution area is calculated based on space size and other inputs to the model.

 

Q: Would you have multiple conditioned zones with the one heating system?

A: Yes, it is possible to model this condition in TREAT.

 

Q: How do you model a heat pump thats both heating and cooling?

A: Model the heating and cooling sides of the heat pump separately, they generally have different capacities and efficiencies.

 

Q: What if my unit is larger than 5.75 tons and is rated in EER, or a PTAC rated in EER?

A: Units larger than 5.75 tons can be modeled in TREAT. Input for capacity is in the unit of btu/hr. Selecting Central AC or Room AC in TREAT will allow for entry of the appropriate efficiency type.

 

Q: What do you suggest if we have lobby gym and common rooms with central AC but apartments have window AC’s ?

A: Please contact TREAT support for specific building configuration questions.

 

Q: What’s the difference in TREAT between ground source and groundwater source heat pumps.

A: There is little difference between any heating and cooling systems in the eyes of modeling software besides the capacity, efficiency, and distribution losses they represent.

 

Q: There is no option for district steam in Treat for heat and hot water. How will these be modeled if they don’t exist here?

A: District steam can be modeled easily in TREAT, please contact TREAT support to discuss the building you are modeling.

 

Q: So treat does not calculate the load loss or gain for the building?

A: TREAT does calculate loads for the building. These loads should not be used for equipment sizing.

 

Q: You should cover the “true up” procedure even briefly.

A: The true up or calibration of the model involves bringing the modeled energy consumption into line real utility bills. First all baseload fuels should be trued up. Then HVAC consumption can be adjusted using the “levers” or input in which the modeler has the least confidence.

 

Q: We only get oil delivery tickets for a building , but state program requires us to model a detailed accurate breakdown of how much oil used for heating vs. hot water because were proposing boiler & HW improvements. – Tips for accurate breakdown when we have no HW efficiency or sqft data

 A: The TREAT utility data analysis tool can adjust oil deliveries into heating profiles.