Solutions

As building energy efficiency and electrification go to scale, we need to cost-effectively support the installation of complex heat pump systems and integrate heat pump delivery with load reduction. PSD has focused on bringing the powerful physics of the DOE-supported EnergyPlus simulation engine to energy efficiency, electrification, and load reduction programs.

PSD has developed an approach to obtaining regulatory approval for simplified input EnergyPlus simulations. Standardized Simulations are transparent, forms-based, simplified-input EnergyPlus simulations that produce credentialed time and location-based impacts including permanent load reduction impacts.

There are two Standardized Simulations approved by regulators in New York State:

• Envelope Packages
• Heat Pump Plus Envelope Packages (includes HPWH)

Standardized Simulations are delivered with cloud based EnergyPlus/OpenStudio server processing HPXML files generated from program defined data.

More Standardized Simulations are in various stages of development, including Residential New Construction and Multifamily, and Commercial Envelope Retrofit. Contact us if you think your state or utility could benefit from credentialing a Standardized Simulation to support your programs.

Energy modeling is ready for a makeover. Energy modeling is not just for engineers. With heat pumps and load reduction programs, contractors need access to physics-based modeling to cost-effectively make load reduction investments and then accurately size heat pumps. Simplified input EnergyPlus simulations can handle these complex interactions and provide contractors with the information they need to reduce the cost of their heat pump and retrofit installations.

PSD has developed an integrated set of heat pump and envelope retrofit tools to support load reduction programs. These tools are being deployed at scale, tested, and refined in New York State, to support the goal of doing 2 million residential retrofits by 2030. PSD estimates that using these tools can reduce installation costs and improve performance with a savings of two to three thousand dollars per job in the Northeast, by accurately sizing equipment, allowing for a greater range of equipment options, and reducing operating costs.

The HP+Retrofit Toolkit brings together 5 different tools:

• Onsite phone and tablet data collection including rapid photo uploads
• Weatherization energy savings and time and location-based demand impacts
• Integrated load sizing calculations
• Heat pump equipment selection tool linked to the NEEP ccASHP database
• Heat pump energy savings and time and location-based demand impacts

This integration reduces contractor costs, improves quality assurance and supports the delivery of accurately sized heat pumps.

Low-income electrification is a difficult barrier for large-scale decarbonization. Low-income households are especially sensitive to high bills. And heat pumps if not installed correctly or operated incorrectly can quickly generate a high bill. Low-income households will be best served if there are envelope improvements installed to reduce the heating and cooling loads, before the heat pump is installed, or soon after. Capturing these load reduction impacts by correctly sizing the heat pumps is critical. The realization rate of a load reduction program is measured by the program’s ability to successfully downsize heat pumps based on load reduction investments.

PSD’s Heat Pump Plus Retrofit Toolkit is particularly well suited for low-income load reduction and heat pump installation programs. PSD has also developed technology to quickly detect high bill conditions using EnergyPlus modeling data combined with interval data from whole building metering or from low-cost submeters.

This technology is currently being tested in an NYSERDA-funded innovation pilot, with PSD providing co-funding support through PSD’s DOE SBIR Phase II award.

Read more about this project

PSD is working closely with a range of partners to develop solutions to support the IRA rebate program rollout. PSD is working with the Building Performance Institute and NYSERDA to design and test options for modernizing the BPI 2400 standard for the modeled HOMES option. PSD was responsible for the origination of the standard and PSD staff were primary authors of the standard. NYSERDA, the State Energy Office for New York State, has referenced PSD’s work with Standardized Simulations as worthy of consideration by other states in their response to the DOE RFI for the Rebate programs.

PSD’s Heat Pump Plus Retrofit Toolkit is a great fit to support deployment of both HOMES whole building and HEERHA heat pump plus installations.

PSD has also developed a 14 page guide for programs considering the measured incentives for the HOMES program. PSD has international measurement experts on staff and has extensive experience with measured savings programs dating back to the first low income multifamily pay for performance utility program in 1989. Contact PSD for information on this resource.

PSD builds custom tools for clients that leverage our deep understanding of the EnergyPlus simulation environment and the work underway at the DOE national labs. These tools can leverage large scale modeling, such as a PSD project to design a screening tool to support a multifamily deep retrofit program. This project used machine learning approaches to develop a database of over 35 million modeling results, allowing the program to quickly evaluate the saving impact for a wide range of existing conditions and deep retrofit options. Or we might build tools that can rapidly generate energy models, for example, rapid energy modeling to support a commercial new construction program. These are often two stage design build contracts.