Engineering Inputs: General Tab

General inputs for the baseline model

Patrick Chopson avatar
Written by Patrick Chopson
Updated over a week ago

The General tab covers several high-level inputs into the baseline model. Typically these values will not be changed, however, if customization is required, here is a rundown of the inputs.

2030 Building Type

This input controls the benchmarking information provided via the 2030 Challenge DDX connection. The default will match the primary building type selected on the Project Page. If needed the 2030 Building Type can be selected here to refine the benchmarking.

Primary Energy Domestic Hot Water

This inputs controls the primary energy source for Domestic Hot Water (DHW) in a project. The default value is linked to the DHW Generation input on the Building System. The options are gas or electric which will determine how the energy used for hot water will be costed. Note changes to this input will not impact the whole building or breakdown EUI, only the costs.

Primary Energy Heating

The primary energy for heating is the source of heat for the project. This is directly linked with the System Type input on the Building System tab. Each system assigns either gas or electric to this field depending on the Heating System used. It is recommended to not change this field as doing so will create a mismatch between the system used and the calculation of costs.

Building Location Type

The building location type controls the wider context in the simulation. This informs details about the wind behavior and therefore infiltration of the building. The default value will be Urban, however, this can be customized as needed to any of these three inputs:

  • Country - Sparsely populated areas with limited buildings around

  • Suburban - Mostly residential area with some buildings, but all low rise

  • Urban - Densely populated and built-up areas. City centers

Electricity Utility Rate

This is the cost of electricity used for calculating the yearly energy cost of the project. The defaults are localized to each project location, including the currency. Because utility costs can vary from project to project, It is encouraged to update this value when specific costs are known.

Gas Utility Rate

This is the cost of gas used for calculating the yearly energy cost of the project. The defaults are localized to each project location, including the currency. Like the electricity costs, it is encouraged to customize these inputs when specific costs are available for a project.

FAQ

What are some typical conversions for utility costs?

  • $/US therm to $/kWh

    • divide your $/US therm value by 29.3001.

    • Example $0.74/therm divided by 29.3001, equals $0.02525/kWh

  • $/US therm to $/kBTU

    • divide your $/US therm value by 99.976.

    • Example $0.74/therm divide by 99.976, equals $0.0074/kBtu

  • $/kWh to $/kBTU

    • divide your $/kWh value by 3.41214.

    • Example $0.1341/kWh divided by 3.412, equals $0.039/kBtu.

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