[Equest-users] LEED Issue with EQuest Software's AbilitytoModelBoilers on Ground Loops

Matthew Baron mbaron at wendelcompanies.com
Thu Aug 15 12:27:47 PDT 2013


If you start your system in DD wizard and make it a ground source heat pump your air side system should end up being a PVVT. You can create a separate heating loop with the boilers and then in the air side system go to the heating tab-> Supp heat/defrost tab then add the supplemental heat source as your boiler loop then set your max-hp-t to the outdoor temp you want your boilers to start. Have not personally done this but see post http://lists.onebuilding.org/pipermail/equest-users-onebuilding.org/2010-February/003399.html

Thanks,
Matthew J. Baron
[wendel EM]

Wendel, 140 John James Audubon Pkwy, Suite 201, Buffalo, NY 14228
p 716.688.0766   f 716.625.6825   e mbaron at wendelcompanies. com   w wendelcompanies. com

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From: Kathryn Kerns [mailto:kathryn.kerns at bceengineers.com]
Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2013 2:58 PM
To: Matthew Baron; Nick Caton; James Hansen; equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org<mailto:equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org>
Subject: RE: [Equest-users] LEED Issue with EQuest Software's AbilitytoModelBoilers on Ground Loops

Try running the model. You won't complete the run.

________________________________
From: Matthew Baron [mailto:mbaron at wendelcompanies.com]
Sent: Thu 8/15/2013 11:56 AM
To: Kathryn Kerns; Nick Caton; James Hansen; Steve Woolery; equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org<mailto:equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org>
Subject: RE: [Equest-users] LEED Issue with EQuest Software's AbilitytoModelBoilers on Ground Loops
When do you get the fatal error?
[Image removed by sender. Capture.PNG]
Thanks,
Matthew J. Baron
[Image removed by sender. wendel EM]

Wendel, 140 John James Audubon Pkwy, Suite 201, Buffalo, NY 14228
p 716.688.0766   f 716.625.6825   e mbaron at wendelcompanies. com   w wendelcompanies. com

ARCHITECTURE    ENGINEERING    PLANNING    ENERGY SERVICES    CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email transmission is confidential and is intended only for the person(s) named above. Its contents may also be protected by privilege, and all rights to privilege are expressly claimed and not waived.  If you have received this email in error, please call us immediately and destroy the entire email. If this email is not intended for you, any reading, distribution, copying or disclosure of this email is strictly prohibited.

Please consider the environment before printing this email.

From: equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org<mailto:equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org> [mailto:equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org] On Behalf Of Kathryn Kerns
Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2013 2:45 PM
To: Nick Caton; James Hansen; Steve Woolery; equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org<mailto:equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org>
Subject: Re: [Equest-users] LEED Issue with EQuest Software's Ability toModelBoilers on Ground Loops

Nick if you have some way of adding a boiler to the HP Water Loop containing the Ground Loop HX without getting the "cannot combine a boiler  and a ground loop HX" fatal error, please show me. I must be missing something.

________________________________
From: Nick Caton [mailto:ncaton at smithboucher.com]
Sent: Thu 8/15/2013 10:59 AM
To: James Hansen; Kathryn Kerns; Steve Woolery; equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org<mailto:equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org>
Subject: RE: [Equest-users] LEED Issue with EQuest Software's Ability toModelBoilers on Ground Loops
If it were me, I'd just add the inconsequential boiler, state/show I did so, and move on.  Typically less effort than building an impenetrable case to someone being contrarian.

To bullet #3:  I think not for the standard output reports, but loop entering and exiting temperatures are options in the custom hourly output report dialog, which I believe you can assign to any loop type.  This will put out a CSV you can use with a spreadsheet software of your choosing to quickly come up with minimums/maximums over the simulation.

Attached is a past thread with a spelled out / illustrated procedure for setting up a custom hourly report, in case that's helpful.

Best regards,

~Nick

[Image removed by sender. Image removed by sender. cid:489575314 at 22072009-0ABB]

NICK CATON, P.E.
SENIOR ENGINEER

Smith & Boucher Engineers
25501 west valley parkway, suite 200
olathe, ks 66061
direct 913.344.0036
fax 913.345.0617
www.smithboucher.com<http://www.smithboucher.com>

From: equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org<mailto:equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org> [mailto:equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org] On Behalf Of James Hansen
Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2013 11:36 AM
To: Kathryn Kerns; Steve Woolery; equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org<mailto:equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org>
Subject: Re: [Equest-users] LEED Issue with EQuest Software's Ability to ModelBoilers on Ground Loops

You can absolutely add a boiler to a GSHP loop.  Just add a boiler, and when asked which HW loop to assign it to, you can pick the GSHP Loop (as long as that loop is a "Water Loop HP" loop).

I think more than likely this is the reason you are getting the comments you are.  This reviewer may know that you CAN add a boiler to a GSHP loop, which is the reason for comment #4.

I doubt GBCI is trying to eliminate eQuest as a modeling option.

Also, printing out hourly reports from an eQuest run is often helpful in proving your case (whatever case that may be).  If you can show, via hourly reports, that the heat picked up by the GSHP heat exchanger exceeds the heating load for all 8,760 hours of the day, then case closed...that's all you need to submit.

GHT Limited
James Hansen, P.E., LEED AP
Senior Associate
1010 N. Glebe Road, Suite 200
Arlington, VA  22201-4749
703-243-1200 (office)
703-338-5754 (cell)
703-276-1376 (fax)
www.ghtltd.com<http://www.ghtltd.com/>

From: equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org<mailto:equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org> [mailto:equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org] On Behalf Of Kathryn Kerns
Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2013 12:27 PM
To: Steve Woolery; equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org<mailto:equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org>
Subject: [Equest-users] LEED Issue with EQuest Software's Ability to ModelBoilers on Ground Loops

Everyone, I have received a snarky comment from the LEED reviewers regarding eQuest and not being able to model back-up boilers on a ground heat pump loop. See below. The ground loop is large enough not to generate any temperature low alarm messages, the ground loop pump flow never reaches 100% flow except for 1 hour and the ground loop heating capacity is never exceeded. These facts do not appear to be a good enough explanation not modeling the back up gas boiler.

My questions for the group are:
1. Is there a way to add a boiler or some additional heat source to a ground loop in eQuest?  As far as I know the only work around I have discovered is to represent the ground loop by creating a water loop and adding a magical no energy consuming boiler and fluid cooler to a heat pump water loop and change the water loop parameters to match ground loop parameters. Then you can add normal boilers that will start if the non-energy consuming ground loop boiler is too small for the building heat load.  I offered this option to the LEED reviewer and they replied that it was not an established work around.

2. If there is no way to attach a boiler to a ground loop in eQuest, is there some established work around that somebody has used that was accepted by a LEED reviewer?

3. Is there anything in the reports that lists the maximum and minimum ground loop temperatures? I have been unable to locate it.

4. Does anyone have an written explanation to answer "If this [the boiler] is not being modeled in the energy modeling software then provide a thorough explanation for why it cannot be modeled. "?

5. Does this sound like LEED is trying to eliminate eQuest software, and if so, is there anything we can do about it? "in the future the software selected to simulate the building components must be able to model those components "

The project team could possibly demonstrate that the boiler would not operate through a series of engineering calculations, some other software that could possibly simulate the building's loop temperatures, or through a thorough explanation of how the system operation prevents the boiler from operating. In short the project team must demonstrate that the boiler will not operate, not just say that is the case without presenting some evidence. If this is not being modeled in the energy modeling software then provide a thorough explanation for why it cannot be modeled. In the future the software selected to simulate the building components must be able to model those components or use an exceptional calculation (work around) to do so (G2.2).

________________________________
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