[Bldg-sim] EPact 2005 tax savings

[Joe Huang]

I frankly don't understand the criteria of acceptance for software 
approval.  It seems to accept any program that's self-described as 
capable of dynamic simulations with time-varying inputs and outputs, and 
has gone through the ASHRAE/ANSI Standard 140 comparisons. But Standard 
140 is just a cross-program comparison for very simplified cases, sort 
of digital hot-box experiments, if you will.  Does this mean that all 
simulations done with these programs are valid and credible ?  Any DOE-2 
simulation ? Any EnergyPlus simulation ? Of course not.  It's all in the 
inputs, and if the inputs or modeling are faulty, the results could be 
all over the map.   If we compare this criteria of acceptance to 
California's Title-24 Certification of compliance programs, the 
approaches are almost completely opposite.  Here, the criteria are 
whether the programs have the right fundamentals or "intentions" ; 
there, the criteria are whether the programs give the right results.  
I'm afraid we're leaving the barn door open for a lot of questionable 
claims backed up by the use (or abuse) of supposedly approved software.

Joe Huang



Xiaobing Liu wrote:
> As I remember, Green Building Studio (GBS) is on the list. Since GBS 
> runs eQUEST (and other software?) behind the screen, can the tax 
> credits be granted if the building performance simulation is conducted 
> by eQUEST through GBS. I'm a bit confused here. Can anyone shed light 
> on this issue?
>  
> Xiaobing
>
>     -----Original Message-----
>     *From:* bldg-sim-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org
>     [mailto:bldg-sim-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org]*On Behalf Of
>     *David S Eldridge
>     *Sent:* Wednesday, February 25, 2009 2:22 PM
>     *To:* bldg-sim at lists.onebuilding.org
>     *Subject:* Re: [Bldg-sim] EPact 2005 tax savings
>
>     It is currently not submitted for approval.
>
>     ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
>
>      
>
>     David Eldridge, PE
>
>     LEED® AP
>
>
>     *Grumman/Butkus Associates* | 820 Davis Street, STE 300 |
>     Evanston, IL 60201 | Ph: (847) 328-3555, ext 224 | Fax: (847) 328-4550
>
>      
>
>     Energy Consultants and Design Engineers
>     ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
>
>      
>
>      
>
>      
>
>     *From:* bldg-sim-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org
>     [mailto:bldg-sim-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org] *On Behalf Of
>     *Chris Mullinax
>     *Sent:* Wednesday, February 25, 2009 2:26 PM
>     *To:* bldg-sim at lists.onebuilding.org
>     *Subject:* [Bldg-sim] EPact 2005 tax savings
>
>      
>
>      
>
>     http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/qualified_software.html
>
>      
>
>     Epact 2005 tax credits were extended to 2013 in the recent
>     “Stimulus Package.”
>
>      
>
>     I’m looking at a page on the DOE web site that lists approved
>     software used obtain Epact 2005 tax credits, and I notice eQuest
>     is not specifically listed. DOE-2.1 is listed however. Does anyone
>     know if eQuest will be acceptable for EPact 2005 simulations?
>
>      
>
>     The link to the list is given above.
>
>     Any help is appreciated.
>
>      
>
>     Thanks,
>
>     Chris Mullinax, P.E. LEED AP
>
>      
>
>     pn: 770-387-1334
>
>     fx:  770-387-1383
>
>     chris at mullinaxsolutions.com <mailto:chris at mullinaxsolutions.com>
>
>     www.mullinaxsolutions.com <http://www.mullinaxsolutions.com>
>
>      
>
>      
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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