[Equest-users] LEED Issue with EQuest Software's Ability to ModelBoilers on Ground Loops

[James Hansen]

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] On Behalf Of Kathryn
Kerns
Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2013 12:27 PM
To: Steve Woolery; 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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