While you may not find them on the racks at airport bookstores, COMNET’s recently published Commercial Buildings Energy Modeling Guidelines and Procedures are a lot more interesting than you might imagine. While intended as a guideline for building energy modelers and simulation software developers, architects interested in learning to increase their facility with the language of mechanical engineers, energy modelers and the energy performance requirements of green building rating systems, will find that this document can serve as a primer and roadmap to a realm of increased energy performance. (And unlike other publications written to convey that information, this one is free.)

Readers will learn about the energy modeling implications of geographic and climate data; building site characteristics; building zoning, thermal blocks and space uses; schedules, and building descriptors, including building envelope, primary and secondary HVAC systems; miscellaneous energy uses; and on-site power generation.

Furthermore, general familiarity with the methodology will be useful because the COMNET energy efficiency calculation process: establishes eligibility for federal tax deductions per section 179D of the IRS code; can be used to calculate percent savings for green building rating system points; and is used to estimate annual energy use during design, for energy labels. The modeling rules and procedures in the manual are consistent with the widely used Performance Rating Method (PRM) of Appendix G of ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007.

Learn more and download a copy from http://www.comnet.org/

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