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1. System Name DHW System 1 Distribution Type Standard i ti ttst lt isi lt isti isSCS i Multi Family Hot Water Distribution Type None v Count Water Heater s 1 Water Heater 1 8 2 f none j If it had central water heating the field labeled Distribution Type is from the equipment to the dwelling unit and the field labeled Multi Family Hot Water Distribution Type is for the distribution inside the dwelling unit Number of Stories The number of stories in the zone so it will almost always be 1 in a multi family building Garage The garage is a special zone that is created when you check Has attached garage on the Building tab There is only one garage in the project just as there is only one attic If you want to represent a garage attached to each unit you can increase the size of the single garage zone to have the area and all the surfaces of all the garages combined 252. gt ort Sre eA gt A E E E E N EEE ee Ci ed i Sjel 5 ax E al 2Story2ZoneExample9_surfaces2 2 Zone Top Bot 2 GasFurn SplitAC Systems Erix Ji Interior Wall Data Envelope Mechanical T Project Rev 9 Front 029 Currently Active Wall Interior Wall 3 X r BB Attic 1 890 SqFt E Conditioned 1 250 SqFt Interior Wall Name Interior Wall 3 d Front E WinFront Belongs to Zone Conditioned 7 F Door 1 Back Zone on Other Side none E WinBack i HousetToGarage HouseToGarage 3 E Interior Wall 3 Construction interior Wall 7 fa Slab On Grade Floor Wall Area 500 0 R2 oat HVAC System 1 Other Heat Cog Conditioned 2 1 450 SqFt 1 Ceiling below attic d Front 2 E WinFront 2 EN Left 2 E WinLeft 2 ob Mme mn tn Can model the whole building as one zone No You can model each dwelling unit as a zone or the simplest approach is to model each floor as a zone Each zone needs to have a separately defined HVAC system In MFExample12 the first floor zone consists of 4 dwelling units and is assigned HVAC System 1 and DHW System 1 Zone Data Currently Active Zone Conditioned Name Conditioned Type Conditioned Floor Area 3 480 0 t2 Num of Stories 1 Ceiling Height 80 ft Floor to Floor 9 0 ft HVAC System HVAC Systemi x Bottom o ft DH System 1 DHW Systemi gt
3. They are in a folder similar to this set up during installation C My documents CBECC Res2013 Projects 3 Are we supposed to model unconditioned garages Updated 3 18 14 It became too confusing and time consuming to think of all the ways that might be acceptable to avoid modeling the garage Since CBECC Res is a much more accurate modeling program if the building includes a garage that garage must be modeled 4 Is this program ready for building department and HERS provider submittals Updated 5 7 14 Once a HERS Provider is approved and CF1Rs can be registered then you can use the program for submittals Another option is the early adopter program as explained in Blueprint March April 2014 j R j Hedi 5 Is using CBECC Res utilizing the performance approach Yes CBECC Res is the certified public domain program for demonstrating performance compliance with the 2013 Standards 6 Can you provide tips for modeling multifamily buildings Multi family row house with units on both sides where those party walls would have been left out under 2008 performance inputs In the CBECC Res model all the surfaces including surfaces party walls floors ceilings between units For the time being if the dwelling unit adjacent to the 20 FAQ for CBECC Res 2013 modeled unit is not being modeled model the surface as interior and specify none for the zone on the other side File Edit Ruleset View Tools Help
4. Future webinars are also planned If you missed these webinars the PowerPoint and WebEx recordings are posted on the Energy Commission s training site www energy ca gov title24 training Where can find updates to the CBECC Res software Updates to CBECC Res will be posted to the project website www bwilcox com BEES BEES html If you would like to be notified by email when a new version of the software is available please visit the CBECC website and submit your e mail address using the sign up option at top Where can find information about CBECC Com the compliance software for nonresidential buildings For information about CBECC Com the nonresidential compliance software go to http bees archenergy com index html FAQS POSTED ON AUGUST 6 2014 1 thought I installed bug fix 2c but am not sure How can I tell if am using 2c Because it was a ruleset change only and there was no new executable file it was not possible to change the about screen To verify that you installed version 2c when you produce a CF1R with the updated software field 07 under General Information shows the Compliance Manager version 595c am still seeing HERS requirements for existing HVAC systems Wasn t 2b 2c supposed to fix this This is not fully fixed until Version 3 is approved This was an unfortunate oversight It is subtle but the CF1R sections that specifically list the HERS requirements are correct no HERS requi
5. Win Head Height 67 ft DH System 2 none 21 FAQ for CBECC Res 2013 HVAC Even if the equipment is identical each zone must have a separately defined HVAC system NOTE if they are identical once all the details of the system are defined use the copy and paste functions If you click on the mechanical tab and look at HVAC system 1 it is made up of 4 central heating and air conditioning units with the same efficiencies and distribution system HVAC System Data Heating Equipment Cooling Equipment Heat Pump Equipment Currently Active HVAC System HVAC System 1 System Name HVAC System 1 System Type Other Heating and Cooling System Area Served 3 480 1 story Heating EE Unique Heating Unit Types Heating Una GasFum Count 4 iv 4 CotriFumace unit s AFUE 78 0 Vv Cooling Bi Unique Cooling Unit Types Cooling Unit Spitac Count A v 4 SpitAirCond unit s 13 0 SEER 11 3 EER 350 0 CFMAon F j Distribution Duet ji Fan Fant CFI cool vent available only for single family homes with ventilated attics 22 FAQ for CBECC Res 2013 HEAT PUMPS If the systems are heat pumps first define the individual heat pump including the capacity at 47 and 17 from AHRI Heat Pump Data Currently Active Heating System Heat Pump System 1 Name Heat Pump System 1 Type SplitHeatPump Heating side of central split heat pump ha SplitHeatPump H
6. it is explained in Section 7 1 p 7 1 of the User s Manual Is there a limit to the length of fields There is no set limit to the length of fields but the program adds data to the field names to keep track of the parent child relationships and interactions So you might want to try limiting names to 25 characters FAQS POSTED ON JANUARY 21 2014 1 Why doesn t WinType work the way I think it should When tried using the Window Types library by creating windows with just the U factor and SHGC so that as soon as my client knew which window company they were going to use would only need to update the three to four window types rather than each window entry sometimes my efficiencies are updating and sometimes they are not Am doing something wrong Here is how to ensure it works consistently a Make sure that the values in the window type library the very last library on the Envelope screen have U factor and SHGC values that are red retype the number rather than accepting the default and b make sure that the values on the window data screen the window entry for the dwelling added underneath the wall are blue Blue means the values will be updated if you happen to update the window efficiencies If you thought there was a connection to the window type library but the values are in red they are not connected To change this on an existing file swipe your cursor across the field right click and pick Restore Defaul
7. Records for HVAC DHW or IAQ and now cannot run my input file Is there any way to fix this FAQs Posted on May 7 2014 1 When I opened an existing input file am getting a message that indicates my file might not run Is that true When a new version of software is approved how soon do have to use the new version If get a plan check correction and need to go back to an earlier version of the software is there any way for me to retrieve an older version from the CBECC Res web site Can have more than one version of CBECC Res on my computer Will my results change with the latest software release am using Windows 8 Do you know of any issues should be aware of Does the software run every 2 minutes If the weather data is hourly what is the point Is it possible to model a building with all cathedral ceilings no attic What are the options for the sources of U factor and SHGCs allowed by the standards Specifically what is ADFP we tO OO SS 0 Ol R FAQs Posted on March 18 2014 1 While waiting for a HERS provider to register CF1Rs is there any harm in removing the watermark that says the CF1R is not registered 2 Is the value input for the number of stories intended to be the value for the building or the zone 3 Can you explain azimuth and orientation as used in CBECC Res for walls windows 4 Isthere a limit to the length of fields FAQs Posted on January 21 2014 1 Why doesn t WinType
8. e windows if you do not check verify you will only input the efficiency of the new windows and your credit is based on the difference between the new window U factor SHGC and 0 40 0 35 values from Table 150 2 B of the Standards If you pick verify and enter the existing conditions of 1 28 U factor 0 80 SHGC the credit you receive is based on the difference between these values and the U factor SHGC of the new windows 4 Can you provide any more information about registering my CF1R CalCERTS recently began accepting projects for projects complying with the 2013 Standards The website www calcerts com has a tutorial for CBECC users You will upload the file lt input gt AnalysisResults BEES xml file a ZIP file was the 2008 file format If you do need to contact CalCERTS their e mail is tech calcerts com or leave a message at 916 985 3400 ext 800 You can expect a response within 24 hours Some tips 1 Please be patient CalCERTS is the only HERS provider currently approved While uploading projects has been around for years the volume of uploads is going to be much greater given that HERS testing is mandatory for all newly constructed buildings 2 Make sure you have generated the file you need As explained in the User Manual Section 1 8 check the M Full XML option on the Analysis tab The file will be found in the CBECC Res projects folder under My Documents 5 What do I do about the watermark if have an addition
9. go back to the zone and set the HVAC System Status to New c switch the Run Scope back to Addition Alone and d define an HVAC system status that is recognized by the program the system that was previously FAQ for CBECC Res 2013 defined is an existing system The HVAC system assuming it is an existing system should look exactly like a prescriptive system 78 AFUE split system cooling with 13 SEER and 11 3 EER or if 2015 compliance 14 SEER and 11 7 EER with Refrigerant Charge set to match Package A from Section 150 1 5 Why are there HERS requirements when modeled No Cooling No cooling is modeled in such a way as to have no effect on compliance no credit no penalty by simulating a cooling system equivalent to the prescriptive requirements for the specified climate zone in both the Standard and Proposed Design The CF1R was reporting what was modeled including the system efficiency mandatory requirements for airflow of gt 350 CFM ton of cooling and fan efficacy of lt 0 58 W CFM in addition to the prescriptive requirement for refrigerant charge When the system works as desired the HERS requirements may appear along with the system type No Cooling and the builder will confirm that no cooling was installed when completing the CF2R MCH 01 H Space Conditioning Systems Ducts and Fans A HERS rater will not perform tests on a non existent system However if a cooling system is installed a new CF1R
10. is limited to a of the amount of cooling TDV energy savings due to the jump from federal AC SEER EER requirements in 2014 and the SEER EER federal requirements starting in 2015 The credit percentages change by climate zone but do not change with an increase in the size of the PV system This PV credit was meant to provide an energy credit for builders who would suffer the extra expense of needing to increase the efficiency of AC equipment in 2015 which is why the PV credit is only available with 2015 Compliance and only in climate zones where there is a significant cooling load We pre calculated the of cooling TDV that would be due to this change in AC efficiency for each of the climate zones where the PV Credit is available which is listed below Pg 4 of the 2013 Residential ACM Reference Manual http www energy ca gov 2013publications CEC 400 2013 003 CEC 400 2013 003 CMF pdf has a table for the PV Credit Calculation Factors Table 2 1 PV Credit Calculation Factors Max PV Cooling Credit Climate PV Generation Rate of Standard Design Zone kKTDV kWdc Cooling kTDV ft2 09 30269 13 18 FAQ for CBECC Res 2013 10 30342 15 11 29791 18 12 29556 17 13 29676 17 14 31969 16 15 29536 19 The PVCredit is calculated as the MINIMUM of the PV Generation rate in TDV and the PV Cooling Credit in TDV calculated as explained above as a fixed percent of the cooling energy budget So what you are experiencing is that
11. more parts to make four walls as well as the slab and ceiling Am using the latest CF1R version In the footer of the CF1R I notice different numbers and am concerned about whether am getting the latest CF1R For example one has a 470 and another has a 504 Why is the Report Version number different and what is the latest The CF1R template is different depending on the building type For new construction the CF1R Report Version shown in the footer is 470 format generally established on 10 25 13 The Report Version for an addition alteration is 504 established on 12 10 13 To the right of this field is when the report was generated Another important number is in the General Information fields 07 and 09 As of the time of this FAQ the Software and Compliance Manager versions are 1e Any approved software will use the same Compliance Manager version and the value is the same regardless of whether running an addition alteration or new construction Can I use the EZFrame calculator in conjunction with CBECC Res The Residential Manual mentions an EZ Fame assembly calculator previously used for metal frame assemblies Will we be able to use this program in conjunction with CBECC Res There will be no need for EZ Frame CBECC Res calculates assemblies and their performance without the need for any external calculation The next scheduled improvement to CBECC Res is to include many more construction types such as metal framing mass co
12. must be uploaded to the HERS provider changing the NoCooling system type to the appropriate system type and features and all of the mandatory requirements will apply as well as any HERS verified features 6 Although specify default values for roof reflectance the CF1R is reporting non standard roof reflectance and a cool roof How can I fix this As of July 23 if you model 0 1 roof reflectance the CF1R will correctly report if there is or is not a cool roof The special feature reporting of a non standard value cannot be fixed until Version 3 of the program is approved If the special feature message is bothersome model a roof reflectance of 0 099 which is below the trigger point this will have a slight effect on the cooling compliance When corrected a value of gt greater than 0 1 but lt less than 0 2 will be reported as a non standard roof reflectance A cool roof will only be set to yes when the roof reflectance is gt greater than or equal to 0 2 7 When modeling a mini split heat pump the compliance results are not as expected Am doing something wrong No you are probably not doing anything wrong The field performance of these systems has not been verified to justify the sometimes significantly more efficient SEER and HSPF ratings they are given by the appliance standards test methods Therefore as explained in the ACM Reference Manual until there is a compliance option analysis of the efficiency of mini split h
13. with no HERS requirements Staff is working to correct this so that there is no watermark if no HERS verification requirements apply This will help building department staff to know definitively that a CF1R with a watermark must be registered The program and watermarks were originally set up for new construction which always requires HERS verification of the mandatory indoor air quality requirements and typically has mandatory duct leakage testing An addition may not require HERS verification if A It is lt 1 000 ft addition no IAQ verification B An existing HVAC system with lt 40 linear feet of new ducts provides conditioning to the addition no duct testing or C Anew or existing ductless HVAC system provides conditioning to the addition no duct testing If you cannot delay your project you may reference the appropriate exceptions EXCEPTION 1 to Section 150 2 a Additions 1 000 square feet or less are exempt from the ASHRAE Standard 62 2 Section 4 requirements to provide whole building ventilation airflow as referenced by Section 150 0 0 however all other applicable requirements of ASHRAE Standard 62 2 as referenced by Section 150 0 0 shall be met by the addition 10 FAQ for CBECC Res 2013 EXCEPTION 4 to Section 150 2 a Space Conditioning System When heating or cooling will be extended to an addition from the existing system s the existing heating and cooling equipment need not comply with Part 6 The heati
14. work the way I think it should 2 Could you explain how CBECC Res determines the default values so can take advantage of this feature Did it get easier to get electric water heating to comply If so why In which zone should model the walls between the house and the garage Am using the latest CF1R version Can use the EZFrame calculator in conjunction with CBECC Res Gy Ue U9 FAQs Posted on December 20 2013 1 Where do input the documentation author and the Designer Owner information for the CF1R 2 Why does the sample file go so far out of compliance when change it to my climate zone 3 Will we be able to model other shading devices soon 4 Dolreally need 6 surfaces in every zone FAQs Posted on November 20 2013 1 I m concerned about the speed of run times in CBECC Is there a reason we cannot have an option to run CBECC Res with reduced weather to speed up the processing time 2 Regarding Zonal Control if specified the building meets zonal control criteria under the building tab why is there also a check box on the cooling system screen What are the watermarks that could potentially appear on the CF1R and how can get it to change 4 Isthe file needed for uploading a project to HERS generated any time I run an input file If not what do need to do so that do not have to re run a job to get this file WwW FAQ for CBECC Res 2013 5 6 Can model more than one garage in a single input f
15. AQ for CBECC Res 2013 3 In multi family how do I determine the correct number of water heaters to show in my water heating system It is the number of water heaters serving the zone to which you re assigning the system So if there are 4 dwelling units in the first floor zone each with its own water heater the system defined should have 4 water heaters 4 Is 1 coat stucco shown as R 4 sheathing insulation and 3 coat stucco exterior finish No the exterior finish is set to R4 synthetic stucco to show the combination of insulation and the paint The 3 coat stucco finish is not the appropriate finish for 1 coat stucco 5 Water heater efficiencies have changed What is the correct way to enter the various efficiencies Enter the values as they appear in the directory Energy Factor is 0 60 Recovery Efficiency Thermal Efficiency and Standby Loss are entered as s meaning 80 0 Recovery Efficiency 1 31 standby loss 6 Can we expect to see a summary of HERS measures on the CF1R Updated Initially the Energy Commission s position was that when the project was registered it would be obvious which features require HERS verification However people often use a draft CF1R during early stages of planning and asked for a list in one location Staff has agreed to include such a list Expect to see that in the future 7 Can you explain how the solar credit can be used and how much of a credit we can expect The solar credit
16. Frequently Asked Questions FAQ about CBECC Res 2013 After the General Administrative FAQs the remaining questions and answers are listed in the order received with the most recent questions at the top of the list Click on the links to jump to each section General Administrative FAQs So oe Wo oo 10 What is CBECC Res How do install CBECC Res on my computer What does the software cost How do I know I m using the latest version of CBECC Res How can I find more information about errors in my input file How can get help or report a problem What if get no CF1R after running a file or cannot get the User Manual to open from the Help option inside the program Will there be any training on using CBECC Res Where can find updates to the CBECC Res software Where can find information about CBECC Com the compliance software for nonresidential buildings FAQs Posted on August 6 2014 a 2 8 9 10 11 12 thought installed bug fix 2c but am not sure How can tell if am using 2c am still seeing HERS requirements for existing HVAC systems Wasn t 2b 2c supposed to fix this If have an Addition Alone can use the same exceptions mentioned in Question 5 from July 17 to prove to the building department that do not need to register my CF1R switched a file from Addition and or Alteration to Addition Alone and now it will not run What do need to do Why are there HERS requirem
17. ctive HVAC System Hvac System 1 All heat pump equipment assignments must be of the same Type Heat Pump Units Counts if HP Larger E 2 2 HP Smaller af 2 MORE MULTI FAMILY MODELING HINTS Second Floor Zone Information The HVAC system for the second floor zone is called HVAC System 2 and uses the same DHW System 1 see below for DHW details Pay special attention to the mathematics of ceiling height floor to floor and bottom value If they do not add up correctly the software will not run Typically the floor to floor value is the ceiling height plus 1 foot But do not forget to add the distance from the soil to the surface of floor 1 which for our example is 0 7 for the first floor zone So the second floor zone the value for Bottom is 9 7 NOTE the number of stories is 1 because it is the number of stories in the zone rather than the dwelling unit Zone Data Currently Active Zone Conditioned 2 z Name Conditioned 2 Type Conditioned gt Floor Area 3 480 0 f2 Num of Stories 1 Ceiling Height 6 0 ft Floor to Floor f 30 ft HVAC System HVAC System2 ss Bottom 97 ft DHW System 1 DHW System gt Win Head Height 67 ft DHW System 2 none gt 24 FAQ for CBECC Res 2013 DHW The DHW system consists of 8 individual water heaters Water Heating System Data Solar Water Heating Data Recirculation Loops Currently Active DHW System DHW System 1
18. d BSD A Copyright c 2012 2013 California Energy Commission Copyright c 2012 2013 Wrightsoft Corporation All rights reserved Redistribution and use in source and binary forms with or without modification are permitted provided that the SF mtiincccimnan mam ditianwe aun ET Compare this to the version number shown in the Downloads section on the project website www bwilcox com bees bees html If they don t match you have an older version and you should download and install the current version It is not necessary to uninstall a previous version 5 How can I find more information about errors in my input file As explained in Chapter 2 of the User s Manual every file has a log file located in the CBECC Res 2013 Projects directory NOTE in the upcoming Version 3 release this will be accessible from the Tools menu This file contains a lot of information some of it repetitive and you can look here for a clue It opens in notepad An example of a potential error is 2014 Mar 18 07 50 55 CSE callback 13 lvl 0 msg or C My Documents CBECC Res 2013 Projects input file Prop CSE 1180 Error surface Zonel WallRight Frm of zone Zonel zn S0408 Wall sfTilt 270 not 60 to 180 degrees This example tells you that you have entered an invalid value for the wall tilt which should be between 60 and 180 degrees typically 90 for vertical walls for the right wall in Zone1 Note March 18 FAQ 3 ha
19. d analysis In version 3 the analysis and simulation source code are not restructured to allow for multi threaded execution at a low level but the analysis DOES now perform the two annual proposed amp standard design simulations in separate threads at the same time enabling simulations to be performed approximately twice as fast unless the user s computer does not contain a multi core processor or support hyper threading Regarding analysis run times it would be unusual for an analysis run to take 3 to 4 minutes even for complex models on underpowered computers That said we do not regularly test unduly complex models on underpowered computers so we cannot provide expected performance in these situations FAQ for CBECC Res 2013 Also in version 3 if the analysis involves multiple orientations then five CSE simulations would be performed in parallel If five CPUs are available then the speedup would be approximately a factor of five The parallel simulation change introduced in version 3 uses multiple threads in CBECC Res to monitor and report progress from each CSE run and each CSE run is performed using a separate process CSE itself has not been modified to use multiple threads Another variable is Internet connection bandwidth The generation of compliance reports which is only required once a project is fairly complete either PDF alone or Full XML w embedded PDF involves transmission of the model inputs and results to th
20. e web based report generator and receiving the files back from the report generator In our experience this typically takes 10 to 20 seconds but we have seen unusual situations where bandwidth or report generator traffic or detailed logging resulted in this step taking 1 to 1 5 minutes The most complex CBECC Res single family sample run is 2story2zoneExample Crawil The following are processing times including PDF report generation for this model executed on a relatively powerful laptop Core i7 quad 2 4 GHz 8GB RAM Win7 Pro 2 year old system In version 2 595 the analysis took 1 50 and in testing version 3 626 the same run took 1 02 to process FAQS POSTED ON JULY 17 2014 1 l used one of the sample files for an Existing Addition Alteration and the CF1R conditioned areas are off Do you know why Unfortunately the zone status for both the existing and new zones was set to New Check the zone status across from the name on the Zone Data tab and make sure it is set to Existing for the existing building zone NOTE the zone is never altered Only the individual components and surfaces of the existing building can be any of the three options Can you explain how to use the status fields for HVAC and DHW correctly Starting with the existing zone zone status existing not altered the status of the HVAC system will be either existing or altered If the intent is to model a change out
21. eat pumps they are modeled as equivalent to a ducted split system central heat pump 8 What is the correct way to model a duplex or townhome Can I call this a multi family building While in the past it was possible to model the building as a single family attached or multi family because the duct leakage requirements are different for multi family these unique multi family projects must show compliance based on each dwelling unit To obtain the correct results each dwelling unit will be modeled to produce its own CF1R 9 Has any progress been made in speeding up the software Our programming team has reduced the run time by 50 on average by launching single threaded processes in parallel Dual and quad core processors are a critical part in seeing improvement while a single core processor is not likely to show much improvement FAQ for CBECC Res 2013 The greatest improvement is in all orientation compliance because all simulations are performed at once A rundown on the processing times for the sample files results vary depending on the complexity of the input file are 1StoryExample ribd 2 50 gt gt 0 51 1StoryExample Crawl ribd 1 37 gt gt 1 03 2Story2ZoneExample ribd 2 04 gt gt 1 12 2StoryExample ribd 1 27 gt gt 0 54 EAAExample ribd 2 05 gt gt 1 13 AAExample ribd 0 57 gt gt 0 35 MFexample ribd 1 25 gt gt 0 45 10 Does the software allow a PC s video card handle tasks that are sepa
22. eating side of central split system heat pump heating systems Distribution system shall be one of the ducted systems Efficiency Metric HSPF Heating Performance Cooling Performance HSPF 7 700 ratio SEER 13 0 kBtu hy kvV Capacity Btuh COP ratio EER 11 3 kBtuh kW 47 F 24 000 CFM per Ton 350 CFM ton AC Charge Verified 17 F 19 000 Refrigerant R410A gt M Multi Speed Compressor F Zonally Controlled Then go back up to the HVAC System and change the System Type to Heat Pump and indicate that there are 4 units HVAC System Data Heating Equipment Cooling Equipment Heat Pump Equipment Currently Active HVAC System H VAC System 1 Mf System Name HVAC System 1 System Type Heat Pump Heating and Cooling System Area Sered 3 480 1 story Heat Pump s 1 Unique Ht Pump Unit Types Heat Pump Heat Pump System 1 Count 4 v 4 SplitHeatPump unit s HSPF 7 7 Cap 47 96 000 Btuh Vv t 13 0 SEER 11 3 EER 350 CFM ton Distribution Duct x Fan Fant x CFI cool vent available only for single family homes with ventilated attics 23 FAQ for CBECC Res 2013 If the units have different capacities change the of unique heat pump types to whatever is correct e g 2 and select the tab Heat Pump Equipment and enter the information on the screen that looks like HVAC System Data Heating Equipment Cooling Equipment Heat Pump Equipment Currently A
23. ents when modeled No Cooling Although specify default values for roof reflectance the CF1R is reporting non standard roof reflectance and a cool roof How can fix this When modeling a mini split heat pump the compliance results are not as expected Am doing something wrong What is the correct way to model a duplex or townhome Can call this a multi family building Has any progress been made in speeding up the software Does the software allow a PC s video card handle tasks that are separate from execution Does the software run on a Mac computer Does the compiler support multi core processor cores or hyper threading FAQs Posted on July 17 2014 1 OA er ee used one of the sample files for an Existing Addition Alteration and the CF1R conditioned areas are off Do you know why Can you explain how to use the status fields for HVAC and DHW correctly Can you explain the option to verify existing conditions for altered features Can you provide any more information about registering my CF1R What do do about the watermark if have an addition with no HERS requirements When opened an existing input file am getting a message that indicates my file might not run Is that true FAQ for CBECC Res 2013 7 When tried to run the new option for an air to water heat pump it would not run Am I doing something wrong 8 was using one of the new tool options to Generate Equipment Report
24. fault Fenestration Procedure A rarely used provision in the standards is for unrated site built fenestration it requires the use of Reference Appendix NA6 which is called the Alternate Default Fenestration Procedure ADFP The same source must be used for both U factor and SHGC Whichever source is used the standards require a temporary label on every window See References Appendices CEC 400 2012 005 pp NA6 1 through 6 5 for further information and responsibilities associated with this calculation procedure FAQS POSTED ON MARCH 18 2014 1 While waiting for a HERS provider to register CF1Rs is there any harm in removing the watermark that says the CF1R is not registered The CF1R that will be submitted with the application for a permit and that will be registered with a HERS Data Registry is actually embedded in the Analysis Results BEES xml file The Report Generator employs xml data signing which can detect whether the contents have been changed or manipulated in any way notifying the HERS Data Registry that the submission is not valid Nothing in this approach will prevent someone from manipulating a PDF and walking into the building department to obtain a permit However the building department can easily confirm the registration number at the HERS Data Registry As noted in the Final Inspection newsletter produced by the Standards Implementation Office of the Energy Commission unregistered CF1R forms can be submitted t
25. g tab why is there also a check box on the cooling system screen This check box is to enable modeling the exception for zonally controlled systems with a bypass duct to only meet 150 CFM ton The 150 CFM ton an energy penalty does not have to be verified by a HERS Rater however any level higher than 150 CFM ton for a zoned system and any if you want to include a bypass duct and not meet 350 CFM ton What are the watermarks that could potentially appear on the CF1R and how can get it to change 16 FAQ for CBECC Res 2013 A recent change will result in one of two potential watermarks on the PDF of the CF1R First is for certified software with a valid signature security check the watermark will read This Certificate of Compliance is not registered and second is for submissions using an open source ruleset that does not provide a certified key security check which will read Not useable for compliance For example if the authenticity of the software cannot be verified or if the PDF was manually generated from the tools menu rather than as a part of the compliance analysis the second watermark will appear Is the file needed for uploading a project to HERS generated any time run an input file If not what do I need to do so that I do not have to re run a job to get this file No the file is not always generated Once you are ready to move forward with a job send a draft of the CF1R to the client for example you
26. ile If I m getting an error with no message how can try to figure out the cause FAQs Posted on October 23 2013 1 2 3 NOUA Can I add materials to CBECC Res There are no U factors for the opaque assemblies on the CF1R Why not In multi family how do I determine the correct number of water heaters to show in my water heating system Is 1 coat stucco shown as R 4 sheathing insulation and 3 coat stucco exterior finish Water heater efficiencies have changed What is the correct way to enter the various efficiencies Can we expect to see a summary of HERS measures on the CF1R Can you explain how the solar credit can be used and how much of a credit we can expect FAQs Posted on October 11 2013 U AUNE How do l use the field Window Type There are no U factors for the opaque assemblies on the CF1R Why not Can get hour by hour energy results Will CBECC Res run on an Apple computer Since am used to seeing Specific Leakage Area SLA for blower door testing can you tell me how to convert 2 8 SLA to a CFM50 for input into the program FAQs Posted on September 25 2013 NnUBWN PH How do I know I m using the latest program Where are my input files Are we supposed to model unconditioned garages Is this program ready for building department and HERS provider submittals Is using CBECC Res utilizing the performance approach Can you provide tips for modeling multi famil
27. jects folder right click and select open with notepad Search for the phrase SysRpt and delete the 3 5 rows associated with SysRpt including the and save the file Then open the program again and it should run FAQS POSTED ON MAY 7 2014 1 When opened an existing input file am getting a message that indicates my file might not run Is that true Because there have been so many changes to the software inputs maintaining the ability to run older files is a challenge Make a note of where the problem area is in case the file does not run or to check how the file was modified to get it to run You might need to redefine one or more components When a new version of software is approved how soon do I have to use the new version It will vary from two to six months and this date will be displayed on the appropriate web sites In the early stages of software development when new versions are released more frequently due to errors and bug fixes this time limit may be quite short As time goes on and changes are the result of adding features or refinements this time will be extended to six months Be sure to check the 2013 approved programs web site before making a permit application as this is the date that determines when a version is acceptable 11 FAQ for CBECC Res 2013 3 IfI get a plan check correction and need to go back to an earlier version of the software is there any way for me to retrieve an older ver
28. lding by using a very clever algorithm that approximates zones as spheres In order for the algorithm to work mathematically it needs at least 6 surfaces that can be resolved into a box but there is no box involved in the calculation There are also several other ways this algorithm can fail mathematically including if the area of one surface is larger than the total area of all the other surfaces which also cannot be resolved into a box When we started testing CBECC Res particularly when we added garages we kept getting complaints from testers who getting generic crash message and they couldn t see anything wrong We tried to improve things by the very simplistic 6 surfaces filter which catches a majority of the problem cases FAQS POSTED ON NOVEMBER 20 2013 1 I m concerned about the speed of run times in CBECC Is there a reason we cannot have an option to run CBECC Res with reduced weather to speed up the processing time This could create unexpected consequences and the CEC does not have the staff resources to study any such consequences As an alternative CBECC Res will soon have a batch processing function which will allow users to set up a series of runs to launch without any user requirements between runs With this option and a global reduction in analysis run time users should be able to be productive with their time Regarding Zonal Control if specified the building meets zonal control criteria under the buildin
29. nd save from inside CBECC Res By default this file is located in the C Users lt your username gt My Documents CBECC Res 2013 Projects directory We appreciate your willingness to help us improve CBECC Res by taking the extra time to document and report issues in a way that will help us fix them quickly If you include your name and phone number we may call you to clarify the problem or ask for more details We will not share your name phone number or email address with anyone outside the CBECC Res development team or use it for any purpose other than responding to your report 7 What if get no CF1R after running a file or cannot get the User Manual to open from the Help option inside the program Some users are finding that they either cannot get the user manual to open from inside the CBECC Res program or see the CF1R when the option to generate the file is selected If you can open the User Manual see Section 1 7 to be sure you selected this option The CF1Rs that are generated as part of a compliance run can be found in My Documents CBECC Res 2013 Projects The file has the input file name and AnalysisResults BEES pdf If so you can find the user manual in the c Program Files CBECC Res 2013 folder Once found you can right click on it and create a desktop shortcut FAQ for CBECC Res 2013 10 Will there be any training on using CBECC Res An overview webinar was held in May and an advanced training webinar in June
30. ng system capacity must be adequate to meet the minimum requirements of CBC Section 1204 1 EXCEPTION 2 to Section 150 2 b 1E Duct Sealing Duct systems with less than 40 linear feet in unconditioned spaces as determined by visual inspection When opened an existing input file am getting a message that indicates my file might not run Is that true This answer has been expanded from the May 7 FAQ Because there have been so many changes to the software inputs maintaining the ability to run older files is a challenge Pick Resolve NotInput Issues choose Yes to the option to remove user input from all and click Done Make a note of where the problem area is in case the file still does not run or to check how the file was modified to get it to run You might need to redefine one or more components When I tried to run the new option for an air to water heat pump it would not run Am I doing something wrong At the present time the limit to this new option is that you cannot run this equipment type with multiple orientations So until we get this bug fixed run a single orientation was using one of the new tool options to Generate Equipment Report Records for HVAC DHW or IAQ and now cannot run my input file Is there any way to fix this Yes Until we get this bug fix approved proceed until you can close the program and then open the ribd file in notepad the file is in the My Documents Pro
31. nstruction and SIPs FAQS POSTED ON DECEMBER 20 2013 1 Where do input the documentation author and the Designer Owner information for the CF1R There is no software input for this information This information will be added once the CF1R is registered with a HERS provider Why does the sample file go so far out of compliance when I change it to my climate zone 15 FAQ for CBECC Res 2013 Because it is based on Climate Zone 12 a zone with big heating and cooling loads it may not have the measures that match Package A s features the standard design for your climate zone For example a whole house fan verified refrigerant charge and a cool roof may not be appropriate features in some milder climate zones and could result in a negative cooling margin Will we be able to model other shading devices soon Not any time soon ASHRAE Window Attachment used in CBECC Res does not use SHGCs and only has bug screens At some future time when rules and programming can be developed the ability to model advanced systems such as operable exterior shades may be added Do I really need 6 surfaces in every zone Yes You can add interior surfaces if necessary In the future we ll try to add a more detailed explanation to this FAQ but for now here s a basic explanation CBECC Res uses very advanced modeling algorithms The program sets up a radiant network without knowing the detailed geometry of every surface and object in the bui
32. o the building department as part of the Early Adopter Program Prior to obtaining a final permit a HERS Provider registered CF1R form will be required as soon as one or more HERS Providers are approved http www energy ca gov efficiency final_inspection More information about how the xml data signing works The HERS Data Registry extracts and decodes the report data from the XML transfer file into the CF1R to be processed and registered This transfer file implements xml data signing which does two things 1 The xml data includes a hash which is a calculated value in data bytes based on the content processed by the Report Generator and its private key This hash can be verified using the Report Generator s public key when verified by a data registry Any attempt to alter the contents of the xml transfer file will result in invalidating the signature and the data registry will not allow that file to be used for document registration 2 The xml data signing identifies the source as uniquely being the Report Generator using the public key and hash that is included in the data 2 Is the value input for the number of stories intended to be the value for the building or the zone ask because noticed the CF1R shows 3 stories but it is only a 2 story building The value is the number of stories in the zone If the building is one zone for a two story building then the value is 2 If you have divided the building into one zone per fl
33. oor then the value is 1 and the software determines the number of stories in the building when you correctly identify the bottom or floor elevation as for example 10 7 for a slab on grade building with first floor ceiling heights of 9 feet see User Manual Section 5 4 1 7 p 5 7 13 FAQ for CBECC Res 2013 Can you explain azimuth and orientation as used in CBECC Res for walls windows Azimuth or actual azimuth is the numeric representation of the degrees the surface faces It is calculated based on the plan orientation plus the front orientation which is why you are encouraged to use front left back and right whenever possible and enter numeric values only for walls that are at an angle The value entered is relative to the front or the plan view If your front is input as 30 degrees and you input a left wall orientation as 120 rather than left the output will show 210 for the windows and walls facing left plan orientation 90 front orientation 30 210 A different way of thinking of this to ignore the direction of the building except when entering the front orientation Consider only the surfaces as they relate to the front which is represented numerically by 0 and working clock wise Also by using front left etc you will assist the plan checker and inspector since the orientation or side of the building is reported on the CF1R in addition to the actual azimuth If this concept is new to you
34. put file E Finda file in the PROJECTS directory called Name Prop HourlyResults csv where is the input file name There is also a Standard Design file if you ran Standard and proposed And if you run multiple orientations you will get many of these The contents are pretty self explanatory 3 Will CBECC Res run on an Apple computer No it will only operate in Windows 4 Since am used to seeing Specific Leakage Area SLA for blower door testing can you tell me how to convert 2 8 SLA to a CFM50 for input into the program 19 FAQ for CBECC Res 2013 SLA is leakage per square foot of Conditioned Floor Area so can t give you the answer without knowing the CFA The 2008 Residential ACM Manual equation CFM50 Equation R3 16 SLA 3 819 x CFA So CFM50 SLA x CFA 3 819 However the input for CBECC Res is ACH50 Air Changes at 50 Pa With an 8 foot ceiling height ACH50 SLA x 2 and your 2 8 SLA 5 6 ACH50 FAQS POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 25 2013 1 How do I know I m using the latest program especially for those who installed a beta version 3 18 2014 update For an updated answer to this question please see the General Administrative Questions The icon should be pointing to C program files CBECC Res 2013 right click pick Properties check target If the word Beta appears you do not have the latest version Download the latest version at www bwilcox com bees bees html 2 Where are my input files
35. rate from execution Staff has received a recommendation to compile the program to allow a PC s video card processor to handle tasks that can be separated out for execution There are three limitations e Single threaded processes The underlying program CBECC CSE is not multi threaded so there is no advantage to the video card processor mechanism without fairly substantial changes to CSE and or rules processor source e Compatibility The solution we have implemented should work on any Windows OS system but video card solutions are hardware specific so some computers with certain video cards would show an improvement while others would not e Cost Although not ruled out completely the cost payout ratio is too high right now 11 Does the software run on a Mac computer Some virtual machine applications such as BootCamp and Parallels enable the software to runona Mac computer and generate reports successfully 12 Does the compiler support multi core processor cores or hyper threading CBECC Res includes two relevant components for this run time discussion CBECC Res is the user interface and compliance rules processing component and CSE California Simulation Engine is the building energy analysis component The compiler used to produce the CBECC Res amp CSE executables DOES support multi core processors and hyper threading but the source code prior to release of upcoming version 3 was not structured to support multi threade
36. rements apply to existing systems It is the labels in the fields that contain an overview of the system HVAC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS HVAC FAN SYSTEMS that may still reference HERS requirements The CF1R was recently changed to remove sections that do not apply If registration is required for example duct testing for greater than 40 feet of new duct no HERS verifications are triggered for the existing HVAC system or IAQ for an addition lt 1 000 ft If have an Addition Alone can I use the same exceptions mentioned in Question 5 from July 17 to prove to the building department that do not need to register my CF1R Yes Until staff can come up with a solution for identifying that an addition meets the conditions for not requiring registration and not producing the watermark you will need to be prepared to prove to the building department that registration is not required For that you can consult FAQ 5 from July 17 for more information based on Section 150 2 of the Building Energy Efficiency Standards switched a file from Addition and or Alteration to Addition Alone and now it will not run the error says the HVAC system is invalid What do I need to do Most likely you had an existing HVAC system defined to serve the addition zone and when you switched it to Addition Alone the status field disappeared while it was set to existing To fix this a switch the Run Scope Analysis tab back to Addition and or Alteration b
37. s more information regarding orientation of walls If you cannot find the source of your error see the next question for getting help 6 How can I get help or report a problem If you have questions about the software or run into a problem there a number of resources where you can find help e This FAQ FAQ for CBECC Res 2013 e The Quick Start Guide available through the software s Help menu or the project s website at www bwilcox com BEES BEES html e The User s Manual available through the software s Help menu e The RACM Reference Manual which can be downloaded from www energy ca gov title24 2013standards implementation documents If you have a question that is not covered by one of these documents or if you think CBECC Res is not operating correctly send an email to CBECC Res Support lt cbecc res gmail com gt and we ll answer your question as soon as possible If you are reporting a CBECC Res crash or error please include as much of the following as possible copy and paste this template into your email CBECC Res version Help About CBECC Res 2013 Describe the error using as much detail as possible List the steps taken to produce the error using as much detail as possible 1 2 etc If there is an error message what is the message If possible take a screenshot of the error message and attach it to the email as a file Please attach your lt ProjectName gt ribd file This is the file you open a
38. should check the two boxes shown below for the PDF and Full XML under the Analysis tab This will produce a CF1R with the not registered watermark and create the file filename AnalysisResults BEES xml that will be needed to register the program You will find the file in the projects folder Can I model more than one garage in a single input file No you can only have one garage zone Combine the garage areas and surfaces into one garage zone to account for one or more garages If I m getting an error with no message how can try to figure out the cause You can find clues within the file rules txt file found in the Data Documents RulesetSource Rules folder of your CBECC Res installation You can find out about all of the error trapping done in the rules by searching for the PostError function in the rules txt file Frequently garage surfaces cause errors There should be six surfaces defined for each zone in order for the airflow network model to accurately model the zone FAQS POSTED ON OCTOBER 23 2013 1 2 Can add materials to CBECC Res No There are no U factors for the opaque assemblies on the CF1R Why not We no longer use U factors for opaque assemblies The software uses a much more detailed calculation for the thermal performance of opaque surfaces so the relevant information for the builder and inspector is the insulation and materials used to make up the assembly 17 F
39. sion from the CBECC Res web site You will be able to download older versions of the software from this web site 4 Can I have more than one version of CBECC Res on my computer Yes During installation you can specify a different drive or folder location for the program files and data files the input files can all be in one location You will need to manually update the properties for any desktop icons to ensure you are accessing the appropriate version of software for your new projects NOTE When fields get added to the program for example the status field to identify whether the zone is new or existing you will not be able to go back to an older version once the file has changed You can rename the input file after opening it to maintain the original input file 5 Will my results change with the latest software release New versions may change the results for a building depending on what was changed in the software release See the release notes for a description of what is affected by a new version 6 lam using Windows 8 Do you know of any issues should be aware of CBECC Res was tested and operates in Windows 8 and 8 1 Only a couple of users have reported that Adobe Acrobat does not operate as they were expecting Specifically CF1Rs do not automatically open once created and the User s Manual will not open from the program s Help feature If you experience this issue there is probably a solution posted on the Interne
40. t Could you explain how CBECC Res determines default values so can take advantage of this feature It is a sophisticated system that sets values based on the standard design assumption for the climate zone selected If you wish to take advantage of this feature you can swipe the cursor across a field such as Solar Heat Gain Coefficient right click and select Restore Default The field will change to blue indicating it may change based on the climate zone 14 FAQ for CBECC Res 2013 Alternatively start with a new file choose the appropriate climate zone and proceed Once a file is saved all fields will become user defined red text Did it get easier to get electric water heating to comply If so why If natural gas is not available it is easier to show compliance with electric water heating A comparison of propane and electricity costs showed electricity was more cost effective than propane In which zone should model the walls between the house and the garage These walls are modeled in a conditioned zone as an interior wall Because they have no solar gains there is no associated orientation so you may combine the areas and model a single wall While at least R 13 insulation is required in the wall there is no stucco or one coat stucco exterior surface but both the inside and outside surfaces are gypsum board If additional surfaces are needed for the garage zone break up one or more of the walls into two or
41. t In the meantime the CF1Rs can be manually opened from the Projects directory same location as your input files possibly located under the folders My Documents CBECC Res 2013 Projects The User s Manual is included with files such as the program s exe files Look for a CBECC Res 2013 folder possibly in a Program Files folder This might be a good time to change the search function to a more useful tool required for Windows 7 and beyond and then you can search for UserManual Once you find it you can put a shortcut on your desktop 7 Does the software run every 2 minutes If the weather data is hourly what is the point The software runs at 30 timesteps per hour or about once per 2 minutes It needs to run witha smaller timestep than older software because of the new air movement and mass calculations which are more accurate Increasing the speed of the processing time is a high priority for staff who hope to be able to provide some improvement soon 8 Is it possible to model a building with all cathedral ceilings no attic Yes However as of this writing if you have a garage you will need to model the garage with a cathedral ceiling as well No insulation in the garage ceiling is required 9 What are the options for the sources of U factor and SHGCs allowed by the standards Specifically what is ADFP 12 FAQ for CBECC Res 2013 The three valid sources are NFRC default or ADFP which stands for Alternate De
42. the PV cooling credit is the limiting factor and that larger PV Systems are not necessarily producing larger PV Credits FAQS POSTED ON OCTOBER 11 2013 1 2 How do use the field Window Type There are two new 1 story sample files that use this field It works consistently only when creating new windows Here s an example of how to use this feature Add windows to the library with limited features such as U factor and SHGC For example glass block or typical efficiencies for the brand of windows to be used on the project for single hung picture windows sliding glass doors etc but leave all the other fields blank As you re creating windows specify the window type and it will complete the U factor and SHGC for you It s most useful function is if the window efficiencies need to be changed you can change the library values and all the windows that point to that name will be updated Can I get hour by hour energy results You can produce hourly export files that include all of the energy end uses in normal units along with the TDV factors note TDV units are TDV Btu This capability must be activated by modifying an ini file To do this A Find the CBECC Res13 ini file in the DATA directory of your program installation not the one in the top level B Open this file in a text editor and delete the at the beginning of this line ExportHourlyResults_All 1 C Save the file D Restart CBECC Res and run the in
43. then the status is altered not new For example if the owners are installing a new tankless water heater for the whole house that is altered There will be a credit for this feature which will vary depending on whether the existing condition is verified and on the efficiency of altered system In the new addition zone the status of the HVAC and DHW will be e New if new equipment is being installed to serve the addition independent of the existing e Altered if the system in the existing zone is also altered or e Existing if the existing HVAC or DHW equipment is serving the addition Pay special attention to the furnace fan status to be sure it matches the rest of the HVAC system And the ducts will either be e Altered if the existing ducts are being replaced e Existing if the existing ducts will remain and the addition will have lt 40 feet of new ductwork or FAQ for CBECC Res 2013 e Existing New if the existing ducts will remain and the addition will have new 40 feet or more of new ductwork 3 Can you explain the option to verify existing conditions for altered features NOTE As of July 15 the option to verify existing conditions cannot be used Check with the HERS provider for the availability of this credit The amount of credit for an alteration depends on whether a HERS rater verifies the existing conditions For example if you are altering existing metal frame single pane windows to vinyl frame low
44. y buildings GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE FAQS 1 What is CBECC Res CBECC Res 2013 is an open source software program developed by the California Energy Commission for use in compliance with the 2013 update to the Residential Building Energy Efficiency Standards How do install CBECC Res on my computer Go to the project website www bwilcox com BEES BEES html The current version of the software is always the first link in the Downloads section Click on the link A Citrix ShareFile page will open in your Internet browser Click on the Download button The file is 20 MB so the download may take a few minutes depending on the speed of your Internet connection Once the CBECC Res installation application has downloaded double click it If you are asked Do you want to allow the following program from an unknown publisher to make changes to this computer click on Yes The CBECC Res 2013 Setup Wizard will open Follow the wizard s instruction to complete the installation FAQ for CBECC Res 2013 3 What does the software cost The software is free 4 How do know l m using the latest version of CBECC Res Open the software on your computer and click on the icon with the yellow icon or select Help and then select About The version number is at the bottom of that screen In the example below the version number is 1e 532 About CBECC Res 2013 Ly CBECC Res 2013 LICENSE AGREEMENT modifie
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