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The Department of Energy sponsors continued development of a variety of building energy software tools. See the following for more information about software tools now under development:
Whole-Building Energy Performance Simulation
A new-generation building energy simulation program from the creators of BLAST and DOE-2.
An hourly, whole-building energy analysis program which calculates energy performance and life-cycle cost of operation. The current version is DOE-2.1E.
Provides building decision-makers with the energy-related information they need beginning in the initial, schematic phases of building design through the detailed specification of building components and systems.
A program for small commercial and residential buildings that integrates daylighting, passive solar heating, and low-energy cooling strategies with energy-efficient envelope design, and mechanical equipment. This allows for detailed simulation and performance analysis.
Models complex building envelopes and mechanical systems that are beyond the scope of EnergyPlus and DOE-2. Good for modeling short time-step dynamics. Runs 10-20 times faster than similar programs.
Validation and Testing
Through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the Department of Energy has been working with the International Energy Agency Solar Cooling and Heating Programme Implementing Agreement (IEA SHC) and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) for more than the last 10 years to develop standard methods of test for building energy analysis computer software.
Standards Compliance
REScheck (formerly MECcheck)
The MECcheck product group makes it fast and easy for designers and builders to determine whether new homes and additions meet the requirements of the Model Energy Codes (MEC) and International Energy Conservation Codes (IECC).
COMcheck-EZ offers an easy-to-understand process for demonstrating compliance with ASHRAE 90.1-1989 and IECC commercial energy code requirements for envelope, lighting, and mechanical systems.
COMCheck-Plus is designed to simplify the process of demonstrating compliance with commercial building energy codes using the whole building performance method.
Fenestration
Calculates the heating and cooling energy use and associated costs as well as the peak heating and cooling demand for specific window products in residential buildings.
WINDOW 4.1 is a publicly available IBM PC compatible computer program for calculating total window thermal performance indices (i.e. U-values, solar heat gain coefficients, shading coefficients, and visible transmittances).
Performs analysis of two-dimensional heat-transfer effects in building components such as windows, walls, foundations, roofs, and doors; appliances; and other products where thermal bridges are of concern.
Workshops on Next Generation Tools
Results of two workshops on needs in next-generation simulation programs. (PDF 485 KB) Download Acrobat Reader.
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