Facility Energy Decision System



Decision-Making Software for Energy Efficiency and Resilience

The Facility Energy Decision System (FEDS) is an easy-to-use building energy efficiency software tool that quickly and objectively identifies energy efficiency improvements to maximize life-cycle savings. The Microsoft® Windows®-based program requires only minimal user experience and input to perform energy efficiency assessment screenings and detailed energy retrofit project analyses across a wide variety of building types, from single buildings to large multi-building campuses and installations. It simulates building systems, loads, and energy use and analyzes the cost and performance impact of thousands of potential efficiency measures. FEDS values energy and demand savings based on comprehensive tracking of building and site-level use and estimates project costs to support robust economic evaluations and sound decision-making.

Key features of the FEDS software

  • Requires minimal user input while also accepting detailed building system parameters. FEDS estimates unspecified parameters based on typical characteristics for a building of the specified type, size, age, and location and other details.
  • Models energy and cost performance of heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting, motors, plug loads, building shell, and hot water systems, plus central plants and thermal loops.
  • Calculates energy consumption and electrical demand for each technology, end use, building, and the entire campus or installation.
  • Evaluates thousands of candidate energy efficiency options via a site-optimized life-cycle cost minimization process.
  • Reports investment requirements, net present value, payback period, pre- and post-retrofit energy consumption and costs, and air emissions impacts, including greenhouse gases.

FEDS is highly flexible and can help to quickly perform a range of energy management and forecasting functions, such as evaluating fuel switching opportunities, new technologies, and the impacts of change—including changes to energy rates, occupancy or mission, and more. The impact of efficiency on resilience can also be evaluated via the resulting load profiles. The combination of power, versatility, and ease of use that FEDS provides will enable building managers and owners to meet energy efficiency goals and comply with federal laws and regulations including provisions of the Energy Act of 2020, Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007), Executive Orders, and agency goals.