New Improved Graphical User Interface

FEDS 8 features a new and more modern graphical user interface (GUI) for an improved user experience and greater stability. The new GUI updates a number of the options of the prior version, such as the locking of inputs, while providing a number of other enhancements. A new model navigation pane offers quick and intuitive access to the entire case at a glance and click of the mouse. A summary results page provides quick access to both tabular and graphical display of energy use by fuel type, to quickly see how the model is performing and the impact of identified savings measures. An improved display of integrated help, tracking of input changes, visual cues of missing inputs, and other updates provide additional improvements to the user experience. Additionally, FEDS 8 provides improved performance with Windows 10 and accommodates a much larger range of display resolutions and settings than previous versions. Both existing and new users of FEDS will enjoy the improvements of the new GUI.

FEDS 8 adds HVAC and lighting control measures to the suite of energy efficiency measures that can be evaluated automatically. These include:

• heating and cooling temperature setback
• ventilation scheduling
• lighting occupancy and vacancy control

Inputs have been added to support these new retrofit measures. On the HVAC side, these include control method and number of thermostats. For lighting, additional inputs include space type, presence of existing lighting controls, number of sensors required, and controlled utilization factors to allow detailed modeling of the impact of controls.

FEDS 8 adds an option for advanced hourly input of select model parameters for more detailed specification and modeling. This includes real-time electricity prices, occupancy characteristics, heating and cooling setpoints, lighting and other equipment utilization, and hot water demand. Further, hourly energy use details are available for the site, each building, and each technology, for both baseline and post-retrofit scenarios; this information can be used to evaluate daily and seasonal consumption patterns, as well as the impact of efficiency measures on electric loads and resilience requirements.

Estimates of labor rates, materials cost factors, and sales tax rates have been fully updated, at both the state and zip code levels, where applicable. Additionally, updates have been made to technology cost and performance parameters for chillers and cooling towers, LED and other lighting technologies, advanced storm window panels, and more. The FEDS project cost model was also improved to delineate the breakdown of implementation cost components related to materials and equipment, labor, and indirect costs on the retrofit CSV report.

A new report has been added to further assist federal agencies in meeting EISA 2007 Section 432 auditing requirements. This new spreadsheet output summarizes the results of an EISA-compliant assessment, to facilitate reporting to the Compliance Tracking System (CTS). The report automatically compiles the details from the assessment to assist in the reporting of assessed floor area and identified energy savings potential. Measures are also categorized in the CTS format, across all buildings evaluated, to provide the count of each type of measure identified. The FEDS software has been proven as a tool for assisting agencies in meeting their EISA auditing requirements, and now this additional reporting option will help ease the associated reporting requirement.

• A weather station import capability has been added, to allow for seamless use of additional available weather station data.
• A new input allows the specification of minimum contract demand, as applicable to some electric rates.
• The number of thermal zones that can be modeled for a building is increased from 5 to 20.
• White roofs and other roof colors can be modeled with a new input option.
• Improved modeling of exterior lighting operation, according to seasonally variable hours of darkness.
• Building HVAC operation can be controlled seasonally, and for specific thermal zones.
• Fully updated emissions factors for CO₂, SO_x, NO_x, CH₄, and CO_2e, based on the generation resource mix by state or province.
• Ability to create text reports in portable document format (PDF) or rich text format (RTF).
• Additional reporting detail including monthly electricity peak demand, billed demand, and use area annual operating hours.
• Updated equipment performance and other inference data improvements.
• Includes the latest U.S. Department of Energy and Energy Information Administration discount and energy escalation rates.