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Streamlining Code Compliance through a Fixed Baseline Approach and Automated Baseline Model Generation

Complying with ASHRAE Standard 90.1, through the 2013 edition, has been through either the prescriptive approach or the Energy Cost Budget (ECB) Method. Appendix G or the Performance Rating Method (PRM) within ASHRAE Standard 90.1 has been an approach used only to rate the energy performance of buildings for beyond code programs. However, ASHRAE 90.1-2016 (ASHRAE 2016), through addendum bm, modifies Appendix G to be a code compliance option (Rosenberg 2016), and makes other significant changes including fixing the stringency of the baseline to approximately 2004 levels. With each future update to Standard 90.1, the stringency of the baseline will remain unchanged but the level of improvement relative to this baseline will be increased. The Performance Rating Method-Reference Manual (Reference Manual) (Goel et al 2016) expands on the requirements of the 2010 edition of the PRM by filling in gaps and providing additional modelling guidelines. A future updated version of the Reference Manual for Standard 90.1-2016 would provide similar guidance for the fixed baseline approach. The Reference Manual will also inform the development of an OpenStudio measure (OpenStudio 2016), which would apply the rules specified within the manual to automatically generate the baseline building model. This paper discusses the merits of the fixed baseline approach in Standard 90.1-2016, the technical approach used for the development of the Reference Manual for Standard 90.1-2016 and the development of the OpenStudio measure for automating the baseline model generation.