A group of commercial manufacturers supported by International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) and members of the Hydronics Industry Alliance, a Committee of the Radiant Professionals Alliance, have released BEST: The Building Efficiency System Tool.
Available free of charge, BEST allows users to accurately compare different styles of HVAC systems. HVAC systems are all tested to different standards, with various efficiency ratings (EER, IEER, SEER, COP, HSPF), as they are applied in an actual building.
BEST uses the Building Energy Efficiency Ratio (BEER), which takes certified AHRI data, manufacturers’ published performance data at multiple performance points, as-applied correction factors, performance curves for components, pipe and duct required in a typical system. It combines these elements to bridge the gap between certified equipment efficiencies and real-world building system efficiencies.
Users enter the square footage of the building, the number of stories, and the nearest city for local weather data, and then choose up to four types of HVAC systems to compare from more than 30 pre-loaded systems.
BEST features more than 100 default input settings, including system cost per square foot (provided by more than 50 contractors around the U.S.), each of which are adjustable to model any building in any location. BEST outputs estimated installation cost, replacement cost, maintenance cost, monthly energy cost, electrical and fossil fuel consumption costs, total life cycle cost, cumulative life cycle cost by year, system payback time (as compared with other modeled systems), pump and fan HP, system integrated energy efficiency ratio (IEER), coefficient of performance (COP), and more.
Related Stories
| May 25, 2012
Study: Safety inspections don’t hurt the bottom line
A new study suggests that random safety inspections by regulators help reduce injury claims without hurting profits.
| May 24, 2012
2012 Reconstruction Awards Entry Form
Download a PDF of the Entry Form at the bottom of this page.
| May 17, 2012
New standard for Structural Insulated Panels under development
ASTM International and NTA, Inc. are developing a new standard for Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) that would create a path for U.S. manufacturers to meet the requirements of the Canadian building code.
| May 17, 2012
Webinar: ‘What Energy Codes and Standards Are Adopted Where and by Whom’
A June 12 webinar by the Construction Specifications Institute will outline what energy codes and standards have been adopted in each of the states for commercial buildings, and what is anticipated to be adopted in the future.
| May 17, 2012
California Governor orders new green standards on state buildings
California Gov. Jerry Brown issued an executive order recently that calls for all new or renovated state buildings of more than 10,000 sf to achieve LEED Silver or higher and incorporate clean, onsite power generation.
| May 17, 2012
New Zealand stadium roof collapse blamed on snow, construction defects
Heavy snowfall, construction defects, and design problems contributed to the collapse of the Stadium Southland roof in New Zealand in September 2010, a report has found.
| May 17, 2012
OSHA launches fall prevention campaign
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently launched an educational campaign to prevent deadly falls in the construction industry.
| May 15, 2012
Suffolk selected for Rosenwald Elementary modernization project
The 314-student station elementary school will undergo extensive modernization.
