Tricks of the Trade — Karpman Consulting

Performance-Based Compliance for Multifamily: Tricks of the Trade

This course series presents a range of tips and tricks, useful tools created by industry experts, and deep dives into commonly misunderstood areas of energy modeling specifically focused on projects following ASHRAE 90.1 Appendix G 2016 (and beyond), as used in NYS ECCC 2020, ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction Program, Enterprise Green Communities, LEED BD+C/ID+C v4 Pilot Credit EApc111, and LEED BD+C/ID+C v4.1, and various other programs for high performance buildings. The courses are designed to improve the efficiency of the modeling process using eQuest modeling software and provide quality control procedures to reduce modeling mistakes. The series comprises a selection of focused courses, each dedicated to different facets of energy modeling and performance-based compliance. The courses are individually approved for AIA LU|HSW credits, providing the flexibility to mix and match based on your specific learning needs and experience level.

By the culmination of this course series, participants will emerge with enhanced efficiency tools and techniques, more clarity regarding less understood energy modeling concepts, and quick and easy quality control procedures that can be used immediately.

Join us on this journey to excel in energy modeling, enhance your career, and contribute to more efficient and sustainable building designs. Sign up and start learning today!

#1: eQuest Productivity Tools and Tips Part 1 – Using Global Parameters and Logical Statements

Course Description: This course is designed to equip learners with the knowledge to proficiently use Karpman Consulting's eQuest Productivity Workbook for efficient energy modeling in eQuest through the use of global parameters and logical statements. Throughout the course, participants will learn to leverage the powerful features of eQuest (e.g., logical statements and global parameters) and enhance their energy modeling capabilities and efficiency. Participants will be provided with the eQuest Productivity Workbook developed by Karpman Consulting. The course was created and will be delivered by experienced instructors. The course includes real-world scenarios to ensure concepts can be readily applied to projects relevant to attendees. By the end of the nano course, participants will be well-equipped to utilize Karpman Consulting’s eQuest Productivity Workbook to harness eQuest's global parameter and logical statement capabilities, thereby improving the efficiency and accuracy of energy modeling for a wide range of building projects.

Recommended Experience: This course is designed for energy modelers. Participants should have a basic understanding of energy modeling concepts and familiarity with the eQuest software.

#2: eQuest Productivity Tools and Tips Part 2 – Utilizing eQuest Import Functionality to Improve Efficiency

Course Description: This course is designed to equip learners with the knowledge to proficiently import a INP seed file into eQuest to prepopulate schedules and other defaults for multifamily projects following ASHRAE 90.1 Appendix G 2016 and beyond. This process greatly enhances workflow efficiency. The course also covers the use of Karpman Consulting's eQuest Productivity Workbook to efficiently populate lighting parametric runs for the proposed design. During this nano-course, participants will learn to leverage the powerful features of eQuest and enhance their energy modeling capabilities and efficiency. Participants will be provided with the eQuest Productivity Workbook developed by Karpman Consulting and the multifamily INP seed file. The course was created and will be delivered by experienced instructors. By the end of the nano course, participants will be well-equipped to utilize the multifamily INP seed file and Karpman Consulting’s eQuest Productivity Workbook.

Recommended Experience: Four years of experience in commercial building design, operation, maintenance, or related fields, or equivalent education. Knowledge of ASHRAE Standard 90.1 and a basic understanding of energy modeling concepts and familiarity with the eQuest software. It is recommended that attendees take eQuest Productivity Tools and Tips Part 1 prior to this course.

#3: eQuest Productivity Tools and Tips Part 3 – Auto populating Individual Space Lighting Power Densities and Quality Control Tips

Course Description: This course is designed to equip learners with the knowledge and tools to auto populate individual space lighting and miscellaneous equipment power densities and schedules in eQuest using the DOE/PNNL ASHRAE 90.1 Performance-based Compliance Form and the Karpman Consulting eQuest Productivity Assistant tool. Learners will also be taught to use Karpman Consulting's eQuest Productivity Assistant to efficiently populate lighting and equipment parametric runs in eQuest. In addition, participants will learn to perform quality control checks on lighting and equipment power densities. Leveraging these tools and the powerful features of eQuest will enhance the learner’s energy modeling capabilities and efficiency. Participants will be provided with the eQuest Productivity Assistant developed by Karpman Consulting. The course was created and will be delivered by experienced instructors. By the end of the nano course, participants will be well-equipped to utilize the eQuest Productivity Assistant to auto populate ASHRAE 90.1 Appendix G 2016 baseline and proposed equipment and lighting power densities and schedules as well as perform QC checks on the model, thereby improving the efficiency and accuracy of energy modeling for a wide range of building projects.

#4: The Ins and Outs of Building Envelope — Part 1

Course Description: This course is designed to teach participants how to determine proposed wall types based on IECC wall type definitions and how to use the ASHRAE 90.1 Appendix A tables to ascertain proposed envelope thermal properties accounting for clear field thermal bridging. It will also cover documenting envelope properties in the DOE/PNNL Performance-based Compliance Form and will briefly introduce thermal bridging related changes in ASHRAE 90.1 2022. The course was created and will be delivered by experienced instructors who will be available for questions via email or via the web-based platform. By the end of the nano course, participants will be able to identify proposed wall types for the purpose of ensuring compliance with ENERGY STAR MFNC minimum performance requirements (and for energy code as well for projects following the prescriptive path), know how to use 90.1 Appendix A tables to determine the proposed thermal properties of common assembly types found in multifamily buildings in NYS and document them in the DOE/PNNL Compliance Form, and be aware of future changes regarding thermal bridging in 90.1 2022.

Recommended Experience: Two years of experience in commercial building design, operation, maintenance, or related fields, or equivalent education. Knowledge of ASHRAE Standard 90.1 and a basic understanding of energy modeling concepts are suggested. This course can also benefit EPA ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction Program raters and design team members in general.

#5: The Ins and Outs of Building Envelope — Part 2

Course Description: This course is designed to teach participants how to model baseline and common proposed envelope assemblies in eQuest. It will also touch on modeling slab-on-grade constructions. The course was created and will be delivered by experienced instructors who will be available for questions via email or via the web-based platform. By the end of the nano course, participants will know how to model baseline and common proposed envelope assemblies, including slab-on-grade floors, in eQuest. They will also be equipped to perform quality control checks on modeled envelope assemblies in eQuest.

#6: The Ins and Outs of Building Envelope — Part 3

Course Description: This course is designed to equip learners with the knowledge and tools to populate baseline and proposed infiltration in eQuest using the Karpman Consulting eQuest Productivity Assistant and Karpman Consulting’s eQuest SIM file parsing tool. During this nano course, participants will also learn to perform quality control checks on modeled infiltration. Leveraging the tools provided and the powerful features of eQuest will enhance the learner’s energy modeling capabilities and efficiency. Participants will be provided with the eQuest Productivity Assistant and eQuest SIM file parsing tool, both developed by Karpman Consulting. The course was created and will be delivered by experienced instructors who will be available for questions via email or via the web-based platform. By the end of the nano course, participants will be well-equipped to populate baseline and proposed infiltration as well as perform QC checks on the model, thereby improving the efficiency and accuracy of energy modeling for a wide range of building projects.

#7: A Reviewer’s Perspective – Common Mistakes in Submission to the ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction Program and Tips for Avoiding them

Course Description: This course is designed to give project team members a reviewer’s perspective on a variety of common mistakes observed in submissions to the EPA ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction Program (MFNC), along with tips for avoiding them. The course will equip attendees with the knowledge to correctly model and report baseline and proposed plumbing fixtures, give insight into what is important from a reviewer’s perspective in the HVAC Design Report, go over the functional testing sampling requirements, and demonstrate how reviewers check that AHRI certifications align with what has been reported for MFNC. The course was created and will be delivered by experienced instructors who will be available for questions via email or via the web-based platform. By the end of the nano course, participants will understand common mistakes in submissions to the MFNC program and will be equipped with tips for avoiding them in future submissions, thereby improving the quality of project submissions and decreasing the number of reviewer comments and iterations.

Recommended Experience: Two years of experience in commercial building design, operation, maintenance, or related fields, or equivalent education. Knowledge of ASHRAE Standard 90.1 and a familiarly with the ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction program are suggested. The target audience for this course is ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction Program project teams including, but not limited to, modelers, Raters, functional testing agents, and reviewers.

#8: Lighting Power and Controls in Multifamily Buildings following Appendix G and the ENERGY STAR MFNC Guidelines

Course Description: This course is designed to equip learners with the knowledge and tools to understand and apply the lighting mandatory and modeling requirements to projects following ASHRAE 90.1 2016 and beyond. During this nano course, participants will learn the differences between ASHRAE 90.1 and ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction (MFNC) program rules for determining fixture Wattage and how to use the MFNC program methodology to establish proposed design dwelling unit lighting power density leveraging the tools provided via the training. The course will also cover the mandatory lighting control requirements in 90.1 and how to populate them in the DOE/PNNL Compliance Form. Participants will be provided with the “Dwelling Unit LPD Calculator Rev4” tool developed by Karpman Consulting. The course was created and will be delivered by experienced instructors who will be available for questions via email or via the web-based platform. By the end of the nano course, participants will be well-equipped to determine the proposed design lighting power densities for both common areas and dwelling units to use for energy modeling and to assess whether projects are meeting the mandatory lighting control requirements in 90.1 and to apply occupancy control credits.

Recommended Experience: Two years of experience in commercial building design, operation, maintenance, or related fields, or equivalent education. Knowledge of ASHRAE Standard 90.1 and a familiarly with the ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction program are suggested. The target audience for this course is ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction Program project teams including, but not limited to, modelers, Raters, and reviewers.

#9: Documenting and Modeling Variable Refrigerant Flow Systems Part 1

Course Description: This course offers an overview of different types of variable refrigerant flow (VRF) heat pump systems and presents the fundamentals of VRF technology. Through a project example, participants will learn to use design documents to populate the DOE/PNNL Performance-based Compliance Form, which can be used as energy modeling documentation for the ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction program, and to generate energy model inputs related to VRF efficiency, fan power, and capacity.

#10: Documenting and Modeling Variable Refrigerant Flow Systems Part 2

Course Description: This course is designed to equip learners with the knowledge to model variable refrigerant flow (VRF) heat pump systems in eQuest. Through an example, participants will gain proficiency in utilizing design documents, and the modeling parameters established in Part 1 of this training, to model VRF systems in eQuest. The training covers how to model proposed VRF in the same modeling file as the ASHRAE 90.1 baseline model using parametric runs. Additionally, a tool developed by Karpman Consulting will be demoed and provided to attendees that allows projects to easily employ quality control checks on modeled efficiency to ensure that the system is represented as intended.

#11: Documenting and Modeling Ventilation Systems in Multifamily Buildings following the ENERGY STAR MFNC Program Guidelines Part 1

Course Description: This course is designed to provide learners with the knowledge to determine minimum ventilation requirements and document ventilation systems in multifamily buildings for the ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction (MFNC) program. Throughout the program, participants will develop proficiency in determining the minimum 62.2 requirements required by the ENERGY STAR MFNC program and gain insights into how these requirements can relate to local code requirements. By delving into practical examples such as exhaust-only systems and central Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems (DOAS) with energy recovery, participants will see how system specifications for common ventilation strategies translate into inputs for energy modeling using the DOE/PNNL Compliance Form. Through this course, participants will emerge equipped with the knowledge and skills essential for proficiently determining ventilation requirements and documenting ventilation systems in multifamily buildings, in alignment with the ENERGY STAR MFNC program.

Recommended Experience: Two years of experience in commercial building design, operation, maintenance, or related fields, or equivalent education. Knowledge of ASHRAE Standard 90.1 and a basic understanding of energy modeling concepts and familiarity with the eQuest software are strongly suggested. The target audience for this course is energy modelers and other design team members involved with ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction certification.

#12: Documenting and Modeling Ventilation Systems in Multifamily Buildings following the ENERGY STAR MFNC Program Guidelines Part 2

Course Description: This course is designed to provide learners with the knowledge to model mechanical ventilation systems in multifamily buildings following the ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction (MFNC) program simulation guidelines. By using practical examples such as exhaust-only systems and central Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems (DOAS) with energy recovery, participants will see how to model baseline and proposed ventilation systems in eQuest for the MFNC program. The training will show participants how to determine ventilation rates, system configurations, and fan powers and how to translate those parameters to model inputs. The course focuses solely on dwelling unit ventilation and does not cover common area ventilation. Additionally, learners will be guided through quality control checks that assist the energy modeling process and can help reduce model review iterations. Through this course, participants will emerge equipped with the knowledge and skills essential for proficiently modeling common mechanical ventilation systems in multifamily buildings, in alignment with ENERGY STAR MFNC simulation guidelines.

Recommended Experience: Two years of experience in commercial building design, operation, maintenance, or related fields, or equivalent education. Knowledge of ASHRAE Standard 90.1 and a basic understanding of energy modeling concepts and familiarity with the eQuest software are strongly suggested. The target audience for this course is energy modelers. It is recommended that attendees take Documenting and Modeling Ventilation System in Multifamily Buildings following the ENERGY STAR MFNC Program Guidelines Part 1 prior to this course.

Continuing Education: This individual training is approved for 2 AIA LU|HSW; 2 PDHs for PEs by proxy via AIA registration.

Continuing Education
Continuing education credits are approved for each individual course. Unless otherwise stated: 0.5 AIA LU|HSW; 0.5 PDHs for PEs by proxy via AIA registration.

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