PG&E HVAC Tool Validation

The proposed idea is to conduct a validation of parts of the “PG&E HVAC Tool” (Tool). The Tool is currently available to energy efficiency developers and implementors to estimate savings for RCx measures pursuing IOU energy incentives. However, there has been a reluctance by stakeholders regarding if, when, and how to use the Tool without additional validation and CPUC approval. To date, the Tool has been managed and developed by PG&E. Cal TF is drafting an RCx Custom Measure Characterization Report and this tool is the proposed tool for producing the output for the report. The request for this validation work comes directly from CalTF with the goal of accelerating the acceptance of the Tool as a statewide standard tool by the three IOUs, Cal TF and the CPUC. The Project Team proposes to validate the airside and hot water measures in the Tool using simulation output generated by Energy+. These two groups of measures (airside and hot water) are chosen because the models for these functions already exist in Energy+ allowing completion of significant progress within calendar year 2023 and at the expected budget. The results of this work will help users, developers, program administrators and evaluators understand and minimize uncertainty when using the tool to forecast and verify CPUC/IOU energy savings claims and incentives.