Last revised
01/30/2010
Business and Job Opportunities
Energy Research Grants & Contract Opportunities
Marketing Energy Services
Building energy professionals, as with any other profession, do their best work when they have the proper tools! The list of links below are designed to help you gain access to the wide variety of tools and other information needed to provide professional energy services.
Jump to:
Education and Training
Financial Help
Education
and
Training
As with most professional occupations, the energy professional has a
variety of
education and training courses and programs available through which to
get started.
These are also great places to make connections that may help you in
the future.
The people you meet can end up being your employer, employee,
co-worker, contract
partner, etc.
Building
Performance Institute
The Building Performance Institute (BPI) offers
nationally-recognized training, certification, accreditation and
quality-assurance programs.
CABEC - Certified Energy Analyst Program
California Association Of Building Energy Consultants
California Environmental Education Interagency NetworkCalifornia Virtual University
California's leading colleges and universities are working together to create the world's virtual university -- with courses, degree programs and other services.The Energy Training Program (ETP)
The Energy Training Program provides technical and management level training for energy and environmental professionals around the world. Participants receive training in topics such as: energy efficiency, environmental management, renewable energy, electric power, institutional management, privatization, planning and finance. ETP staff also carry out Training Needs Assessments for countries by request before initiating a full program. The Program is managed by the Institute of International Education's Department of Science and Technology, and is sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Facilities Net
Offers Energy Service Providers (ESP's) and users information covering design, construction, management and maintenance of building energy systems as well as a discussion group, news on utility deregulation and more.Photovoltaic Design course On-Line
Take this design course online, from Solar Energy International
EERE Financial Opportunites
The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) works with business, industry, universities, and others to increase the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. One way EERE encourages the growth of these technologies is by offering financial assistance opportunities for their development and demonstration.
Getting Professional
Jump to:
Energy Economics
Energy Software
Things To Know About
Related Links:
Energy Efficiency & Health, Productivity, and Comfort
Subsidies and Externalities
Building LifeCycle Information Support System (BLISS)Construction Economics
From Engineering News & RecordDatabase for Energy-Efficient Resources (DEER)
California Energy CommissionThe Energy Guy's Guide to Economic Analysis
An example life cycle cost analysis (of various water heating systems).eVALUator Financial Analysis Software - Order Free Online
This program calculates the life-cycle benefits of investments in improved building design. It analyzes and financial benefits from building improvements that reduce energy cost, raise employee productivity, and enhance tenant satisfaction.FRESA
A first-order screening tool to identify potentially cost-effective applications of renewable energy technology on a building and facility level. FRESA (Federal Renewable Energy Screening Assistant) is useful for determining which renewable energy applications require further investigation. Technologies represented include: active solar heating, active solar cooling, solar hot water, daylighting with windows, daylighting with skylights, photovoltaic, solar thermal electric (parabolic dish, parabolic trough, central power tower), wind electricity, small hydropower, biomass electricity (wood, waste, etc.), and cooling load avoidance (multiple glazing, window shading, increased wall insulation, infiltration control). Life-cycle cost calculations comply with 10 CFR 436.Home Energy Saver
Enter your zip code and learn the best ways to save energy in your home. From Lawrence Berkeley National Labs (LBNL).Life-Cycle Costing Workshop for Energy Conservation in Buildings: Student Manual
RSPEC
The RSPEC! Program was developed by the U.S. Department of Energy to assist pool owners and operators to Reduce Swimming Pool Energy Costs (RSPEC)!
Related Links:
ADELINE (daylighting)
AIRS - Aerometric Information Retrieval System - Free Download Online
AIRS is a computer-based repository of information about airborne pollution in the United States and various World Health Organization (WHO) member countries.Awnshade
Calculates the unshaded fraction of a rectangular window for any given solar position coordinates relative to the window. Calculations are made for window shading configurations including awnings with or without side walls or overhangs of arbitrary dimensions above the window. Awnshade can also calculate the unshaded fraction for a sequence of solar positions. It calculates the effective unshaded fraction of diffuse sky irradiance or illuminance incident on the window, assuming uniform sky radiance/luminance, and the effective ground-reflected unshaded fraction. Includes the capability for handling cases in which shadows of the side of the awning/overhang cross the top of the window.BEES (Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability)
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed and automated an approach for measuring the life-cycle environmental and economic performance of building products. Known as BEES (Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability), the tool is based on consensus standards and designed to be practical, flexible, and transparent. BEES reduces complex, science-based technical content to decision-enabling results and delivers them in a visually intuitive graphical format. Since publication in June 2000, over 5400 copies of BEES 2.0 have been requested by individuals from more than 65 countries.
Building Design Advisor
The BDA is a Windows(R) computer program that addresses the needs of building decision-makers from the initial, schematic phases of building design through the detailed specification of building components and systems. The BDA is built around an object-oriented representation of the building and its context, which is mapped onto the corresponding representations of multiple tools and databases. It then acts as a data manager and process controller, automatically preparing input to simulation tools and integrating their output in ways that support multi-criterion decision making.CALRES
A building simulation model used to comply with California Title-24 Energy Standards.Carrier E20-II
Carrier's E20-II HVAC Design Software is a suite of DOS software tools for the HVAC design engineer from Carrier Corporation. Individual programs are licensed with a first year fee and a subsequent annual renewal fee. Brief summaries of the major programs follow based on Carrier web page information and software literature provided by the local dealer. DEMO versions were request from Carrier and the dealer, without response. Consequently no Carrier programs are included in the software evaluation tables. Carrier sponsors regional hands-on training seminars for E-II users. Interested individuals should contact their local Carrier dealer.Center for Building Sciences list of Energy Software
Lawrence Berkeley Labs, Berkeley, CA, USA.Department Of Energys Energy Software Tools Directory
DOE-2
DOE-2 is a widely used and accepted building energy use analysis program that can predict the energy use and cost for all types of buildings. DOE-2 uses a description of the building layout, constructions, usage, conditioning systems (lighting, HVAC, etc.) and utility rates provided by the user, along with weather data, to perform an hourly simulation of the building and to estimate utility bills.Elite Software
Elite Software develops HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection design software. Over 30 programs are offered for such applications as HVAC load calculations, building energy analysis, HVAC duct and pipe sizing, plumbing & lighting design, fault current calculations, voltage drops, fuse and breaker coordination, and much more. Much of their HVAC software and other programs are also available for Windows.Energy10 Software (This tool is used by The Energy Guy)
Evaluates building energy use, lighting and other loads, emissions. Has ability to apply and rank a number of energy features and provides extensive graphing capability. Available from the Sustainable Buildings Industries Council (SBIC).
Energy eVALUator - Financial Analysis Software -Free Download Online
Energy eVALUator is a free, easy-to-use Windows-based program that calculates the lifecycle benefits of investments that improve building design. It analyzes financial benefits from measures that reduce energy cost, raise employee productivity, and enhance tenant satisfaction. It also provides building owners, developers, tenants, architects, engineers, and facility managers with the financial information necessary to make sound decisions about building improvements. From Energy Design ResourcesEnergyPlus (The Energy Guy uses this tool)
Combines the features of the DOE-2 and BLAST programs into a new, powerful, and more accurate program called EnergyPlus. Includes a new input data structure, allows easy attachment of graphical user interfaces, modularized code allows others to easily add new calculation features, a new output data structure allows easy attachment of postprocessors for results display and analysis, planned additions (such as ground heat transfer and interzone air flow) allow simulation of processes not available in either DOE-2 or BLAST, and links to the component-based programs SPARK and MODSIM allow simulation of complex systems that are beyond the scope of the basic EnergyPlus model. The first release of EnergyPlus is expected at the end of 1998.Energy Software Resources - Large list!
From US Department Of Energy's Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Building Technologies Program
eQUEST Energy Analysis Software - Order Free Online
eQUEST is a free, easy-to-use building energy use analysis tool that allows you to quickly and accurately estimate the impact of various building design options. From Energy Design ResourcesFactor Information Retrieval Data System (FIRE)
A computerized database management system containing EPA's recommended emission estimation factors for criteria and hazardous air pollutants.FChart
Solar System Analysis; Domestic Hot Water, Active/Passive Space Heating, Indoor/Outdoor Pool Heating. FChart Software, Middletown, WI USA
The Green Building Advisor
The Green Building Advisor is a software program designed to help architects and other building professionals design occupant-friendly and environmentally-friendly buildings.Heating Load Calculator
Provides rough estimate of your heating load given general construction and location information
Home Energy Saver
Enter your zip code and learn the best ways to save energy in your home. From Lawrence Berkeley National Labs (LBNL).MICROPAS (This tool is used by The Energy Guy)
California residential energy analysis, heating/cooling load calculation, parametric run generator, many other features. Developed by ENERCOMP.
PLACES (an urban design analysis tool)
PowerDOE: A Visual Energy Analysis Tool
PowerDOE is a powerful and flexible building energy use and cost estimation tool. It includes a graphical user interface that provides 2-D and 3-D displays of your building layout including architectural and HVAC features as well as graphical modeling results. PowerDOE uses DOE-2.2 as its simulation "engine" for all energy and cost calculations. PowerDOE is a complete implementation of DOE-2.2 features including all its new interactive features for dynamic recalculation of defaults during use.
PVWATTS
Calculates electrical energy produced by a grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) system.
RETScreen
Renewable Energy Technologies (RETs) project assessment tool; a standardised project pre-feasibility assessment software that facilitates the identification of cost-effective deployment opportunities for renewable energy technologies. The tool currently evaluates wind energy, small hydro, photovoltaics (PV), solar ventilation air heating and biomass heating.RSPEC
The RSPEC! Program was developed by the U.S. Department of Energy to assist pool owners and operators to Reduce Swimming Pool Energy Costs (RSPEC)!SkyCalc
SkyCalc is a simple computer tool that helps building designers determine the optimum skylighting strategy that will achieve maximum lighting and HVAC energy savings for a building. This program is a Microsoft Excel� spreadsheet application that runs on a personal computer.Solar Benefits Model
Use this tool to estimate the economic benefits of installing a solar water-heating system when its cost is financed through a mortgage, either on a new home or when a system is added to a existing home which is being purchased or refinanced. This program is intended primarily for residential applications.SolargyF (based on FChart) - Free Download Online. (This tool is used by The Energy Guy)
Helps size active solar water heating systems using flat plate collectors (water or air). Domestic hot-water and space heating may be analyzed with collectors at arbitrary tilt and orientation.Sunchart Computer Software
TRACE Software
Trane offers an array of software tools to help you design, size, select and apply equipment in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems for all types of buildings. With Windows-based System Analyzer� you can compare the energy performance of equipment and system alternatives. For a more comprehensive analysis, refer to the TRACE® 600 suite of software. Need to do a load analysis? Use Load Express� or TRACE Load 700. What about help with duct system design? Try VariTrane� Duct Designer. You can also select your equipment with Trane Selection Programs. They also offer CAD Equipment Templates and two different economics tools.University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Energy Design Tools - Free Download Online
Wright Software
Producers of the Right-J Load Calculation Software.
Things It Helps To Know More About -
Appliance & Equipment Cost
Databases
Appliance & Equipment
Directories
Auditing of
Building Energy
Use
Building Codes
Building Commissioning
Climate Data
Economics
Energy Efficiency
& Health,
Productivity, and Comfort
Energy Information
Energy Products
Fenestration (Window) Data
HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air
Conditioning)
Industry
Links
Lighting
Myths, Lies and Factoids about People, Energy, and Buildings
Plumbing
Professional Energy Services
Renewable
Energy
Various Energy Reference
Materials
Weather Data
Appliance & Equipment Cost DatabasesDatabase for Energy Efficient Resources
Database for Energy Efficient Resources (DEER) is a computer software package and an associated database which contains extensive information on selected energy-efficient technologies and measures. The DEER provides estimates of the average cost, market saturation and energy-savings potential for these technologies in residential and nonresidential applications. Specific data for each technology include size, efficiency, energy savings, saturation by climate area and by utility area, and useful life.Appliance & Equipment Directories
Air-Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) Database
Databases of performance for certified heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and commercial refrigeration equipment and components.
California Energy Commission Appliance Database
Databases Available Here Include: High-Efficiency Central Air Conditioners, High-Efficiency Heat Pumps, High-Efficiency Central Gas Furnaces, High-Efficiency Room Air Conditioners,High-Efficiency Refrigerators, Refrigerator-Freezers, Freezers and Wine Chillers.
Building Commissioning Association
A complete toolkit of materials to incorporate building commissioning into your project! Version 2.05 (February 1998)Building Commissioning From Energy Ideas
(downloads Acrobat PDF)
Energy Efficiency & Health, Productivity, and Comfort
The benefits of energy efficiency - as well as renewable energy - in the area of health, productivity, and comfort , can often exceed the economic benefits. This is an important area to be aware of and to stay up-to-date with.
Energy Information (General Links)Energy Design Resources
Energy Design Resources offers a valuable new palette of energy design tools and resources that make it easier to design and build energy-efficient commercial and industrial buildings in Southern California. The goal of Energy Design Resources is to educate building owners, architects, engineers, lighting designers, and developers about techniques and technologies for energy efficient
construction.Energy Products (General Links)
Where do you go to find the products you need? This is a good starting point, as the links here will take you to major lists of suppliers.Fenestration (Window) Information
This link will take you to a wide variety of information sources on windows.Directory Of Certified Window Products
Contains descriptive information and thermal transmission data (U-factors) for over 30,500 certified products. Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) data, covering over 450 products, is now available in this directory for the first time. National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC)HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) Information
This link will take you to a wide variety of information sources on HVAC systems .All HVAC Information
Directory with forums and links for consulting engineers, contractors, recruiters, associations and organizations, software companies and others.
High Performance HVAC
Visit the High Performance HVAC Forum to ask questions and get the latest information concerning HVAC
Myths, Lies and Factoids about People, Energy, and Buildings
This page is based on notes from a talk given by Rick Diamond at the Pacific Energy Center in San Francisco on April 8, 1999. I decided to publish Rick's "Myths, Lies and Factoids" on The Energy Guy web site because I found them to range from thought-provoking to profound as well as quite entertaining!
Plumbing
Various types of plumbing systems are often found in alternative energy solutions. These links will take you to a variety of energy-related plumbing information sites.Renewable Energy Education
Renewable Energy Information
Renewable Energy Products and ServicesVarious Energy Reference Materials
Energy and environment informational databases
Jump to:
Business and Job
Opportunities
Marketing Professional Energy
Services
Business and Job Opportunities
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Job
Information Web Site. Their listings includes all vacancies currently available and is updated on a weekly basis.California Energy Commission Contracts
Energy Jobs Portal
Green Dream Jobs
Job and internship listings from SustainableBusiness.comNature Jobs
Search for jobs involved with nature and environment and post your resume.American Demographics Marketing Tools
A comprehensive resource of marketing tools, demographic information, and much more.Energy Guy's Links to Sustainable Behavior
The customer has the most influence on energy savings. Effective marketing of efficiency and renewables must necessarily "transform the customer" into a sustainability machine! Read all about it here.
Last revised
01/30/2010
Contact The Energy Guy