Workflow Outputs¶
Upon completing an ERI or ENERGY STAR calculation, a variety of summary output files and simulation files are available.
ERI Files¶
ERI output files described below are found in the results
directory.
CO2e_Results.csv¶
A CO2e_Results.csv
file will be produced when using ANSI/RESNET/ICC 301-2019 Addendum D or newer.
The file includes all of the outputs that are used in the CO2e Index calculation.
ERI_Results.csv¶
The ERI_Results.csv
file includes the ERI result as well as the high-level components (e.g., REUL, EC_r, EC_x, IAD_Save) that comprise the ERI calculation.
The file reflects the format of the Results tab of the HERS Method Test spreadsheet.
Note that multiple comma-separated values will be reported for many of these outputs if there are multiple heating, cooling, or hot water systems.
ERI_Worksheet.csv¶
The ERI_Worksheet.csv
file includes more detailed components that feed into the ERI_Results.csv values.
The file reflects the format of the Worksheet tab of the HERS Method Test spreadsheet.
Note that multiple comma-separated values will be reported for many of these outputs if there are multiple heating, cooling, or hot water systems.
ERI______Home.csv¶
A CSV file is written for each of the homes simulated (e.g., ERIReferenceHome.csv
for the Reference home).
The CSV file includes the following sections of output.
A CO2eReferenceHome.csv
will also be produced when using ANSI/RESNET/ICC 301-2019 Addendum D or newer.
Annual Energy Consumption by Fuel Type¶
Fuel uses are listed below.
Type Notes Electricity: Total (MBtu) Electricity: Net (MBtu) Subtracts any power produced by PV or generators. Natural Gas: Total (MBtu) Fuel Oil: Total (MBtu) Propane: Total (MBtu) Wood Cord: Total (MBtu) Wood Pellets: Total (MBtu) Coal: Total (MBtu) Not used by OS-ERI
Annual Energy Consumption By End Use¶
End uses are listed below.
Note that all end uses are mutually exclusive – the “Electricity: Heating” end use, for example, excludes energy reported in the “Electricity: Heating Fans/Pumps” end use. So the sum of all end uses for a given fuel (e.g., sum of all “End Use: Natural Gas: *”) equal the above reported fuel use (e.g., “Fuel Use: Natural Gas: Total”).
Type Notes End Use: Electricity: Heating (MBtu) Excludes heat pump backup and fans/pumps End Use: Electricity: Heating Heat Pump Backup (MBtu) End Use: Electricity: Heating Fans/Pumps (MBtu) End Use: Electricity: Cooling (MBtu) Excludes fans/pumps End Use: Electricity: Cooling Fans/Pumps (MBtu) End Use: Electricity: Hot Water (MBtu) Excludes recirc pump and solar thermal pump End Use: Electricity: Hot Water Recirc Pump (MBtu) End Use: Electricity: Hot Water Solar Thermal Pump (MBtu) Non-zero only when using detailed (not simple) solar thermal inputs End Use: Electricity: Lighting Interior (MBtu) End Use: Electricity: Lighting Garage (MBtu) End Use: Electricity: Lighting Exterior (MBtu) End Use: Electricity: Mech Vent (MBtu) Excludes preheating/precooling End Use: Electricity: Mech Vent Preheating (MBtu) Shared ventilation preconditioning system End Use: Electricity: Mech Vent Precooling (MBtu) Shared ventilation preconditioning system End Use: Electricity: Whole House Fan (MBtu) End Use: Electricity: Refrigerator (MBtu) End Use: Electricity: Dehumidifier (MBtu) End Use: Electricity: Dishwasher (MBtu) End Use: Electricity: Clothes Washer (MBtu) End Use: Electricity: Clothes Dryer (MBtu) End Use: Electricity: Range/Oven (MBtu) End Use: Electricity: Ceiling Fan (MBtu) End Use: Electricity: Television (MBtu) End Use: Electricity: Plug Loads (MBtu) Excludes independently reported plug loads (e.g., well pump) End Use: Electricity: PV (MBtu) Negative value for any power produced End Use: Electricity: Generator (MBtu) Negative value for any power produced End Use: Natural Gas: Heating (MBtu) Excludes heat pump backup End Use: Natural Gas: Heating Heat Pump Backup (MBtu) End Use: Natural Gas: Hot Water (MBtu) End Use: Natural Gas: Clothes Dryer (MBtu) End Use: Natural Gas: Range/Oven (MBtu) End Use: Natural Gas: Mech Vent Preheating (MBtu) Shared ventilation preconditioning system End Use: Natural Gas: Generator (MBtu) Positive value for any fuel consumed End Use: Fuel Oil: Heating (MBtu) Excludes heat pump backup End Use: Fuel Oil: Heating Heat Pump Backup (MBtu) End Use: Fuel Oil: Hot Water (MBtu) End Use: Fuel Oil: Clothes Dryer (MBtu) End Use: Fuel Oil: Range/Oven (MBtu) End Use: Fuel Oil: Mech Vent Preheating (MBtu) Shared ventilation preconditioning system End Use: Propane: Heating (MBtu) Excludes heat pump backup End Use: Propane: Heating Heat Pump Backup (MBtu) End Use: Propane: Hot Water (MBtu) End Use: Propane: Clothes Dryer (MBtu) End Use: Propane: Range/Oven (MBtu) End Use: Propane: Mech Vent Preheating (MBtu) Shared ventilation preconditioning system End Use: Propane: Generator (MBtu) Positive value for any fuel consumed End Use: Wood Cord: Heating (MBtu) Excludes heat pump backup End Use: Wood Cord: Heating Heat Pump Backup (MBtu) End Use: Wood Cord: Hot Water (MBtu) End Use: Wood Cord: Clothes Dryer (MBtu) End Use: Wood Cord: Range/Oven (MBtu) End Use: Wood Cord: Mech Vent Preheating (MBtu) Shared ventilation preconditioning system End Use: Wood Pellets: Heating (MBtu) Excludes heat pump backup End Use: Wood Pellets: Heating Heat Pump Backup (MBtu) End Use: Wood Pellets: Hot Water (MBtu) End Use: Wood Pellets: Clothes Dryer (MBtu) End Use: Wood Pellets: Range/Oven (MBtu) End Use: Wood Pellets: Mech Vent Preheating (MBtu) Shared ventilation preconditioning system End Use: Coal: Heating (MBtu) Excludes heat pump backup End Use: Coal: Heating Heat Pump Backup (MBtu) End Use: Coal: Hot Water (MBtu) Not used by OS-ERI End Use: Coal: Clothes Dryer (MBtu) Not used by OS-ERI End Use: Coal: Range/Oven (MBtu) Not used by OS-ERI End Use: Coal: Mech Vent Preheating (MBtu) Not used by OS-ERI End Use: Coal: Generator (MBtu) Not used by OS-ERI
Annual Emissions¶
Annual emissions are listed below.
Emissions (CO2e, NOx, and SO2) are provided for the Rated Home, ERI Reference Home, and CO2e Reference Home.
Type Notes Emissions: CO2e: RESNET: Total (lb) Sum of the diseggregated fuel values Emissions: CO2e: RESNET: Electricity (lb) Emissions: CO2e: RESNET: Natural Gas (lb) Emissions: CO2e: RESNET: Fuel Oil (lb) Emissions: CO2e: RESNET: Propane (lb) Emissions: CO2e: RESNET: Wood Cord (lb) Emissions: CO2e: RESNET: Wood Pellets (lb) Emissions: CO2e: RESNET: Coal (lb) Not used by OS-ERI Emissions: NOx: RESNET: Total (lb) Sum of the diseggregated fuel values Emissions: NOx: RESNET: Electricity (lb) Emissions: NOx: RESNET: Natural Gas (lb) Emissions: NOx: RESNET: Fuel Oil (lb) Emissions: NOx: RESNET: Propane (lb) Emissions: NOx: RESNET: Wood Cord (lb) Emissions: NOx: RESNET: Wood Pellets (lb) Emissions: NOx: RESNET: Coal (lb) Not used by OS-ERI Emissions: SO2: RESNET: Total (lb) Sum of the diseggregated fuel values Emissions: SO2: RESNET: Electricity (lb) Emissions: SO2: RESNET: Natural Gas (lb) Emissions: SO2: RESNET: Fuel Oil (lb) Emissions: SO2: RESNET: Propane (lb) Emissions: SO2: RESNET: Wood Cord (lb) Emissions: SO2: RESNET: Wood Pellets (lb) Emissions: SO2: RESNET: Coal (lb) Not used by OS-ERI
Annual Building Loads¶
Annual building loads are listed below.
Type Notes Load: Heating: Delivered (MBtu) Includes HVAC distribution losses. Load: Cooling: Delivered (MBtu) Includes HVAC distribution losses. Load: Hot Water: Delivered (MBtu) Includes contributions by desuperheaters or solar thermal systems. Load: Hot Water: Tank Losses (MBtu) Load: Hot Water: Desuperheater (MBtu) Load served by the desuperheater. Load: Hot Water: Solar Thermal (MBtu) Load served by the solar thermal system.
Note that the “Delivered” loads represent the energy delivered by the HVAC/DHW system; if a system is significantly undersized, there will be unmet load not reflected by these values.
Annual Unmet Hours¶
Annual unmet hours are listed below.
Type Notes Unmet Hours: Heating (hr) Number of hours where the heating setpoint is not maintained. Unmet Hours: Cooling (hr) Number of hours where the cooling setpoint is not maintained.
These numbers reflect the number of hours of the year when the conditioned space temperature is more than 0.2 deg-C (0.36 deg-F) from the setpoint during heating/cooling.
Peak Building Electricity¶
Peak building electricity outputs are listed below.
Type Notes Peak Electricity: Winter Total (W) Winter season defined by operation of the heating system. Peak Electricity: Summer Total (W) Summer season defined by operation of the cooling system.
Peak Building Loads¶
Peak building loads are listed below.
Type Notes Peak Load: Heating: Delivered (kBtu) Includes HVAC distribution losses. Peak Load: Cooling: Delivered (kBtu) Includes HVAC distribution losses.
Note that the “Delivered” peak loads represent the energy delivered by the HVAC system; if a system is significantly undersized, there will be unmet peak load not reflected by these values.
Annual Component Building Loads¶
Note: This section is only available if the --add-component-loads
argument is used.
The argument is not used by default for faster performance.
Component loads represent the estimated contribution of different building components to the annual heating/cooling building loads. The sum of component loads for heating (or cooling) will roughly equal the annual heating (or cooling) building load reported above.
Component loads disaggregated by Heating/Cooling are listed below.
Type Notes Component Load: *: Roofs (MBtu) Heat gain/loss through HPXML Roof
elements adjacent to conditioned spaceComponent Load: *: Ceilings (MBtu) Heat gain/loss through HPXML FrameFloor
elements (inferred to be ceilings) adjacent to conditioned spaceComponent Load: *: Walls (MBtu) Heat gain/loss through HPXML Wall
elements adjacent to conditioned spaceComponent Load: *: Rim Joists (MBtu) Heat gain/loss through HPXML RimJoist
elements adjacent to conditioned spaceComponent Load: *: Foundation Walls (MBtu) Heat gain/loss through HPXML FoundationWall
elements adjacent to conditioned spaceComponent Load: *: Doors (MBtu) Heat gain/loss through HPXML Door
elements adjacent to conditioned spaceComponent Load: *: Windows (MBtu) Heat gain/loss through HPXML Window
elements adjacent to conditioned space, including solarComponent Load: *: Skylights (MBtu) Heat gain/loss through HPXML Skylight
elements adjacent to conditioned space, including solarComponent Load: *: Floors (MBtu) Heat gain/loss through HPXML FrameFloor
elements (inferred to be floors) adjacent to conditioned spaceComponent Load: *: Slabs (MBtu) Heat gain/loss through HPXML Slab
elements adjacent to conditioned spaceComponent Load: *: Internal Mass (MBtu) Heat gain/loss from internal mass (e.g., furniture, interior walls/floors) in conditioned space Component Load: *: Infiltration (MBtu) Heat gain/loss from airflow induced by stack and wind effects Component Load: *: Natural Ventilation (MBtu) Heat gain/loss from airflow through operable windows Component Load: *: Mechanical Ventilation (MBtu) Heat gain/loss from airflow/fan energy from a whole house mechanical ventilation system Component Load: *: Whole House Fan (MBtu) Heat gain/loss from airflow due to a whole house fan Component Load: *: Ducts (MBtu) Heat gain/loss from conduction and leakage losses through supply/return ducts outside conditioned space Component Load: *: Internal Gains (MBtu) Heat gain/loss from appliances, lighting, plug loads, water heater tank losses, etc. in the conditioned space
Annual Hot Water Uses¶
Annual hot water uses are listed below.
Type Notes Hot Water: Clothes Washer (gal) Hot Water: Dishwasher (gal) Hot Water: Fixtures (gal) Showers and faucets. Hot Water: Distribution Waste (gal)
Timeseries Outputs¶
See the Running ERI section for requesting timeseries outputs.
When requested, a CSV file of timeseries outputs is written for the Reference/Rated Homes (e.g., ERIReferenceHome_Hourly.csv
, ERIReferenceHome_Daily.csv
, or ERIReferenceHome_Monthly.csv
for the Reference home).
Depending on the outputs requested, CSV files may include:
Type Notes Total Consumptions Energy use for building total. Fuel Consumptions Energy use for each fuel type (in kBtu for fossil fuels and kWh for electricity). End Use Consumptions Energy use for each end use type (in kBtu for fossil fuels and kWh for electricity). Emissions Emissions (e.g., CO2e, NOx, SO2), both total and disaggregated by fuel type. Hot Water Uses Water use for each end use type (in gallons). Total Loads Heating, cooling, and hot water loads (in kBtu) for the building. Component Loads Heating and cooling loads (in kBtu) disaggregated by component (e.g., Walls, Windows, Infiltration, Ducts, etc.). Zone Temperatures Average temperatures (in deg-F) for each space modeled (e.g., living space, attic, garage, basement, crawlspace, etc.). Airflows Airflow rates (in cfm) for infiltration, mechanical ventilation, natural ventilation, and whole house fans. Weather Weather file data including outdoor temperatures, relative humidity, wind speed, and solar.
Timeseries outputs can be one of the following frequencies: hourly, daily, or monthly.
Timestamps in the output use the end-of-hour (or end-of-day for daily frequency, etc.) convention. Most outputs will be summed over the hour (e.g., energy) but some will be averaged over the hour (e.g., temperatures, airflows).
ERI______Home.xml¶
An HPXML file is written for each of the homes simulated (e.g., ERIReferenceHome.xml
for the Reference home).
The file reflects the configuration of the home after applying the ERI 301 ruleset.
The file will also show HPXML default values that are applied as part of modeling this home. Defaults will be applied for a few different reasons:
- Optional ERI inputs aren’t provided (e.g., ventilation rate for a vented attic, SHR for an air conditioner, etc.)
- Modeling assumptions (e.g., 1 hour timestep, Jan 1 - Dec 31 run period, appliance schedules, etc.)
- HVAC sizing calculations (e.g., autosized HVAC capacities and airflow rates, heating/cooling design loads)
Any HPXML-defaulted values will include the dataSource='software'
attribute.
A CO22ReferenceHome.xml
will also be produced when using ANSI/RESNET/ICC 301-2019 Addendum D or newer.
Simulation Files¶
In addition, raw EnergyPlus simulation input/output files are available for each simulation (e.g., ERIRatedHome
, ERIReferenceHome
, etc. directories).
Warning
It is highly discouraged for software tools to read the raw EnergyPlus output files. The EnergyPlus input/output files are made available for inspection, but the outputs for certain situations can be misleading if one does not know how the model was created. If there are additional outputs of interest that are not available in our summary output files, please send us a request.
ENERGY STAR Files¶
ENERGY STAR output files described below are found in the results
directory.
ES_Results.csv¶
The ES_Results.csv
file includes the following:
Output Notes Reference Home ERI ERI of the ES Reference Home SAF (Size Adjustment Factor) Can only be less than 1 for some ES programs/versions SAF Adjusted ERI Target Reference Home ERI multiplied by SAF Rated Home ERI ERI of the Rated Home including OPP as allowed by the ES program/version Rated Home ERI w/o OPP ERI of the Rated Home excluding any on-site power production (OPP) ENERGY STAR Certification PASS or FAIL
ES______.xml¶
An HPXML file is written for the ENERGY STAR Reference Home (ESReference.xml
) and the Rated Home (ESRated.xml
).
The file reflects the configuration of the home after applying the ENERGY STAR ruleset.