Energy Performance Analyses of a Santa Clara County Facility by CEE243 Student Groups

In recent years, much attention has been given to the gap between predicted and actual performance in buildings. Attempts to design energy efficient buildings have often led to underperforming buildings, oftentimes far below code. Existing buildings can veer away from their functional intents with varying impacts on energy consumption. In the spring of 2010, four groups of students in Stanford University's CEE 243 class studied and analyzed multiple HVAC systems within a Santa Clara County facility. These groups analyzed a large amount of sensor data from these systems to determine whether the individual systems were performing well and meeting their functional intents. After graphically analyzing data, trends were noted, problems diagnosed, and hypotheses formulated. Analysis was based graphs generated by Stanford Energy Efficient Information Tool (SEE IT). The SCC Facility Data Manual, Version 1.4 gave set points and descriptions of intended system behavior. Anomalies were noted by comparing measured data from the intent described in the Manual. Hypotheses were then tested through further analysis, and informed recommendations were provided. Students without prior experience were able to draw conclusions and recommendations for the facility’s operation. This information was then relayed to Santa Clara County for use in retrocommissioning efforts to reduce energy consumption and ensure restoration of functional intent.

This document summarizes these findings with most content directly from the groups’ final reports. Contributors for each section are noted at the end of the document.