76 FR 43287 - Building Energy Standards Program: Determination Regarding Energy Efficiency Improvements in the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-20

... determined that the quantitative analysis of the energy consumption of buildings built to Standard 90.1-2007... Determination 3. Public Comments Regarding the Preliminary Determination II. Summary of the Comparative Analysis... Analysis B. Quantitative Analysis 1. Discussion of Whole Building Energy Analysis 2. Results of Whole...

Building America House Simulation Protocols

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hendron, Robert; Engebrecht, Cheryn

2010-09-01

The House Simulation Protocol document was developed to track and manage progress toward Building America's multi-year, average whole-building energy reduction research goals for new construction and existing homes, using a consistent analytical reference point. This report summarizes the guidelines for developing and reporting these analytical results in a consistent and meaningful manner for all home energy uses using standard operating conditions.

Eric Bonnema | NREL

Science.gov Websites

contributes to the research efforts for commercial buildings. This effort is dedicated to studying the , commercial sector whole-building energy simulation, scientific computing, and software configuration and

DOE Voluntary Partnership Program with Utilities and Local Governments Supports the Design of New Data Access Solutions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shah, Monisha; Burr, Andrew; Schulte, Andrew

2016-08-26

The Better Buildings Energy Data Accelerator (BBEDA) is a unique effort that has supported 22 pairs of local governments and their utility companies to help building owners gain access to their whole-building energy data. Municipal and Utility BBEDA Partners committed to develop streamlined and easy-to-use solutions to provide whole-building energy data, especially for multitenant commercial buildings, by the end of 2015. As a result, building owners would be able to make data-driven decisions about their buildings by utilizing readily available energy consumption data for entire buildings. Traditionally, data access was difficult to implement due to technical barriers and the lackmore » of clear value propositions for the utilities. During the past two years, BBEDA has taken a hands-on approach to overcome these barriers by offering a platform for the partners to discuss their challenges and solutions. Customized support was also provided to Partners building their local strategies. Based on the lessons learned from the partners, BBEDA developed a final toolkit with guiding documents that addressed key barriers and served as a resource for the other cities and utilities attempting to establish whole-building data access, including an exploration of opportunities to apply the whole-building data to various aspects of utility demand-side management (DSM) programs. BBEDA has been a catalyst for market transformation by addressing the upstream (to efficiency implementation) barrier of data access, demonstrated through the success of the BBEDA partners to address policy, engagement, and technical hurdles and arrive at replicable solutions to make data access a standard practice nationwide. As a result of best practices identified by the BBEDA, 18 utilities serving more than 2.6 million commercial customers nationwide will provide whole-building energy data access to building owners by 2017. This historic expansion of data accessibility will increase building energy benchmarking, the first step many building owners take to improve the energy efficiency of their buildings.« less

Performance assessment of a photonic radiative cooling system for office buildings

DOE PAGES

Wang, Weimin; Fernandez, Nick; Katipamula, Srinivas; ...

2017-11-08

Recent advances in materials have demonstrated the ability to maintain radiator surfaces at below-ambient temperatures in the presence of intense, direct sunlight. Daytime radiative cooling is promising for building applications. Here, this paper estimates the energy savings from daytime radiative cooling, specifically based on photonic materials. A photonic radiative cooling system was proposed and modeled using the whole energy simulation program EnergyPlus. A typical medium-sized office building was used for the simulation analysis. Several reference systems were established to quantify the potential of energy savings from the photonic radiative cooling system. The reference systems include a variable-air-volume (VAV) system, amore » hydronic radiant system, and a nighttime radiative cooling system. The savings analysis was made for a number of locations with different climates. Simulation results showed that the photonic radiative cooling system saved between 45% and 68% cooling electricity relative to the VAV system and between 9% and 23% relative to the nighttime radiative cooling system featured with the best coating commercially available on market. Finally, a simple economic analysis was also made to estimate the maximum acceptable incremental cost for upgrading from nighttime cooling to photonic radiative cooling.« less

Performance assessment of a photonic radiative cooling system for office buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Weimin; Fernandez, Nick; Katipamula, Srinivas

Recent advances in materials have demonstrated the ability to maintain radiator surfaces at below-ambient temperatures in the presence of intense, direct sunlight. Daytime radiative cooling is promising for building applications. Here, this paper estimates the energy savings from daytime radiative cooling, specifically based on photonic materials. A photonic radiative cooling system was proposed and modeled using the whole energy simulation program EnergyPlus. A typical medium-sized office building was used for the simulation analysis. Several reference systems were established to quantify the potential of energy savings from the photonic radiative cooling system. The reference systems include a variable-air-volume (VAV) system, amore » hydronic radiant system, and a nighttime radiative cooling system. The savings analysis was made for a number of locations with different climates. Simulation results showed that the photonic radiative cooling system saved between 45% and 68% cooling electricity relative to the VAV system and between 9% and 23% relative to the nighttime radiative cooling system featured with the best coating commercially available on market. Finally, a simple economic analysis was also made to estimate the maximum acceptable incremental cost for upgrading from nighttime cooling to photonic radiative cooling.« less

Energy usage while maintaining thermal comfort: A case study of a UNT dormitory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gambrell, Dusten

Campus dormitories for the University of North Texas house over 5500 students per year; each one of them requires certain comfortable living conditions while they live there. There is an inherit amount of money required in order to achieve minimal comfort levels; the cost is mostly natural gas for water and room heating and electricity for cooling, lighting and peripherals. The US Department of Energy has developed several programs to aid in performing energy simulations to help those interested design more cost effective building designs. Energy-10 is such a program that allows users to conduct whole house evaluations by reviewing and altering a few parameters such as building materials, solar heating, energy efficient windows etc. The idea of this project was to recreate a campus dormitory and try to emulate existent energy consumption then try to find ways of lowering that usage while maintaining a high level of personal comfort.

Whole Building Efficiency for Whole Foods: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Deru, M.; Doebber, I.; Hirsch, A.

2013-02-01

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory partnered with Whole Foods Market under the Commercial Building Partnership (CBP) program to design and implement a new store in Raleigh, North Carolina. The result was a design with a predicted energy savings of 40% over ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2004, and 25% energy savings over their standard design. Measured performance of the as-built building showed that the building did not achieve the predicted performance. A detailed review of the project several months after opening revealed a series of several items in construction and controls items that were not implemented properly and were not fully corrected inmore » the commissioning process.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Winkler, Jon; Booten, Chuck

Residential building codes and voluntary labeling programs are continually increasing the energy efficiency requirements of residential buildings. Improving a building's thermal enclosure and installing energy-efficient appliances and lighting can result in significant reductions in sensible cooling loads leading to smaller air conditioners and shorter cooling seasons. However due to fresh air ventilation requirements and internal gains, latent cooling loads are not reduced by the same proportion. Thus, it's becoming more challenging for conventional cooling equipment to control indoor humidity at part-load cooling conditions and using conventional cooling equipment in a non-conventional building poses the potential risk of high indoor humidity.more » The objective of this project was to investigate the impact the chosen design condition has on the calculated part-load cooling moisture load, and compare calculated moisture loads and the required dehumidification capacity to whole-building simulations. Procedures for sizing whole-house supplemental dehumidification equipment have yet to be formalized; however minor modifications to current Air-Conditioner Contractors of America (ACCA) Manual J load calculation procedures are appropriate for calculating residential part-load cooling moisture loads. Though ASHRAE 1% DP design conditions are commonly used to determine the dehumidification requirements for commercial buildings, an appropriate DP design condition for residential buildings has not been investigated. Two methods for sizing supplemental dehumidification equipment were developed and tested. The first method closely followed Manual J cooling load calculations; whereas the second method made more conservative assumptions impacting both sensible and latent loads.« less

Whole Foods Market Retrofits Multiple Building Systems for Big Savings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2013-03-01

Whole Foods Market partnered with U.S. the Department of Energy (DOE) to develop and implement solutions to reduce annual energy consumption in existing stores by at least 30% versus pre-retrofit energy use at its store in Edgewater, New Jersey, as part of DOE’s Commercial Building Partnership (CBP) program.

Human Behavior & Low Energy Architecture: Linking Environmental Adaptation, Personal Comfort, & Energy Use in the Built Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langevin, Jared

Truly sustainable buildings serve to enrich the daily sensory experience of their human inhabitants while consuming the least amount of energy possible; yet, building occupants and their environmentally adaptive behaviors remain a poorly characterized variable in even the most "green" building design and operation approaches. This deficiency has been linked to gaps between predicted and actual energy use, as well as to eventual problems with occupant discomfort, productivity losses, and health issues. Going forward, better tools are needed for considering the human-building interaction as a key part of energy efficiency strategies that promote good Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) in buildings. This dissertation presents the development and implementation of a Human and Building Interaction Toolkit (HABIT), a framework for the integrated simulation of office occupants' thermally adaptive behaviors, IEQ, and building energy use as part of sustainable building design and operation. Development of HABIT begins with an effort to devise more reliable methods for predicting individual occupants' thermal comfort, considered the driving force behind the behaviors of focus for this project. A long-term field study of thermal comfort and behavior is then presented, and the data it generates are used to develop and validate an agent-based behavior simulation model. Key aspects of the agent-based behavior model are described, and its predictive abilities are shown to compare favorably to those of multiple other behavior modeling options. Finally, the agent-based behavior model is linked with whole building energy simulation in EnergyPlus, forming the full HABIT program. The program is used to evaluate the energy and IEQ impacts of several occupant behavior scenarios in the simulation of a case study office building for the Philadelphia climate. Results indicate that more efficient local heating/cooling options may be paired with wider set point ranges to yield up to 24/28% HVAC energy savings in the winter/summer while also reducing thermal unacceptability; however, it is shown that the source of energy being saved must be considered in each case, as local heating options end up replacing cheaper, more carbon-friendly gas heating with expensive, emissions-heavy plug load electricity. The dissertation concludes with a summary of key outcomes and suggests how HABIT may be further developed in the future.

Rob Guglielmetti | NREL

Science.gov Websites

2009. Rob's areas of expertise are daylighting, physically based lighting simulation, the integration of lighting simulation with whole-building energy simulations, and high-dynamic range imaging. He has simulation, and high-dynamic range imaging. Rob is an advisory member of the Illuminating Engineering Society

Facilitating arrhythmia simulation: the method of quantitative cellular automata modeling and parallel running

PubMed Central

Zhu, Hao; Sun, Yan; Rajagopal, Gunaretnam; Mondry, Adrian; Dhar, Pawan

2004-01-01

Background Many arrhythmias are triggered by abnormal electrical activity at the ionic channel and cell level, and then evolve spatio-temporally within the heart. To understand arrhythmias better and to diagnose them more precisely by their ECG waveforms, a whole-heart model is required to explore the association between the massively parallel activities at the channel/cell level and the integrative electrophysiological phenomena at organ level. Methods We have developed a method to build large-scale electrophysiological models by using extended cellular automata, and to run such models on a cluster of shared memory machines. We describe here the method, including the extension of a language-based cellular automaton to implement quantitative computing, the building of a whole-heart model with Visible Human Project data, the parallelization of the model on a cluster of shared memory computers with OpenMP and MPI hybrid programming, and a simulation algorithm that links cellular activity with the ECG. Results We demonstrate that electrical activities at channel, cell, and organ levels can be traced and captured conveniently in our extended cellular automaton system. Examples of some ECG waveforms simulated with a 2-D slice are given to support the ECG simulation algorithm. A performance evaluation of the 3-D model on a four-node cluster is also given. Conclusions Quantitative multicellular modeling with extended cellular automata is a highly efficient and widely applicable method to weave experimental data at different levels into computational models. This process can be used to investigate complex and collective biological activities that can be described neither by their governing differentiation equations nor by discrete parallel computation. Transparent cluster computing is a convenient and effective method to make time-consuming simulation feasible. Arrhythmias, as a typical case, can be effectively simulated with the methods described. PMID:15339335

Chapter 15: Commercial New Construction Evaluation Protocol. The Uniform Methods Project: Methods for Determining Energy Efficiency Savings for Specific Measures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kurnik, Charles W.; Keates, Steven

This protocol is intended to describe the recommended method when evaluating the whole-building performance of new construction projects in the commercial sector. The protocol focuses on energy conservation measures (ECMs) or packages of measures where evaluators can analyze impacts using building simulation. These ECMs typically require the use of calibrated building simulations under Option D of the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP).

SUNREL Energy Simulation Software | Buildings | NREL

Science.gov Websites

SUNREL Energy Simulation Software SUNREL Energy Simulation Software SUNREL® is a hourly building energy simulation program that aids in the design of small energy-efficient buildings where the loads are

Lean and Efficient Software: Whole-Program Optimization of Executables

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-30

libraries. Many levels of library interfaces—where some libraries are dynamically linked and some are provided in binary form only—significantly limit...software at build time. The opportunity: Our objective in this project is to substantially improve the performance, size, and robustness of binary ...executables by using static and dynamic binary program analysis techniques to perform whole-program optimization directly on compiled programs

A parametric study of the thermal performance of green roofs in different climates through energy modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukherjee, Sananda

In recent years, there has been great interest in the potential of green roofs as an alternative roofing option to reduce the energy consumed by individual buildings as well as mitigate large scale urban environmental problems such as the heat island effect. There is a widespread recognition and a growing literature of measured data that suggest green roofs can reduce building energy consumption. This thesis investigates the potential of green roofs in reducing the building energy loads and focuses on how the different parameters of a green roof assembly affect the thermal performance of a building. A green roof assembly is modeled in Design Builder- a 3D graphical design modeling and energy use simulation program (interface) that uses the EnergyPlus simulation engine, and the simulated data set thus obtained is compared to field experiment data to validate the roof assembly model on the basis of how accurately it simulates the behavior of a green roof. Then the software is used to evaluate the thermal performance of several green roof assemblies under three different climate types, looking at the whole building energy consumption. For the purpose of this parametric simulation study, a prototypical single story small office building is considered and one parameter of the green roof is altered for each simulation run in order to understand its effect on building's energy loads. These parameters include different insulation thicknesses, leaf area indices (LAI) and growing medium or soil depth, each of which are tested under the three different climate types. The energy use intensities (EUIs), the peak and annual heating and cooling loads resulting from the use of these green roof assemblies are compared with each other and to a cool roof base case to determine the energy load reductions, if any. The heat flux through the roof is also evaluated and compared. The simulation results are then organized and finally presented as a decision support tool that would facilitate the adoption and appropriate utilization of green roof technologies and make it possible to account for green roof benefits in energy codes and related energy efficiency standards and rating systems such as LEED.

Transforming BIM to BEM: Generation of Building Geometry for the NASA Ames Sustainability Base BIM

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

O'Donnell, James T.; Maile, Tobias; Rose, Cody

Typical processes of whole Building Energy simulation Model (BEM) generation are subjective, labor intensive, time intensive and error prone. Essentially, these typical processes reproduce already existing data, i.e. building models already created by the architect. Accordingly, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) developed a semi-automated process that enables reproducible conversions of Building Information Model (BIM) representations of building geometry into a format required by building energy modeling (BEM) tools. This is a generic process that may be applied to all building energy modeling tools but to date has only been used for EnergyPlus. This report describes and demonstrates each stage inmore » the semi-automated process for building geometry using the recently constructed NASA Ames Sustainability Base throughout. This example uses ArchiCAD (Graphisoft, 2012) as the originating CAD tool and EnergyPlus as the concluding whole building energy simulation tool. It is important to note that the process is also applicable for professionals that use other CAD tools such as Revit (“Revit Architecture,” 2012) and DProfiler (Beck Technology, 2012) and can be extended to provide geometry definitions for BEM tools other than EnergyPlus. Geometry Simplification Tool (GST) was used during the NASA Ames project and was the enabling software that facilitated semi-automated data transformations. GST has now been superseded by Space Boundary Tool (SBT-1) and will be referred to as SBT-1 throughout this report. The benefits of this semi-automated process are fourfold: 1) reduce the amount of time and cost required to develop a whole building energy simulation model, 2) enable rapid generation of design alternatives, 3) improve the accuracy of BEMs and 4) result in significantly better performing buildings with significantly lower energy consumption than those created using the traditional design process, especially if the simulation model was used as a predictive benchmark during operation. Developing BIM based criteria to support the semi-automated process should result in significant reliable improvements and time savings in the development of BEMs. In order to define successful BIMS, CAD export of IFC based BIMs for BEM must adhere to a standard Model View Definition (MVD) for simulation as provided by the concept design BIM MVD (buildingSMART, 2011). In order to ensure wide scale adoption, companies would also need to develop their own material libraries to support automated activities and undertake a pilot project to improve understanding of modeling conventions and design tool features and limitations.« less

Whole Building Cost and Performance Measurement: Data Collection Protocol Revision 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fowler, Kimberly M.; Spees, Kathleen L.; Kora, Angela R.

2009-03-27

This protocol was written for the Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) to be used by the public as a tool for assessing building cost and performance measurement. The primary audiences are sustainable design professionals, asset owners, building managers, and research professionals within the Federal sector. The protocol was developed based on the need for measured performance and cost data on sustainable design projects. Historically there has not been a significant driver in the public or private sector to quantify whole building performance in comparable terms. The deployment of sustainable design into the building sector has initiated manymore » questions on the performance and operational cost of these buildings.« less

Scott Horowitz | NREL

Science.gov Websites

area, which includes work on whole building energy modeling, cost-based optimization, model accuracy optimization tool used to provide support for the Building America program's teams and energy efficiency goals Colorado graduate student exploring enhancements to building optimization in terms of robustness and speed

Dane Christensen | NREL

Science.gov Websites

-performance building simulation. Dane supports technical efforts for the Building America Program and conducts finite element modeling for building energy simulation. Prior to joining NREL, Dane worked at Atec, Inc

The building loads analysis system thermodynamics (BLAST) program, Version 2. 0: input booklet. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sowell, E.

1979-06-01

The Building Loads Analysis and System Thermodynamics (BLAST) program is a comprehensive set of subprograms for predicting energy consumption in buildings. There are three major subprograms: (1) the space load predicting subprogram, which computes hourly space loads in a building or zone based on user input and hourly weather data; (2) the air distribution system simulation subprogram, which uses the computed space load and user inputs describing the building air-handling system to calculate hot water or steam, chilled water, and electric energy demands; and (3) the central plant simulation program, which simulates boilers, chillers, onsite power generating equipment and solarmore » energy systems and computes monthly and annual fuel and electrical power consumption and plant life cycle cost.« less

Luigi Gentile Polese | NREL

Science.gov Websites

software development of next-generation whole-building energy modeling, analysis, and simulation tools technical positions in networking protocol specifications, call control software, and requirements

A View on Future Building System Modeling and Simulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wetter, Michael

This chapter presents what a future environment for building system modeling and simulation may look like. As buildings continue to require increased performance and better comfort, their energy and control systems are becoming more integrated and complex. We therefore focus in this chapter on the modeling, simulation and analysis of building energy and control systems. Such systems can be classified as heterogeneous systems because they involve multiple domains, such as thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, heat and mass transfer, electrical systems, control systems and communication systems. Also, they typically involve multiple temporal and spatial scales, and their evolution can be described bymore » coupled differential equations, discrete equations and events. Modeling and simulating such systems requires a higher level of abstraction and modularisation to manage the increased complexity compared to what is used in today's building simulation programs. Therefore, the trend towards more integrated building systems is likely to be a driving force for changing the status quo of today's building simulation programs. Thischapter discusses evolving modeling requirements and outlines a path toward a future environment for modeling and simulation of heterogeneous building systems.A range of topics that would require many additional pages of discussion has been omitted. Examples include computational fluid dynamics for air and particle flow in and around buildings, people movement, daylight simulation, uncertainty propagation and optimisation methods for building design and controls. For different discussions and perspectives on the future of building modeling and simulation, we refer to Sahlin (2000), Augenbroe (2001) and Malkawi and Augenbroe (2004).« less

Occupant behavior models: A critical review of implementation and representation approaches in building performance simulation programs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hong, Tianzhen; Chen, Yixing; Belafi, Zsofia

Occupant behavior (OB) in buildings is a leading factor influencing energy use in buildings. Quantifying this influence requires the integration of OB models with building performance simulation (BPS). This study reviews approaches to representing and implementing OB models in today’s popular BPS programs, and discusses weaknesses and strengths of these approaches and key issues in integrating of OB models with BPS programs. Two of the key findings are: (1) a common data model is needed to standardize the representation of OB models, enabling their flexibility and exchange among BPS programs and user applications; the data model can be implemented usingmore » a standard syntax (e.g., in the form of XML schema), and (2) a modular software implementation of OB models, such as functional mock-up units for co-simulation, adopting the common data model, has advantages in providing a robust and interoperable integration with multiple BPS programs. Such common OB model representation and implementation approaches help standardize the input structures of OB models, enable collaborative development of a shared library of OB models, and allow for rapid and widespread integration of OB models with BPS programs to improve the simulation of occupant behavior and quantification of their impact on building performance.« less

Occupant behavior models: A critical review of implementation and representation approaches in building performance simulation programs

DOE PAGES

Hong, Tianzhen; Chen, Yixing; Belafi, Zsofia; ...

2017-07-27

Occupant behavior (OB) in buildings is a leading factor influencing energy use in buildings. Quantifying this influence requires the integration of OB models with building performance simulation (BPS). This study reviews approaches to representing and implementing OB models in today’s popular BPS programs, and discusses weaknesses and strengths of these approaches and key issues in integrating of OB models with BPS programs. Two of the key findings are: (1) a common data model is needed to standardize the representation of OB models, enabling their flexibility and exchange among BPS programs and user applications; the data model can be implemented usingmore » a standard syntax (e.g., in the form of XML schema), and (2) a modular software implementation of OB models, such as functional mock-up units for co-simulation, adopting the common data model, has advantages in providing a robust and interoperable integration with multiple BPS programs. Such common OB model representation and implementation approaches help standardize the input structures of OB models, enable collaborative development of a shared library of OB models, and allow for rapid and widespread integration of OB models with BPS programs to improve the simulation of occupant behavior and quantification of their impact on building performance.« less

Scalable geocomputation: evolving an environmental model building platform from single-core to supercomputers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmitz, Oliver; de Jong, Kor; Karssenberg, Derek

2017-04-01

There is an increasing demand to run environmental models on a big scale: simulations over large areas at high resolution. The heterogeneity of available computing hardware such as multi-core CPUs, GPUs or supercomputer potentially provides significant computing power to fulfil this demand. However, this requires detailed knowledge of the underlying hardware, parallel algorithm design and the implementation thereof in an efficient system programming language. Domain scientists such as hydrologists or ecologists often lack this specific software engineering knowledge, their emphasis is (and should be) on exploratory building and analysis of simulation models. As a result, models constructed by domain specialists mostly do not take full advantage of the available hardware. A promising solution is to separate the model building activity from software engineering by offering domain specialists a model building framework with pre-programmed building blocks that they combine to construct a model. The model building framework, consequently, needs to have built-in capabilities to make full usage of the available hardware. Developing such a framework providing understandable code for domain scientists and being runtime efficient at the same time poses several challenges on developers of such a framework. For example, optimisations can be performed on individual operations or the whole model, or tasks need to be generated for a well-balanced execution without explicitly knowing the complexity of the domain problem provided by the modeller. Ideally, a modelling framework supports the optimal use of available hardware whichsoever combination of model building blocks scientists use. We demonstrate our ongoing work on developing parallel algorithms for spatio-temporal modelling and demonstrate 1) PCRaster, an environmental software framework (http://www.pcraster.eu) providing spatio-temporal model building blocks and 2) parallelisation of about 50 of these building blocks using the new Fern library (https://github.com/geoneric/fern/), an independent generic raster processing library. Fern is a highly generic software library and its algorithms can be configured according to the configuration of a modelling framework. With manageable programming effort (e.g. matching data types between programming and domain language) we created a binding between Fern and PCRaster. The resulting PCRaster Python multicore module can be used to execute existing PCRaster models without having to make any changes to the model code. We show initial results on synthetic and geoscientific models indicating significant runtime improvements provided by parallel local and focal operations. We further outline challenges in improving remaining algorithms such as flow operations over digital elevation maps and further potential improvements like enhancing disk I/O.

Technical Highlight: NREL Improves Building Energy Simulation Programs Through Diagnostic Testing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Polly, B.

2012-01-09

This technical highlight describes NREL research to develop Building Energy Simulation Test for Existing Homes (BESTEST-EX) to increase the quality and accuracy of energy analysis tools for the building retrofit market.

Building Interactive Simulations in Web Pages without Programming.

PubMed

Mailen Kootsey, J; McAuley, Grant; Bernal, Julie

2005-01-01

A software system is described for building interactive simulations and other numerical calculations in Web pages. The system is based on a new Java-based software architecture named NumberLinX (NLX) that isolates each function required to build the simulation so that a library of reusable objects could be assembled. The NLX objects are integrated into a commercial Web design program for coding-free page construction. The model description is entered through a wizard-like utility program that also functions as a model editor. The complete system permits very rapid construction of interactive simulations without coding. A wide range of applications are possible with the system beyond interactive calculations, including remote data collection and processing and collaboration over a network.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hendron, R.; Engebrecht, C.

The House Simulation Protocol document was developed to track and manage progress toward Building America's multi-year, average whole-building energy reduction research goals for new construction and existing homes, using a consistent analytical reference point. This report summarizes the guidelines for developing and reporting these analytical results in a consistent and meaningful manner for all home energy uses using standard operating conditions.

Validation studies of the DOE-2 Building Energy Simulation Program. Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sullivan, R.; Winkelmann, F.

1998-06-01

This report documents many of the validation studies (Table 1) of the DOE-2 building energy analysis simulation program that have taken place since 1981. Results for several versions of the program are presented with the most recent study conducted in 1996 on version DOE-2.1E and the most distant study conducted in 1981 on version DOE-1.3. This work is part of an effort related to continued development of DOE-2, particularly in its use as a simulation engine for new specialized versions of the program such as the recently released RESFEN 3.1. RESFEN 3.1 is a program specifically dealing with analyzing themore » energy performance of windows in residential buildings. The intent in providing the results of these validation studies is to give potential users of the program a high degree of confidence in the calculated results. Validation studies in which calculated simulation data is compared to measured data have been conducted throughout the development of the DOE-2 program. Discrepancies discovered during the course of such work has resulted in improvements in the simulation algorithms. Table 2 provides a listing of additions and modifications that have been made to various versions of the program since version DOE-2.1A. One of the most significant recent changes in the program occurred with version DOE-2.1E. An improved algorithm for calculating the outside surface film coefficient was implemented. In addition, integration of the WINDOW 4 program was accomplished resulting in improved ability in analyzing window energy performance. Validation and verification of a program as sophisticated as DOE-2 must necessarily be limited because of the approximations inherent in the program. For example, the most accurate model of the heat transfer processes in a building would include a three-dimensional analysis. To justify such detailed algorithmic procedures would correspondingly require detailed information describing the building and/or HVAC system and energy plant parameters. Until building simulation programs can get this data directly from CAD programs, such detail would negate the usefulness of the program for the practicing engineers and architects who currently use the program. In addition, the validation studies discussed herein indicate that such detail is really unnecessary. The comparison of calculated and measured quantities have resulted in a satisfactory level of confidence that is sufficient for continued use of the DOE-2 program. However, additional validation is warranted, particularly at the component level, to further improve the program.« less

Overcoming Microsoft Excel's Weaknesses for Crop Model Building and Simulations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sung, Christopher Teh Boon

2011-01-01

Using spreadsheets such as Microsoft Excel for building crop models and running simulations can be beneficial. Excel is easy to use, powerful, and versatile, and it requires the least proficiency in computer programming compared to other programming platforms. Excel, however, has several weaknesses: it does not directly support loops for iterative…

Energy consumption program: A computer model simulating energy loads in buildings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoller, F. W.; Lansing, F. L.; Chai, V. W.; Higgins, S.

1978-01-01

The JPL energy consumption computer program developed as a useful tool in the on-going building modification studies in the DSN energy conservation project is described. The program simulates building heating and cooling loads and computes thermal and electric energy consumption and cost. The accuracy of computations are not sacrificed, however, since the results lie within + or - 10 percent margin compared to those read from energy meters. The program is carefully structured to reduce both user's time and running cost by asking minimum information from the user and reducing many internal time-consuming computational loops. Many unique features were added to handle two-level electronics control rooms not found in any other program.

Whole Foods Market Improves Energy Efficiency in New Construction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2013-03-01

Whole Foods Market partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop and implement solutions to reduce annual energy consumption in new stores by at least 50% versus requirements set by ASHRAE/ANSI/IESNA Standard 90.1-20041 as part of DOE’s Commercial Building Partnership (CBP) program.

A computer program for the simulation of folds of different sizes under the influence of gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vacas Peña, José M.; Martínez Catalán, José R.

2004-02-01

Folding&g is a computer program, based on the finite element method, developed to simulate the process of natural folding from small to large scales in two dimensions. Written in Pascal code and compiled with Borland Delphi 3.0, the program has a friendly interactive user interface and can be used for research as well as educational purposes. Four main menu options allow the user to import or to build and to save a model data file, select the type of graphic output, introduce and modify several physical parameters and enter the calculation routines. The program employs isoparametric, initially rectangular elements with eight nodes, which can sustain large deformations. The mathematical procedure is based on the elasticity equations, but has been modified to simulate a viscous rheology, either linear or of power-law type. The parameters to be introduced include either the linear viscosity, or, when the viscosity is non-linear, the material constant, activation energy, temperature and power of the differential stress. All the parameters can be set by rows, which simulate layers. A toggle permits gravity to be introduced into the calculations. In this case, the density of the different rows must be specified, and the sizes of the finite elements and of the whole model become meaningful. Viscosity values can also be assigned to blocks of several rows and columns, which permits the modelling of heterogeneities such as rectangular areas of high strength, which can be used to simulate shearing components interfering with the buckling process. The program is applied to several cases of folding, including a single competent bed and multilayers, and its results compared with analytical and experimental results. The influence of gravity is illustrated by the modelling of diapiric structures and of a large recumbent fold.

A Cognitive Behavioral Depression Prevention Program for Early Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miloseva, Lence

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to present results of our one year experience with Cognitive Behavioral Psychology Program, in order to contribute to the building of whole school approach and positive psychology preventive mental health problems model. Based on Penn Resilience program (PRP), we modify and create program for early adolescents: how to…

Building a Culture of Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Makatche, Kathryn; Oberlin, Jessica Urick

2011-01-01

Building a culture of reading in a school requires the participation of the entire school community--students, teachers, administrators, staff, parents, and patrons. To be successful, the whole community must be on board with books--not just the helpful librarian in the school library. Implementing library programs to encourage students to read…

Taxis through Computer Simulation Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, David

1983-01-01

Describes a sequence of five computer programs (listings for Apple II available from author) on tactic responses (oriented movement of a cell, cell group, or whole organism in reponse to stimuli). The simulation programs are useful in helping students examine mechanisms at work in real organisms. (JN)

Simulation-based coefficients for adjusting climate impact on energy consumption of commercial buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Na; Makhmalbaf, Atefe; Srivastava, Viraj

This paper presents a new technique for and the results of normalizing building energy consumption to enable a fair comparison among various types of buildings located near different weather stations across the U.S. The method was developed for the U.S. Building Energy Asset Score, a whole-building energy efficiency rating system focusing on building envelope, mechanical systems, and lighting systems. The Asset Score is calculated based on simulated energy use under standard operating conditions. Existing weather normalization methods such as those based on heating and cooling degrees days are not robust enough to adjust all climatic factors such as humidity andmore » solar radiation. In this work, over 1000 sets of climate coefficients were developed to separately adjust building heating, cooling, and fan energy use at each weather station in the United States. This paper also presents a robust, standardized weather station mapping based on climate similarity rather than choosing the closest weather station. This proposed simulated-based climate adjustment was validated through testing on several hundreds of thousands of modeled buildings. Results indicated the developed climate coefficients can isolate and adjust for the impacts of local climate for asset rating.« less

The updated algorithm of the Energy Consumption Program (ECP): A computer model simulating heating and cooling energy loads in buildings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lansing, F. L.; Strain, D. M.; Chai, V. W.; Higgins, S.

1979-01-01

The energy Comsumption Computer Program was developed to simulate building heating and cooling loads and compute thermal and electric energy consumption and cost. This article reports on the new additional algorithms and modifications made in an effort to widen the areas of application. The program structure was rewritten accordingly to refine and advance the building model and to further reduce the processing time and cost. The program is noted for its very low cost and ease of use compared to other available codes. The accuracy of computations is not sacrificed however, since the results are expected to lie within + or - 10% of actual energy meter readings.

Predicting Energy Performance of a Net-Zero Energy Building: A Statistical Approach

PubMed Central

Kneifel, Joshua; Webb, David

2016-01-01

Performance-based building requirements have become more prevalent because it gives freedom in building design while still maintaining or exceeding the energy performance required by prescriptive-based requirements. In order to determine if building designs reach target energy efficiency improvements, it is necessary to estimate the energy performance of a building using predictive models and different weather conditions. Physics-based whole building energy simulation modeling is the most common approach. However, these physics-based models include underlying assumptions and require significant amounts of information in order to specify the input parameter values. An alternative approach to test the performance of a building is to develop a statistically derived predictive regression model using post-occupancy data that can accurately predict energy consumption and production based on a few common weather-based factors, thus requiring less information than simulation models. A regression model based on measured data should be able to predict energy performance of a building for a given day as long as the weather conditions are similar to those during the data collection time frame. This article uses data from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Net-Zero Energy Residential Test Facility (NZERTF) to develop and validate a regression model to predict the energy performance of the NZERTF using two weather variables aggregated to the daily level, applies the model to estimate the energy performance of hypothetical NZERTFs located in different cities in the Mixed-Humid climate zone, and compares these estimates to the results from already existing EnergyPlus whole building energy simulations. This regression model exhibits agreement with EnergyPlus predictive trends in energy production and net consumption, but differs greatly in energy consumption. The model can be used as a framework for alternative and more complex models based on the experimental data collected from the NZERTF. PMID:27956756

Predicting Energy Performance of a Net-Zero Energy Building: A Statistical Approach.

PubMed

Kneifel, Joshua; Webb, David

2016-09-01

Performance-based building requirements have become more prevalent because it gives freedom in building design while still maintaining or exceeding the energy performance required by prescriptive-based requirements. In order to determine if building designs reach target energy efficiency improvements, it is necessary to estimate the energy performance of a building using predictive models and different weather conditions. Physics-based whole building energy simulation modeling is the most common approach. However, these physics-based models include underlying assumptions and require significant amounts of information in order to specify the input parameter values. An alternative approach to test the performance of a building is to develop a statistically derived predictive regression model using post-occupancy data that can accurately predict energy consumption and production based on a few common weather-based factors, thus requiring less information than simulation models. A regression model based on measured data should be able to predict energy performance of a building for a given day as long as the weather conditions are similar to those during the data collection time frame. This article uses data from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Net-Zero Energy Residential Test Facility (NZERTF) to develop and validate a regression model to predict the energy performance of the NZERTF using two weather variables aggregated to the daily level, applies the model to estimate the energy performance of hypothetical NZERTFs located in different cities in the Mixed-Humid climate zone, and compares these estimates to the results from already existing EnergyPlus whole building energy simulations. This regression model exhibits agreement with EnergyPlus predictive trends in energy production and net consumption, but differs greatly in energy consumption. The model can be used as a framework for alternative and more complex models based on the experimental data collected from the NZERTF.

Unvented Attic Increases Energy Efficiency and Reduces Duct Losses - Sun Lake at Banning, California

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, R.; Wells, N.

2001-09-05

New houses in the Sun Lakes at Banning subdivision are designed by Pulte Homes with technical support from the Building Science Consortium as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Building America Program. These homes save their homeowners money by applying the principles of ''whole-building'' design, which considers the house as a complete system instead of separate components.

SUNREL Related Links | Buildings | NREL

Science.gov Websites

SUNREL Related Links SUNREL Related Links DOE Simulation Software Tools Directory a directory of 301 building software tools for evaluation of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainability in buildings. TREAT Software Program a computer program that uses SUNREL and is designed to provide

Road simulation for four-wheel vehicle whole input power spectral density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jiangbo; Qiang, Baomin

2017-05-01

As the vibration of running vehicle mainly comes from road and influence vehicle ride performance. So the road roughness power spectral density simulation has great significance to analyze automobile suspension vibration system parameters and evaluate ride comfort. Firstly, this paper based on the mathematical model of road roughness power spectral density, established the integral white noise road random method. Then in the MATLAB/Simulink environment, according to the research method of automobile suspension frame from simple two degree of freedom single-wheel vehicle model to complex multiple degrees of freedom vehicle model, this paper built the simple single incentive input simulation model. Finally the spectrum matrix was used to build whole vehicle incentive input simulation model. This simulation method based on reliable and accurate mathematical theory and can be applied to the random road simulation of any specified spectral which provides pavement incentive model and foundation to vehicle ride performance research and vibration simulation.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Buechler, Elizabeth D.; Pallin, Simon B.; Boudreaux, Philip R.

The indoor air temperature and relative humidity in residential buildings significantly affect material moisture durability, HVAC system performance, and occupant comfort. Therefore, indoor climate data is generally required to define boundary conditions in numerical models that evaluate envelope durability and equipment performance. However, indoor climate data obtained from field studies is influenced by weather, occupant behavior and internal loads, and is generally unrepresentative of the residential building stock. Likewise, whole-building simulation models typically neglect stochastic variables and yield deterministic results that are applicable to only a single home in a specific climate. The

Software for Secondary-School Learning About Robotics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shelton, Robert O.; Smith, Stephanie L.; Truong, Dat; Hodgson, Terry R.

2005-01-01

The ROVer Ranch is an interactive computer program designed to help secondary-school students learn about space-program robotics and related basic scientific concepts by involving the students in simplified design and programming tasks that exercise skills in mathematics and science. The tasks involve building simulated robots and then observing how they behave. The program furnishes (1) programming tools that a student can use to assemble and program a simulated robot and (2) a virtual three-dimensional mission simulator for testing the robot. First, the ROVer Ranch presents fundamental information about robotics, mission goals, and facts about the mission environment. On the basis of this information, and using the aforementioned tools, the student assembles a robot by selecting parts from such subsystems as propulsion, navigation, and scientific tools, the student builds a simulated robot to accomplish its mission. Once the robot is built, it is programmed and then placed in a three-dimensional simulated environment. Success or failure in the simulation depends on the planning and design of the robot. Data and results of the mission are available in a summary log once the mission is concluded.

Exact-Differential Large-Scale Traffic Simulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hanai, Masatoshi; Suzumura, Toyotaro; Theodoropoulos, Georgios

2015-01-01

Analyzing large-scale traffics by simulation needs repeating execution many times with various patterns of scenarios or parameters. Such repeating execution brings about big redundancy because the change from a prior scenario to a later scenario is very minor in most cases, for example, blocking only one of roads or changing the speed limit of several roads. In this paper, we propose a new redundancy reduction technique, called exact-differential simulation, which enables to simulate only changing scenarios in later execution while keeping exactly same results as in the case of whole simulation. The paper consists of two main efforts: (i) amore » key idea and algorithm of the exact-differential simulation, (ii) a method to build large-scale traffic simulation on the top of the exact-differential simulation. In experiments of Tokyo traffic simulation, the exact-differential simulation shows 7.26 times as much elapsed time improvement in average and 2.26 times improvement even in the worst case as the whole simulation.« less

Promise Neighborhoods: The Promise and Politics of Community Capacity Building as Urban School Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horsford, Sonya Douglass; Sampson, Carrie

2014-01-01

The purpose of this inquiry is to consider how the U.S. Department of Education's Promise Neighborhoods (PNs) program can improve persistently low-achieving urban schools by making their "neighborhoods whole again" through community capacity building for education reform. As the "first federal initiative to put education at the…

Accuracy of automated measurement and verification (M&V) techniques for energy savings in commercial buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Granderson, Jessica; Touzani, Samir; Custodio, Claudine

Trustworthy savings calculations are critical to convincing investors in energy efficiency projects of the benefit and cost-effectiveness of such investments and their ability to replace or defer supply-side capital investments. However, today’s methods for measurement and verification (M&V) of energy savings constitute a significant portion of the total costs of efficiency projects. They also require time-consuming manual data acquisition and often do not deliver results until years after the program period has ended. The rising availability of “smart” meters, combined with new analytical approaches to quantifying savings, has opened the door to conducting M&V more quickly and at lower cost,more » with comparable or improved accuracy. These meter- and software-based approaches, increasingly referred to as “M&V 2.0”, are the subject of surging industry interest, particularly in the context of utility energy efficiency programs. Program administrators, evaluators, and regulators are asking how M&V 2.0 compares with more traditional methods, how proprietary software can be transparently performance tested, how these techniques can be integrated into the next generation of whole-building focused efficiency programs. This paper expands recent analyses of public-domain whole-building M&V methods, focusing on more novel M&V2.0 modeling approaches that are used in commercial technologies, as well as approaches that are documented in the literature, and/or developed by the academic building research community. We present a testing procedure and metrics to assess the performance of whole-building M&V methods. We then illustrate the test procedure by evaluating the accuracy of ten baseline energy use models, against measured data from a large dataset of 537 buildings. The results of this study show that the already available advanced interval data baseline models hold great promise for scaling the adoption of building measured savings calculations using Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) data. Median coefficient of variation of the root mean squared error (CV(RMSE)) was less than 25% for every model tested when twelve months of training data were used. With even six months of training data, median CV(RMSE) for daily energy total was under 25% for all models tested. Finally, these findings can be used to build confidence in model robustness, and the readiness of these approaches for industry uptake and adoption« less

Accuracy of automated measurement and verification (M&V) techniques for energy savings in commercial buildings

DOE PAGES

Granderson, Jessica; Touzani, Samir; Custodio, Claudine; ...

2016-04-16

Trustworthy savings calculations are critical to convincing investors in energy efficiency projects of the benefit and cost-effectiveness of such investments and their ability to replace or defer supply-side capital investments. However, today’s methods for measurement and verification (M&V) of energy savings constitute a significant portion of the total costs of efficiency projects. They also require time-consuming manual data acquisition and often do not deliver results until years after the program period has ended. The rising availability of “smart” meters, combined with new analytical approaches to quantifying savings, has opened the door to conducting M&V more quickly and at lower cost,more » with comparable or improved accuracy. These meter- and software-based approaches, increasingly referred to as “M&V 2.0”, are the subject of surging industry interest, particularly in the context of utility energy efficiency programs. Program administrators, evaluators, and regulators are asking how M&V 2.0 compares with more traditional methods, how proprietary software can be transparently performance tested, how these techniques can be integrated into the next generation of whole-building focused efficiency programs. This paper expands recent analyses of public-domain whole-building M&V methods, focusing on more novel M&V2.0 modeling approaches that are used in commercial technologies, as well as approaches that are documented in the literature, and/or developed by the academic building research community. We present a testing procedure and metrics to assess the performance of whole-building M&V methods. We then illustrate the test procedure by evaluating the accuracy of ten baseline energy use models, against measured data from a large dataset of 537 buildings. The results of this study show that the already available advanced interval data baseline models hold great promise for scaling the adoption of building measured savings calculations using Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) data. Median coefficient of variation of the root mean squared error (CV(RMSE)) was less than 25% for every model tested when twelve months of training data were used. With even six months of training data, median CV(RMSE) for daily energy total was under 25% for all models tested. Finally, these findings can be used to build confidence in model robustness, and the readiness of these approaches for industry uptake and adoption« less

The analysis of thermal comfort requirements through the simulation of an occupied building.

PubMed

Thellier, F; Cordier, A; Monchoux, F

1994-05-01

Building simulation usually focuses on the study of physical indoor parameters, but we must not forget the main aim of a house: to provide comfort to the occupants. This study was undertaken in order to build a complete tool to model thermal behaviour that will enable the prediction of thermal sensations of humans in a real environment. A human thermoregulation model was added to TRNSYS, a building simulation program. For our purposes, improvements had to be made to the original physiological model, by refining the calculation of all heat exchanges with the environment and adding a representation of clothes. This paper briefly describes the program, its modifications, and compares its results with experimental ones. An example of potential use is given, which points out the usefulness of such models in seeking the best solutions to reach optimal environmental conditions for global, and specially local comfort, of building occupants.

[Evaluation of a program to promote network building between disciplinary agencies and informal community organizations: trial in a community comprehensive support center].

PubMed

Murayama, Hiroshi; Kojima, Tomoko; Tomaru, Meiko; Narabu, Harumi; Tachibana, Reiko; Yamaguchi, Takuhiro; Murashima, Sachiyo

2010-10-01

To examine the effectiveness of a program promoting network building between disciplinary agencies and informal community organizations (IGOs) comprising community residents, by implemention with staff of a community comprehensive support center (CJCSG). The program was implemented for nine staff of a GGSG in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo for a year. For process evaluation, items were assessed concerning the contents of the program such as satisfaction and understandability, participants' goal attainment level at each period of the program, and program satisfaction as a whole. Outcome evaluation included measurement of participants' self-efficacy regarding network building with ICOs before and after the program, using interviews of the members who completed the program. Eight out of the nine participants completed the program. All positively evaluated the contents of the program and their own goal attainment at each period of the program. After its completion, they felt highly satisfied. Moreover, there was an improvement in the cognition of the participants, including self-efficacy on network building with IGOs and the atmosphere in the GGSG with regard to network building. The efficacy of this program could be confirmed as demonstrated by the staff of the CCSC, although a more detailed assessment of validity and effectiveness will be necessary in the future.

Methodological Framework for Analysis of Buildings-Related Programs with BEAMS, 2008

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Elliott, Douglas B.; Dirks, James A.; Hostick, Donna J.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) develops official “benefits estimates” for each of its major programs using its Planning, Analysis, and Evaluation (PAE) Team. PAE conducts an annual integrated modeling and analysis effort to produce estimates of the energy, environmental, and financial benefits expected from EERE’s budget request. These estimates are part of EERE’s budget request and are also used in the formulation of EERE’s performance measures. Two of EERE’s major programs are the Building Technologies Program (BT) and the Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program (WIP). Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) supports PAEmore » by developing the program characterizations and other market information necessary to provide input to the EERE integrated modeling analysis as part of PAE’s Portfolio Decision Support (PDS) effort. Additionally, PNNL also supports BT by providing line-item estimates for the Program’s internal use. PNNL uses three modeling approaches to perform these analyses. This report documents the approach and methodology used to estimate future energy, environmental, and financial benefits using one of those methods: the Building Energy Analysis and Modeling System (BEAMS). BEAMS is a PC-based accounting model that was built in Visual Basic by PNNL specifically for estimating the benefits of buildings-related projects. It allows various types of projects to be characterized including whole-building, envelope, lighting, and equipment projects. This document contains an overview section that describes the estimation process and the models used to estimate energy savings. The body of the document describes the algorithms used within the BEAMS software. This document serves both as stand-alone documentation for BEAMS, and also as a supplemental update of a previous document, Methodological Framework for Analysis of Buildings-Related Programs: The GPRA Metrics Effort, (Elliott et al. 2004b). The areas most changed since the publication of that previous document are those discussing the calculation of lighting and HVAC interactive effects (for both lighting and envelope/whole-building projects). This report does not attempt to convey inputs to BEAMS or the methodology of their derivation.« less

User News. Volume 17, Number 1 -- Spring 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

This is a newsletter for users of the DOE-2, PowerDOE, SPARK, and BLAST building energy simulation programs. The topics for the Spring 1996 issue include the SPARK simulation environment, DOE-2 validation, listing of free fenestration software from LBNL, Web sites for building energy efficiency, the heat balance method of calculating building heating and cooling loads.

Probabilistic modeling of the indoor climates of residential buildings using EnergyPlus

DOE PAGES

Buechler, Elizabeth D.; Pallin, Simon B.; Boudreaux, Philip R.; ...

2017-04-25

The indoor air temperature and relative humidity in residential buildings significantly affect material moisture durability, HVAC system performance, and occupant comfort. Therefore, indoor climate data is generally required to define boundary conditions in numerical models that evaluate envelope durability and equipment performance. However, indoor climate data obtained from field studies is influenced by weather, occupant behavior and internal loads, and is generally unrepresentative of the residential building stock. Likewise, whole-building simulation models typically neglect stochastic variables and yield deterministic results that are applicable to only a single home in a specific climate. The

Comparison of Building Energy Modeling Programs: Building Loads

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhu, Dandan; Hong, Tianzhen; Yan, Da

This technical report presented the methodologies, processes, and results of comparing three Building Energy Modeling Programs (BEMPs) for load calculations: EnergyPlus, DeST and DOE-2.1E. This joint effort, between Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA and Tsinghua University, China, was part of research projects under the US-China Clean Energy Research Center on Building Energy Efficiency (CERC-BEE). Energy Foundation, an industrial partner of CERC-BEE, was the co-sponsor of this study work. It is widely known that large discrepancies in simulation results can exist between different BEMPs. The result is a lack of confidence in building simulation amongst many users and stakeholders. In themore » fields of building energy code development and energy labeling programs where building simulation plays a key role, there are also confusing and misleading claims that some BEMPs are better than others. In order to address these problems, it is essential to identify and understand differences between widely-used BEMPs, and the impact of these differences on load simulation results, by detailed comparisons of these BEMPs from source code to results. The primary goal of this work was to research methods and processes that would allow a thorough scientific comparison of the BEMPs. The secondary goal was to provide a list of strengths and weaknesses for each BEMP, based on in-depth understandings of their modeling capabilities, mathematical algorithms, advantages and limitations. This is to guide the use of BEMPs in the design and retrofit of buildings, especially to support China’s building energy standard development and energy labeling program. The research findings could also serve as a good reference to improve the modeling capabilities and applications of the three BEMPs. The methodologies, processes, and analyses employed in the comparison work could also be used to compare other programs. The load calculation method of each program was analyzed and compared to identify the differences in solution algorithms, modeling assumptions and simplifications. Identifying inputs of each program and their default values or algorithms for load simulation was a critical step. These tend to be overlooked by users, but can lead to large discrepancies in simulation results. As weather data was an important input, weather file formats and weather variables used by each program were summarized. Some common mistakes in the weather data conversion process were discussed. ASHRAE Standard 140-2007 tests were carried out to test the fundamental modeling capabilities of the load calculations of the three BEMPs, where inputs for each test case were strictly defined and specified. The tests indicated that the cooling and heating load results of the three BEMPs fell mostly within the range of spread of results from other programs. Based on ASHRAE 140-2007 test results, the finer differences between DeST and EnergyPlus were further analyzed by designing and conducting additional tests. Potential key influencing factors (such as internal gains, air infiltration, convection coefficients of windows and opaque surfaces) were added one at a time to a simple base case with an analytical solution, to compare their relative impacts on load calculation results. Finally, special tests were designed and conducted aiming to ascertain the potential limitations of each program to perform accurate load calculations. The heat balance module was tested for both single and double zone cases. Furthermore, cooling and heating load calculations were compared between the three programs by varying the heat transfer between adjacent zones, the occupancy of the building, and the air-conditioning schedule.« less

Energy Signal Tool for Decision Support in Building Energy Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Henze, G. P.; Pavlak, G. S.; Florita, A. R.

2014-12-01

A prototype energy signal tool is demonstrated for operational whole-building and system-level energy use evaluation. The purpose of the tool is to give a summary of building energy use which allows a building operator to quickly distinguish normal and abnormal energy use. Toward that end, energy use status is displayed as a traffic light, which is a visual metaphor for energy use that is either substantially different from expected (red and yellow lights) or approximately the same as expected (green light). Which light to display for a given energy end use is determined by comparing expected to actual energy use.more » As expected, energy use is necessarily uncertain; we cannot choose the appropriate light with certainty. Instead, the energy signal tool chooses the light by minimizing the expected cost of displaying the wrong light. The expected energy use is represented by a probability distribution. Energy use is modeled by a low-order lumped parameter model. Uncertainty in energy use is quantified by a Monte Carlo exploration of the influence of model parameters on energy use. Distributions over model parameters are updated over time via Bayes' theorem. The simulation study was devised to assess whole-building energy signal accuracy in the presence of uncertainty and faults at the submetered level, which may lead to tradeoffs at the whole-building level that are not detectable without submetering.« less

Technology for Building Systems Integration and Optimization – Landscape Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goetzler, William; Guernsey, Matt; Bargach, Youssef

BTO's Commercial Building Integration (CBI) program helps advance a range of innovative building integration and optimization technologies and solutions, paving the way for high-performing buildings that could use 50-70% less energy than typical buildings. CBI’s work focuses on early stage technology innovation, with an emphasis on how components and systems work together and how whole buildings are integrated and optimized. This landscape study outlines the current body of knowledge, capabilities, and the broader array of solutions supporting integration and optimization in commercial buildings. CBI seeks to support solutions for both existing buildings and new construction, which often present very differentmore » challenges.« less

Simulation and visualization of energy-related occupant behavior in office buildings

DOE PAGES

Chen, Yixing; Liang, Xin; Hong, Tianzhen; ...

2017-03-15

In current building performance simulation programs, occupant presence and interactions with building systems are over-simplified and less indicative of real world scenarios, contributing to the discrepancies between simulated and actual energy use in buildings. Simulation results are normally presented using various types of charts. However, using those charts, it is difficult to visualize and communicate the importance of occupants’ behavior to building energy performance. This study introduced a new approach to simulating and visualizing energy-related occupant behavior in office buildings. First, the Occupancy Simulator was used to simulate the occupant presence and movement and generate occupant schedules for each spacemore » as well as for each occupant. Then an occupant behavior functional mockup unit (obFMU) was used to model occupant behavior and analyze their impact on building energy use through co-simulation with EnergyPlus. Finally, an agent-based model built upon AnyLogic was applied to visualize the simulation results of the occupant movement and interactions with building systems, as well as the related energy performance. A case study using a small office building in Miami, FL was presented to demonstrate the process and application of the Occupancy Simulator, the obFMU and EnergyPlus, and the AnyLogic module in simulation and visualization of energy-related occupant behaviors in office buildings. Furthermore, the presented approach provides a new detailed and visual way for policy makers, architects, engineers and building operators to better understand occupant energy behavior and their impact on energy use in buildings, which can improve the design and operation of low energy buildings.« less

Simulation and visualization of energy-related occupant behavior in office buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Yixing; Liang, Xin; Hong, Tianzhen

In current building performance simulation programs, occupant presence and interactions with building systems are over-simplified and less indicative of real world scenarios, contributing to the discrepancies between simulated and actual energy use in buildings. Simulation results are normally presented using various types of charts. However, using those charts, it is difficult to visualize and communicate the importance of occupants’ behavior to building energy performance. This study introduced a new approach to simulating and visualizing energy-related occupant behavior in office buildings. First, the Occupancy Simulator was used to simulate the occupant presence and movement and generate occupant schedules for each spacemore » as well as for each occupant. Then an occupant behavior functional mockup unit (obFMU) was used to model occupant behavior and analyze their impact on building energy use through co-simulation with EnergyPlus. Finally, an agent-based model built upon AnyLogic was applied to visualize the simulation results of the occupant movement and interactions with building systems, as well as the related energy performance. A case study using a small office building in Miami, FL was presented to demonstrate the process and application of the Occupancy Simulator, the obFMU and EnergyPlus, and the AnyLogic module in simulation and visualization of energy-related occupant behaviors in office buildings. Furthermore, the presented approach provides a new detailed and visual way for policy makers, architects, engineers and building operators to better understand occupant energy behavior and their impact on energy use in buildings, which can improve the design and operation of low energy buildings.« less

Residential Indoor Temperature Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Booten, Chuck; Robertson, Joseph; Christensen, Dane

2017-04-07

In this study, we are adding to the body of knowledge around answering the question: What are good assumptions for HVAC set points in U.S. homes? We collected and analyzed indoor temperature data from US homes using funding from the U.S. Department of Energy's Building America (BA) program, due to the program's reliance on accurate energy simulation of homes. Simulations are used to set Building America goals, predict the impact of new building techniques and technologies, inform research objectives, evaluate home performance, optimize efficiency packages to meet savings goals, customize savings approaches to specific climate zones, and myriad other uses.

Equation-based languages – A new paradigm for building energy modeling, simulation and optimization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wetter, Michael; Bonvini, Marco; Nouidui, Thierry S.

Most of the state-of-the-art building simulation programs implement models in imperative programming languages. This complicates modeling and excludes the use of certain efficient methods for simulation and optimization. In contrast, equation-based modeling languages declare relations among variables, thereby allowing the use of computer algebra to enable much simpler schematic modeling and to generate efficient code for simulation and optimization. We contrast the two approaches in this paper. We explain how such manipulations support new use cases. In the first of two examples, we couple models of the electrical grid, multiple buildings, HVAC systems and controllers to test a controller thatmore » adjusts building room temperatures and PV inverter reactive power to maintain power quality. In the second example, we contrast the computing time for solving an optimal control problem for a room-level model predictive controller with and without symbolic manipulations. As a result, exploiting the equation-based language led to 2, 200 times faster solution« less

Equation-based languages – A new paradigm for building energy modeling, simulation and optimization

DOE PAGES

Wetter, Michael; Bonvini, Marco; Nouidui, Thierry S.

2016-04-01

Most of the state-of-the-art building simulation programs implement models in imperative programming languages. This complicates modeling and excludes the use of certain efficient methods for simulation and optimization. In contrast, equation-based modeling languages declare relations among variables, thereby allowing the use of computer algebra to enable much simpler schematic modeling and to generate efficient code for simulation and optimization. We contrast the two approaches in this paper. We explain how such manipulations support new use cases. In the first of two examples, we couple models of the electrical grid, multiple buildings, HVAC systems and controllers to test a controller thatmore » adjusts building room temperatures and PV inverter reactive power to maintain power quality. In the second example, we contrast the computing time for solving an optimal control problem for a room-level model predictive controller with and without symbolic manipulations. As a result, exploiting the equation-based language led to 2, 200 times faster solution« less

NREL's Work for the U.S. Navy Illuminates Energy and Cost Savings | News

Science.gov Websites

load controls and whole-building energy efficiency retrofits as good investments for the Navy. " Program Director Steve Gorin said. Advanced power strips, a plug load control technology that cuts power and an office building with capacity for roughly 100 staff. While plug load savings depend on what can

Simulation of Propagation of Compartment Fire on Building Facades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simion, A.; Dragne, H.; Stoica, D.; Anghel, I.

2018-06-01

The façade fire simulation of buildings is carried out with Pyrosim numerical fire modeling program, following the implementation of a fire scenario in this simulation program. The scenario that was implemented in the Pyrosim program by researchers from the INCERC Fire Safety Research and Testing Laboratory complied with the requirements of BS 8414. The results obtained following the run of the computational program led to the visual validation of effluents at different time points from the beginning of the thermal load burning, as well as the validation in terms of recorded temperatures. It is considered that the results obtained are reasonable, the test being fully validated from the point of view of the implementation of the fire scenario, of the correct development of the effluents and of the temperature values [1].

NREL Improves Building Energy Simulation Programs Through Diagnostic Testing (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

2012-01-01

This technical highlight describes NREL research to develop Building Energy Simulation Test for Existing Homes (BESTEST-EX) to increase the quality and accuracy of energy analysis tools for the building retrofit market. Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have developed a new test procedure to increase the quality and accuracy of energy analysis tools for the building retrofit market. The Building Energy Simulation Test for Existing Homes (BESTEST-EX) is a test procedure that enables software developers to evaluate the performance of their audit tools in modeling energy use and savings in existing homes when utility bills are available formore » model calibration. Similar to NREL's previous energy analysis tests, such as HERS BESTEST and other BESTEST suites included in ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 140, BESTEST-EX compares software simulation findings to reference results generated with state-of-the-art simulation tools such as EnergyPlus, SUNREL, and DOE-2.1E. The BESTEST-EX methodology: (1) Tests software predictions of retrofit energy savings in existing homes; (2) Ensures building physics calculations and utility bill calibration procedures perform to a minimum standard; and (3) Quantifies impacts of uncertainties in input audit data and occupant behavior. BESTEST-EX includes building physics and utility bill calibration test cases. The diagram illustrates the utility bill calibration test cases. Participants are given input ranges and synthetic utility bills. Software tools use the utility bills to calibrate key model inputs and predict energy savings for the retrofit cases. Participant energy savings predictions using calibrated models are compared to NREL predictions using state-of-the-art building energy simulation programs.« less

Commercial Building Energy Saver, API

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hong, Tianzhen; Piette, Mary; Lee, Sang Hoon

2015-08-27

The CBES API provides Application Programming Interface to a suite of functions to improve energy efficiency of buildings, including building energy benchmarking, preliminary retrofit analysis using a pre-simulation database DEEP, and detailed retrofit analysis using energy modeling with the EnergyPlus simulation engine. The CBES API is used to power the LBNL CBES Web App. It can be adopted by third party developers and vendors into their software tools and platforms.

Study of fuel cell on-site, integrated energy systems in residential/commercial applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wakefield, R. A.; Karamchetty, S.; Rand, R. H.; Ku, W. S.; Tekumalla, V.

1980-01-01

Three building applications were selected for a detailed study: a low rise apartment building; a retail store, and a hospital. Building design data were then specified for each application, based on the design and construction of typical, actual buildings. Finally, a computerized building loads analysis program was used to estimate hourly end use load profiles for each building. Conventional and fuel cell based energy systems were designed and simulated for each building in each location. Based on the results of a computer simulation of each energy system, levelized annual costs and annual energy consumptions were calculated for all systems.

Building Reflective Practice through an Online Diversity Simulation in an Undergraduate Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manburg, Jamie; Moore, Rashid; Griffin, David; Seperson, Marvin

2017-01-01

This paper discusses preservice teachers' perceptions of an online, in-house diversity simulation in an undergraduate teacher education program conducted over a 3-year period. The diversity simulation was a nontraditional capstone experience for 193 preservice teachers in majors ranging from early childhood to secondary education. The diversity…

JPL Energy Consumption Program (ECP) documentation: A computer model simulating heating, cooling and energy loads in buildings. [low cost solar array efficiency

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lansing, F. L.; Chai, V. W.; Lascu, D.; Urbenajo, R.; Wong, P.

1978-01-01

The engineering manual provides a complete companion documentation about the structure of the main program and subroutines, the preparation of input data, the interpretation of output results, access and use of the program, and the detailed description of all the analytic, logical expressions and flow charts used in computations and program structure. A numerical example is provided and solved completely to show the sequence of computations followed. The program is carefully structured to reduce both user's time and costs without sacrificing accuracy. The user would expect a cost of CPU time of approximately $5.00 per building zone excluding printing costs. The accuracy, on the other hand, measured by deviation of simulated consumption from watt-hour meter readings, was found by many simulation tests not to exceed + or - 10 percent margin.

Optimization for energy efficiency of underground building envelope thermal performance in different climate zones of China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Luyang; Liu, Jing; Zhang, Huibo

2017-11-01

The object of this article is to investigate the influence of thermal performance of envelopes in shallow-buried buildings on energy consumption for different climate zones of China. For the purpose of this study, an effective building energy simulation tool (DeST) developed by Tsinghua University was chosen to model the heat transfer in underground buildings. Based on the simulative results, energy consumption for heating and cooling for the whole year was obtained. The results showed that the relationship between energy consumption and U-value of envelopes for underground buildings is different compared with above-ground buildings: improving thermal performance of exterior walls cannot reduce energy consumption, on the contrary, may result in more energy cost. Besides, it is can be derived that optimized U-values of underground building envelopes vary with climate zones of China in this study. For severe cold climate zone, the optimized U-value of underground building envelopes is 0.8W/(m2·K); for cold climate zone, the optimized U-value is 1.5W/(m2·K); for warm climate zone, the U-value is 2.0W/(m2·K).

Diffusion of Energy Efficient Technology in Commercial Buildings: An Analysis of the Commercial Building Partnerships Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antonopoulos, Chrissi Argyro

This study presents findings from survey and interview data investigating replication of green building measures by Commercial Building Partnership (CBP) partners that worked directly with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). PNNL partnered directly with 12 organizations on new and retrofit construction projects, which represented approximately 28 percent of the entire U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) CBP program. Through a feedback survey mechanism, along with personal interviews, quantitative and qualitative data were gathered relating to replication efforts by each organization. These data were analyzed to provide insight into two primary research areas: 1) CBP partners' replication efforts of green building approaches used in the CBP project to the rest of the organization's building portfolio, and, 2) the market potential for technology diffusion into the total U.S. commercial building stock, as a direct result of the CBP program. The first area of this research focused specifically on replication efforts underway or planned by each CBP program participant. The second area of this research develops a diffusion of innovations model to analyze potential broad market impacts of the CBP program on the commercial building industry in the United States. Findings from this study provided insight into motivations and objectives CBP partners had for program participation. Factors that impact replication include motivation, organizational structure and objectives firms have for implementation of energy efficient technologies. Comparing these factors between different CBP partners revealed patterns in motivation for constructing energy efficient buildings, along with better insight into market trends for green building practices. The optimized approach to the CBP program allows partners to develop green building parameters that fit the specific uses of their building, resulting in greater motivation for replication. In addition, the diffusion model developed for this analysis indicates that this method of market prediction may be used to adequately capture cumulative construction metrics for a whole-building analysis as opposed to individual energy efficiency measures used in green building.

Using Equation-Free Computation to Accelerate Network-Free Stochastic Simulation of Chemical Kinetics.

PubMed

Lin, Yen Ting; Chylek, Lily A; Lemons, Nathan W; Hlavacek, William S

2018-06-21

The chemical kinetics of many complex systems can be concisely represented by reaction rules, which can be used to generate reaction events via a kinetic Monte Carlo method that has been termed network-free simulation. Here, we demonstrate accelerated network-free simulation through a novel approach to equation-free computation. In this process, variables are introduced that approximately capture system state. Derivatives of these variables are estimated using short bursts of exact stochastic simulation and finite differencing. The variables are then projected forward in time via a numerical integration scheme, after which a new exact stochastic simulation is initialized and the whole process repeats. The projection step increases efficiency by bypassing the firing of numerous individual reaction events. As we show, the projected variables may be defined as populations of building blocks of chemical species. The maximal number of connected molecules included in these building blocks determines the degree of approximation. Equation-free acceleration of network-free simulation is found to be both accurate and efficient.

Simulation of probabilistic wind loads and building analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shah, Ashwin R.; Chamis, Christos C.

1991-01-01

Probabilistic wind loads likely to occur on a structure during its design life are predicted. Described here is a suitable multifactor interactive equation (MFIE) model and its use in the Composite Load Spectra (CLS) computer program to simulate the wind pressure cumulative distribution functions on four sides of a building. The simulated probabilistic wind pressure load was applied to a building frame, and cumulative distribution functions of sway displacements and reliability against overturning were obtained using NESSUS (Numerical Evaluation of Stochastic Structure Under Stress), a stochastic finite element computer code. The geometry of the building and the properties of building members were also considered as random in the NESSUS analysis. The uncertainties of wind pressure, building geometry, and member section property were qualified in terms of their respective sensitivities on the structural response.

Whole-House Solutions for Existing Homes: Philadelphia Housing Authority Energy-Efficiency Turnover Protocols

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2016-02-24

The Philadelphia Housing Authority worked with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America Program to integrate energy-efficiency measures into the refurbishment process that each unit normally goes through between occupancies.

Improving Building Energy Simulation Programs Through Diagnostic Testing (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

2012-02-01

New test procedure evaluates quality and accuracy of energy analysis tools for the residential building retrofit market. Reducing the energy use of existing homes in the United States offers significant energy-saving opportunities, which can be identified through building simulation software tools that calculate optimal packages of efficiency measures. To improve the accuracy of energy analysis for residential buildings, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) Buildings Research team developed the Building Energy Simulation Test for Existing Homes (BESTEST-EX), a method for diagnosing and correcting errors in building energy audit software and calibration procedures. BESTEST-EX consists of building physics and utility billmore » calibration test cases, which software developers can use to compare their tools simulation findings to reference results generated with state-of-the-art simulation tools. Overall, the BESTEST-EX methodology: (1) Tests software predictions of retrofit energy savings in existing homes; (2) Ensures building physics calculations and utility bill calibration procedures perform to a minimum standard; and (3) Quantifies impacts of uncertainties in input audit data and occupant behavior. BESTEST-EX is helping software developers identify and correct bugs in their software, as well as develop and test utility bill calibration procedures.« less

Energy Performance Assessment of Radiant Cooling System through Modeling and Calibration at Component Level

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Khan, Yasin; Mathur, Jyotirmay; Bhandari, Mahabir S

2016-01-01

The paper describes a case study of an information technology office building with a radiant cooling system and a conventional variable air volume (VAV) system installed side by side so that performancecan be compared. First, a 3D model of the building involving architecture, occupancy, and HVAC operation was developed in EnergyPlus, a simulation tool. Second, a different calibration methodology was applied to develop the base case for assessing the energy saving potential. This paper details the calibration of the whole building energy model to the component level, including lighting, equipment, and HVAC components such as chillers, pumps, cooling towers, fans,more » etc. Also a new methodology for the systematic selection of influence parameter has been developed for the calibration of a simulated model which requires large time for the execution. The error at the whole building level [measured in mean bias error (MBE)] is 0.2%, and the coefficient of variation of root mean square error (CvRMSE) is 3.2%. The total errors in HVAC at the hourly are MBE = 8.7% and CvRMSE = 23.9%, which meet the criteria of ASHRAE 14 (2002) for hourly calibration. Different suggestions have been pointed out to generalize the energy saving of radiant cooling system through the existing building system. So a base case model was developed by using the calibrated model for quantifying the energy saving potential of the radiant cooling system. It was found that a base case radiant cooling system integrated with DOAS can save 28% energy compared with the conventional VAV system.« less

Using Whole-House Field Tests to Empirically Derive Moisture Buffering Model Inputs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Woods, J.; Winkler, J.; Christensen, D.

2014-08-01

Building energy simulations can be used to predict a building's interior conditions, along with the energy use associated with keeping these conditions comfortable. These models simulate the loads on the building (e.g., internal gains, envelope heat transfer), determine the operation of the space conditioning equipment, and then calculate the building's temperature and humidity throughout the year. The indoor temperature and humidity are affected not only by the loads and the space conditioning equipment, but also by the capacitance of the building materials, which buffer changes in temperature and humidity. This research developed an empirical method to extract whole-house model inputsmore » for use with a more accurate moisture capacitance model (the effective moisture penetration depth model). The experimental approach was to subject the materials in the house to a square-wave relative humidity profile, measure all of the moisture transfer terms (e.g., infiltration, air conditioner condensate) and calculate the only unmeasured term: the moisture absorption into the materials. After validating the method with laboratory measurements, we performed the tests in a field house. A least-squares fit of an analytical solution to the measured moisture absorption curves was used to determine the three independent model parameters representing the moisture buffering potential of this house and its furnishings. Follow on tests with realistic latent and sensible loads showed good agreement with the derived parameters, especially compared to the commonly-used effective capacitance approach. These results show that the EMPD model, once the inputs are known, is an accurate moisture buffering model.« less

Computer simulated building energy consumption for verification of energy conservation measures in network facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Plankey, B.

1981-01-01

A computer program called ECPVER (Energy Consumption Program - Verification) was developed to simulate all energy loads for any number of buildings. The program computes simulated daily, monthly, and yearly energy consumption which can be compared with actual meter readings for the same time period. Such comparison can lead to validation of the model under a variety of conditions, which allows it to be used to predict future energy saving due to energy conservation measures. Predicted energy saving can then be compared with actual saving to verify the effectiveness of those energy conservation changes. This verification procedure is planned to be an important advancement in the Deep Space Network Energy Project, which seeks to reduce energy cost and consumption at all DSN Deep Space Stations.

Twenty Years On!: Updating the IEA BESTEST Building Thermal Fabric Test Cases for ASHRAE Standard 140

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Judkoff, R.; Neymark, J.

2013-07-01

ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 140, Standard Method of Test for the Evaluation of Building Energy Analysis Computer Programs applies the IEA BESTEST building thermal fabric test cases and example simulation results originally published in 1995. These software accuracy test cases and their example simulation results, which comprise the first test suite adapted for the initial 2001 version of Standard 140, are approaching their 20th anniversary. In response to the evolution of the state of the art in building thermal fabric modeling since the test cases and example simulation results were developed, work is commencing to update the normative test specification and themore » informative example results.« less

Twenty Years On!: Updating the IEA BESTEST Building Thermal Fabric Test Cases for ASHRAE Standard 140: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Judkoff, R.; Neymark, J.

2013-07-01

ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 140, Standard Method of Test for the Evaluation of Building Energy Analysis Computer Programs applies the IEA BESTEST building thermal fabric test cases and example simulation results originally published in 1995. These software accuracy test cases and their example simulation results, which comprise the first test suite adapted for the initial 2001 version of Standard 140, are approaching their 20th anniversary. In response to the evolution of the state of the art in building thermal fabric modeling since the test cases and example simulation results were developed, work is commencing to update the normative test specification and themore » informative example results.« less

Supporting strategic thinking of smallholder dairy farmers using a whole farm simulation tool.

PubMed

Le Gal, Pierre-Yves; Bernard, Jennifer; Moulin, Charles-Henri

2013-06-01

This article investigates how a one-to-one support process based on the use of a whole dairy farm simulation tool helps both farmers to reflect on their production strategies and researchers to better understand the farmers' contexts of action and decision. The support process consists of a minimum of four discussion sessions with the farmer: designing the Initial Scenario and formulating a diagnosis, building and simulating the Project Scenario corresponding to the objective targeted by the farmer, building and comparing alternative scenarios proposed both by the farmer and the researcher, and evaluating the process with the farmer. The approach was tested with six smallholder farmers in Brazil. It is illustrated with the example of one farmer who aimed to develop his milk production by more than doubling his herd size on the same cultivated area. Two other examples illustrate the diversity of issues addressed with this approach. The first estimates the sensitivity of economic results to price variations of milk and concentrates. The second compares two scenarios in terms of forage supply autonomy. The discussion assesses the outcomes of the approach for farmers in terms of response to their specific issues and of knowledge acquired. The research outputs are discussed in terms of the value and limits of using simulation tools within both participatory action research and advisory processes.

A New Campus Built on Efficiency

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harding, Ari; Mercado, Andrea; Regnier, Cindy

2015-08-01

The University of California (UC), Merced partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop and implement solutions to reduce energy consumption by as part of DOE’s Commercial Buildings Partnerships (CBP) Program. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) provided technical expertise in support of this DOE program. This case study reports on the process and outcome of this project including the achieved savings from design improvements for the campus. The intent of the project was to retrofit the Science & Engineering (S&E) building and the central plant at UC Merced to achieve up to 30% energy reduction. The anticipated savingsmore » from these retrofits represented about 17% of whole-campus energy use. If achieved, the savings contribution from the CBP project would have brought overall campus performance to 56% of the 1999 UC/CSU benchmark performance for their portfolio of buildings. However, the final design that moved forward as part of the CBP program only included the retrofit measures for the S&E building.« less

NREL's OpenStudio Helps Design More Efficient Buildings (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

2014-07-01

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has created the OpenStudio software platform that makes it easier for architects and engineers to evaluate building energy efficiency measures throughout the design process. OpenStudio makes energy modeling more accessible and affordable, helping professionals to design structures with lower utility bills and less carbon emissions, resulting in a healthier environment. OpenStudio includes a user-friendly application suite that makes the U.S. Department of Energy's EnergyPlus and Radiance simulation engines easier to use for whole building energy and daylighting performance analysis. OpenStudio is freely available and runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems.

Reviewing and Viewing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clements, Douglas H., Ed.; And Others

1988-01-01

Presents reviews of three software packages. Includes "Cube Builder: A 3-D Geometry Tool," which allows students to build three-dimensional shapes; "Number Master," a multipurpose practice program for whole number computation; and "Safari Search: Problem Solving and Inference," which focuses on decision making in mathematical analysis. (PK)

Model calibration of a variable refrigerant flow system with a dedicated outdoor air system: A case study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Dongsu; Cox, Sam J.; Cho, Heejin

With increased use of variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems in the U.S. building sector, interests in capability and rationality of various building energy modeling tools to simulate VRF systems are rising. This paper presents the detailed procedures for model calibration of a VRF system with a dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) by comparing to detailed measured data from an occupancy emulated small office building. The building energy model is first developed based on as-built drawings, and building and system characteristics available. The whole building energy modeling tool used for the study is U.S. DOE’s EnergyPlus version 8.1. The initial modelmore » is, then, calibrated with the hourly measured data from the target building and VRF-DOAS system. In a detailed calibration procedures of the VRF-DOAS, the original EnergyPlus source code is modified to enable the modeling of the specific VRF-DOAS installed in the building. After a proper calibration during cooling and heating seasons, the VRF-DOAS model can reasonably predict the performance of the actual VRF-DOAS system based on the criteria from ASHRAE Guideline 14-2014. The calibration results show that hourly CV-RMSE and NMBE would be 15.7% and 3.8%, respectively, which is deemed to be calibrated. As a result, the whole-building energy usage after calibration of the VRF-DOAS model is 1.9% (78.8 kWh) lower than that of the measurements during comparison period.« less

A Petri Net model for distributed energy system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konopko, Joanna

2015-12-01

Electrical networks need to evolve to become more intelligent, more flexible and less costly. The smart grid is the next generation power energy, uses two-way flows of electricity and information to create a distributed automated energy delivery network. Building a comprehensive smart grid is a challenge for system protection, optimization and energy efficient. Proper modeling and analysis is needed to build an extensive distributed energy system and intelligent electricity infrastructure. In this paper, the whole model of smart grid have been proposed using Generalized Stochastic Petri Nets (GSPN). The simulation of created model is also explored. The simulation of the model has allowed the analysis of how close the behavior of the model is to the usage of the real smart grid.

Educational program in crisis management for cardiac surgery teams including high realism simulation.

PubMed

Stevens, Louis-Mathieu; Cooper, Jeffrey B; Raemer, Daniel B; Schneider, Robert C; Frankel, Allan S; Berry, William R; Agnihotri, Arvind K

2012-07-01

Cardiac surgery demands effective teamwork for safe, high-quality care. The objective of this pilot study was to develop a comprehensive program to sharpen performance of experienced cardiac surgical teams in acute crisis management. We developed and implemented an educational program for cardiac surgery based on high realism acute crisis simulation scenarios and interactive whole-unit workshop. The impact of these interventions was assessed with postintervention questionnaires, preintervention and 6-month postintervention surveys, and structured interviews. The realism of the acute crisis simulation scenarios gradually improved; most participants rated both the simulation and whole-unit workshop as very good or excellent. Repeat simulation training was recommended every 6 to 12 months by 82% of the participants. Participants of the interactive workshop identified 2 areas of highest priority: encouraging speaking up about critical information and interprofessional information sharing. They also stressed the importance of briefings, early communication of surgical plan, knowing members of the team, and continued simulation for practice. The pre/post survey response rates were 70% (55/79) and 66% (52/79), respectively. The concept of working as a team improved between surveys (P = .028), with a trend for improvement in gaining common understanding of the plan before a procedure (P = .075) and appropriate resolution of disagreements (P = .092). Interviewees reported that the training had a positive effect on their personal behaviors and patient care, including speaking up more readily and communicating more clearly. Comprehensive team training using simulation and a whole-unit interactive workshop can be successfully deployed for experienced cardiac surgery teams with demonstrable benefits in participant's perception of team performance. Copyright © 2012 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Identification of cost effective energy conservation measures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bierenbaum, H. S.; Boggs, W. H.

1978-01-01

In addition to a successful program of readily implemented conservation actions for reducing building energy consumption at Kennedy Space Center, recent detailed analyses have identified further substantial savings for buildings representative of technical facilities designed when energy costs were low. The techniques employed for determination of these energy savings consisted of facility configuration analysis, power and lighting measurements, detailed computer simulations and simulation verifications. Use of these methods resulted in identification of projected energy savings as large as $330,000 a year (approximately two year break-even period) in a single building. Application of these techniques to other commercial buildings is discussed

GillesPy: A Python Package for Stochastic Model Building and Simulation.

PubMed

Abel, John H; Drawert, Brian; Hellander, Andreas; Petzold, Linda R

2016-09-01

GillesPy is an open-source Python package for model construction and simulation of stochastic biochemical systems. GillesPy consists of a Python framework for model building and an interface to the StochKit2 suite of efficient simulation algorithms based on the Gillespie stochastic simulation algorithms (SSA). To enable intuitive model construction and seamless integration into the scientific Python stack, we present an easy to understand, action-oriented programming interface. Here, we describe the components of this package and provide a detailed example relevant to the computational biology community.

GillesPy: A Python Package for Stochastic Model Building and Simulation

PubMed Central

Abel, John H.; Drawert, Brian; Hellander, Andreas; Petzold, Linda R.

2017-01-01

GillesPy is an open-source Python package for model construction and simulation of stochastic biochemical systems. GillesPy consists of a Python framework for model building and an interface to the StochKit2 suite of efficient simulation algorithms based on the Gillespie stochastic simulation algorithms (SSA). To enable intuitive model construction and seamless integration into the scientific Python stack, we present an easy to understand, action-oriented programming interface. Here, we describe the components of this package and provide a detailed example relevant to the computational biology community. PMID:28630888

RPC PET: Status and perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Couceiro, M.; Blanco, A.; Ferreira, Nuno C.; Ferreira Marques, R.; Fonte, P.; Lopes, L.

2007-10-01

The status of the resistive plate chamber (RPC)-PET technology for small animals is briefly reviewed and its sensitivity performance for human PET studied through Monte-Carlo simulations. The cost-effectiveness of these detectors and their very good timing characteristics open the possibility to build affordable Time of Flight (TOF)-PET systems with very large fields of view. Simulations suggest that the sensitivity of such systems for human whole-body screening, under reasonable assumptions, may exceed the present crystal-based PET technology by a factor up to 20.

Simulated Foreign Policy Exchanges. The Rationale Underlying a Theory of Foreign Policy Interaction

DTIC Science & Technology

1973-08-01

way to structure this knowledge into a whole. To learn structure is, in short, to learn how things are re- lated. Jerome Brunner says: "Grasping the...correlational findings. It is indeed unfortunate, however, that while overwhelmed by these fragments of knowledge we still have not discovered a...next section. IMMillMliHIftdMiMM -" ’•- ^-^—-— j-Mirr- "’ ■ "iŕ 11 LEARNING In order to build a simulation which will produce patterns of

Impacts: NIST Building and Fire Research Laboratory (technical and societal)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raufaste, N. J.

1993-08-01

The Building and Fire Research Laboratory (BFRL) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is dedicated to the life cycle quality of constructed facilities. The report describes major effects of BFRL's program on building and fire research. Contents of the document include: structural reliability; nondestructive testing of concrete; structural failure investigations; seismic design and construction standards; rehabilitation codes and standards; alternative refrigerants research; HVAC simulation models; thermal insulation; residential equipment energy efficiency; residential plumbing standards; computer image evaluation of building materials; corrosion-protection for reinforcing steel; prediction of the service lives of building materials; quality of construction materials laboratory testing; roofing standards; simulating fires with computers; fire safety evaluation system; fire investigations; soot formation and evolution; cone calorimeter development; smoke detector standards; standard for the flammability of children's sleepwear; smoldering insulation fires; wood heating safety research; in-place testing of concrete; communication protocols for building automation and control systems; computer simulation of the properties of concrete and other porous materials; cigarette-induced furniture fires; carbon monoxide formation in enclosure fires; halon alternative fire extinguishing agents; turbulent mixing research; materials fire research; furniture flammability testing; standard for the cigarette ignition resistance of mattresses; support of navy firefighter trainer program; and using fire to clean up oil spills.

Automatic generation and simulation of urban building energy models based on city datasets for city-scale building retrofit analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Yixing; Hong, Tianzhen; Piette, Mary Ann

Buildings in cities consume 30–70% of total primary energy, and improving building energy efficiency is one of the key strategies towards sustainable urbanization. Urban building energy models (UBEM) can support city managers to evaluate and prioritize energy conservation measures (ECMs) for investment and the design of incentive and rebate programs. This paper presents the retrofit analysis feature of City Building Energy Saver (CityBES) to automatically generate and simulate UBEM using EnergyPlus based on cities’ building datasets and user-selected ECMs. CityBES is a new open web-based tool to support city-scale building energy efficiency strategic plans and programs. The technical details ofmore » using CityBES for UBEM generation and simulation are introduced, including the workflow, key assumptions, and major databases. Also presented is a case study that analyzes the potential retrofit energy use and energy cost savings of five individual ECMs and two measure packages for 940 office and retail buildings in six city districts in northeast San Francisco, United States. The results show that: (1) all five measures together can save 23–38% of site energy per building; (2) replacing lighting with light-emitting diode lamps and adding air economizers to existing heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems are most cost-effective with an average payback of 2.0 and 4.3 years, respectively; and (3) it is not economical to upgrade HVAC systems or replace windows in San Francisco due to the city's mild climate and minimal cooling and heating loads. Furthermore, the CityBES retrofit analysis feature does not require users to have deep knowledge of building systems or technologies for the generation and simulation of building energy models, which helps overcome major technical barriers for city managers and their consultants to adopt UBEM.« less

Automatic generation and simulation of urban building energy models based on city datasets for city-scale building retrofit analysis

DOE PAGES

Chen, Yixing; Hong, Tianzhen; Piette, Mary Ann

2017-08-07

Buildings in cities consume 30–70% of total primary energy, and improving building energy efficiency is one of the key strategies towards sustainable urbanization. Urban building energy models (UBEM) can support city managers to evaluate and prioritize energy conservation measures (ECMs) for investment and the design of incentive and rebate programs. This paper presents the retrofit analysis feature of City Building Energy Saver (CityBES) to automatically generate and simulate UBEM using EnergyPlus based on cities’ building datasets and user-selected ECMs. CityBES is a new open web-based tool to support city-scale building energy efficiency strategic plans and programs. The technical details ofmore » using CityBES for UBEM generation and simulation are introduced, including the workflow, key assumptions, and major databases. Also presented is a case study that analyzes the potential retrofit energy use and energy cost savings of five individual ECMs and two measure packages for 940 office and retail buildings in six city districts in northeast San Francisco, United States. The results show that: (1) all five measures together can save 23–38% of site energy per building; (2) replacing lighting with light-emitting diode lamps and adding air economizers to existing heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems are most cost-effective with an average payback of 2.0 and 4.3 years, respectively; and (3) it is not economical to upgrade HVAC systems or replace windows in San Francisco due to the city's mild climate and minimal cooling and heating loads. Furthermore, the CityBES retrofit analysis feature does not require users to have deep knowledge of building systems or technologies for the generation and simulation of building energy models, which helps overcome major technical barriers for city managers and their consultants to adopt UBEM.« less

Using Coupled Energy, Airflow and IAQ Software (TRNSYS/CONTAM) to Evaluate Building Ventilation Strategies.

PubMed

Dols, W Stuart; Emmerich, Steven J; Polidoro, Brian J

2016-03-01

Building energy analysis tools are available in many forms that provide the ability to address a broad spectrum of energy-related issues in various combinations. Often these tools operate in isolation from one another, making it difficult to evaluate the interactions between related phenomena and interacting systems, forcing oversimplified assumptions to be made about various phenomena that could otherwise be addressed directly with another tool. One example of such interdependence is the interaction between heat transfer, inter-zone airflow and indoor contaminant transport. In order to better address these interdependencies, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed an updated version of the multi-zone airflow and contaminant transport modelling tool, CONTAM, along with a set of utilities to enable coupling of the full CONTAM model with the TRNSYS simulation tool in a more seamless manner and with additional capabilities that were previously not available. This paper provides an overview of these new capabilities and applies them to simulating a medium-size office building. These simulations address the interaction between whole-building energy, airflow and contaminant transport in evaluating various ventilation strategies including natural and demand-controlled ventilation. CONTAM has been in practical use for many years allowing building designers, as well as IAQ and ventilation system analysts, to simulate the complex interactions between building physical layout and HVAC system configuration in determining building airflow and contaminant transport. It has been widely used to design and analyse smoke management systems and evaluate building performance in response to chemical, biological and radiological events. While CONTAM has been used to address design and performance of buildings implementing energy conserving ventilation systems, e.g., natural and hybrid, this new coupled simulation capability will enable users to apply the tool to couple CONTAM with existing energy analysis software to address the interaction between indoor air quality considerations and energy conservation measures in building design and analysis. This paper presents two practical case studies using the coupled modelling tool to evaluate IAQ performance of a CO 2 -based demand-controlled ventilation system under different levels of building envelope airtightness and the design and analysis of a natural ventilation system.

Using Coupled Energy, Airflow and IAQ Software (TRNSYS/CONTAM) to Evaluate Building Ventilation Strategies

PubMed Central

Dols, W. Stuart.; Emmerich, Steven J.; Polidoro, Brian J.

2016-01-01

Building energy analysis tools are available in many forms that provide the ability to address a broad spectrum of energy-related issues in various combinations. Often these tools operate in isolation from one another, making it difficult to evaluate the interactions between related phenomena and interacting systems, forcing oversimplified assumptions to be made about various phenomena that could otherwise be addressed directly with another tool. One example of such interdependence is the interaction between heat transfer, inter-zone airflow and indoor contaminant transport. In order to better address these interdependencies, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed an updated version of the multi-zone airflow and contaminant transport modelling tool, CONTAM, along with a set of utilities to enable coupling of the full CONTAM model with the TRNSYS simulation tool in a more seamless manner and with additional capabilities that were previously not available. This paper provides an overview of these new capabilities and applies them to simulating a medium-size office building. These simulations address the interaction between whole-building energy, airflow and contaminant transport in evaluating various ventilation strategies including natural and demand-controlled ventilation. Practical Application CONTAM has been in practical use for many years allowing building designers, as well as IAQ and ventilation system analysts, to simulate the complex interactions between building physical layout and HVAC system configuration in determining building airflow and contaminant transport. It has been widely used to design and analyse smoke management systems and evaluate building performance in response to chemical, biological and radiological events. While CONTAM has been used to address design and performance of buildings implementing energy conserving ventilation systems, e.g., natural and hybrid, this new coupled simulation capability will enable users to apply the tool to couple CONTAM with existing energy analysis software to address the interaction between indoor air quality considerations and energy conservation measures in building design and analysis. This paper presents two practical case studies using the coupled modelling tool to evaluate IAQ performance of a CO2-based demand-controlled ventilation system under different levels of building envelope airtightness and the design and analysis of a natural ventilation system. PMID:27099405

Phased Retrofits in Existing Homes in Florida Phase I: Shallow and Deep Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

D. Parker; Sutherland, K.; Chasar, D.

2016-02-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Building America program, in collaboration with Florida Power and Light (FPL), conducted a phased residential energy-efficiency retrofit program. This research sought to establish impacts on annual energy and peak energy reductions from the technologies applied at two levels of retrofit - shallow and deep, with savings levels approaching the Building America program goals of reducing whole-house energy use by 40%. Under the Phased Deep Retrofit (PDR) project, we have installed phased, energy-efficiency retrofits in a sample of 56 existing, all-electric homes. End-use savings and economic evaluation results from the phased measure packages and singlemore » measures are summarized in this report.« less

Constructing Cross-Linked Polymer Networks Using Monte Carlo Simulated Annealing Technique for Atomistic Molecular Simulations

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

the angles and dihedrals that are truly unique will be indicated by the user by editing NewAngleTypesDump and NewDihedralTypesDump. The program ...Atomistic Molecular Simulations 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Robert M Elder, Timothy W Sirk, and...Antechamber program in Assisted Model Building with Energy Refinement (AMBER) Tools to assign partial charges (using the Austin Model 1 [AM1]-bond charge

Building Educational Programs for the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hollow, R.; Hobbs, G.

2010-08-01

The Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) will be an array of 36 antennas in Western Australia, each 12-m in diameter, and is due for operation in 2013. With a large instantaneous field-of-view ASKAP will survey the whole sky faster than existing radio telescopes, producing massive data sets. Government funding for ASKAP was contingent on it being available for education purposes, providing an exciting opportunity to develop innovative education projects for schools and citizen science. Building on the PULSE@Parkes program we plan to have a range of activities and resources, providing scope for student investigations. Challenges and educational opportunities are discussed.

Scaffolding knowledge building in a Web-based communication and cultural competence program for international medical graduates.

PubMed

Lax, Leila R; Russell, M Lynn; Nelles, Laura J; Smith, Cathy M

2009-10-01

Professional behaviors, tacitly understood by Canadian-trained physicians, are difficult to teach and often create practice barriers for IMGs. The purpose of this design research study was to develop a Web-based program simulating Canadian medical literacy and culture, and to evaluate strategies of scaffolding individual knowledge building. Study 1 (N = 20) examined usability and pedagogic design. Studies 2 (N = 39) and 3 (N = 33) examined case participation patterns. Model design was validated in Study 1. Studies 2 and 3 demonstrated high levels of participation, on unprompted third tries, on knowledge tests. Recursive patterns were strongest on Reflective Exercises. Five strategies scaffolded knowledge building: (1) video simulations, (2) contextualized resources, (3) concurrent feedback, (4) Reflective Exercises, and (5) commentaries prompting "reflection on reflection." Scaffolded design supports complex knowledge building. These findings are concurrent with educational research on the importance of recursion and revision of knowledge for improvable and relational understanding.

Whole-Building Retrofits | Climate Neutral Research Campuses | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Whole-Building Retrofits Whole-Building Retrofits Buildings are the greatest energy consumers on check. As buildings age, O&M costs reach the point where they are best addressed through a top-to wall insulation. Renovations are costly and disruptive, but they are the best way to adapt an aging

Modeling and simulation of the data communication network at the ASRM Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nirgudkar, R. P.; Moorhead, R. J.; Smith, W. D.

1994-01-01

This paper describes the modeling and simulation of the communication network for the NASA Advanced Solid Rocket Motor (ASRM) facility under construction at Yellow Creek near Luka, Mississippi. Manufacturing, testing, and operations at the ASRM site will be performed in different buildings scattered over an 1800 acre site. These buildings are interconnected through a local area network (LAN), which will contain one logical Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) ring acting as a backbone for the whole complex. The network contains approximately 700 multi-vendor workstations, 22 multi-vendor workcells, and 3 VAX clusters interconnected via Ethernet and FDDI. The different devices produce appreciably different traffic patterns, each pattern will be highly variable, and some patterns will be very bursty. Most traffic is between the VAX clusters and the other devices. Comdisco's Block Oriented Network Simulator (BONeS) has been used for network simulation. The two primary evaluation parameters used to judge the expected network performance are throughput and delay.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Yixing; Zhang, Jianshun; Pelken, Michael

Executive Summary The objective of this study was to develop a “Virtual Design Studio (VDS)”: a software platform for integrated, coordinated and optimized design of green building systems with low energy consumption, high indoor environmental quality (IEQ), and high level of sustainability. This VDS is intended to assist collaborating architects, engineers and project management team members throughout from the early phases to the detailed building design stages. It can be used to plan design tasks and workflow, and evaluate the potential impacts of various green building strategies on the building performance by using the state of the art simulation toolsmore » as well as industrial/professional standards and guidelines for green building system design. Engaged in the development of VDS was a multi-disciplinary research team that included architects, engineers, and software developers. Based on the review and analysis of how existing professional practices in building systems design operate, particularly those used in the U.S., Germany and UK, a generic process for performance-based building design, construction and operation was proposed. It distinguishes the whole process into five distinct stages: Assess, Define, Design, Apply, and Monitoring (ADDAM). The current VDS is focused on the first three stages. The VDS considers building design as a multi-dimensional process, involving multiple design teams, design factors, and design stages. The intersection among these three dimensions defines a specific design task in terms of “who”, “what” and “when”. It also considers building design as a multi-objective process that aims to enhance the five aspects of performance for green building systems: site sustainability, materials and resource efficiency, water utilization efficiency, energy efficiency and impacts to the atmospheric environment, and IEQ. The current VDS development has been limited to energy efficiency and IEQ performance, with particular focus on evaluating thermal performance, air quality and lighting environmental quality because of their strong interaction with the energy performance of buildings. The VDS software framework contains four major functions: 1) Design coordination: It enables users to define tasks using the Input-Process-Output flow approach, which specifies the anticipated activities (i.e., the process), required input and output information, and anticipated interactions with other tasks. It also allows task scheduling to define the work flow, and sharing of the design data and information via the internet. 2) Modeling and simulation: It enables users to perform building simulations to predict the energy consumption and IEQ conditions at any of the design stages by using EnergyPlus and a combined heat, air, moisture and pollutant simulation (CHAMPS) model. A method for co-simulation was developed to allow the use of both models at the same time step for the combined energy and indoor air quality analysis. 3) Results visualization: It enables users to display a 3-D geometric design of the building by reading BIM (building information model) file generated by design software such as SketchUp, and the predicted results of heat, air, moisture, pollutant and light distributions in the building. 4) Performance evaluation: It enables the users to compare the performance of a proposed building design against a reference building that is defined for the same type of buildings under the same climate condition, and predicts the percent of improvements over the minimum requirements specified in ASHRAE Standard 55-2010, 62.1-2010 and 90.1-2010. An approach was developed to estimate the potential impact of a design factor on the whole building performance, and hence can assist the user to identify areas that have most pay back for investment. The VDS software was developed by using C++ with the conventional Model, View and Control (MVC) software architecture. The software has been verified by using a simple 3-zone case building. The application of the VDS concepts and framework for building design and performance analysis has been illustrated by using a medium-sized, five story office building that received LEED Platinum Certification from USGBC.« less

Building Wellness Lifestyles: Counselor's Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koss, Larry; Ketcham, Michael

A camp program is described which reflects the Young Men's Christian Association's traditional commitment to the development of the whole person, introducing the development of a "wellness" lifestyle. A wellness lifestyle is described as one that involves living fully and abundantly while recognizing and assuming responsibility for one's…

Development of an energy consumption and cost data base for fuel cell total energy systems and conventional building energy systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pine, G. D.; Christian, J. E.; Mixon, W. R.; Jackson, W. L.

1980-07-01

The procedures and data sources used to develop an energy consumption and system cost data base for use in predicting the market penetration of phosphoric acid fuel cell total energy systems in the nonindustrial building market are described. A computer program was used to simulate the hourly energy requirements of six types of buildings; office buildings; retail stores; hotels and motels; schools; hospitals; and multifamily residences. The simulations were done by using hourly weather tapes for one city in each of the ten Department of Energy administrative regions. Two types of building construction were considered, one for existing buildings and one for new buildings. A fuel cell system combined with electrically driven heat pumps and one combined with a gas boiler and an electrically driven chiller were compared with similar conventional systems. The methods of system simulation, component sizing, and system cost estimation are described for each system.

Extended applications of track irregularity probabilistic model and vehicle-slab track coupled model on dynamics of railway systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Lei; Zhai, Wanming; Gao, Jianmin

2017-11-01

Track irregularities are inevitably in a process of stochastic evolution due to the uncertainty and continuity of wheel-rail interactions. For depicting the dynamic behaviours of vehicle-track coupling system caused by track random irregularities thoroughly, it is a necessity to develop a track irregularity probabilistic model to simulate rail surface irregularities with ergodic properties on amplitudes, wavelengths and probabilities, and to build a three-dimensional vehicle-track coupled model by properly considering the wheel-rail nonlinear contact mechanisms. In the present study, the vehicle-track coupled model is programmed by combining finite element method with wheel-rail coupling model firstly. Then, in light of the capability of power spectral density (PSD) in characterising amplitudes and wavelengths of stationary random signals, a track irregularity probabilistic model is presented to reveal and simulate the whole characteristics of track irregularity PSD. Finally, extended applications from three aspects, that is, extreme analysis, reliability analysis and response relationships between dynamic indices, are conducted to the evaluation and application of the proposed models.

Building America Best Practices Series Volume 12: Builders Challenge Guide to 40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Cold and Very Cold Climates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baechler, Michael C.; Gilbride, Theresa L.; Hefty, Marye G.

2011-02-01

This best practices guide is the twelfth in a series of guides for builders produced by PNNL for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America program. This guide book is a resource to help builders design and construct homes that are among the most energy-efficient available, while addressing issues such as building durability, indoor air quality, and occupant health, safety, and comfort. With the measures described in this guide, builders in the cold and very cold climates can build homes that have whole-house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark with no added overall costs for consumers. Themore » best practices described in this document are based on the results of research and demonstration projects conducted by Building America’s research teams. Building America brings together the nation’s leading building scientists with over 300 production builders to develop, test, and apply innovative, energy-efficient construction practices. Building America builders have found they can build homes that meet these aggressive energy-efficiency goals at no net increased costs to the homeowners. Currently, Building America homes achieve energy savings of 40% greater than the Building America benchmark home (a home built to mid-1990s building practices roughly equivalent to the 1993 Model Energy Code). The recommendations in this document meet or exceed the requirements of the 2009 IECC and 2009 IRC and thos erequirements are highlighted in the text. This document will be distributed via the DOE Building America website: www.buildingamerica.gov.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schatz, Glenn

Higher education uses less energy per square foot than most commercial building sectors. However, higher education campuses house energy-intensive laboratories and data centers that may spend more than this average; laboratories, in particular, are disproportionately represented in the higher education sector. The Commercial Building Partnership (CBP), a public/private, cost-shared program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), paired selected commercial building owners and operators with representatives of DOE, its national laboratories, and private-sector technical experts. These teams explored energy-saving measures across building systems–including some considered too costly or technologically challenging–and used advanced energy modeling to achieve peak whole-building performance.more » Modeling results were then included in new construction or retrofit designs to achieve significant energy reductions.« less

CADAT network translator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pitts, E. R.

1981-01-01

Program converts cell-net data into logic-gate models for use in test and simulation programs. Input consists of either Place, Route, and Fold (PRF) or Place-and-Route-in-Two-Dimensions (PR2D) layout data deck. Output consists of either Test Pattern Generator (TPG) or Logic-Simulation (LOGSIM) logic circuitry data deck. Designer needs to build only logic-gate-model circuit description since program acts as translator. Language is FORTRAN IV.

A Petri Net model for distributed energy system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Konopko, Joanna

2015-12-31

Electrical networks need to evolve to become more intelligent, more flexible and less costly. The smart grid is the next generation power energy, uses two-way flows of electricity and information to create a distributed automated energy delivery network. Building a comprehensive smart grid is a challenge for system protection, optimization and energy efficient. Proper modeling and analysis is needed to build an extensive distributed energy system and intelligent electricity infrastructure. In this paper, the whole model of smart grid have been proposed using Generalized Stochastic Petri Nets (GSPN). The simulation of created model is also explored. The simulation of themore » model has allowed the analysis of how close the behavior of the model is to the usage of the real smart grid.« less

Library Buildings 2009: The Constant Library

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Bette-Lee

2009-01-01

Can it be only two years, as Alan Jay Lerner once wrote, "since the whole [economic] rigmarole began"? Yet libraries have weathered to varying degrees the unreliability of funding, especially with regard to programming, materials, and hours. Money earmarked years ago is seeing construction through to conclusion; state support has helped out in…

Field measurement of moisture-buffering model inputs for residential buildings

DOE PAGES

Woods, Jason; Winkler, Jon

2016-02-05

Moisture adsorption and desorption in building materials impact indoor humidity. This effect should be included in building-energy simulations, particularly when humidity is being investigated or controlled. Several models can calculate this moisture-buffering effect, but accurate ones require model inputs that are not always known to the user of the building-energy simulation. This research developed an empirical method to extract whole-house model inputs for the effective moisture penetration depth (EMPD) model. The experimental approach was to subject the materials in the house to a square-wave relative-humidity profile, measure all of the moisture-transfer terms (e.g., infiltration, air-conditioner condensate), and calculate the onlymore » unmeasured term—the moisture sorption into the materials. We validated this method with laboratory measurements, which we used to measure the EMPD model inputs of two houses. After deriving these inputs, we measured the humidity of the same houses during tests with realistic latent and sensible loads and demonstrated the accuracy of this approach. Furthermore, these results show that the EMPD model, when given reasonable inputs, is an accurate moisture-buffering model.« less

Requirements for Kalman filtering on the GE-701 whole word computer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pines, S.; Schmidt, S. F.

1978-01-01

The results of a study to determine scaling, storage, and word length requirements for programming the Kalman filter on the GE-701 Whole Word Computer are reported. Simulation tests are presented which indicate that the Kalman filter, using a square root formulation with process noise added, utilizing MLS, radar altimeters, and airspeed as navigation aids, may be programmed for the GE-701 computer to successfully navigate and control the Boeing B737-100 during landing approach, landing rollout, and turnoff. The report contains flow charts, equations, computer storage, scaling, and word length recommendations for the Kalman filter on the GE-701 Whole Word computer.

Real-time video compressing under DSP/BIOS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Qiu-ping; Li, Gui-ju

2009-10-01

This paper presents real-time MPEG-4 Simple Profile video compressing based on the DSP processor. The programming framework of video compressing is constructed using TMS320C6416 Microprocessor, TDS510 simulator and PC. It uses embedded real-time operating system DSP/BIOS and the API functions to build periodic function, tasks and interruptions etcs. Realize real-time video compressing. To the questions of data transferring among the system. Based on the architecture of the C64x DSP, utilized double buffer switched and EDMA data transfer controller to transit data from external memory to internal, and realize data transition and processing at the same time; the architecture level optimizations are used to improve software pipeline. The system used DSP/BIOS to realize multi-thread scheduling. The whole system realizes high speed transition of a great deal of data. Experimental results show the encoder can realize real-time encoding of 768*576, 25 frame/s video images.

An object oriented Python interface for atomistic simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hynninen, T.; Himanen, L.; Parkkinen, V.; Musso, T.; Corander, J.; Foster, A. S.

2016-01-01

Programmable simulation environments allow one to monitor and control calculations efficiently and automatically before, during, and after runtime. Environments directly accessible in a programming environment can be interfaced with powerful external analysis tools and extensions to enhance the functionality of the core program, and by incorporating a flexible object based structure, the environments make building and analysing computational setups intuitive. In this work, we present a classical atomistic force field with an interface written in Python language. The program is an extension for an existing object based atomistic simulation environment.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilson, E.; Engebrecht, C. Metzger; Horowitz, S.

As Building America has grown to include a large and diverse cross-section of the home building and retrofit industries, it has become more important to develop accurate, consistent analysis techniques to measure progress towards the program's goals. The House Simulation Protocol (HSP) document provides guidance to program partners and managers so they can compare energy savings for new construction and retrofit projects. The HSP provides the program with analysis methods that are proven to be effective and reliable in investigating the energy use of advanced energy systems and of entire houses.

Use of Machine Learning Algorithms to Propose a New Methodology to Conduct, Critique and Validate Urban Scale Building Energy Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pathak, Maharshi

City administrators and real-estate developers have been setting up rather aggressive energy efficiency targets. This, in turn, has led the building science research groups across the globe to focus on urban scale building performance studies and level of abstraction associated with the simulations of the same. The increasing maturity of the stakeholders towards energy efficiency and creating comfortable working environment has led researchers to develop methodologies and tools for addressing the policy driven interventions whether it's urban level energy systems, buildings' operational optimization or retrofit guidelines. Typically, these large-scale simulations are carried out by grouping buildings based on their design similarities i.e. standardization of the buildings. Such an approach does not necessarily lead to potential working inputs which can make decision-making effective. To address this, a novel approach is proposed in the present study. The principle objective of this study is to propose, to define and evaluate the methodology to utilize machine learning algorithms in defining representative building archetypes for the Stock-level Building Energy Modeling (SBEM) which are based on operational parameter database. The study uses "Phoenix- climate" based CBECS-2012 survey microdata for analysis and validation. Using the database, parameter correlations are studied to understand the relation between input parameters and the energy performance. Contrary to precedence, the study establishes that the energy performance is better explained by the non-linear models. The non-linear behavior is explained by advanced learning algorithms. Based on these algorithms, the buildings at study are grouped into meaningful clusters. The cluster "mediod" (statistically the centroid, meaning building that can be represented as the centroid of the cluster) are established statistically to identify the level of abstraction that is acceptable for the whole building energy simulations and post that the retrofit decision-making. Further, the methodology is validated by conducting Monte-Carlo simulations on 13 key input simulation parameters. The sensitivity analysis of these 13 parameters is utilized to identify the optimum retrofits. From the sample analysis, the envelope parameters are found to be more sensitive towards the EUI of the building and thus retrofit packages should also be directed to maximize the energy usage reduction.

NET-ZERO ENERGY BUILDING OPERATOR TRAINING PROGRAM (NZEBOT)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brizendine, Anthony; Byars, Nan; Sleiti, Ahmad

2012-12-31

The primary objective of the Net-Zero Energy Building Operator Training Program (NZEBOT) was to develop certificate level training programs for commercial building owners, managers and operators, principally in the areas of energy / sustainability management. The expected outcome of the project was a multi-faceted mechanism for developing the skill-based competency of building operators, owners, architects/engineers, construction professionals, tenants, brokers and other interested groups in energy efficient building technologies and best practices. The training program draws heavily on DOE supported and developed materials available in the existing literature, as well as existing, modified, and newly developed curricula from the Department ofmore » Engineering Technology & Construction Management (ETCM) at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNC-Charlotte). The project goal is to develop a certificate level training curriculum for commercial energy and sustainability managers and building operators that: 1) Increases the skill-based competency of building professionals in energy efficient building technologies and best practices, and 2) Increases the workforce pool of expertise in energy management and conservation techniques. The curriculum developed in this project can subsequently be used to establish a sustainable energy training program that can contribute to the creation of new “green” job opportunities in North Carolina and throughout the Southeast region, and workforce training that leads to overall reductions in commercial building energy consumption. Three energy training / education programs were developed to achieve the stated goal, namely: 1. Building Energy/Sustainability Management (BESM) Certificate Program for Building Managers and Operators (40 hours); 2. Energy Efficient Building Technologies (EEBT) Certificate Program (16 hours); and 3. Energy Efficent Buildings (EEB) Seminar (4 hours). Training Program 1 incorporates the following topics in the primary five-day Building Energy/Sustainability Management Certificate program in five training modules, namely: 1) Strategic Planning, 2) Sustainability Audits, 3) Information Analysis, 4) Energy Efficiency, and 5) Communication. Training Program 2 addresses the following technical topics in the two-day Building Technologies workshop: 1) Energy Efficient Building Materials, 2) Green Roofing Systems, 3) Energy Efficient Lighting Systems, 4) Alternative Power Systems for Buildings, 5) Innovative Building Systems, and 6) Application of Building Performance Simulation Software. Program 3 is a seminar which provides an overview of elements of programs 1 and 2 in a seminar style presentation designed for the general public to raise overall public awareness of energy and sustainability topics.« less

IEA EBC Annex 66: Definition and simulation of occupant behavior in buildings

DOE PAGES

Yan, Da; Hong, Tianzhen; Dong, Bing; ...

2017-09-28

Here, more than 30% of the total primary energy in the world is consumed in buildings. It is crucial to reduce building energy consumption in order to preserve energy resources and mitigate global climate change. Building performance simulations have been widely used for the estimation and optimization of building performance, providing reference values for the assessment of building energy consumption and the effects of energy-saving technologies. Among the various factors influencing building energy consumption, occupant behavior has drawn increasing attention. Occupant behavior includes occupant presence, movement, and interaction with building energy devices and systems. However, there are gaps in occupantmore » behavior modeling as different energy modelers have employed varied data and tools to simulate occupant behavior, therefore producing different and incomparable results. Aiming to address these gaps, the International Energy Agency (IEA) Energy in Buildings and Community (EBC) Programme Annex 66 has established a scientific methodological framework for occupant behavior research, including data collection, behavior model representation, modeling and evaluation approaches, and the integration of behavior modeling tools with building performance simulation programs. Annex 66 also includes case studies and application guidelines to assist in building design, operation, and policymaking, using interdisciplinary approaches to reduce energy use in buildings and improve occupant comfort and productivity. This paper highlights the key research issues, methods, and outcomes pertaining to Annex 66, and offers perspectives on future research needs to integrate occupant behavior with the building life cycle.« less

IEA EBC Annex 66: Definition and simulation of occupant behavior in buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yan, Da; Hong, Tianzhen; Dong, Bing

Here, more than 30% of the total primary energy in the world is consumed in buildings. It is crucial to reduce building energy consumption in order to preserve energy resources and mitigate global climate change. Building performance simulations have been widely used for the estimation and optimization of building performance, providing reference values for the assessment of building energy consumption and the effects of energy-saving technologies. Among the various factors influencing building energy consumption, occupant behavior has drawn increasing attention. Occupant behavior includes occupant presence, movement, and interaction with building energy devices and systems. However, there are gaps in occupantmore » behavior modeling as different energy modelers have employed varied data and tools to simulate occupant behavior, therefore producing different and incomparable results. Aiming to address these gaps, the International Energy Agency (IEA) Energy in Buildings and Community (EBC) Programme Annex 66 has established a scientific methodological framework for occupant behavior research, including data collection, behavior model representation, modeling and evaluation approaches, and the integration of behavior modeling tools with building performance simulation programs. Annex 66 also includes case studies and application guidelines to assist in building design, operation, and policymaking, using interdisciplinary approaches to reduce energy use in buildings and improve occupant comfort and productivity. This paper highlights the key research issues, methods, and outcomes pertaining to Annex 66, and offers perspectives on future research needs to integrate occupant behavior with the building life cycle.« less

A Stigmergy Approach for Open Source Software Developer Community Simulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cui, Xiaohui; Beaver, Justin M; Potok, Thomas E

2009-01-01

The stigmergy collaboration approach provides a hypothesized explanation about how online groups work together. In this research, we presented a stigmergy approach for building an agent based open source software (OSS) developer community collaboration simulation. We used group of actors who collaborate on OSS projects as our frame of reference and investigated how the choices actors make in contribution their work on the projects determinate the global status of the whole OSS projects. In our simulation, the forum posts and project codes served as the digital pheromone and the modified Pierre-Paul Grasse pheromone model is used for computing developer agentmore » behaviors selection probability.« less

Traffic-related immissions and their impact on historic buildings and monuments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Auras, M.; Beer, S.; Bundschuh, P.; Eichhorn, J.; Mach, M.; Scheuvens, D.; Schorling, M.; von Schumann, J.; Snethlage, R.; Weinbruch, S.

2012-04-01

Air quality in Germany has improved essentially over the last decades. Because the concentrations of sulfur dioxide were reduced by more than 90% between 1990 and 2007 acid rain no longer seems to play a relevant role in the weathering of natural stone facades of historic buildings. But in the surroundings of urban traffic hot spots high emissions of nitrogen oxides and fine particulate matter (PM10) are observed. Therefore the question arises whether these airborne pollutants bear a potential for future damage of natural stone and other construction materials. In an interdisciplinary research program different approaches were pursued to evaluate the damage potential of today's traffic-induced immissions by exemplarily investigating two German cities, Mainz and Munich. First calculations of average weathering rates for the stones concerned were made using the dose-response functions of the MULTI ASSESS program and the immission data from survey stations at traffic hot spots and at housing areas. Than the distribution of traffic-induced immissions (NO2 and PM10) in the surrounding areas of major traffic pathways was calculated for both cities with the simulation program WINkfz. The resulting maps of mean pollutant concentrations were superimposed to inventory maps of historical monuments to allow the identification of monuments with high pollution loads. Additionally different classes of natural stones were distinguished regarding their chemical reactivity. Two prominent monuments with high traffic-induced pollution loads were selected for small scale simulations of pollutant immissions with the simulation program MISKAM. The dispersion of pollutants to different directions and building heights were calculated and the influence of broadleaf trees in the surrounding of the buildings was evaluated (summer versus winter situation). PM10 measurements were carried out at different building heights of the two buildings. Collection of PM10 dust and single-particle analyses by ESEM permits the classification of PM10 particles and the identification and quantification of the traffic-induced part of total PM10.

A theory-informed approach to mental health care capacity building for pharmacists.

PubMed

Murphy, Andrea L; Gardner, David M; Kutcher, Stan P; Martin-Misener, Ruth

2014-01-01

Pharmacists are knowledgeable, accessible health care professionals who can provide services that improve outcomes in mental health care. Various challenges and opportunities can exist in pharmacy practice to hinder or support pharmacists' efforts. We used a theory-informed approach to development and implementation of a capacity-building program to enhance pharmacists' roles in mental health care. Theories and frameworks including the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, the Theoretical Domains Framework, and the Behaviour Change Wheel were used to inform the conceptualization, development, and implementation of a capacity-building program to enhance pharmacists' roles in mental health care. The More Than Meds program was developed and implemented through an iterative process. The main program components included: an education and training day; use of a train-the-trainer approach from partnerships with pharmacists and people with lived experience of mental illness; development of a community of practice through email communications, a website, and a newsletter; and use of educational outreach delivered by pharmacists. Theories and frameworks used throughout the program's development and implementation facilitated a means to conceptualize the component parts of the program as well as its overall presence as a whole from inception through evolution in implementation. Using theoretical foundations for the program enabled critical consideration and understanding of issues related to trialability and adaptability of the program. Theory was essential to the underlying development and implementation of a capacity-building program for enhancing services by pharmacists for people with lived experience of mental illness. Lessons learned from the development and implementation of this program are informing current research and evolution of the program.

Building America Best Practices Series Volume 15: 40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Hot-Humid Climate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baechler, Michael C.; Gilbride, Theresa L.; Hefty, Marye G.

2011-09-01

This best practices guide is the 15th in a series of guides for builders produced by PNNL for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America program. This guide book is a resource to help builders design and construct homes that are among the most energy-efficient available, while addressing issues such as building durability, indoor air quality, and occupant health, safety, and comfort. With the measures described in this guide, builders in the hot-humid climate can build homes that have whole-house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark with no added overall costs for consumers. The best practices describedmore » in this document are based on the results of research and demonstration projects conducted by Building America’s research teams. Building America brings together the nation’s leading building scientists with over 300 production builders to develop, test, and apply innovative, energy-efficient construction practices. Building America builders have found they can build homes that meet these aggressive energy-efficiency goals at no net increased costs to the homeowners. Currently, Building America homes achieve energy savings of 40% greater than the Building America benchmark home (a home built to mid-1990s building practices roughly equivalent to the 1993 Model Energy Code). The recommendations in this document meet or exceed the requirements of the 2009 IECC and 2009 IRC and those requirements are highlighted in the text. Requirements of the 2012 IECC and 2012 IRC are also noted in text and tables throughout the guide. This document will be distributed via the DOE Building America website: www.buildingamerica.gov.« less

Building America Best Practices Series Volume 16: 40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Mixed-Humid Climate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baechler, Michael C.; Gilbride, Theresa L.; Hefty, Marye G.

2011-09-01

This best practices guide is the 16th in a series of guides for builders produced by PNNL for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America program. This guide book is a resource to help builders design and construct homes that are among the most energy-efficient available, while addressing issues such as building durability, indoor air quality, and occupant health, safety, and comfort. With the measures described in this guide, builders in the mixed-humid climate can build homes that have whole-house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark with no added overall costs for consumers. The best practices describedmore » in this document are based on the results of research and demonstration projects conducted by Building America’s research teams. Building America brings together the nation’s leading building scientists with over 300 production builders to develop, test, and apply innovative, energy-efficient construction practices. Building America builders have found they can build homes that meet these aggressive energy-efficiency goals at no net increased costs to the homeowners. Currently, Building America homes achieve energy savings of 40% greater than the Building America benchmark home (a home built to mid-1990s building practices roughly equivalent to the 1993 Model Energy Code). The recommendations in this document meet or exceed the requirements of the 2009 IECC and 2009 IRC and those requirements are highlighted in the text. Requirements of the 2012 IECC and 2012 IRC are also noted in text and tables throughout the guide. This document will be distributed via the DOE Building America website: www.buildingamerica.gov.« less

Data communication network at the ASRM facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moorhead, Robert J., II; Smith, Wayne D.; Nirgudkar, Ravi; Zhu, Zhifan; Robinson, Walter

1993-01-01

The main objective of the report is to present the overall communication network structure for the Advanced Solid Rocket Motor (ASRM) facility being built at Yellow Creek near Iuka, Mississippi. This report is compiled using information received from NASA/MSFC, LMSC, AAD, and RUST Inc. As per the information gathered, the overall network structure will have one logical FDDI ring acting as a backbone for the whole complex. The buildings will be grouped into two categories viz. manufacturing critical and manufacturing non-critical. The manufacturing critical buildings will be connected via FDDI to the Operational Information System (OIS) in the main computing center in B 1000. The manufacturing non-critical buildings will be connected by 10BASE-FL to the Business Information System (BIS) in the main computing center. The workcells will be connected to the Area Supervisory Computers (ASCs) through the nearest manufacturing critical hub and one of the OIS hubs. The network structure described in this report will be the basis for simulations to be carried out next year. The Comdisco's Block Oriented Network Simulator (BONeS) will be used for the network simulation. The main aim of the simulations will be to evaluate the loading of the OIS, the BIS, the ASCs, and the network links by the traffic generated by the workstations and workcells throughout the site.

Data communication network at the ASRM facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moorhead, Robert J., II; Smith, Wayne D.; Nirgudkar, Ravi; Zhu, Zhifan; Robinson, Walter

1993-02-01

The main objective of the report is to present the overall communication network structure for the Advanced Solid Rocket Motor (ASRM) facility being built at Yellow Creek near Iuka, Mississippi. This report is compiled using information received from NASA/MSFC, LMSC, AAD, and RUST Inc. As per the information gathered, the overall network structure will have one logical FDDI ring acting as a backbone for the whole complex. The buildings will be grouped into two categories viz. manufacturing critical and manufacturing non-critical. The manufacturing critical buildings will be connected via FDDI to the Operational Information System (OIS) in the main computing center in B 1000. The manufacturing non-critical buildings will be connected by 10BASE-FL to the Business Information System (BIS) in the main computing center. The workcells will be connected to the Area Supervisory Computers (ASCs) through the nearest manufacturing critical hub and one of the OIS hubs. The network structure described in this report will be the basis for simulations to be carried out next year. The Comdisco's Block Oriented Network Simulator (BONeS) will be used for the network simulation. The main aim of the simulations will be to evaluate the loading of the OIS, the BIS, the ASCs, and the network links by the traffic generated by the workstations and workcells throughout the site.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

This case study describes a unique vocational program at Lancaster County Career Technology Center in Mount Joy, PA, where high school students are gaining hands-on construction experience in building high performance homes with help from Building America team, Home Innovation Research Labs. This collaboration resulted in the Green Home 3, the third in a series of high performance homes for Apprentice Green. As one of LCCTC’s key educational strategies for gaining practical experience, students are involved in building real houses that incorporate state-of-the-art energy efficiency and green technologies. With two homes already completed, the Green Home 3 achieved a 44%more » whole-house energy savings over the Building America New Construction B10 Benchmark, DOE Zero Energy Ready Home (formerly Challenge Home) certification, and National Green Building Standard Gold-level certification.« less

New Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Northwest Energy Efficient Manufactured Housing Program High-Performance Test Homes - Pacific Northwest

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2015-05-01

This project represents the third phase of a multi-year effort to develop and bring to market a High Performance Manufactured Home (HPMH). In this project, the Northwest Energy Efficient Manufactured Housing Program worked with Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction and Bonneville Power Administration to help four factory homebuilders build prototype zero energy ready manufactured homes, resulting in what is expected to be a 30% savings relative to the Building America Benchmark. (The actual % savings varies depending on choice of heating equipment and climate zone). Previous phases of this project created a HPMH specification and prototyped individual measuresmore » from the package to obtain engineering approvals and develop preliminary factory construction processes. This case study describes the project team's work during 2014 to build prototype homes to the HPMH specifications and to monitor the homes for energy performance and durability. Monitoring is expected to continue into 2016.« less

Analysis of WakeVAS Benefits Using ACES Build 3.2.1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Jeremy C.

2005-01-01

The FAA and NASA are currently engaged in a Wake Turbulence Research Program to revise wake turbulence separation standards, procedures, and criteria to increase airport capacity while maintaining or increasing safety. The research program is divided into three phases: Phase I near term procedural enhancements; Phase II wind dependent Wake Vortex Advisory System (WakeVAS) Concepts of Operations (ConOps); and Phase III farther term ConOps based on wake prediction and sensing. This report contains an analysis that evaluates the benefits of a closely spaced parallel runway (CSPR) Phase I ConOps, a single runway and CSPR Phase II ConOps and a single runway Phase III ConOps. A series of simulation runs were performed using the Airspace Concepts Evaluation System (ACES) Build 3.21 air traffic simulator to provide an initial assessment of the reduction in delay and cost savings obtained by the use of a WakeVAS at selected U.S. airports. The ACES simulator is being developed by NASA Ames Research Center as part of the Virtual Airspace Modelling and Simulation (VAMS) program.

Beyond Widgets -- Systems Incentive Programs for Utilities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Regnier, Cindy; Mathew, Paul; Robinson, Alastair

Utility incentive programs remain one of the most significant means of deploying commercialized, but underutilized building technologies to scale. However, these programs have been largely limited to component-based products (e.g., lamps, RTUs). While some utilities do provide ‘custom’ incentive programs with whole building and system level technical assistance, these programs require deeper levels of analysis, resulting in higher program costs. This results in custom programs being restricted to utilities with greater resources, and are typically applied mainly to large or energy-intensive facilities, leaving much of the market without cost effective access and incentives for these solutions. In addition, with increasinglymore » stringent energy codes, cost effective component-based solutions that achieve significant savings are dwindling. Building systems (e.g., integrated façade, HVAC and/or lighting solutions) can deliver higher savings that translate into large sector-wide savings if deployed at the scale of these programs. However, systems application poses a number of challenges – baseline energy use must be defined and measured; the metrics for energy and performance must be defined and tested against; in addition, system savings must be validated under well understood conditions. This paper presents a sample of findings of a project to develop validated utility incentive program packages for three specific integrated building systems, in collaboration with Xcel Energy (CO, MN), ComEd, and a consortium of California Public Owned Utilities (CA POUs) (Northern California Power Agency(NCPA) and the Southern California Public Power Authority(SCPPA)). Furthermore, these program packages consist of system specifications, system performance, M&V protocols, streamlined assessment methods, market assessment and implementation guidance.« less

Development of Residential Prototype Building Models and Analysis System for Large-Scale Energy Efficiency Studies Using EnergyPlus

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mendon, Vrushali V.; Taylor, Zachary T.

ABSTRACT: Recent advances in residential building energy efficiency and codes have resulted in increased interest in detailed residential building energy models using the latest energy simulation software. One of the challenges of developing residential building models to characterize new residential building stock is to allow for flexibility to address variability in house features like geometry, configuration, HVAC systems etc. Researchers solved this problem in a novel way by creating a simulation structure capable of creating fully-functional EnergyPlus batch runs using a completely scalable residential EnergyPlus template system. This system was used to create a set of thirty-two residential prototype buildingmore » models covering single- and multifamily buildings, four common foundation types and four common heating system types found in the United States (US). A weighting scheme with detailed state-wise and national weighting factors was designed to supplement the residential prototype models. The complete set is designed to represent a majority of new residential construction stock. The entire structure consists of a system of utility programs developed around the core EnergyPlus simulation engine to automate the creation and management of large-scale simulation studies with minimal human effort. The simulation structure and the residential prototype building models have been used for numerous large-scale studies, one of which is briefly discussed in this paper.« less

Analysis of Wake VAS Benefits Using ACES Build 3.2.1: VAMS Type 1 Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Jeremy C.

2005-01-01

The FAA and NASA are currently engaged in a Wake Turbulence Research Program to revise wake turbulence separation standards, procedures, and criteria to increase airport capacity while maintaining or increasing safety. The research program is divided into three phases: Phase I near term procedural enhancements; Phase II wind dependent Wake Vortex Advisory System (WakeVAS) Concepts of Operations (ConOps); and Phase III farther term ConOps based on wake prediction and sensing. The Phase III Wake VAS ConOps is one element of the Virtual Airspace Modelling and Simulation (VAMS) program blended concepts for enhancing the total system wide capacity of the National Airspace System (NAS). This report contains a VAMS Program Type 1 (stand-alone) assessment of the expected capacity benefits of Wake VAS at the 35 FAA Benchmark Airports and determines the consequent reduction in delay using the Airspace Concepts Evaluation System (ACES) Build 3.2.1 simulator.

Advanced End-to-end Simulation for On-board Processing (AESOP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mazer, Alan S.

1994-01-01

Developers of data compression algorithms typically use their own software together with commercial packages to implement, evaluate and demonstrate their work. While convenient for an individual developer, this approach makes it difficult to build on or use another's work without intimate knowledge of each component. When several people or groups work on different parts of the same problem, the larger view can be lost. What's needed is a simple piece of software to stand in the gap and link together the efforts of different people, enabling them to build on each other's work, and providing a base for engineers and scientists to evaluate the parts as a cohesive whole and make design decisions. AESOP (Advanced End-to-end Simulation for On-board Processing) attempts to meet this need by providing a graphical interface to a developer-selected set of algorithms, interfacing with compiled code and standalone programs, as well as procedures written in the IDL and PV-Wave command languages. As a proof of concept, AESOP is outfitted with several data compression algorithms integrating previous work on different processors (AT&T DSP32C, TI TMS320C30, SPARC). The user can specify at run-time the processor on which individual parts of the compression should run. Compressed data is then fed through simulated transmission and uncompression to evaluate the effects of compression parameters, noise and error correction algorithms. The following sections describe AESOP in detail. Section 2 describes fundamental goals for usability. Section 3 describes the implementation. Sections 4 through 5 describe how to add new functionality to the system and present the existing data compression algorithms. Sections 6 and 7 discuss portability and future work.

An individual reproduction model sensitive to milk yield and body condition in Holstein dairy cows.

PubMed

Brun-Lafleur, L; Cutullic, E; Faverdin, P; Delaby, L; Disenhaus, C

2013-08-01

To simulate the consequences of management in dairy herds, the use of individual-based herd models is very useful and has become common. Reproduction is a key driver of milk production and herd dynamics, whose influence has been magnified by the decrease in reproductive performance over the last decades. Moreover, feeding management influences milk yield (MY) and body reserves, which in turn influence reproductive performance. Therefore, our objective was to build an up-to-date animal reproduction model sensitive to both MY and body condition score (BCS). A dynamic and stochastic individual reproduction model was built mainly from data of a single recent long-term experiment. This model covers the whole reproductive process and is composed of a succession of discrete stochastic events, mainly calving, ovulations, conception and embryonic loss. Each reproductive step is sensitive to MY or BCS levels or changes. The model takes into account recent evolutions of reproductive performance, particularly concerning calving-to-first ovulation interval, cyclicity (normal cycle length, prevalence of prolonged luteal phase), oestrus expression and pregnancy (conception, early and late embryonic loss). A sensitivity analysis of the model to MY and BCS at calving was performed. The simulated performance was compared with observed data from the database used to build the model and from the bibliography to validate the model. Despite comprising a whole series of reproductive steps, the model made it possible to simulate realistic global reproduction outputs. It was able to well simulate the overall reproductive performance observed in farms in terms of both success rate (recalving rate) and reproduction delays (calving interval). This model has the purpose to be integrated in herd simulation models to usefully test the impact of management strategies on herd reproductive performance, and thus on calving patterns and culling rates.

G STL: the geostatistical template library in C++

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Remy, Nicolas; Shtuka, Arben; Levy, Bruno; Caers, Jef

2002-10-01

The development of geostatistics has been mostly accomplished by application-oriented engineers in the past 20 years. The focus on concrete applications gave birth to many algorithms and computer programs designed to address different issues, such as estimating or simulating a variable while possibly accounting for secondary information such as seismic data, or integrating geological and geometrical data. At the core of any geostatistical data integration methodology is a well-designed algorithm. Yet, despite their obvious differences, all these algorithms share many commonalities on which to build a geostatistics programming library, lest the resulting library is poorly reusable and difficult to expand. Building on this observation, we design a comprehensive, yet flexible and easily reusable library of geostatistics algorithms in C++. The recent advent of the generic programming paradigm allows us elegantly to express the commonalities of the geostatistical algorithms into computer code. Generic programming, also referred to as "programming with concepts", provides a high level of abstraction without loss of efficiency. This last point is a major gain over object-oriented programming which often trades efficiency for abstraction. It is not enough for a numerical library to be reusable, it also has to be fast. Because generic programming is "programming with concepts", the essential step in the library design is the careful identification and thorough definition of these concepts shared by most geostatistical algorithms. Building on these definitions, a generic and expandable code can be developed. To show the advantages of such a generic library, we use G STL to build two sequential simulation programs working on two different types of grids—a surface with faults and an unstructured grid—without requiring any change to the G STL code.

Emile: Software-Realized Scaffolding for Science Learners Programming in Mixed Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guzdial, Mark Joseph

Emile is a computer program that facilitates students using programming to create models of kinematics (physics of motion without forces) and executing these models as simulations. Emile facilitates student programming and model-building with software-realized scaffolding (SRS). Emile integrates a range of SRS and provides mechanisms to fade (or diminish) most scaffolding. By fading Emile's SRS, students can adapt support to their individual needs. Programming in Emile involves graphic and text elements (as compared with more traditional text-based programming). For example, students create graphical objects which can be dragged on the screen, and when dropped, fall as if in a gravitational field. Emile supports a simplified, HyperCard-like mixed media programming framework. Scaffolding is defined as support which enables student performance (called the immediate benefit of scaffolding) and which facilitates student learning (called the lasting benefit of scaffolding). Scaffolding provides this support through three methods: Modeling, coaching, and eliciting articulation. For example, Emile has tools to structure the programming task (modeling), menus identify the next step in the programming and model-building process (coaching), and prompts for student plans and predictions (eliciting articulation). Five students used Emile in a summer workshop (45 hours total) focusing on creating kinematics simulations and multimedia demonstrations. Evaluation of Emile's scaffolding addressed use of scaffolding and the expected immediate and lasting benefits. Emile created records of student interactions (log files) which were analyzed to determine how students used Emile's SRS and how they faded that scaffolding. Student projects and articulations about those projects were analyzed to assess success of student's model-building and programming activities. Clinical interviews were conducted before and after the workshop to determine students' conceptualizations of kinematics and programming and how they changed. The results indicate that students were successful at model-building and programming, learned physics and programming, and used and faded Emile's scaffolding over time. These results are from a small sample who were self -selected and highly-motivated. Nonetheless, this study provides a theory and operationalization for SRS, an example of a successful model-building environment, and a description of student use of mixed media programming.

A High-Granularity Approach to Modeling Energy Consumption and Savings Potential in the U.S. Residential Building Stock

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

Building simulations are increasingly used in various applications related to energy efficient buildings. For individual buildings, applications include: design of new buildings, prediction of retrofit savings, ratings, performance path code compliance and qualification for incentives. Beyond individual building applications, larger scale applications (across the stock of buildings at various scales: national, regional and state) include: codes and standards development, utility program design, regional/state planning, and technology assessments. For these sorts of applications, a set of representative buildings are typically simulated to predict performance of the entire population of buildings. Focusing on the U.S. single-family residential building stock, this paper willmore » describe how multiple data sources for building characteristics are combined into a highly-granular database that preserves the important interdependencies of the characteristics. We will present the sampling technique used to generate a representative set of thousands (up to hundreds of thousands) of building models. We will also present results of detailed calibrations against building stock consumption data.« less

The NASA Langley building solar project and the supporting Lewis solar technology program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ragsdale, R. G.; Namkoong, D.

1974-01-01

A solar energy technology program is described that includes solar collector testing in an indoor solar simulator facility and in an outdoor test facility, property measurements of solar panel coatings, and operation of a laboratory-scale solar model system test facility. Early results from simulator tests indicate that non-selective coatings behave more nearly in accord with predicted performance than do selective coatings. Initial experiments on the decay rate of thermally stratified hot water in a storage tank have been run. Results suggest that where high temperature water is required, excess solar energy collected by a building solar system should be stored overnight in the form of chilled water rather than hot water.

End-to-end interoperability and workflows from building architecture design to one or more simulations

DOEpatents

Chao, Tian-Jy; Kim, Younghun

2015-02-10

An end-to-end interoperability and workflows from building architecture design to one or more simulations, in one aspect, may comprise establishing a BIM enablement platform architecture. A data model defines data entities and entity relationships for enabling the interoperability and workflows. A data definition language may be implemented that defines and creates a table schema of a database associated with the data model. Data management services and/or application programming interfaces may be implemented for interacting with the data model. Web services may also be provided for interacting with the data model via the Web. A user interface may be implemented that communicates with users and uses the BIM enablement platform architecture, the data model, the data definition language, data management services and application programming interfaces to provide functions to the users to perform work related to building information management.

A numerical simulation method and analysis of a complete thermoacoustic-Stirling engine.

PubMed

Ling, Hong; Luo, Ercang; Dai, Wei

2006-12-22

Thermoacoustic prime movers can generate pressure oscillation without any moving parts on self-excited thermoacoustic effect. The details of the numerical simulation methodology for thermoacoustic engines are presented in the paper. First, a four-port network method is used to build the transcendental equation of complex frequency as a criterion to judge if temperature distribution of the whole thermoacoustic system is correct for the case with given heating power. Then, the numerical simulation of a thermoacoustic-Stirling heat engine is carried out. It is proved that the numerical simulation code can run robustly and output what one is interested in. Finally, the calculated results are compared with the experiments of the thermoacoustic-Stirling heat engine (TASHE). It shows that the numerical simulation can agrees with the experimental results with acceptable accuracy.

Multibody dynamics model building using graphical interfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macala, Glenn A.

1989-01-01

In recent years, the extremely laborious task of manually deriving equations of motion for the simulation of multibody spacecraft dynamics has largely been eliminated. Instead, the dynamicist now works with commonly available general purpose dynamics simulation programs which generate the equations of motion either explicitly or implicitly via computer codes. The user interface to these programs has predominantly been via input data files, each with its own required format and peculiarities, causing errors and frustrations during program setup. Recent progress in a more natural method of data input for dynamics programs: the graphical interface, is described.

Commercial Building Tenant Energy Usage Aggregation and Privacy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Livingston, Olga V.; Pulsipher, Trenton C.; Anderson, David M.

A growing number of building owners are benchmarking their building energy use. This requires the building owner to acquire monthly whole-building energy usage information, which can be challenging for buildings in which individual tenants have their own utility meters and accounts with the utility. Some utilities and utility regulators have turned to aggregation of customer energy use data (CEUD) as a way to give building owners whole-building energy usage data while protecting customer privacy. Meter profile aggregation adds a layer of protection that decreases the risk of revealing CEUD as the number of meters aggregated increases. The report statistically characterizesmore » the similarity between individual energy usage patterns and whole-building totals at various levels of meter aggregation.« less

Building Regional Networking Capacity through Leadership Development: The Case of Leadership Northwest Missouri

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maltsberger, Beverly; Majee, Wilson

2012-01-01

Through a case study analysis of a regional leadership development program, this article describes the impact on individual and group leadership skills and how the skills are employed to benefit individual communities and the region as a whole. Data were obtained through surveys. Through cooperation and collaboration between and among leadership…

Building the Community Nexus: A Community Centered Approach to Planning and Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bingler, Steven

2011-01-01

Recent research indicates that the goals (of producing management efficiencies to deliver community programs and infrastructure and more graduates) can be better achieved through a holistic model that supports the whole family and child by providing better access to wrap around services. Nexus planning is a process through which these services can…

Building Maintenance. Math Learning Activity Packet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Shelia I.

This collection of learning activities is intended for use in reinforcing mathematics instruction as it relates to building maintenance. Fifty activity sheets are provided. These are organized into units on the following topics: numeration, adding whole numbers, subtracting whole numbers, multiplying whole numbers, dividing whole numbers,…

Simulating air temperature in an urban street canyon in all weather conditions using measured data at a reference meteorological station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erell, E.; Williamson, T.

2006-10-01

A model is proposed that adapts data from a standard meteorological station to provide realistic site-specific air temperature in a city street exposed to the same meso-scale environment. In addition to a rudimentary description of the two sites, the canyon air temperature (CAT) model requires only inputs measured at standard weather stations; yet it is capable of accurately predicting the evolution of air temperature in all weather conditions for extended periods. It simulates the effect of urban geometry on radiant exchange; the effect of moisture availability on latent heat flux; energy stored in the ground and in building surfaces; air flow in the street based on wind above roof height; and the sensible heat flux from individual surfaces and from the street canyon as a whole. The CAT model has been tested on field data measured in a monitoring program carried out in Adelaide, Australia, in 2000-2001. After calibrating the model, predicted air temperature correlated well with measured data in all weather conditions over extended periods. The experimental validation provides additional evidence in support of a number of parameterisation schemes incorporated in the model to account for sensible heat and storage flux.

Knowledge-based simulation using object-oriented programming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sidoran, Karen M.

1993-01-01

Simulations have become a powerful mechanism for understanding and modeling complex phenomena. Their results have had substantial impact on a broad range of decisions in the military, government, and industry. Because of this, new techniques are continually being explored and developed to make them even more useful, understandable, extendable, and efficient. One such area of research is the application of the knowledge-based methods of artificial intelligence (AI) to the computer simulation field. The goal of knowledge-based simulation is to facilitate building simulations of greatly increased power and comprehensibility by making use of deeper knowledge about the behavior of the simulated world. One technique for representing and manipulating knowledge that has been enhanced by the AI community is object-oriented programming. Using this technique, the entities of a discrete-event simulation can be viewed as objects in an object-oriented formulation. Knowledge can be factual (i.e., attributes of an entity) or behavioral (i.e., how the entity is to behave in certain circumstances). Rome Laboratory's Advanced Simulation Environment (RASE) was developed as a research vehicle to provide an enhanced simulation development environment for building more intelligent, interactive, flexible, and realistic simulations. This capability will support current and future battle management research and provide a test of the object-oriented paradigm for use in large scale military applications.

Historical Building Monitoring Using an Energy-Efficient Scalable Wireless Sensor Network Architecture

PubMed Central

Capella, Juan V.; Perles, Angel; Bonastre, Alberto; Serrano, Juan J.

2011-01-01

We present a set of novel low power wireless sensor nodes designed for monitoring wooden masterpieces and historical buildings, in order to perform an early detection of pests. Although our previous star-based system configuration has been in operation for more than 13 years, it does not scale well for sensorization of large buildings or when deploying hundreds of nodes. In this paper we demonstrate the feasibility of a cluster-based dynamic-tree hierarchical Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) architecture where realistic assumptions of radio frequency data transmission are applied to cluster construction, and a mix of heterogeneous nodes are used to minimize economic cost of the whole system and maximize power saving of the leaf nodes. Simulation results show that the specialization of a fraction of the nodes by providing better antennas and some energy harvesting techniques can dramatically extend the life of the entire WSN and reduce the cost of the whole system. A demonstration of the proposed architecture with a new routing protocol and applied to termite pest detection has been implemented on a set of new nodes and should last for about 10 years, but it provides better scalability, reliability and deployment properties. PMID:22346630

Historical building monitoring using an energy-efficient scalable wireless sensor network architecture.

PubMed

Capella, Juan V; Perles, Angel; Bonastre, Alberto; Serrano, Juan J

2011-01-01

We present a set of novel low power wireless sensor nodes designed for monitoring wooden masterpieces and historical buildings, in order to perform an early detection of pests. Although our previous star-based system configuration has been in operation for more than 13 years, it does not scale well for sensorization of large buildings or when deploying hundreds of nodes. In this paper we demonstrate the feasibility of a cluster-based dynamic-tree hierarchical Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) architecture where realistic assumptions of radio frequency data transmission are applied to cluster construction, and a mix of heterogeneous nodes are used to minimize economic cost of the whole system and maximize power saving of the leaf nodes. Simulation results show that the specialization of a fraction of the nodes by providing better antennas and some energy harvesting techniques can dramatically extend the life of the entire WSN and reduce the cost of the whole system. A demonstration of the proposed architecture with a new routing protocol and applied to termite pest detection has been implemented on a set of new nodes and should last for about 10 years, but it provides better scalability, reliability and deployment properties.

New Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Zero Energy Ready Home Multifamily Project: Mutual Housing at Spring Lake

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

D. Springer and A. German

2015-09-01

Building cost effective, high performance homes that provide superior comfort, health, and durability is the goal of the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Zero Energy Ready Homes (ZERH) program. This case study describes the development of a 62-unit multifamily community constructed by nonprofit developer Mutual Housing at the Spring Lake subdivision in Woodland, California. The Spring Lake project is expected to be the first ZERH-certified multifamily project nationwide. Building America team Alliance for Residential Building Innovation worked with Mutual Housing throughout the project. An objective of this project was to gain a highly visible foothold for residential buildings built to themore » DOE ZERH specification that can be used to encourage participation by other California builders.« less

Advanced Simulation and Computing Business Plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rummel, E.

To maintain a credible nuclear weapons program, the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA’s) Office of Defense Programs (DP) needs to make certain that the capabilities, tools, and expert staff are in place and are able to deliver validated assessments. This requires a complete and robust simulation environment backed by an experimental program to test ASC Program models. This ASC Business Plan document encapsulates a complex set of elements, each of which is essential to the success of the simulation component of the Nuclear Security Enterprise. The ASC Business Plan addresses the hiring, mentoring, and retaining of programmatic technical staff responsiblemore » for building the simulation tools of the nuclear security complex. The ASC Business Plan describes how the ASC Program engages with industry partners—partners upon whom the ASC Program relies on for today’s and tomorrow’s high performance architectures. Each piece in this chain is essential to assure policymakers, who must make decisions based on the results of simulations, that they are receiving all the actionable information they need.« less

Case Study: An Examination of the Decision Making Process for Selecting Simulations for an Online MBA Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neely, Pat; Tucker, Jan

2013-01-01

Purpose: Simulations are designed as activities which imitate real world scenarios and are often used to teach and enhance skill building. The purpose of this case study is to examine the decision making process and outcomes of a faculty committee tasked with examining simulations in the marketplace to determine if the simulations could be used as…

Data communication network at the ASRM facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moorhead, Robert J., II; Smith, Wayne D.

1993-08-01

This report describes the simulation of the overall communication network structure for the Advanced Solid Rocket Motor (ASRM) facility being built at Yellow Creek near Iuka, Mississippi as of today. The report is compiled using information received from NASA/MSFC, LMSC, AAD, and RUST Inc. As per the information gathered, the overall network structure will have one logical FDDI ring acting as a backbone for the whole complex. The buildings will be grouped into two categories viz. manufacturing intensive and manufacturing non-intensive. The manufacturing intensive buildings will be connected via FDDI to the Operational Information System (OIS) in the main computing center in B_1000. The manufacturing non-intensive buildings will be connected by 10BASE-FL to the OIS through the Business Information System (BIS) hub in the main computing center. All the devices inside B_1000 will communicate with the BIS. The workcells will be connected to the Area Supervisory Computers (ASCs) through the nearest manufacturing intensive hub and one of the OIS hubs. Comdisco's Block Oriented Network Simulator (BONeS) has been used to simulate the performance of the network. BONeS models a network topology, traffic, data structures, and protocol functions using a graphical interface. The main aim of the simulations was to evaluate the loading of the OIS, the BIS, and the ASCs, and the network links by the traffic generated by the workstations and workcells throughout the site.

Data communication network at the ASRM facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moorhead, Robert J., II; Smith, Wayne D.

1993-01-01

This report describes the simulation of the overall communication network structure for the Advanced Solid Rocket Motor (ASRM) facility being built at Yellow Creek near Iuka, Mississippi as of today. The report is compiled using information received from NASA/MSFC, LMSC, AAD, and RUST Inc. As per the information gathered, the overall network structure will have one logical FDDI ring acting as a backbone for the whole complex. The buildings will be grouped into two categories viz. manufacturing intensive and manufacturing non-intensive. The manufacturing intensive buildings will be connected via FDDI to the Operational Information System (OIS) in the main computing center in B_1000. The manufacturing non-intensive buildings will be connected by 10BASE-FL to the OIS through the Business Information System (BIS) hub in the main computing center. All the devices inside B_1000 will communicate with the BIS. The workcells will be connected to the Area Supervisory Computers (ASCs) through the nearest manufacturing intensive hub and one of the OIS hubs. Comdisco's Block Oriented Network Simulator (BONeS) has been used to simulate the performance of the network. BONeS models a network topology, traffic, data structures, and protocol functions using a graphical interface. The main aim of the simulations was to evaluate the loading of the OIS, the BIS, and the ASCs, and the network links by the traffic generated by the workstations and workcells throughout the site.

[Evaluating the effectiveness of child lead poisoning prevention programs].

PubMed

Ginot, L; Fontaine, A; Cheymol, J; Peyr, C

2003-09-01

A multi annual screening and prevention program against lead poisoning was implemented in a suburb of the Paris area. We attempted to assess the effectiveness of this program based on data available from children screening and follow-up. Indicators of effectiveness included the evolution of blood lead levels at screening and the frequency of secondary increases in blood lead levels. Buildings inclusion dates were used to control for the increasing selection of less exposed children. A total of 3,660 children were screened between 1992 and 2000. We observed a regular decrease in blood lead levels at screening, in the highest blood lead levels obtained for each child and in the proportion of children whose blood lead levels increased after screening: the proportion of children with initial blood lead levels >=15 micro g/dl fell from 17.4% in the 1992-1996 period to 4.1% in the 1997-2000 period. A multivariate analysis taking into account the first year that children were screened in a given building showed that less exposed children were included over time, but found also an additional independent decrease in blood lead levels that can be related to the effectiveness of prevention efforts. A "building by building" analysis of 30 buildings where more than 20 children were located over the whole study period confirmed that the incidence of lead poisoning decreased within most of these buildings. Taking into account buildings'inclusion dates makes it possible to distinguish program effectiveness from the consequences of including less exposed children The effectiveness of preventive actions is associated with several interacting factors, including the participation of families and the active involvement of local technical staff and policy makers. The finding that the decrease in blood lead levels leveled off after 1997 calls for further actions.

Building Energy Consumption Pattern Analysis of Detached Housing for the Policy Decision Simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Jiyoun; Lee, Seung-Eon

2018-03-01

The Korean government announced its plan to raise the previous reduction goal of greenhouse gas emission from buildings by 26.9% until 2020 on July 2015. Therefore, policies regarding efficiency in the building energy are implemented fast, but the level of building owners and market understanding is low in general, and the government service system which supports decision making for implementing low-energy buildings has not been provided yet. The purpose of this study is to present the design direction for establishing user customized building energy database to perform a role to provide autonomous ecosystem of low-energy buildings. In order to reduce energy consumption in buildings, it is necessary to carry out the energy performance analysis based on the characteristics of target building. By analysing about 20-thousand cases of the amount of housing energy consumption in Korea, this study suggested the real energy consumption pattern by building types. Also, the energy performance of a building could be determined by energy consumption, but previous building energy consumption analysis programs required expert knowledge and experience in program usage, so it was difficult for normal building users to use such programs. Therefore, a measure to provide proper default using the level of data which general users with no expert knowledge regarding building energy could enter easily was suggested in this study.

COMIS -- an international multizone air-flow and contaminant transport model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feustel, H.E.

1998-08-01

A number of interzonal models have been developed to calculate air flows and pollutant transport mechanisms in both single and multizone buildings. A recent development in multizone air-flow modeling, the COMIS model, has a number of capabilities that go beyond previous models, much as COMIS can be used as either a stand-alone air-flow model with input and output features or as an infiltration module for thermal building simulation programs. COMIS was designed during a 12 month workshop at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) in 1988-89. In 1990, the Executive Committee of the International Energy Agency`s Energy Conservation in Buildings andmore » Community Systems program created a working group on multizone air-flow modeling, which continued work on COMIS. The group`s objectives were to study physical phenomena causing air flow and pollutant (e.g., moisture) transport in multizone buildings, develop numerical modules to be integrated in the previously designed multizone air flow modeling system, and evaluate the computer code. The working group supported by nine nations, officially finished in late 1997 with the release of IISiBat/COMIS 3.0, which contains the documented simulation program COMIS, the user interface IISiBat, and reports describing the evaluation exercise.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Woods, Jason; Winkler, Jon

Moisture adsorption and desorption in building materials impact indoor humidity. This effect should be included in building-energy simulations, particularly when humidity is being investigated or controlled. Several models can calculate this moisture-buffering effect, but accurate ones require model inputs that are not always known to the user of the building-energy simulation. This research developed an empirical method to extract whole-house model inputs for the effective moisture penetration depth (EMPD) model. The experimental approach was to subject the materials in the house to a square-wave relative-humidity profile, measure all of the moisture-transfer terms (e.g., infiltration, air-conditioner condensate), and calculate the onlymore » unmeasured term—the moisture sorption into the materials. We validated this method with laboratory measurements, which we used to measure the EMPD model inputs of two houses. After deriving these inputs, we measured the humidity of the same houses during tests with realistic latent and sensible loads and demonstrated the accuracy of this approach. Furthermore, these results show that the EMPD model, when given reasonable inputs, is an accurate moisture-buffering model.« less

The Building Blocks for JWST I and T (Integrations and Test) to Operations - From Simulator to Flight Units

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fatig, Curtis; Ochs, William; Johns, Alan; Seaton, Bonita; Adams, Cynthia; Wasiak, Francis; Jones, Ronald; Jackson, Wallace

2012-01-01

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Project has an extended integration and test (I&T) phase due to long procurement and development times of various components as well as recent launch delays. The JWST Ground Segment and Operations group has developed a roadmap of the various ground and flight elements and their use in the various JWST I&T test programs. The JWST Project s building block approach to the eventual operational systems, while not new, is complex and challenging; a large-scale mission like JWST involves international partners, many vendors across the United States, and competing needs for the same systems. One of the challenges is resource balancing so simulators and flight products for various elements congeal into integrated systems used for I&T and flight operations activities. This building block approach to an incremental buildup provides for early problem identification with simulators and exercises the flight operations systems, products, and interfaces during the JWST I&T test programs. The JWST Project has completed some early I&T with the simulators, engineering models and some components of the operational ground system. The JWST Project is testing the various flight units as they are delivered and will continue to do so for the entire flight and operational system. The JWST Project has already and will continue to reap the value of the building block approach on the road to launch and flight operations.

Programming of a flexible computer simulation to visualize pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic models.

PubMed

Lötsch, J; Kobal, G; Geisslinger, G

2004-01-01

Teaching pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) models can be made more effective using computer simulations. We propose the programming of educational PK or PK/PD computer simulations as an alternative to the use of pre-built simulation software. This approach has the advantage of adaptability to non-standard or complicated PK or PK/PD models. Simplicity of the programming procedure was achieved by selecting the LabVIEW programming environment. An intuitive user interface to visualize the time courses of drug concentrations or effects can be obtained with pre-built elements. The environment uses a wiring analogy that resembles electrical circuit diagrams rather than abstract programming code. The goal of high interactivity of the simulation was attained by allowing the program to run in continuously repeating loops. This makes the program behave flexibly to the user input. The programming is described with the aid of a 2-compartment PK simulation. Examples of more sophisticated simulation programs are also given where the PK/PD simulation shows drug input, concentrations in plasma, and at effect site and the effects themselves as a function of time. A multi-compartmental model of morphine, including metabolite kinetics and effects is also included. The programs are available for download from the World Wide Web at http:// www. klinik.uni-frankfurt.de/zpharm/klin/ PKPDsimulation/content.html. For pharmacokineticists who only program occasionally, there is the possibility of building the computer simulation, together with the flexible interactive simulation algorithm for clinical pharmacological teaching in the field of PK/PD models.

The NASA Langley building solar project and the supporting Lewis solar technology program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ragsdale, R. G.; Namkoong, D.

1974-01-01

The use of solar energy to heat and cool a new office building that is now under construction is reported. Planned for completion in December 1975, the 53,000 square foot, single story building will utilize 15,000 square feet of various types of solar collectors in a test bed to provide nearly all of the heating demand and over half of the air conditioning demand. Drawing on its space-program-developed skills and resources in heat transfer, materials, and systems studies, NASA-Lewis will provide technology support for the Langley building project. A solar energy technology program underway at Lewis includes solar collector testing in an indoor solar simulator facility and in an outdoor test facility, property measurements of solar panel coatings, and operation of a laboratory-scale solar model system test facility. Based on results obtained in this program, NASA-Lewis will select and procure the solar collectors for the Langley test bed.

Auto-DR and Pre-cooling of Buildings at Tri-City Corporate Center

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yin, Rongxin; Xu, Peng; Kiliccote, Sila

2008-11-01

Over the several past years, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) has conducted field tests for different pre-cooling strategies in different commercial buildings within California. The test results indicated that pre-cooling strategies were effective in reducing electric demand in these buildings during peak periods. This project studied how to optimize pre-cooling strategies for eleven buildings in the Tri-City Corporate Center, San Bernardino, California with the assistance of a building energy simulation tool -- the Demand Response Quick Assessment Tool (DRQAT) developed by LBNL's Demand Response Research Center funded by the California Energy Commission's Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) Program. From themore » simulation results of these eleven buildings, optimal pre-cooling and temperature reset strategies were developed. The study shows that after refining and calibrating initial models with measured data, the accuracy of the models can be greatly improved and the models can be used to predict load reductions for automated demand response (Auto-DR) events. This study summarizes the optimization experience of the procedure to develop and calibrate building models in DRQAT. In order to confirm the actual effect of demand response strategies, the simulation results were compared to the field test data. The results indicated that the optimal demand response strategies worked well for all buildings in the Tri-City Corporate Center. This study also compares DRQAT with other building energy simulation tools (eQUEST and BEST). The comparison indicate that eQUEST and BEST underestimate the actual demand shed of the pre-cooling strategies due to a flaw in DOE2's simulation engine for treating wall thermal mass. DRQAT is a more accurate tool in predicting thermal mass effects of DR events.« less

Building energy modeling for green architecture and intelligent dashboard applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeBlois, Justin

Buildings are responsible for 40% of the carbon emissions in the United States. Energy efficiency in this sector is key to reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions. This work studied the passive technique called the roof solar chimney for reducing the cooling load in homes architecturally. Three models of the chimney were created: a zonal building energy model, computational fluid dynamics model, and numerical analytic model. The study estimated the error introduced to the building energy model (BEM) through key assumptions, and then used a sensitivity analysis to examine the impact on the model outputs. The conclusion was that the error in the building energy model is small enough to use it for building simulation reliably. Further studies simulated the roof solar chimney in a whole building, integrated into one side of the roof. Comparisons were made between high and low efficiency constructions, and three ventilation strategies. The results showed that in four US climates, the roof solar chimney results in significant cooling load energy savings of up to 90%. After developing this new method for the small scale representation of a passive architecture technique in BEM, the study expanded the scope to address a fundamental issue in modeling - the implementation of the uncertainty from and improvement of occupant behavior. This is believed to be one of the weakest links in both accurate modeling and proper, energy efficient building operation. A calibrated model of the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation's LEED Gold, 3,400 m2 building was created. Then algorithms were developed for integration to the building's dashboard application that show the occupant the energy savings for a variety of behaviors in real time. An approach using neural networks to act on real-time building automation system data was found to be the most accurate and efficient way to predict the current energy savings for each scenario. A stochastic study examined the impact of the representation of unpredictable occupancy patterns on model results. Combined, these studies inform modelers and researchers on frameworks for simulating holistically designed architecture and improving the interaction between models and building occupants, in residential and commercial settings. v

Building Diagnostic Market Deployment - Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Katipamula, S.; Gayeski, N.

2012-04-30

Operational faults are pervasive across the commercial buildings sector, wasting energy and increasing energy costs by up to about 30% (Mills 2009, Liu et al. 2003, Claridge et al. 2000, Katipamula and Brambley 2008, and Brambley and Katipamula 2009). Automated fault detection and diagnostic (AFDD) tools provide capabilities essential for detecting and correcting these problems and eliminating the associated energy waste and costs. The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Building Technology Program (BTP) has previously invested in developing and testing of such diagnostic tools for whole-building (and major system) energy use, air handlers, chillers, cooling towers, chilled-water distribution systems, andmore » boilers. These diagnostic processes can be used to make the commercial buildings more energy efficient. The work described in this report was done as part of a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) between the U.S. Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and KGS Building LLC (KGS). PNNL and KGS both believe that the widespread adoption of AFDD tools will result in significant reduction to energy and peak energy consumption. The report provides an introduction and summary of the various tasks performed under the CRADA. The CRADA project had three major focus areas: (1) Technical Assistance for Whole Building Energy Diagnostician (WBE) Commercialization, (2) Market Transfer of the Outdoor Air/Economizer Diagnostician (OAE), and (3) Development and Deployment of Automated Diagnostics to Improve Large Commercial Building Operations. PNNL has previously developed two diagnostic tools: (1) whole building energy (WBE) diagnostician and (2) outdoor air/economizer (OAE) diagnostician. WBE diagnostician is currently licensed non-exclusively to one company. As part of this CRADA, PNNL developed implementation documentation and provided technical support to KGS to implement the tool into their software suite, Clockworks. PNNL also provided validation data sets and the WBE software tool to validate the KGS implementation. OAE diagnostician automatically detects and diagnoses problems with outdoor air ventilation and economizer operation for air handling units (AHUs) in commercial buildings using data available from building automation systems (BASs). As part of this CRADA, PNNL developed implementation documentation and provided technical support to KGS to implement the tool into their software suite. PNNL also provided validation data sets and the OAE software tool to validate the KGS implementation. Finally, as part of this CRADA project, PNNL developed new processes to automate parts of the re-tuning process and transfer those process to KGS for integration into their software product. The transfer of DOE-funded technologies will transform the commercial buildings sector by making buildings more energy efficient and also reducing the carbon footprint from the buildings. As part of the CRADA with PNNL, KGS implemented the whole building energy diagnostician, a portion of outdoor air economizer diagnostician and a number of measures that automate the identification of re-tuning measures.« less

Space exploration and world peace

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mercieca, C.

1972-01-01

The possibility of using space exploration as an instrument in procuring world peace is studied. Suggestions for obtaining such a peace, utilizing space programs, include removal of worldwide educational and communication barriers, building of an emotionally and socially stable society, creation of a unit or whole world rather than the mine and yours concept, and reevaluation and reorientation of human relations and values.

Angular selective window systems: Assessment of technical potential for energy savings

DOE PAGES

Fernandes, Luis L.; Lee, Eleanor S.; McNeil, Andrew; ...

2014-10-16

Static angular selective shading systems block direct sunlight and admit daylight within a specific range of incident solar angles. The objective of this study is to quantify their potential to reduce energy use and peak demand in commercial buildings using state-of-the art whole-building computer simulation software that allows accurate modeling of the behavior of optically-complex fenestration systems such as angular selective systems. Three commercial systems were evaluated: a micro-perforated screen, a tubular shading structure, and an expanded metal mesh. This evaluation was performed through computer simulation for multiple climates (Chicago, Illinois and Houston, Texas), window-to-wall ratios (0.15-0.60), building codes (ASHRAEmore » 90.1-2004 and 2010) and lighting control configurations (with and without). The modeling of the optical complexity of the systems took advantage of the development of state-of-the-art versions of the EnergyPlus, Radiance and Window simulation tools. Results show significant reductions in perimeter zone energy use; the best system reached 28% and 47% savings, respectively without and with daylighting controls (ASHRAE 90.1-2004, south facade, Chicago,WWR=0.45). As a result, angular selectivity and thermal conductance of the angle-selective layer, as well as spectral selectivity of low-emissivity coatings, were identified as factors with significant impact on performance.« less

Achieving Actionable Results from Available Inputs: Metamodels Take Building Energy Simulations One Step Further

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Horsey, Henry; Fleming, Katherine; Ball, Brian

Modeling commercial building energy usage can be a difficult and time-consuming task. The increasing prevalence of optimization algorithms provides one path for reducing the time and difficulty. Many use cases remain, however, where information regarding whole-building energy usage is valuable, but the time and expertise required to run and post-process a large number of building energy simulations is intractable. A relatively underutilized option to accurately estimate building energy consumption in real time is to pre-compute large datasets of potential building energy models, and use the set of results to quickly and efficiently provide highly accurate data. This process is calledmore » metamodeling. In this paper, two case studies are presented demonstrating the successful applications of metamodeling using the open-source OpenStudio Analysis Framework. The first case study involves the U.S. Department of Energy's Asset Score Tool, specifically the Preview Asset Score Tool, which is designed to give nontechnical users a near-instantaneous estimated range of expected results based on building system-level inputs. The second case study involves estimating the potential demand response capabilities of retail buildings in Colorado. The metamodel developed in this second application not only allows for estimation of a single building's expected performance, but also can be combined with public data to estimate the aggregate DR potential across various geographic (county and state) scales. In both case studies, the unique advantages of pre-computation allow building energy models to take the place of topdown actuarial evaluations. This paper ends by exploring the benefits of using metamodels and then examines the cost-effectiveness of this approach.« less

MCPB.py: A Python Based Metal Center Parameter Builder.

PubMed

Li, Pengfei; Merz, Kenneth M

2016-04-25

MCPB.py, a python based metal center parameter builder, has been developed to build force fields for the simulation of metal complexes employing the bonded model approach. It has an optimized code structure, with far fewer required steps than the previous developed MCPB program. It supports various AMBER force fields and more than 80 metal ions. A series of parametrization schemes to derive force constants and charge parameters are available within the program. We give two examples (one metalloprotein example and one organometallic compound example), indicating the program's ability to build reliable force fields for different metal ion containing complexes. The original version was released with AmberTools15. It is provided via the GNU General Public License v3.0 (GNU_GPL_v3) agreement and is free to download and distribute. MCPB.py provides a bridge between quantum mechanical calculations and molecular dynamics simulation software packages thereby enabling the modeling of metal ion centers. It offers an entry into simulating metal ions in a number of situations by providing an efficient way for researchers to handle the vagaries and difficulties associated with metal ion modeling.

Effect of human behavior on economizer efficacy and thermal comfort in southern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lanning, TIghe Glennon

California has set a zero net-energy conservation goal for the residential sector that is to be achieved by 2020 (California Energy Commission 2011). To reduce energy consumption in the building sector, modern buildings should fundamentally incorporate sustainable performance standards, involving renewable systems, climate-specific strategies, and consideration of a variety of users. Building occupants must operate in concert with the buildings they inhabit in order to maximize the potential of the building, its systems, and their own comfort. In climates with significant diurnal temperature swings, environmental controls designed to capitalize on this should be considered to reduce cooling-related loads. One specific strategy is the air-side economizer, which uses daily outdoor temperature swings to reduce indoor temperature swings. Traditionally a similar effect could be achieved by using thermal mass to buffer indoor temperature swings through thermal lag. Economizers reduce the amount of thermal mass typically required by naturally ventilated buildings. Fans are used to force cool nighttime air deep into the building, allowing lower mass buildings to take advantage of nighttime cooling. Economizers connect to a thermostat, and when the outdoor temperature dips below a programmed set-point the economizer draws cool air from outside, flushing out the warmed interior air. This type of system can be simulated with reasonable accuracy by energy modeling programs; however, because the system is occupant-driven (as opposed to a truly passive mass-driven system) any unpredictable occupant behavior can reduce its effectiveness and create misleading simulation results. This unpredictably has helped prevent the spread of economizers in the residential market. This study investigated to what extent human behavior affected the performance of economizer-based HVAC systems, based on physical observations, environmental data collections, and energy simulations of a residential building in Los Angeles, California. Tangible measures for alleviating problems, such as user-friendly interface design and the incorporation of human behavior into energy models are recommended based on these observations.

Advanced vehicle technology simulation and research outreach to STEM programs : research report summary

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-05-30

The University of Iowa (UI) and the leaders of the MyCarDoesWhat campaign partnered with the National Advanced Driving Simulator (NADS) miniSim and the UI Mobile Museum to build an interactive exhibit as part of the overall museum for visitors to exp...

Biology Students Building Computer Simulations Using StarLogo TNG

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, V. Anne; Duncan, Ishbel

2011-01-01

Confidence is an important issue for biology students in handling computational concepts. This paper describes a practical in which honours-level bioscience students simulate complex animal behaviour using StarLogo TNG, a freely-available graphical programming environment. The practical consists of two sessions, the first of which guides students…

Modeling Education on the Real World.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunter, Beverly

1983-01-01

Discusses educational applications of computer simulation and model building for grades K to 8, with emphasis on the usefulness of the computer simulation language, micro-DYNAMO, for programing and understanding the models which help to explain social and natural phenomena. A new textbook for junior-senior high school students is noted. (EAO)

Building America Best Practices Series Volume 11. Builders Challenge Guide to 40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Marine Climate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baechler, Michael C.; Gilbride, Theresa L.; Hefty, Marye G.

2010-09-01

This best practices guide is the eleventh in a series of guides for builders produced by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America Program. This guide book is a resource to help builders design and construct homes that are among the most energy-efficient available, while addressing issues such as building durability, indoor air quality, and occupant health, safety, and comfort. With the measures described in this guide, builders in the marine climate (portions of Washington, Oregon, and California) can achieve homes that have whole house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark (a home built to mid-1990s buildingmore » practices roughly equivalent to the 1993 Model Energy Code) with no added overall costs for consumers. These best practices are based on the results of research and demonstration projects conducted by Building America’s research teams. The guide includes information for managers, designers, marketers, site supervisors, and subcontractors, as well as case studies of builders who are successfully building homes that cut energy use by 40% in the marine climate. This document is available on the web at www.buildingamerica.gov. This report was originally cleared 06-29-2010. This version is Rev 1 cleared in Nov 2010. The only change is the reference to the Energy Star Windows critieria shown on pg 8.25 was updated to match the criteria - Version 5.0, 04/07/2009, effective 01/04/2010.« less

New Technology Demonstration of the Whole-Building Diagnostician at the Federal Aviation Administration-Denver Airport

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pratt, Robert G.; Bauman, Nathan N.; Katipamula, Srinivas

2003-01-17

This report describes results from an evaluation of the Whole Building Diagnostician's (WBD) ability to automatically and continually diagnose operational problems in building air handlers at the Federal Aviation Administration's Denver airport.

Simulating Descent and Landing of a Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balaram, J.; Jain, Abhinandan; Martin, Bryan; Lim, Christopher; Henriquez, David; McMahon, Elihu; Sohl, Garrett; Banerjee, Pranab; Steele, Robert; Bentley, Timothy

2005-01-01

The Dynamics Simulator for Entry, Descent, and Surface landing (DSENDS) software performs high-fidelity simulation of the Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) of a spacecraft into the atmosphere and onto the surface of a planet or a smaller body. DSENDS is an extension of the DShell and DARTS programs, which afford capabilities for mathematical modeling of the dynamics of a spacecraft as a whole and of its instruments, actuators, and other subsystems. DSENDS enables the modeling (including real-time simulation) of flight-train elements and all spacecraft responses during various phases of EDL. DSENDS provides high-fidelity models of the aerodynamics of entry bodies and parachutes plus supporting models of atmospheres. Terrain and real-time responses of terrain-imaging radar and lidar instruments can also be modeled. The program includes modules for simulation of guidance, navigation, hypersonic steering, and powered descent. Automated state-machine-driven model switching is used to represent spacecraft separations and reconfigurations. Models for computing landing contact and impact forces are expected to be added. DSENDS can be used as a stand-alone program or incorporated into a larger program that simulates operations in real time.

Simulator for multilevel optimization research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Padula, S. L.; Young, K. C.

1986-01-01

A computer program designed to simulate and improve multilevel optimization techniques is described. By using simple analytic functions to represent complex engineering analyses, the simulator can generate and test a large variety of multilevel decomposition strategies in a relatively short time. This type of research is an essential step toward routine optimization of large aerospace systems. The paper discusses the types of optimization problems handled by the simulator and gives input and output listings and plots for a sample problem. It also describes multilevel implementation techniques which have value beyond the present computer program. Thus, this document serves as a user's manual for the simulator and as a guide for building future multilevel optimization applications.

Approaches to 30 Percent Energy Savings at the Community Scale in the Hot-Humid Climate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thomas-Rees, S.; Beal, D.; Martin, E.

2013-03-01

BA-PIRC has worked with several community-scale builders within the hot humid climate zone to improve performance of production, or community scale, housing. Tommy Williams Homes (Gainesville, FL), Lifestyle Homes (Melbourne, FL), and Habitat for Humanity (various locations, FL) have all been continuous partners of the Building America program and are the subjects of this report to document achievement of the Building America goal of 30% whole house energy savings packages adopted at the community scale. Key aspects of this research include determining how to evolve existing energy efficiency packages to produce replicable target savings, identifying what builders' technical assistance needsmore » are for implementation and working with them to create sustainable quality assurance mechanisms, and documenting the commercial viability through neutral cost analysis and market acceptance. This report documents certain barriers builders overcame and the approaches they implemented in order to accomplish Building America (BA) Program goals that have not already been documented in previous reports.« less

Building America Expert Meeting Report: Transitioning Traditional HVAC Contractors to Whole House Performance Contractors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Burdick, A.

This report outlines findings resulting from a U.S. Department of Energy Building America expert meeting to determine how HVAC companies can transition from a traditional contractor status to a service provider for whole house energy upgrade contracting. IBACOS has embarked upon a research effort under the Building America Program to understand business impacts and change management strategies for HVAC companies. HVAC companies can implement these strategies in order to quickly transition from a 'traditional' heating and cooling contractor to a service provider for whole house energy upgrade contracting. Due to HVAC service contracts, which allow repeat interaction with homeowners, HVACmore » companies are ideally positioned in the marketplace to resolve homeowner comfort issues through whole house energy upgrades. There are essentially two primary ways to define the routes of transition for an HVAC contractor taking on whole house performance contracting: (1) Sub-contracting out the shell repair/upgrade work; and (2) Integrating the shell repair/upgrade work into their existing business. IBACOS held an Expert Meeting on the topic of Transitioning Traditional HVAC Contractors to Whole House Performance Contractors on March 29, 2011 in San Francisco, CA. The major objectives of the meeting were to: Review and validate the general business models for traditional HVAC companies and whole house energy upgrade companies Review preliminary findings on the differences between the structure of traditional HVAC Companies and whole house energy upgrade companies Seek industry input on how to structure information so it is relevant and useful for traditional HVAC contractors who are transitioning to becoming whole house energy upgrade contractors Seven industry experts identified by IBACOS participated in the session along with one representative from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The objective of the meeting was to validate the general operational profile of an integrated whole house performance contracting company and identify the most significant challenges facing a traditional HVAC contractor looking to transition to a whole house performance contractor. To facilitate the discussion, IBACOS divided the business operations profile of a typical integrated whole house performance contracting company (one that performs both HVAC and shell repair/upgrade work) into seven Operational Areas with more detailed Business Functions and Work Activities falling under each high-level Operational Area. The expert panel was asked to review the operational profile or 'map' of the Business Functions. The specific Work Activities within the Business Functions identified as potential transition barriers were rated by the group relative to the value in IBACOS creating guidance ensuring a successful transition and the relative difficulty in executing.« less

Research on electromechanical resonance of two-axis tracking system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Zhi-ming; Xue, Ying-jie; Zeng, Shu-qin; Li, Zhi-guo

2017-02-01

The multi-axes synchronous system about the spatial two-axis turntable is the key equipment for semi-physical simulation and test in aerospace. In this paper, the whole structure design of the turntable is created by using Solidworks, then putting the three-dimensional solid model into ANSYS to build the finite element model. The software ANSYS is used to do the simulation about the static and dynamic analysis of two-axis turntable. Based on the modal analysis, we can forecast the inherent frequencies and the mode of vibration during the launch conditions which is very important to the design and safety of the structure.

Evaluation of a High-Performance Solar Home in Loveland, Colorado

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hendron, R.; Eastment, M.; Hancock, E.

2006-01-01

Building America (BA) partner McStain Neighborhoods built the Discovery House in Loveland, Colorado, with an extensive package of energy-efficient features, including a high-performance envelope, efficient mechanical systems, a solar water heater integrated with the space-heating system, a heat-recovery ventilator (HRV), and ENERGY STAR? appliances. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Building Science Consortium (BSC) conducted short-term field-testing and building energy simulations to evaluate the performance of the house. These evaluations are utilized by BA to improve future prototype designs and to identify critical research needs. The Discovery House building envelope and ducts were very tight under normal operating conditions.more » The HRV provided fresh air at a rate of about 75 cfm (35 l/s), consistent with the recommendations of ASHRAE Standard 62.2. The solar hot water system is expected to meet the bulk of the domestic hot water (DHW) load (>83%), but only about 12% of the space-heating load. DOE-2.2 simulations predict whole-house source energy savings of 54% compared to the BA Benchmark [1]. The largest contributors to energy savings beyond McStain's standard practice are the solar water heater, HRV, improved air distribution, high-efficiency boiler, and compact fluorescent lighting package.« less

Evaluation of a High-Performance Solar Home in Loveland, Colorado: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hendron, R.; Eastment, M.; Hancock, E.

Building America (BA) partner McStain Neighborhoods built the Discovery House in Loveland, Colorado, with an extensive package of energy-efficient features, including a high-performance envelope, efficient mechanical systems, a solar water heater integrated with the space-heating system, a heat-recovery ventilator (HRV), and ENERGY STAR appliances. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Building Science Consortium (BSC) conducted short-term field-testing and building energy simulations to evaluate the performance of the house. These evaluations are utilized by BA to improve future prototype designs and to identify critical research needs. The Discovery House building envelope and ducts were very tight under normal operating conditions.more » The HRV provided fresh air at a rate of about 35 l/s (75 cfm), consistent with the recommendations of ASHRAE Standard 62.2. The solar hot water system is expected to meet the bulk of the domestic hot water (DHW) load (>83%), but only about 12% of the space-heating load. DOE-2.2 simulations predict whole-house source energy savings of 54% compared to the BA Benchmark. The largest contributors to energy savings beyond McStain's standard practice are the solar water heater, HRV, improved air distribution, high-efficiency boiler, and compact fluorescent lighting package.« less

Operative air temperature data for different measures applied on a building envelope in warm climate.

PubMed

Baglivo, Cristina; Congedo, Paolo Maria

2018-04-01

Several technical combinations have been evaluated in order to design high energy performance buildings for the warm climate. The analysis has been developed in several steps, avoiding the use of HVAC systems. The methodological approach of this study is based on a sequential search technique and it is shown on the paper entitled "Envelope Design Optimization by Thermal Modeling of a Building in a Warm Climate" [1]. The Operative Air Temperature trends (TOP), for each combination, have been plotted through a dynamic simulation performed using the software TRNSYS 17 (a transient system simulation program, University of Wisconsin, Solar Energy Laboratory, USA, 2010). Starting from the simplest building configuration consisting of 9 rooms (equal-sized modules of 5 × 5 m 2 ), the different building components are sequentially evaluated until the envelope design is optimized. The aim of this study is to perform a step-by-step simulation, simplifying as much as possible the model without making additional variables that can modify their performances. Walls, slab-on-ground floor, roof, shading and windows are among the simulated building components. The results are shown for each combination and evaluated for Brindisi, a city in southern Italy having 1083 degrees day, belonging to the national climatic zone C. The data show the trends of the TOP for each measure applied in the case study for a total of 17 combinations divided into eight steps.

Hourly test reference weather data in the changing climate of Finland for building energy simulations.

PubMed

Jylhä, Kirsti; Ruosteenoja, Kimmo; Jokisalo, Juha; Pilli-Sihvola, Karoliina; Kalamees, Targo; Mäkelä, Hanna; Hyvönen, Reijo; Drebs, Achim

2015-09-01

Dynamic building energy simulations need hourly weather data as input. The same high temporal resolution is required for assessments of future heating and cooling energy demand. The data presented in this article concern current typical values and estimated future changes in outdoor air temperature, wind speed, relative humidity and global, diffuse and normal solar radiation components. Simulated annual and seasonal delivered energy consumptions for heating of spaces, heating of ventilation supply air and cooling of spaces in the current and future climatic conditions are also presented for an example house, with district heating and a mechanical space cooling system. We provide details on how the synthetic future weather files were created and utilised as input data for dynamic building energy simulations by the IDA Indoor Climate and Energy program and also for calculations of heating and cooling degree-day sums. The information supplied here is related to the research article titled "Energy demand for the heating and cooling of residential houses in Finland in a changing climate" [1].

A molecular fragment cheminformatics roadmap for mesoscopic simulation.

PubMed

Truszkowski, Andreas; Daniel, Mirco; Kuhn, Hubert; Neumann, Stefan; Steinbeck, Christoph; Zielesny, Achim; Epple, Matthias

2014-12-01

Mesoscopic simulation studies the structure, dynamics and properties of large molecular ensembles with millions of atoms: Its basic interacting units (beads) are no longer the nuclei and electrons of quantum chemical ab-initio calculations or the atom types of molecular mechanics but molecular fragments, molecules or even larger molecular entities. For its simulation setup and output a mesoscopic simulation kernel software uses abstract matrix (array) representations for bead topology and connectivity. Therefore a pure kernel-based mesoscopic simulation task is a tedious, time-consuming and error-prone venture that limits its practical use and application. A consequent cheminformatics approach tackles these problems and provides solutions for a considerably enhanced accessibility. This study aims at outlining a complete cheminformatics roadmap that frames a mesoscopic Molecular Fragment Dynamics (MFD) simulation kernel to allow its efficient use and practical application. The molecular fragment cheminformatics roadmap consists of four consecutive building blocks: An adequate fragment structure representation (1), defined operations on these fragment structures (2), the description of compartments with defined compositions and structural alignments (3), and the graphical setup and analysis of a whole simulation box (4). The basis of the cheminformatics approach (i.e. building block 1) is a SMILES-like line notation (denoted f SMILES) with connected molecular fragments to represent a molecular structure. The f SMILES notation and the following concepts and methods for building blocks 2-4 are outlined with examples and practical usage scenarios. It is shown that the requirements of the roadmap may be partly covered by already existing open-source cheminformatics software. Mesoscopic simulation techniques like MFD may be considerably alleviated and broadened for practical use with a consequent cheminformatics layer that successfully tackles its setup subtleties and conceptual usage hurdles. Molecular Fragment Cheminformatics may be regarded as a crucial accelerator to propagate MFD and similar mesoscopic simulation techniques in the molecular sciences. Graphical abstractA molecular fragment cheminformatics roadmap for mesoscopic simulation.

Brian Ball | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Integration program, developing inverse modeling algorithms to calibrate building energy models, and is part related equipment. This work included developing an engineering grade operator training simulator for an

Leaders by example: Best practices and advice on establishing a state-of-the art surgical simulation center that optimizes available resources.

PubMed

Gardner, A K; Ritter, E M; Dunkin, B J; Smink, D S; Lau, J N; Paige, J T; Phitayakorn, R; Acton, R D; Stefanidis, D; Gee, D W

2018-02-01

The role of simulation-based education continues to expand exponentially. To excel in this environment as a surgical simulation leader requires unique knowledge, skills, and abilities that are different from those used in traditional clinically-based education. Leaders in surgical simulation were invited to participate as discussants in a pre-conference course offered by the Association for Surgical Education. Highlights from their discussions were recorded. Recommendations were provided on topics such as building a simulation team, preparing for accreditation requirements, what to ask for during early stages of development, identifying tools and resources needed to meet educational goals, expanding surgical simulation programming, and building educational curricula. These recommendations provide new leaders in simulation with a unique combination of up-to-date best practices in simulation-based education, as well as valuable advice gained from lessons learned from the personal experiences of national leaders in the field of surgical simulation and education. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Building technolgies program. 1994 annual report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Selkowitz, S.E.

1995-04-01

The objective of the Building Technologies program is to assist the U.S. building industry in achieving substantial reductions in building sector energy use and associated greenhouse gas emissions while improving comfort, amenity, health, and productivity in the building sector. We have focused our past efforts on two major building systems, windows and lighting, and on the simulation tools needed by researchers and designers to integrate the full range of energy efficiency solutions into achievable, cost-effective design solutions for new and existing buildings. In addition, we are now taking more of an integrated systems and life cycle perspective to create cost-effectivemore » solutions for more energy efficient, comfortable, and productive work and living environments. More than 30% of all energy use in buildings is attributable to two sources: windows and lighting. Together they account for annual consumer energy expenditures of more than $50 billion. Each affects not only energy use by other major building systems, but also comfort and productivity-factors that influence building economics far more than does direct energy consumption alone. Windows play a unique role in the building envelope, physically separating the conditioned space from the world outside without sacrificing vital visual contact. Throughout every space in a building, lighting systems facilitate a variety of tasks associated with a wide range of visual requirements while defining the luminous qualities of the indoor environment. Window and lighting systems are thus essential components of any comprehensive building science program.« less

Prototype Common Bus Spacecraft: Hover Test Implementation and Results. Revision, Feb. 26, 2009

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hine, Butler Preston; Turner, Mark; Marshall, William S.

2009-01-01

In order to develop the capability to evaluate control system technologies, NASA Ames Research Center (Ames) began a test program to build a Hover Test Vehicle (HTV) - a ground-based simulated flight vehicle. The HTV would integrate simulated propulsion, avionics, and sensors into a simulated flight structure, and fly that test vehicle in terrestrial conditions intended to simulate a flight environment, in particular for attitude control. The ultimate purpose of the effort at Ames is to determine whether the low-cost hardware and flight software techniques are viable for future low cost missions. To enable these engineering goals, the project sought to develop a team, processes and procedures capable of developing, building and operating a fully functioning vehicle including propulsion, GN&C, structure, power and diagnostic sub-systems, through the development of the simulated vehicle.

Development of EnergyPlus Utility to Batch Simulate Building Energy Performance on a National Scale

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Valencia, Jayson F.; Dirks, James A.

2008-08-29

EnergyPlus is a simulation program that requires a large number of details to fully define and model a building. Hundreds or even thousands of lines in a text file are needed to run the EnergyPlus simulation depending on the size of the building. To manually create these files is a time consuming process that would not be practical when trying to create input files for thousands of buildings needed to simulate national building energy performance. To streamline the process needed to create the input files for EnergyPlus, two methods were created to work in conjunction with the National Renewable Energymore » Laboratory (NREL) Preprocessor; this reduced the hundreds of inputs needed to define a building in EnergyPlus to a small set of high-level parameters. The first method uses Java routines to perform all of the preprocessing on a Windows machine while the second method carries out all of the preprocessing on the Linux cluster by using an in-house built utility called Generalized Parametrics (GPARM). A comma delimited (CSV) input file is created to define the high-level parameters for any number of buildings. Each method then takes this CSV file and uses the data entered for each parameter to populate an extensible markup language (XML) file used by the NREL Preprocessor to automatically prepare EnergyPlus input data files (idf) using automatic building routines and macro templates. Using a Linux utility called “make”, the idf files can then be automatically run through the Linux cluster and the desired data from each building can be aggregated into one table to be analyzed. Creating a large number of EnergyPlus input files results in the ability to batch simulate building energy performance and scale the result to national energy consumption estimates.« less

An Experiment in the Use of Computer-Based Education to Teach Energy Considerations in Architectural Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arumi, Francisco N.

Computer programs capable of describing the thermal behavior of buildings are used to help architectural students understand environmental systems. The Numerical Simulation Laboratory at the Architectural School of the University of Texas at Austin was developed to provide the necessary software capable of simulating the energy transactions…

Comparison of software models for energy savings from cool roofs

DOE PAGES

New, Joshua; Miller, William A.; Huang, Yu; ...

2015-06-07

For this study, a web-based Roof Savings Calculator (RSC) has been deployed for the United States Department of Energy as an industry-consensus tool to help building owners, manufacturers, distributors, contractors and researchers easily run complex roof and attic simulations. RSC simulates multiple roof and attic technologies for side-by-side comparison including reflective roofs, different roof slopes, above sheathing ventilation, radiant barriers, low-emittance roof surfaces, duct location, duct leakage rates, multiple substrate types, and insulation levels. Annual simulations of hour-by-hour, whole-building performance are used to provide estimated annual energy and cost savings from reduced HVAC use. While RSC reported similar cooling savingsmore » to other simulation engines, heating penalty varied significantly. RSC results show reduced cool roofing cost-effectiveness, thus mitigating expected economic incentives for this countermeasure to the urban heat island effect. This paper consolidates comparison of RSC's projected energy savings to other simulation engines including DOE-2.1E, AtticSim, Micropas, and EnergyPlus. Also included are comparisons to previous simulation-based studies, analysis of RSC cooling savings and heating penalties, the role of radiative heat exchange in an attic assembly, and changes made for increased accuracy of the duct model. Finally, radiant heat transfer and duct interaction not previously modeled is considered a major contributor to heating penalties.« less

The Amber Biomolecular Simulation Programs

PubMed Central

CASE, DAVID A.; CHEATHAM, THOMAS E.; DARDEN, TOM; GOHLKE, HOLGER; LUO, RAY; MERZ, KENNETH M.; ONUFRIEV, ALEXEY; SIMMERLING, CARLOS; WANG, BING; WOODS, ROBERT J.

2006-01-01

We describe the development, current features, and some directions for future development of the Amber package of computer programs. This package evolved from a program that was constructed in the late 1970s to do Assisted Model Building with Energy Refinement, and now contains a group of programs embodying a number of powerful tools of modern computational chemistry, focused on molecular dynamics and free energy calculations of proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates. PMID:16200636

Evaluation of energy savings potential of variable refrigerant flow (VRF) from variable air volume (VAV) in the U.S. climate locations

DOE PAGES

Kim, Dongsu; Cox, Sam J.; Cho, Heejin; ...

2017-05-22

Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems are known for their high energy performance and thus can improve energy efficiency both in residential and commercial buildings. The energy savings potential of this system has been demonstrated in several studies by comparing the system performance with conventional HVAC systems such as rooftop variable air volume systems (RTU-VAV) and central chiller and boiler systems. This paper evaluates the performance of VRF and RTU-VAV systems in a simulation environment using widely-accepted whole building energy modeling software, EnergyPlus. A medium office prototype building model, developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is used to assessmore » the performance of VRF and RTU-VAV systems. Each system is placed in 16 different locations, representing all U.S. climate zones, to evaluate the performance variations. Both models are compliant with the minimum energy code requirements prescribed in ASHRAE standard 90.1-2010 — energy standard for buildings except low-rise residential buildings. Finally, a comparison study between the simulation results of VRF and RTU-VAV models is made to demonstrate energy savings potential of VRF systems. The simulation results show that the VRF systems would save around 15–42% and 18–33% for HVAC site and source energy uses compared to the RTU-VAV systems. In addition, calculated results for annual HVAC cost savings point out that hot and mild climates show higher percentage cost savings for the VRF systems than cold climates mainly due to the differences in electricity and gas use for heating sources.« less

Evaluation of energy savings potential of variable refrigerant flow (VRF) from variable air volume (VAV) in the U.S. climate locations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Dongsu; Cox, Sam J.; Cho, Heejin

Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems are known for their high energy performance and thus can improve energy efficiency both in residential and commercial buildings. The energy savings potential of this system has been demonstrated in several studies by comparing the system performance with conventional HVAC systems such as rooftop variable air volume systems (RTU-VAV) and central chiller and boiler systems. This paper evaluates the performance of VRF and RTU-VAV systems in a simulation environment using widely-accepted whole building energy modeling software, EnergyPlus. A medium office prototype building model, developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is used to assessmore » the performance of VRF and RTU-VAV systems. Each system is placed in 16 different locations, representing all U.S. climate zones, to evaluate the performance variations. Both models are compliant with the minimum energy code requirements prescribed in ASHRAE standard 90.1-2010 — energy standard for buildings except low-rise residential buildings. Finally, a comparison study between the simulation results of VRF and RTU-VAV models is made to demonstrate energy savings potential of VRF systems. The simulation results show that the VRF systems would save around 15–42% and 18–33% for HVAC site and source energy uses compared to the RTU-VAV systems. In addition, calculated results for annual HVAC cost savings point out that hot and mild climates show higher percentage cost savings for the VRF systems than cold climates mainly due to the differences in electricity and gas use for heating sources.« less

Young driver education programs that build resilience have potential to reduce road crashes.

PubMed

Senserrick, Teresa; Ivers, Rebecca; Boufous, Soufiane; Chen, Huei-Yang; Norton, Robyn; Stevenson, Mark; van Beurden, Eric; Zask, Avigdor

2009-11-01

The research aimed to explore associations between participation in 2 education programs for school-based learner drivers and subsequent road traffic offenses and crashes among a large cohort of newly licensed drivers. DRIVE is a prospective cohort study of 20822 first-year drivers aged 17 to 24 in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Participants completed a detailed questionnaire and consented to data linkage in 2003-2004. Questionnaire items included year of participation in 2 specific education programs: a 1-day workshop-only program focusing on driving risks ("driver-focused") and a whole-of-community program also including a 1-day workshop but also longer term follow-up activities and a broader focus on reducing risk-taking and building resilience ("resilience-focused"). Survey data were subsequently linked to police-reported crash and offense data for 1996-2005. Poisson regression models that adjusted for multiple confounders were created to explore offenses and crashes as a driver (dichotomized as 0 vs >or=1) after program participation. Offenses did not differ between groups; however, whereas the driver-focused program was not associated with reduced crash risk, the resilience-focused program was associated with a 44% reduced relative risk for crash (0.56 [95% confidence interval: 0.34-0.93]). The large effect size observed and complementary findings from a comparable randomized, controlled trial in the United States suggest programs that focus more generally on reducing risks and building resilience have the potential to reduce crashes. A large, representative, randomized, controlled trial is urgently needed to confirm road safety benefits and ensure evidence-based spending and practitioner recommendations in this field.

A translator and simulator for the Burroughs D machine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, J.

1972-01-01

The D Machine is described as a small user microprogrammable computer designed to be a versatile building block for such diverse functions as: disk file controllers, I/O controllers, and emulators. TRANSLANG is an ALGOL-like language, which allows D Machine users to write microprograms in an English-like format as opposed to creating binary bit pattern maps. The TRANSLANG translator parses TRANSLANG programs into D Machine microinstruction bit patterns which can be executed on the D Machine simulator. In addition to simulation and translation, the two programs also offer several debugging tools, such as: a full set of diagnostic error messages, register dumps, simulated memory dumps, traces on instructions and groups of instructions, and breakpoints.

Study of Collaborative Management for Transportation Construction Project Based on BIM Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jianhua, Liu; Genchuan, Luo; Daiquan, Liu; Wenlei, Li; Bowen, Feng

2018-03-01

Abstract. Building Information Modeling(BIM) is a building modeling technology based on the relevant information data of the construction project. It is an advanced technology and management concept, which is widely used in the whole life cycle process of planning, design, construction and operation. Based on BIM technology, transportation construction project collaborative management can have better communication through authenticity simulation and architectural visualization and can obtain the basic and real-time information such as project schedule, engineering quality, cost and environmental impact etc. The main services of highway construction management are integrated on the unified BIM platform for collaborative management to realize information intercommunication and exchange, to change the isolated situation of information in the past, and improve the level of information management. The final BIM model is integrated not only for the information management of project and the integration of preliminary documents and design drawings, but also for the automatic generation of completion data and final accounts, which covers the whole life cycle of traffic construction projects and lays a good foundation for smart highway construction.

Airside HVAC BESTEST: HVAC Air-Distribution System Model Test Cases for ASHRAE Standard 140

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Judkoff, Ronald; Neymark, Joel; Kennedy, Mike D.

This paper summarizes recent work to develop new airside HVAC equipment model analytical verification test cases for ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 140, Standard Method of Test for the Evaluation of Building Energy Analysis Computer Programs. The analytical verification test method allows comparison of simulation results from a wide variety of building energy simulation programs with quasi-analytical solutions, further described below. Standard 140 is widely cited for evaluating software for use with performance-path energy efficiency analysis, in conjunction with well-known energy-efficiency standards including ASHRAE Standard 90.1, the International Energy Conservation Code, and other international standards. Airside HVAC Equipment is a common area ofmore » modelling not previously explicitly tested by Standard 140. Integration of the completed test suite into Standard 140 is in progress.« less

Cradle-to-Gate Life-Cycle Inventory of Hardboard and Engineered Wood Siding and Trim Produced in North America

Treesearch

Richard D. Bergman

2015-01-01

Developing wood product LCI data helps construct product LCAs that are then incorporated into developing whole building LCAs in environmental footprint software such as the Athena Impact Estimator for Buildings (ASMI 2015). Conducting whole building LCAs provide for points that go toward green building certification in rating systems such as LEED v4, Green Globes, and...

Low-Cost Phase Change Material for Building Envelopes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abhari, Ramin

2015-08-06

A low-cost PCM process consisting of conversion of fats and oils to PCM-range paraffins, and subsequent “encapsulation” of the paraffin using conventional plastic compounding/pelletizing equipment was demonstrated. The PCM pellets produced were field-tested in a building envelope application. This involved combining the PCM pellets with cellulose insulation, whereby 33% reduction in peak heat flux and 12% reduction in heat gain was observed (average summertime performance). The selling price of the PCM pellets produced according to this low-cost process is expected to be in the $1.50-$3.00/lb range, compared to current encapsulated PCM price of about $7.00/lb. Whole-building simulations using corresponding PCMmore » thermal analysis data suggest a payback time of 8 to 16 years (at current energy prices) for an attic insulation retrofit project in the Phoenix climate area.« less

Thinking Like a Whole Building: Whole Foods Market New Construction Summary, U.S. Department of Energy's Commercial Building Partnerships (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

2011-04-01

Whole Foods Market participates in the U.S. Department of Energy's Commercial Building Partnerships (CBP) to identify and develop cost-effective, readily deployed, replicable energy efficiency measures (EEMs) for commercial buildings. Whole Foods Market is working with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) on a retrofit and a new construction CBP project. Whole Foods Market's CBP new construction project is a standalone store in Raleigh, North Carolina. Whole Foods Market examined the energy systems and the interactions between those systems in the design for the new Raleigh store. Based on this collaboration and preliminary energy modeling, Whole Foods Market and NREL identifiedmore » a number of cost-effective EEMs that can be readily deployed in other Whole Foods Market stores and in other U.S. supermarkets. If the actual savings in the Raleigh store - which NREL will monitor and verify - match the modeling results, each year this store will save nearly $100,000 in operating costs (Raleigh's rates are about $0.06/kWh for electricity and $0.83/therm for natural gas). The store will also use 41% less energy than a Standard 90.1-compliant store and avoid about 3.7 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.« less

High Powered Rocketry: Design, Construction, and Launching Experience and Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paulson, Pryce; Curtis, Jarret; Bartel, Evan; Cyr, Waycen Owens; Lamsal, Chiranjivi

2018-01-01

In this study, the nuts and bolts of designing and building a high powered rocket have been presented. A computer simulation program called RockSim was used to design the rocket. Simulation results are consistent with time variations of altitude, velocity, and acceleration obtained in the actual flight. The actual drag coefficient was determined…

Approaches to 30% Energy Savings at the Community Scale in the Hot-Humid Climate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thomas-Rees, S.; Beal, D.; Martin, E.

2013-03-01

BA-PIRC has worked with several community-scale builders within the hot humid climate zone to improve performance of production, or community scale, housing. Tommy Williams Homes (Gainesville, FL), Lifestyle Homes (Melbourne, FL), and Habitat for Humanity (various locations, FL) have all been continuous partners of the BA Program and are the subjects of this report to document achievement of the Building America goal of 30% whole house energy savings packages adopted at the community scale. The scope of this report is to demonstrate achievement of these goals though the documentation of production-scale homes built cost-effectively at the community scale, and modeledmore » to reduce whole-house energy use by 30% in the Hot Humid climate region. Key aspects of this research include determining how to evolve existing energy efficiency packages to produce replicable target savings, identifying what builders' technical assistance needs are for implementation and working with them to create sustainable quality assurance mechanisms, and documenting the commercial viability through neutral cost analysis and market acceptance. This report documents certain barriers builders overcame and the approaches they implemented in order to accomplish Building America (BA) Program goals that have not already been documented in previous reports.« less

Coaching the Debriefer: Peer Coaching to Improve Debriefing Quality in Simulation Programs.

PubMed

Cheng, Adam; Grant, Vincent; Huffman, James; Burgess, Gavin; Szyld, Demian; Robinson, Traci; Eppich, Walter

2017-10-01

Formal faculty development programs for simulation educators are costly and time-consuming. Peer coaching integrated into the teaching flow can enhance an educator's debriefing skills. We provide a practical guide for the who, what, when, where, why, and how of peer coaching for debriefing in simulation-based education. Peer coaching offers advantages such as psychological safety and team building, and it can benefit both the educator who is receiving feedback and the coach who is providing it. A feedback form for effective peer coaching includes the following: (1) psychological safety, (2) framework, (3) method/strategy, (4) content, (5) learner centeredness, (6) co-facilitation, (7) time management, (8) difficult situations, (9) debriefing adjuncts, and (10) individual style and experience. Institutional backing of peer coaching programs can facilitate implementation and sustainability. Program leaders should communicate the need and benefits, establish program goals, and provide assessment tools, training, structure, and evaluation to optimize chances of success.

WholeCellSimDB: a hybrid relational/HDF database for whole-cell model predictions

PubMed Central

Karr, Jonathan R.; Phillips, Nolan C.; Covert, Markus W.

2014-01-01

Mechanistic ‘whole-cell’ models are needed to develop a complete understanding of cell physiology. However, extracting biological insights from whole-cell models requires running and analyzing large numbers of simulations. We developed WholeCellSimDB, a database for organizing whole-cell simulations. WholeCellSimDB was designed to enable researchers to search simulation metadata to identify simulations for further analysis, and quickly slice and aggregate simulation results data. In addition, WholeCellSimDB enables users to share simulations with the broader research community. The database uses a hybrid relational/hierarchical data format architecture to efficiently store and retrieve both simulation setup metadata and results data. WholeCellSimDB provides a graphical Web-based interface to search, browse, plot and export simulations; a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) Web service to retrieve data for Web-based visualizations; a command-line interface to deposit simulations; and a Python API to retrieve data for advanced analysis. Overall, we believe WholeCellSimDB will help researchers use whole-cell models to advance basic biological science and bioengineering. Database URL: http://www.wholecellsimdb.org Source code repository URL: http://github.com/CovertLab/WholeCellSimDB PMID:25231498

VirtualLeaf: an open-source framework for cell-based modeling of plant tissue growth and development.

PubMed

Merks, Roeland M H; Guravage, Michael; Inzé, Dirk; Beemster, Gerrit T S

2011-02-01

Plant organs, including leaves and roots, develop by means of a multilevel cross talk between gene regulation, patterned cell division and cell expansion, and tissue mechanics. The multilevel regulatory mechanisms complicate classic molecular genetics or functional genomics approaches to biological development, because these methodologies implicitly assume a direct relation between genes and traits at the level of the whole plant or organ. Instead, understanding gene function requires insight into the roles of gene products in regulatory networks, the conditions of gene expression, etc. This interplay is impossible to understand intuitively. Mathematical and computer modeling allows researchers to design new hypotheses and produce experimentally testable insights. However, the required mathematics and programming experience makes modeling poorly accessible to experimental biologists. Problem-solving environments provide biologically intuitive in silico objects ("cells", "regulation networks") required for setting up a simulation and present those to the user in terms of familiar, biological terminology. Here, we introduce the cell-based computer modeling framework VirtualLeaf for plant tissue morphogenesis. The current version defines a set of biologically intuitive C++ objects, including cells, cell walls, and diffusing and reacting chemicals, that provide useful abstractions for building biological simulations of developmental processes. We present a step-by-step introduction to building models with VirtualLeaf, providing basic example models of leaf venation and meristem development. VirtualLeaf-based models provide a means for plant researchers to analyze the function of developmental genes in the context of the biophysics of growth and patterning. VirtualLeaf is an ongoing open-source software project (http://virtualleaf.googlecode.com) that runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Acceleration of the matrix multiplication of Radiance three phase daylighting simulations with parallel computing on heterogeneous hardware of personal computer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zuo, Wangda; McNeil, Andrew; Wetter, Michael

2013-05-23

Building designers are increasingly relying on complex fenestration systems to reduce energy consumed for lighting and HVAC in low energy buildings. Radiance, a lighting simulation program, has been used to conduct daylighting simulations for complex fenestration systems. Depending on the configurations, the simulation can take hours or even days using a personal computer. This paper describes how to accelerate the matrix multiplication portion of a Radiance three-phase daylight simulation by conducting parallel computing on heterogeneous hardware of a personal computer. The algorithm was optimized and the computational part was implemented in parallel using OpenCL. The speed of new approach wasmore » evaluated using various daylighting simulation cases on a multicore central processing unit and a graphics processing unit. Based on the measurements and analysis of the time usage for the Radiance daylighting simulation, further speedups can be achieved by using fast I/O devices and storing the data in a binary format.« less

Investigation of roughing machining simulation by using visual basic programming in NX CAM system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hafiz Mohamad, Mohamad; Nafis Osman Zahid, Muhammed

2018-03-01

This paper outlines a simulation study to investigate the characteristic of roughing machining simulation in 4th axis milling processes by utilizing visual basic programming in NX CAM systems. The selection and optimization of cutting orientation in rough milling operation is critical in 4th axis machining. The main purpose of roughing operation is to approximately shape the machined parts into finished form by removing the bulk of material from workpieces. In this paper, the simulations are executed by manipulating a set of different cutting orientation to generate estimated volume removed from the machine parts. The cutting orientation with high volume removal is denoted as an optimum value and chosen to execute a roughing operation. In order to run the simulation, customized software is developed to assist the routines. Operations build-up instructions in NX CAM interface are translated into programming codes via advanced tool available in the Visual Basic Studio. The codes is customized and equipped with decision making tools to run and control the simulations. It permits the integration with any independent program files to execute specific operations. This paper aims to discuss about the simulation program and identifies optimum cutting orientations for roughing processes. The output of this study will broaden up the simulation routines performed in NX CAM systems.

WBDG: A Resource for All

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brodt, Bill; Smith, Dana K.

2009-01-01

The Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG) (www.wbdg.org) is the only Web-based portal providing government and industry practitioners with one-stop access to up-to-date information on a wide range of building-related guidance, criteria, and technology from a "whole buildings" perspective. The resource is a product of the National Institute of…

Setting Whole-Building Absolute Energy Use Targets for the K-12 School, Retail, and Healthcare Sectors: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Leach, M.; Bonnema, E.; Pless, S.

2012-08-01

This paper helps owners' efficiency representatives to inform executive management, contract development, and project management staff as to how specifying and applying whole-building absolute energy use targets for new construction or renovation projects can improve the operational energy performance of commercial buildings.

Cooling energy savings potential of light-colored roofs for residential and commercial buildings in 11 US metropolitan areas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Konopacki, S.; Akbari, H.; Gartland, L.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sponsored this project to estimate potential energy and monetary savings resulting from the implementation of light-colored roofs on residential and commercial buildings in major U.S. metropolitan areas. Light-colored roofs reflect more sunlight than dark roofs, so they keep buildings cooler and reduce air-conditioning demand. Typically, rooftops in the United States are dark, and thus there is a potential for saving energy and money by changing to reflective roofs. Naturally, the expected savings are higher in southern, sunny, and cloudless climates. In this study, we make quantitative estimates of reduction in peak power demand andmore » annual cooling electricity use that would result from increasing the reflectivity of the roofs. Since light-colored roofs also reflect heat in the winter, the estimates of annual electricity savings are a net value corrected for the increased wintertime energy use. Savings estimates only include direct reduction in building energy use and do not account for the indirect benefit that would also occur from the reduction in ambient temperature, i.e. a reduction in the heat island effect. This analysis is based on simulations of building energy use, using the DOE-2 building energy simulation program. Our methodology starts with specifying 11 prototypical buildings: single-family residential (old and new), office (old and new), retail store (old and new), school (primary and secondary), health (hospital and nursing home), and grocery store. Most prototypes are simulated with two heating systems: gas furnace and heat pumps. We then perform DOE-2 simulations of the prototypical buildings, with light and dark roofs, in a variety of climates and obtain estimates of the energy use for air conditioning and heating.« less

NECAP: NASA's Energy-Cost Analysis Program. Part 1: User's manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henninger, R. H. (Editor)

1975-01-01

The NECAP is a sophisticated building design and energy analysis tool which has embodied within it all of the latest ASHRAE state-of-the-art techniques for performing thermal load calculation and energy usage predictions. It is a set of six individual computer programs which include: response factor program, data verification program, thermal load analysis program, variable temperature program, system and equipment simulation program, and owning and operating cost program. Each segment of NECAP is described, and instructions are set forth for preparing the required input data and for interpreting the resulting reports.

Parallel programming with Easy Java Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esquembre, F.; Christian, W.; Belloni, M.

2018-01-01

Nearly all of today's processors are multicore, and ideally programming and algorithm development utilizing the entire processor should be introduced early in the computational physics curriculum. Parallel programming is often not introduced because it requires a new programming environment and uses constructs that are unfamiliar to many teachers. We describe how we decrease the barrier to parallel programming by using a java-based programming environment to treat problems in the usual undergraduate curriculum. We use the easy java simulations programming and authoring tool to create the program's graphical user interface together with objects based on those developed by Kaminsky [Building Parallel Programs (Course Technology, Boston, 2010)] to handle common parallel programming tasks. Shared-memory parallel implementations of physics problems, such as time evolution of the Schrödinger equation, are available as source code and as ready-to-run programs from the AAPT-ComPADRE digital library.

Dynamic building risk assessment theoretic model for rainstorm-flood utilization ABM and ABS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Wenze; Li, Wenbo; Wang, Hailei; Huang, Yingliang; Wu, Xuelian; Sun, Bingyun

2015-12-01

Flood is one of natural disasters with the worst loss in the world. It needs to assess flood disaster risk so that we can reduce the loss of flood disaster. Disaster management practical work needs the dynamic risk results of building. Rainstorm flood disaster system is a typical complex system. From the view of complex system theory, flood disaster risk is the interaction result of hazard effect objects, rainstorm flood hazard factors, and hazard environments. Agent-based modeling (ABM) is an important tool for complex system modeling. Rainstorm-flood building risk dynamic assessment method (RFBRDAM) was proposed using ABM in this paper. The interior structures and procedures of different agents in proposed meth had been designed. On the Netlogo platform, the proposed method was implemented to assess the building risk changes of the rainstorm flood disaster in the Huaihe River Basin using Agent-based simulation (ABS). The results indicated that the proposed method can dynamically assess building risk of the whole process for the rainstorm flood disaster. The results of this paper can provide one new approach for flood disaster building risk dynamic assessment and flood disaster management.

Genetic algorithms and genetic programming for multiscale modeling: Applications in materials science and chemistry and advances in scalability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sastry, Kumara Narasimha

2007-03-01

Effective and efficient rnultiscale modeling is essential to advance both the science and synthesis in a, wide array of fields such as physics, chemistry, materials science; biology, biotechnology and pharmacology. This study investigates the efficacy and potential of rising genetic algorithms for rnultiscale materials modeling and addresses some of the challenges involved in designing competent algorithms that solve hard problems quickly, reliably and accurately. In particular, this thesis demonstrates the use of genetic algorithms (GAs) and genetic programming (GP) in multiscale modeling with the help of two non-trivial case studies in materials science and chemistry. The first case study explores the utility of genetic programming (GP) in multi-timescaling alloy kinetics simulations. In essence, GP is used to bridge molecular dynamics and kinetic Monte Carlo methods to span orders-of-magnitude in simulation time. Specifically, GP is used to regress symbolically an inline barrier function from a limited set of molecular dynamics simulations to enable kinetic Monte Carlo that simulate seconds of real time. Results on a non-trivial example of vacancy-assisted migration on a surface of a face-centered cubic (fcc) Copper-Cobalt (CuxCo 1-x) alloy show that GP predicts all barriers with 0.1% error from calculations for less than 3% of active configurations, independent of type of potentials used to obtain the learning set of barriers via molecular dynamics. The resulting method enables 2--9 orders-of-magnitude increase in real-time dynamics simulations taking 4--7 orders-of-magnitude less CPU time. The second case study presents the application of multiobjective genetic algorithms (MOGAs) in multiscaling quantum chemistry simulations. Specifically, MOGAs are used to bridge high-level quantum chemistry and semiempirical methods to provide accurate representation of complex molecular excited-state and ground-state behavior. Results on ethylene and benzene---two common building blocks in organic chemistry---indicate that MOGAs produce High-quality semiempirical methods that (1) are stable to small perturbations, (2) yield accurate configuration energies on untested and critical excited states, and (3) yield ab initio quality excited-state dynamics. The proposed method enables simulations of more complex systems to realistic, multi-picosecond timescales, well beyond previous attempts or expectation of human experts, and 2--3 orders-of-magnitude reduction in computational cost. While the two applications use simple evolutionary operators, in order to tackle more complex systems, their scalability and limitations have to be investigated. The second part of the thesis addresses some of the challenges involved with a successful design of genetic algorithms and genetic programming for multiscale modeling. The first issue addressed is the scalability of genetic programming, where facetwise models are built to assess the population size required by GP to ensure adequate supply of raw building blocks and also to ensure accurate decision-making between competing building blocks. This study also presents a design of competent genetic programming, where traditional fixed recombination operators are replaced by building and sampling probabilistic models of promising candidate programs. The proposed scalable GP, called extended compact GP (eCGP), combines the ideas from extended compact genetic algorithm (eCGA) and probabilistic incremental program evolution (PIPE) and adaptively identifies, propagates and exchanges important subsolutions of a search problem. Results show that eCGP scales cubically with problem size on both GP-easy and GP-hard problems. Finally, facetwise models are developed to explore limitations of scalability of MOGAs, where the scalability of multiobjective algorithms in reliably maintaining Pareto-optimal solutions is addressed. The results show that even when the building blocks are accurately identified, massive multimodality of the search problems can easily overwhelm the nicher (diversity preserving operator) and lead to exponential scale-up. Facetwise models are developed, which incorporate the combined effects of model accuracy, decision making, and sub-structure supply, as well as the effect of niching on the population sizing, to predict a limit on the growth rate of a maximum number of sub-structures that can compete in the two objectives to circumvent the failure of the niching method. The results show that if the number of competing building blocks between multiple objectives is less than the proposed limit, multiobjective GAs scale-up polynomially with the problem size on boundedly-difficult problems.

WholeCellSimDB: a hybrid relational/HDF database for whole-cell model predictions.

PubMed

Karr, Jonathan R; Phillips, Nolan C; Covert, Markus W

2014-01-01

Mechanistic 'whole-cell' models are needed to develop a complete understanding of cell physiology. However, extracting biological insights from whole-cell models requires running and analyzing large numbers of simulations. We developed WholeCellSimDB, a database for organizing whole-cell simulations. WholeCellSimDB was designed to enable researchers to search simulation metadata to identify simulations for further analysis, and quickly slice and aggregate simulation results data. In addition, WholeCellSimDB enables users to share simulations with the broader research community. The database uses a hybrid relational/hierarchical data format architecture to efficiently store and retrieve both simulation setup metadata and results data. WholeCellSimDB provides a graphical Web-based interface to search, browse, plot and export simulations; a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) Web service to retrieve data for Web-based visualizations; a command-line interface to deposit simulations; and a Python API to retrieve data for advanced analysis. Overall, we believe WholeCellSimDB will help researchers use whole-cell models to advance basic biological science and bioengineering. http://www.wholecellsimdb.org SOURCE CODE REPOSITORY: URL: http://github.com/CovertLab/WholeCellSimDB. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press.

From bricks to buildings: adapting the Medical Research Council framework to develop programs of research in simulation education and training for the health professions.

PubMed

Haji, Faizal A; Da Silva, Celina; Daigle, Delton T; Dubrowski, Adam

2014-08-01

Presently, health care simulation research is largely conducted on a study-by-study basis. Although such "project-based" research generates a plethora of evidence, it can be chaotic and contradictory. A move toward sustained, thematic, theory-based programs of research is necessary to advance knowledge in the field. Recognizing that simulation is a complex intervention, we present a framework for developing research programs in simulation-based education adapted from the Medical Research Council (MRC) guidance. This framework calls for an iterative approach to developing, refining, evaluating, and implementing simulation interventions. The adapted framework guidance emphasizes: (1) identification of theory and existing evidence; (2) modeling and piloting interventions to clarify active ingredients and identify mechanisms linking the context, intervention, and outcomes; and (3) evaluation of intervention processes and outcomes in both the laboratory and real-world setting. The proposed framework will aid simulation researchers in developing more robust interventions that optimize simulation-based education and advance our understanding of simulation pedagogy.

Modeling Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Infiltration in Low-Income Multifamily Housing before and after Building Energy Retrofits

PubMed Central

Fabian, Maria Patricia; Lee, Sharon Kitman; Underhill, Lindsay Jean; Vermeer, Kimberly; Adamkiewicz, Gary; Levy, Jonathan Ian

2016-01-01

Secondhand exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in multifamily housing remains a health concern despite strong recommendations to implement non-smoking policies. Multiple studies have documented exposure to ETS in non-smoking units located in buildings with smoking units. However, characterizing the magnitude of ETS infiltration or measuring the impact of building interventions or resident behavior on ETS is challenging due to the complexities of multifamily buildings, which include variable resident behaviors and complex airflows between numerous shared compartments (e.g., adjacent apartments, common hallways, elevators, heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, stack effect). In this study, building simulation models were used to characterize changes in ETS infiltration in a low income, multifamily apartment building in Boston which underwent extensive building renovations targeting energy savings. Results suggest that exterior wall air sealing can lead to increases in ETS infiltration across apartments, while compartmentalization can reduce infiltration. The magnitude and direction of ETS infiltration depends on apartment characteristics, including construction (i.e., level and number of exterior walls), resident behavior (e.g., window opening, operation of localized exhaust fans), and seasonality. Although overall ETS concentrations and infiltration were reduced post energy-related building retrofits, these trends were not generalizable to all building units. Whole building smoke-free policies are the best approach to eliminate exposure to ETS in multifamily housing. PMID:26999174

Modeling Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) Infiltration in Low-Income Multifamily Housing before and after Building Energy Retrofits.

PubMed

Fabian, Maria Patricia; Lee, Sharon Kitman; Underhill, Lindsay Jean; Vermeer, Kimberly; Adamkiewicz, Gary; Levy, Jonathan Ian

2016-03-16

Secondhand exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in multifamily housing remains a health concern despite strong recommendations to implement non-smoking policies. Multiple studies have documented exposure to ETS in non-smoking units located in buildings with smoking units. However, characterizing the magnitude of ETS infiltration or measuring the impact of building interventions or resident behavior on ETS is challenging due to the complexities of multifamily buildings, which include variable resident behaviors and complex airflows between numerous shared compartments (e.g., adjacent apartments, common hallways, elevators, heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, stack effect). In this study, building simulation models were used to characterize changes in ETS infiltration in a low income, multifamily apartment building in Boston which underwent extensive building renovations targeting energy savings. Results suggest that exterior wall air sealing can lead to increases in ETS infiltration across apartments, while compartmentalization can reduce infiltration. The magnitude and direction of ETS infiltration depends on apartment characteristics, including construction (i.e., level and number of exterior walls), resident behavior (e.g., window opening, operation of localized exhaust fans), and seasonality. Although overall ETS concentrations and infiltration were reduced post energy-related building retrofits, these trends were not generalizable to all building units. Whole building smoke-free policies are the best approach to eliminate exposure to ETS in multifamily housing.

The Cell Collective: Toward an open and collaborative approach to systems biology

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Despite decades of new discoveries in biomedical research, the overwhelming complexity of cells has been a significant barrier to a fundamental understanding of how cells work as a whole. As such, the holistic study of biochemical pathways requires computer modeling. Due to the complexity of cells, it is not feasible for one person or group to model the cell in its entirety. Results The Cell Collective is a platform that allows the world-wide scientific community to create these models collectively. Its interface enables users to build and use models without specifying any mathematical equations or computer code - addressing one of the major hurdles with computational research. In addition, this platform allows scientists to simulate and analyze the models in real-time on the web, including the ability to simulate loss/gain of function and test what-if scenarios in real time. Conclusions The Cell Collective is a web-based platform that enables laboratory scientists from across the globe to collaboratively build large-scale models of various biological processes, and simulate/analyze them in real time. In this manuscript, we show examples of its application to a large-scale model of signal transduction. PMID:22871178

Building capacity for knowledge translation in occupational therapy: learning through participatory action research.

PubMed

Bennett, Sally; Whitehead, Mary; Eames, Sally; Fleming, Jennifer; Low, Shanling; Caldwell, Elizabeth

2016-10-01

There has been widespread acknowledgement of the need to build capacity in knowledge translation however much of the existing work focuses on building capacity amongst researchers rather than with clinicians directly. This paper's aim is to describe a research project for developing a knowledge translation capacity building program for occupational therapy clinicians. Participatory action research methods were used to both develop and evaluate the knowledge translation capacity-building program. Participants were occupational therapists from a large metropolitan hospital in Australia. Researchers and clinicians worked together to use the action cycle of the Knowledge to Action Framework to increase use of knowledge translation itself within the department in general, within their clinical teams, and to facilitate knowledge translation becoming part of the department's culture. Barriers and enablers to using knowledge translation were identified through a survey based on the Theoretical Domains Framework and through focus groups. Multiple interventions were used to develop a knowledge translation capacity-building program. Fifty-two occupational therapists participated initially, but only 20 across the first 18 months of the project. Barriers and enablers were identified across all domains of the Theoretical Domains Framework. Interventions selected to address these barriers or facilitate enablers were categorised into ten different categories: educational outreach; teams working on clinical knowledge translation case studies; identifying time blocks for knowledge translation; mentoring; leadership strategies; communication strategies; documentation and resources to support knowledge translation; funding a knowledge translation champion one day per week; setting goals for knowledge translation; and knowledge translation reporting strategies. Use of these strategies was, and continues to be monitored. Participants continue to be actively involved in learning and shaping the knowledge translation program across the department and within their specific clinical areas. To build capacity for knowledge translation, it is important to involve clinicians. The action cycle of the Knowledge to Action framework is a useful guide to introduce the knowledge translation process to clinicians. It may be used to engage the department as a whole, and facilitate the learning and application of knowledge translation within specific clinical areas. Research evaluating this knowledge translation program is being conducted.

Whole Building Design Objectives for Campus Safety and Security: A System Dynamics Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oakes, Charles G.

2010-01-01

The May/June 2009 issue of "Facilities Manager" introduced APPA readers to the Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG)--today's most comprehensive Internet-based depository of resources contributing to a systems approach for everything of a building nature. The emphasis in that article was on Operations and Maintenance (O&M) issues and procedures. In…

Building America Residential System Research Results: Achieving 30% Whole House Energy Savings Level in Mixed-Humid Climates; January 2006 - December 2006

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Building America Industrialized Housing Partnership; Building Industry Research Alliance; Building Science Consortium

2006-12-01

The Building America program conducts the system research required to reduce risks associated with the design and construction of homes that use an average of 30% to 90% less total energy for all residential energy uses than the Building America Research Benchmark, including research on homes that will use zero net energy on annual basis. To measure the program's progress, annual research milestones have been established for five major climate regions in the United States. The system research activities required to reach each milestone take from 3 to 5 years to complete and include research in individual test houses, studiesmore » in pre-production prototypes, and research studies with lead builders that provide early examples that the specified energy savings level can be successfully achieved on a production basis. This report summarizes research results for the 30% energy savings level and demonstrates that lead builders can successfully provide 30% homes in the Mixed-Humid Climate Region on a cost-neutral basis.« less

Existing Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Pilot Demonstration of Phased Retrofits in Florida Homes - Central and South Florida Homes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2014-08-01

In this pilot project, the Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction and Florida Power and Light are collaborating to retrofit a large number of homes using a phased approach to both simple and deep retrofits. This project will provide the information necessary to significantly reduce energy use through larger community-scale projects in collaboration with utilities, program administrators and other market leader stakeholders.

In the Same Light as Slavery: Building a Global Antiterrorist Consensus

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-01

programs, or, as suggested above, in video or audiotapes of famous jihadists. They may also be found in popular song, cinema , and theatrical productions... Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Muhammad, speaking at the same summit meeting, concluded that, “We, the whole Muslim umma, are treated with contempt and...the resentments have emerged more recently and have intensified since the 1997 Asian economic crisis. Most Indonesians and Malaysians believe their

Comparison of cyclic correlation algorithm implemented in matlab and python

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carr, Richard; Whitney, James

Simulation is a necessary step for all engineering projects. Simulation gives the engineers an approximation of how their devices will perform under different circumstances, without hav-ing to build, or before building a physical prototype. This is especially true for space bound devices, i.e., space communication systems, where the impact of system malfunction or failure is several orders of magnitude over that of terrestrial applications. Therefore having a reliable simulation tool is key in developing these devices and systems. Math Works Matrix Laboratory (MATLAB) is a matrix based software used by scientists and engineers to solve problems and perform complex simulations. MATLAB has a number of applications in a wide variety of fields which include communications, signal processing, image processing, mathematics, eco-nomics and physics. Because of its many uses MATLAB has become the preferred software for many engineers; it is also very expensive, especially for students and startups. One alternative to MATLAB is Python. The Python is a powerful, easy to use, open source programming environment that can be used to perform many of the same functions as MATLAB. Python programming environment has been steadily gaining popularity in niche programming circles. While there are not as many function included in the software as MATLAB, there are many open source functions that have been developed that are available to be downloaded for free. This paper illustrates how Python can implement the cyclic correlation algorithm and com-pares the results to the cyclic correlation algorithm implemented in the MATLAB environment. Some of the characteristics to be compared are the accuracy and precision of the results, and the length of the programs. The paper will demonstrate that Python is capable of performing simulations of complex algorithms such cyclic correlation.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chan, Wanyu R.; Sidheswaran, Meera; sullivan, Douglas

The HZEB research program aims to generate information needed to develop new science-based commercial building ventilation rate (VR) standards that balance the dual objectives of increasing energy efficiency and maintaining acceptable indoor air quality. This interim report describes the preliminary results from one HZEB field study on retail stores. The primary purpose of this study is to estimate the whole-building source strengths of contaminant of concerns (COCs). This information is needed to determine the VRs necessary to maintain indoor concentrations of COCs below applicable health guidelines.The goal of this study is to identify contaminants in retail stores that should bemore » controlled via ventilation, and to determine the minimum VRs that would satisfy the occupant health and odor criteria.« less

Insulation materials for commercial buildings in North America: An assessment of lifetime energy and environmental impacts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Biswas, Kaushik; Shrestha, Som S.; Bhandari, Mahabir S.

In the United States, commercial buildings accounted for about 19 percent of the total primary energy consumption in 2012. Further, 29 percent of the site energy in commercial buildings was consumed for space heating and cooling. Applying insulation materials to building envelopes is an effective way of reducing energy consumption for heating and cooling, and limiting the negative environmental impacts from the buildings sector. While insulation materials have a net positive impact on the environment due to reduced energy consumption, they also have some negative impacts associated with their 'embodied energy'. The total lifetime environmental impacts of insulation materials aremore » a summation of: (1) direct impacts due to their embodied energy, and (2) indirect or impacts avoided due to the reduced building energy consumption. Here, assessments of the lifetime environmental impacts of selected insulation materials are presented. Direct and indirect environmental impact factors were estimated for the cradle-to-grave insulation life cycle stages. Impact factors were calculated for two categories: primary energy consumption and global warming potential. The direct impact factors were calculated using data from existing literature and a life cycle assessment software. The indirect impact factors were calculated through simulations of a set of standard whole-building models.« less

Insulation materials for commercial buildings in North America: An assessment of lifetime energy and environmental impacts

DOE PAGES

Biswas, Kaushik; Shrestha, Som S.; Bhandari, Mahabir S.; ...

2015-12-12

In the United States, commercial buildings accounted for about 19 percent of the total primary energy consumption in 2012. Further, 29 percent of the site energy in commercial buildings was consumed for space heating and cooling. Applying insulation materials to building envelopes is an effective way of reducing energy consumption for heating and cooling, and limiting the negative environmental impacts from the buildings sector. While insulation materials have a net positive impact on the environment due to reduced energy consumption, they also have some negative impacts associated with their 'embodied energy'. The total lifetime environmental impacts of insulation materials aremore » a summation of: (1) direct impacts due to their embodied energy, and (2) indirect or impacts avoided due to the reduced building energy consumption. Here, assessments of the lifetime environmental impacts of selected insulation materials are presented. Direct and indirect environmental impact factors were estimated for the cradle-to-grave insulation life cycle stages. Impact factors were calculated for two categories: primary energy consumption and global warming potential. The direct impact factors were calculated using data from existing literature and a life cycle assessment software. The indirect impact factors were calculated through simulations of a set of standard whole-building models.« less

Energy-Efficient Supermarket Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning in Humid Climates in the United States

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Clark, J.

2015-03-01

Supermarkets are energy-intensive buildings that consume the greatest amount of electricity per square foot of building of any building type in the United States and represent 5% of total U.S. commercial building primary energy use (EIA 2005). Refrigeration and heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems are responsible for a large proportion of supermarkets’ total energy use. These two systems sometimes work together and sometimes compete, but the performance of one system always affects the performance of the other. To better understand these challenges and opportunities, the Commercial Buildings team at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory investigated several of the mostmore » promising strategies for providing energy-efficient HVAC for supermarkets and quantified the resulting energy use and costs using detailed simulations. This research effort was conducted on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Commercial Building Partnerships (CBP) (Baechler et al. 2012; Parrish et al. 2013; Antonopoulos et al. 2014; Hirsch et al. 2014). The goal of CBP was to reduce energy use in the commercial building sector by creating, testing, and validating design concepts on the pathway to net zero energy commercial buildings. Several CBP partners owned or operated buildings containing supermarkets and were interested in optimizing the energy efficiency of supermarket HVAC systems in hot-humid climates. These partners included Walmart, Target, Whole Foods Market, SUPERVALU, and the Defense Commissary Agency.« less

EnergyPlus Run Time Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hong, Tianzhen; Buhl, Fred; Haves, Philip

2008-09-20

EnergyPlus is a new generation building performance simulation program offering many new modeling capabilities and more accurate performance calculations integrating building components in sub-hourly time steps. However, EnergyPlus runs much slower than the current generation simulation programs. This has become a major barrier to its widespread adoption by the industry. This paper analyzed EnergyPlus run time from comprehensive perspectives to identify key issues and challenges of speeding up EnergyPlus: studying the historical trends of EnergyPlus run time based on the advancement of computers and code improvements to EnergyPlus, comparing EnergyPlus with DOE-2 to understand and quantify the run time differences,more » identifying key simulation settings and model features that have significant impacts on run time, and performing code profiling to identify which EnergyPlus subroutines consume the most amount of run time. This paper provides recommendations to improve EnergyPlus run time from the modeler?s perspective and adequate computing platforms. Suggestions of software code and architecture changes to improve EnergyPlus run time based on the code profiling results are also discussed.« less

SIMWEST - A simulation model for wind energy storage systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edsinger, R. W.; Warren, A. W.; Gordon, L. H.; Chang, G. C.

1978-01-01

This paper describes a comprehensive and efficient computer program for the modeling of wind energy systems with storage. The level of detail of SIMWEST (SImulation Model for Wind Energy STorage) is consistent with evaluating the economic feasibility as well as the general performance of wind energy systems with energy storage options. The software package consists of two basic programs and a library of system, environmental, and control components. The first program is a precompiler which allows the library components to be put together in building block form. The second program performs the technoeconomic system analysis with the required input/output, and the integration of system dynamics. An example of the application of the SIMWEST program to a current 100 kW wind energy storage system is given.

Simulated Study of Organizational Theory: The Use of EXPER-SIM in the Undergraduate Business Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorton, Paul, Jr.

EXPER-SIM (Experiment Simulation) is an instructional approach (with supporting computer programs) which allows an instructor to build a theory based model of how data would occur if an experiment were actually conducted in a world where the theory held true. The LESS version of EXPER-SIM was adapted to run on the Hewlett-Packard 2000E timesharing…

Validation of Tendril TrueHome Using Software-to-Software Comparison

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maguire, Jeffrey B; Horowitz, Scott G; Moore, Nathan

This study performed comparative evaluation of EnergyPlus version 8.6 and Tendril TrueHome, two physics-based home energy simulation models, to identify differences in energy consumption predictions between the two programs and resolve discrepancies between them. EnergyPlus is considered a benchmark, best-in-class software tool for building energy simulation. This exercise sought to improve both software tools through additional evaluation/scrutiny.

Operational Focused Simulation

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-01

selected technologies. In order to build the scenario to fit the vignette, the Theater Battle Management Core System ( TBMCS ) databases were adjusted... TBMCS program provided an automated and integrated capability to plan and execute the air battle plan for the modeling and simulation efforts. TBMCS ...is the operational system of record for the Air and Space Operations Center Weapons System (AOC WS). TBMCS provides the Joint/Combined Forces Air

McStas 1.1: a tool for building neutron Monte Carlo simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lefmann, K.; Nielsen, K.; Tennant, A.; Lake, B.

2000-03-01

McStas is a project to develop general tools for the creation of simulations of neutron scattering experiments. In this paper, we briefly introduce McStas and describe a particular application of the program: the Monte Carlo calculation of the resolution function of a standard triple-axis neutron scattering instrument. The method compares well with the analytical calculations of Popovici.

Virtual reality simulation for the optimization of endovascular procedures: current perspectives.

PubMed

Rudarakanchana, Nung; Van Herzeele, Isabelle; Desender, Liesbeth; Cheshire, Nicholas J W

2015-01-01

Endovascular technologies are rapidly evolving, often requiring coordination and cooperation between clinicians and technicians from diverse specialties. These multidisciplinary interactions lead to challenges that are reflected in the high rate of errors occurring during endovascular procedures. Endovascular virtual reality (VR) simulation has evolved from simple benchtop devices to full physic simulators with advanced haptics and dynamic imaging and physiological controls. The latest developments in this field include the use of fully immersive simulated hybrid angiosuites to train whole endovascular teams in crisis resource management and novel technologies that enable practitioners to build VR simulations based on patient-specific anatomy. As our understanding of the skills, both technical and nontechnical, required for optimal endovascular performance improves, the requisite tools for objective assessment of these skills are being developed and will further enable the use of VR simulation in the training and assessment of endovascular interventionalists and their entire teams. Simulation training that allows deliberate practice without danger to patients may be key to bridging the gap between new endovascular technology and improved patient outcomes.

Visualizing ultrasound through computational modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guo, Theresa W.

2004-01-01

The Doppler Ultrasound Hematocrit Project (DHP) hopes to find non-invasive methods of determining a person s blood characteristics. Because of the limits of microgravity and the space travel environment, it is important to find non-invasive methods of evaluating the health of persons in space. Presently, there is no well developed method of determining blood composition non-invasively. This projects hopes to use ultrasound and Doppler signals to evaluate the characteristic of hematocrit, the percentage by volume of red blood cells within whole blood. These non-invasive techniques may also be developed to be used on earth for trauma patients where invasive measure might be detrimental. Computational modeling is a useful tool for collecting preliminary information and predictions for the laboratory research. We hope to find and develop a computer program that will be able to simulate the ultrasound signals the project will work with. Simulated models of test conditions will more easily show what might be expected from laboratory results thus help the research group make informed decisions before and during experimentation. There are several existing Matlab based computer programs available, designed to interpret and simulate ultrasound signals. These programs will be evaluated to find which is best suited for the project needs. The criteria of evaluation that will be used are 1) the program must be able to specify transducer properties and specify transmitting and receiving signals, 2) the program must be able to simulate ultrasound signals through different attenuating mediums, 3) the program must be able to process moving targets in order to simulate the Doppler effects that are associated with blood flow, 4) the program should be user friendly and adaptable to various models. After a computer program is chosen, two simulation models will be constructed. These models will simulate and interpret an RF data signal and a Doppler signal.

Advanced Energy Retrofit Guide (AERG): Practical Ways to Improve Energy Performance; Healthcare Facilities (Book)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hendron, R.; Leach, M.; Bonnema, E.

The Advanced Energy Retrofit Guide for Healthcare Facilities is part of a series of retrofit guides commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy. By presenting general project planning guidance as well as detailed descriptions and financial payback metrics for the most important and relevant energy efficiency measures (EEMs), the guides provide a practical roadmap for effectively planning and implementing performance improvements in existing buildings. The Advanced Energy Retrofit Guides (AERGs) are intended to address key segments of the U.S. commercial building stock: retail stores, office buildings, K-12 schools, grocery stores, and healthcare facilities. The guides' general project planning considerations aremore » applicable nationwide; the energy and cost savings estimates for recommended EEMs were developed based on energy simulations and cost estimates for an example hospital tailored to five distinct climate regions. These results can be extrapolated to other U.S. climate zones. Analysis is presented for individual EEMs, and for packages of recommended EEMs for two project types: existing building commissioning projects that apply low-cost and no-cost measures, and whole-building retrofits involving more capital-intensive measures.« less

Software Design for Interactive Graphic Radiation Treatment Simulation Systems*

PubMed Central

Kalet, Ira J.; Sweeney, Christine; Jacky, Jonathan

1990-01-01

We examine issues in the design of interactive computer graphic simulation programs for radiation treatment planning (RTP), as well as expert system programs that automate parts of the RTP process, in light of ten years of experience at designing, building and using such programs. An experiment in object-oriented design using standard Pascal shows that while some advantage is gained from the design, it is still difficult to achieve modularity and to integrate expert system components. A new design based on the Common LISP Object System (CLOS) is described. This series of designs for RTP software shows that this application benefits in specific ways from object-oriented design methods and appropriate languages and tools.

Longitudinal impact of the Cyber Friendly Schools program on adolescents' cyberbullying behavior.

PubMed

Cross, Donna; Shaw, Thérèse; Hadwen, Kate; Cardoso, Patricia; Slee, Phillip; Roberts, Clare; Thomas, Laura; Barnes, Amy

2016-01-01

Cyberbullying is a major public health problem associated with serious mental, social, and academic consequences for young people. To date, few programs addressing cyberbullying have been developed and empirically tested. The Cyber Friendly Schools (CFS) group-randomized controlled trial measured the longitudinal impact of a whole-school online cyberbullying prevention and intervention program, developed in partnership with young people. Non-government secondary schools in Perth, Western Australia, (N = 35; 3,000+ students) were randomized to an intervention (n = 19) or usual practice control group (n = 16 schools). Students completed online questionnaires in 2010, 2011, and at 1-year follow-up in 2012, measuring their cyberbullying experiences during the previous school term. The intervention group received the program in Grades 8 and 9 (aged 13-14 years). Program effects were tested using two-part growth models. The program was associated with significantly greater declines in the odds of involvement in cyber-victimization and perpetration from pre- to the first post-test, but no other differences were evident between the study conditions. However, teachers implemented only one third of the program content. More work is needed to build teacher capacity and self-efficacy to effectively implement cyberbullying programs. Whole-school cyberbullying interventions implemented in conjunction with other bullying prevention programs may reduce cyber-victimization more than traditional school-based bullying prevention programs alone. Aggr. Behav. 42:166-180, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Predicting the Performance of Radiant Technologies in Attics: Reducing the Discrepancies Between Attic Specific and Whole-Building Energy Models

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Merket, Noel D; DeGraw, Jason W; Lee, Edwin S

The use of radiant technology in attics aims to reduce the radiation component of heat transfer between the attic floor and roof decks, gables, and eaves. Recently, it has been shown that EnergyPlus underestimates the savings using radiant technologies in attic spaces. The aim of this study is to understand why EnergyPlus underestimates the performance of radiant technologies and provide a solution strategy that works within the current capabilities of EnergyPlus. The analysis uses three attic energy models as a baseline for comparison for EnergyPlus. Potential reasons for the discrepancies between the attic specific energy models and EnergyPlus are isolatedmore » and individually tested. A solution strategy is proposed using the Energy Management System (EMS) capabilities within EnergyPlus. This solution strategy produces similar results to the other attic specific energy models. This paper shows that the current capabilities of EnergyPlus are sufficient to simulate radiant technologies in attics. The methodology showcased in this paper serves as a guide for engineers and researchers who would like to predict the performance radiant technology in attics using the whole building energy software, EnergyPlus.« less

Retrofit energy studies of a recreation center

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haberl, J.S.; Claridge, D.

1985-01-01

Retrofit energy options for the Student Recreation Center at the University of Colorado have been evaluated using the DOE-2.1b simulation program. This building has two major systems that are not included in the program - an ice rink and a swimming pool. The approach used to model these systems and the use of the program for other applications not included in the program, such as duty cycling and night cycling of fans for freeze protection, are emphasized. Measures that help streamline the usage of the program on a minicomputer are also discussed.

Numerical simulation the pollutants transport in the Lake base on remote sensing image with Lattice Boltzmann Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiao, Y.

2013-12-01

As China's economic development, water pollution incidents happened frequently. For example, the cyanobacterial bloom events repeatedly occur in Taihu Lake. In this research, we investigate the pollutants solute transport start at different points, such as the eutrophication substances Nitrogen and Phosphorus et al, with the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) performed on real pore geometries. The LBM has emerged as a powerful tool for simulating the behaviour of multi-component fluid systems in complex pore networks. We will build a quick response simulation system, which is base on the high resolution GIS figure, using the LBM numerical method.When the start two deferent points at the Meiliang Bay nearby the Wuxi City, it is shown that the pollutants solute can't transport out of the bay to influence the Taihu Lake and the diffusion areas are similar. On the other hand, when the start point at central region of the Taihu Lake, it is found that the pollutants solute covered the almost whole area of the lake and the cyanobacterial bloom with good condition. In the same way, if the cyanobacterial bloom transport in the central area, then it will pollute the whole Taihu Lake. Therefore, when we monitor and deal with the eutrophication substances, we need to focus on the central area of lake.

Analysis of wallboard containing a phase change material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomlinson, J. J.; Heberle, D. P.

Phase change materials (PCMs) used on the interior of buildings hold the promise for improved thermal performance by reducing the energy requirements for space conditioning and by improving thermal comfort by reducing temperature swings inside the building. Efforts are underway to develop a gypsum wallboard containing a hydrocarbon PCM. With a phase change temperature in the room temperature range, the PCM wallboard adds substantially to the thermal mass of the building while serving the same architectural function as conventional wallboard. To determine the thermal and economic performance of this PCM wallboard, the Transient Systems Simulation Program (TRNSYS) was modified to accommodate walls that are covered with PCM plasterboard, and to apportion the direct beam solar radiation to interior surfaces of a building. The modified code was used to simulate the performance of conventional and direct-gain passive solar residential-sized buildings with and without PCM wallboard. Space heating energy savings were determined as a function of PCM wallboard characteristics. Thermal comfort improvements in buildings containing the PCM were qualified in terms of energy savings. The report concludes with a present worth economic analysis of these energy savings and arrives at system costs and economic payback based on current costs of PCMs under study for the wallboard application.

The Transportable Applications Environment - An interactive design-to-production development system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perkins, Dorothy C.; Howell, David R.; Szczur, Martha R.

1988-01-01

An account is given of the design philosophy and architecture of the Transportable Applications Environment (TAE), an executive program binding a system of applications programs into a single, easily operable whole. TAE simplifies the job of a system developer by furnishing a stable framework for system-building; it also integrates system activities, and cooperates with the host operating system in order to perform such functions as task-scheduling and I/O. The initial TAE human/computer interface supported command and menu interfaces, data displays, parameter-prompting, error-reporting, and online help. Recent extensions support graphics workstations with a window-based, modeless user interface.

Thermal and Energy Performance of Conditioned Building Due To Insulated Sloped Roof

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irwan, Suhandi Syiful; Ahmed, Azni Zain; Zakaria, Nor Zaini; Ibrahim, Norhati

2010-07-01

For low-rise buildings in equatorial region, the roof is exposed to solar radiation longer than other parts of the envelope. Roofs are to be designed to reject heat and moderate the thermal impact. These are determined by the design and construction of the roofing system. The pitch of roof and the properties of construction affect the heat gain into the attic and subsequently the indoor temperature of the living spaces underneath. This finally influences the thermal comfort conditions of naturally ventilated buildings and cooling load of conditioned buildings. This study investigated the effect of insulated sloping roof on thermal energy performance of the building. A whole-building thermal energy computer simulation tool, Integrated Environmental Solution (IES), was used for the modelling and analyses. A building model with dimension of 4.0 m × 4.0 m × 3.0 m was designed with insulated roof and conventional construction for other parts of the envelope. A 75 mm conductive insulation material with thermal conductivity (k-value) of 0.034 Wm-1K-1 was installed underneath the roof tiles. The building was modelled with roof pitch angles of 0° , 15°, 30°, 45°, 60° and simulated for the month of August in Malaysian climate conditions. The profile for attic temperature, indoor temperature and cooling load were downloaded and evaluated. The optimum roof pitch angle for best thermal performance and energy saving was identified. The results show the pitch angle of 0° is able to mitigate the thermal impact to provide the best thermal condition with optimum energy savings. The maximum temperature difference between insulated and non-insulted roof for attic (AtticA-B) and indoor condition (IndoorA-B) is +7.8 °C and 0.4 °C respectively with an average energy monthly savings of 3.9 %.

Modelling Complex Fenestration Systems using physical and virtual models

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thanachareonkit, Anothai; Scartezzini, Jean-Louis

2010-04-15

Physical or virtual models are commonly used to visualize the conceptual ideas of architects, lighting designers and researchers; they are also employed to assess the daylighting performance of buildings, particularly in cases where Complex Fenestration Systems (CFS) are considered. Recent studies have however revealed a general tendency of physical models to over-estimate this performance, compared to those of real buildings; these discrepancies can be attributed to several reasons. In order to identify the main error sources, a series of comparisons in-between a real building (a single office room within a test module) and the corresponding physical and virtual models wasmore » undertaken. The physical model was placed in outdoor conditions, which were strictly identical to those of the real building, as well as underneath a scanning sky simulator. The virtual model simulations were carried out by way of the Radiance program using the GenSky function; an alternative evaluation method, named Partial Daylight Factor method (PDF method), was also employed with the physical model together with sky luminance distributions acquired by a digital sky scanner during the monitoring of the real building. The overall daylighting performance of physical and virtual models were assessed and compared. The causes of discrepancies between the daylighting performance of the real building and the models were analysed. The main identified sources of errors are the reproduction of building details, the CFS modelling and the mocking-up of the geometrical and photometrical properties. To study the impact of these errors on daylighting performance assessment, computer simulation models created using the Radiance program were also used to carry out a sensitivity analysis of modelling errors. The study of the models showed that large discrepancies can occur in daylighting performance assessment. In case of improper mocking-up of the glazing for instance, relative divergences of 25-40% can be found in different room locations, suggesting that more light is entering than actually monitored in the real building. All these discrepancies can however be reduced by making an effort to carefully mock up the geometry and photometry of the real building. A synthesis is presented in this article which can be used as guidelines for daylighting designers to avoid or estimate errors during CFS daylighting performance assessment. (author)« less

The Consortium of Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB) - A Building America Energy Efficient Housing Partnership

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robb Aldrich; Lois Arena; Dianne Griffiths

2010-12-31

This final report summarizes the work conducted by the Consortium of Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB) (http://www.carb-swa.com/), one of the 'Building America Energy Efficient Housing Partnership' Industry Teams, for the period January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2010. The Building America Program (BAP) is part of the Department of Energy (DOE), Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building Technologies Program (BTP). The long term goal of the BAP is to develop cost effective, production ready systems in five major climate zones that will result in zero energy homes (ZEH) that produce as much energy as they use on an annual basis bymore » 2020. CARB is led by Steven Winter Associates, Inc. with Davis Energy Group, Inc. (DEG), MaGrann Associates, and Johnson Research, LLC as team members. In partnership with our numerous builders and industry partners, work was performed in three primary areas - advanced systems research, prototype home development, and technical support for communities of high performance homes. Our advanced systems research work focuses on developing a better understanding of the installed performance of advanced technology systems when integrated in a whole-house scenario. Technology systems researched included: - High-R Wall Assemblies - Non-Ducted Air-Source Heat Pumps - Low-Load HVAC Systems - Solar Thermal Water Heating - Ventilation Systems - Cold-Climate Ground and Air Source Heat Pumps - Hot/Dry Climate Air-to-Water Heat Pump - Condensing Boilers - Evaporative condensers - Water Heating CARB continued to support several prototype home projects in the design and specification phase. These projects are located in all five program climate regions and most are targeting greater than 50% source energy savings over the Building America Benchmark home. CARB provided technical support and developed builder project case studies to be included in near-term Joule Milestone reports for the following community scale projects: - SBER Overlook at Clipper Mill (mixed, humid climate) - William Ryan Homes - Tampa (hot, humid climate).« less

Stochastic Control of Energy Efficient Buildings: A Semidefinite Programming Approach

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ma, Xiao; Dong, Jin; Djouadi, Seddik M

2015-01-01

The key goal in energy efficient buildings is to reduce energy consumption of Heating, Ventilation, and Air- Conditioning (HVAC) systems while maintaining a comfortable temperature and humidity in the building. This paper proposes a novel stochastic control approach for achieving joint performance and power control of HVAC. We employ a constrained Stochastic Linear Quadratic Control (cSLQC) by minimizing a quadratic cost function with a disturbance assumed to be Gaussian. The problem is formulated to minimize the expected cost subject to a linear constraint and a probabilistic constraint. By using cSLQC, the problem is reduced to a semidefinite optimization problem, wheremore » the optimal control can be computed efficiently by Semidefinite programming (SDP). Simulation results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness and power efficiency by utilizing the proposed control approach.« less

Program effectiveness of a Restorative Whole-school Approach for tackling school bullying in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Wong, Dennis S W; Cheng, Christopher H K; Ngan, Raymond M H; Ma, Stephen K

2011-09-01

With bullying in schools high on policy makers' agendas, researchers are looking for effective strategies to tackle its disruptive effects. The present study sets out to address this issue. First, the prevalence of bullying is examined in Hong Kong High Schools, and second, the effectiveness of a Restorative Whole-school Approach (RWsA) in reducing bullying is examined in a quasi-experimental design. The RWsA emphasizes the setting up of restorative goals, clear instructions, team building, and good relationships among students, parents, and teachers. Over the course of 2 years, and across four schools, the effectiveness of this program was observed by comparing an intervention group with a partial intervention group (which did not receive the full treatment) and a control group (which received no treatment whatsoever). The group that received the RWsA treatment exhibited a significant reduction of bullying, higher empathic attitudes, and higher self-esteem in comparison to the partial intervention and the control group.

Systems Operations Studies for Automated Guideway Transit Systems : Discrete Event Simulation Model User's Manual.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1982-06-01

In order to examine specific Automated Guideway Transit (AGT) developments and concepts, and to build a better knowledge base for future decision-making, the Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA) undertook a new program of studies and techn...

Has your greenhouse gone virtual?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Virtual Grower is a free decision-support software program available from USDA-ARS that allows growers to build a virtual greenhouse. It was initially designed to help greenhouse growers estimate heating costs and conduct simple simulations to figure out where heat savings could be achieved. Featu...

Energy savings and cost-benefit analysis of the new commercial building standard in China

DOE PAGES

Zhao, Shanguo; Feng, Wei; Zhang, Shicong; ...

2015-10-07

In this study, a comprehensive comparison of the commercial building energy efficiency standard between the previous 2005 version and the new proposed version is conducted, including the energy efficiency analysis and cost-benefit analysis. To better understand the tech-economic performance of the new Chinese standard, energy models were set up based on a typical commercial office building in Chinese climate zones. The building energy standard in 2005 is used as the baseline for this analysis. Key building technologies measures are analyzed individually, including roof, wall, window, lighting and chiller and so on and finally whole building cost-benefit analysis was conducted. Resultsmore » show that the new commercial building energy standard demonstrates good cost-effective performance, with whole building payback period around 4 years.« less

Energy savings and cost-benefit analysis of the new commercial building standard in China

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhao, Shanguo; Feng, Wei; Zhang, Shicong

In this study, a comprehensive comparison of the commercial building energy efficiency standard between the previous 2005 version and the new proposed version is conducted, including the energy efficiency analysis and cost-benefit analysis. To better understand the tech-economic performance of the new Chinese standard, energy models were set up based on a typical commercial office building in Chinese climate zones. The building energy standard in 2005 is used as the baseline for this analysis. Key building technologies measures are analyzed individually, including roof, wall, window, lighting and chiller and so on and finally whole building cost-benefit analysis was conducted. Resultsmore » show that the new commercial building energy standard demonstrates good cost-effective performance, with whole building payback period around 4 years.« less

Vessel Segmentation and Blood Flow Simulation Using Level-Sets and Embedded Boundary Methods

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Deschamps, T; Schwartz, P; Trebotich, D

In this article we address the problem of blood flow simulation in realistic vascular objects. The anatomical surfaces are extracted by means of Level-Sets methods that accurately model the complex and varying surfaces of pathological objects such as aneurysms and stenoses. The surfaces obtained are defined at the sub-pixel level where they intersect the Cartesian grid of the image domain. It is therefore straightforward to construct embedded boundary representations of these objects on the same grid, for which recent work has enabled discretization of the Navier-Stokes equations for incompressible fluids. While most classical techniques require construction of a structured meshmore » that approximates the surface in order to extrapolate a 3D finite-element gridding of the whole volume, our method directly simulates the blood-flow inside the extracted surface without losing any complicated details and without building additional grids.« less

Research on simulation of supercritical steam turbine system in large thermal power station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Qiongyang

2018-04-01

In order to improve the stability and safety of supercritical steam turbine system operation in large thermal power station, the body of the steam turbine is modeled in this paper. And in accordance with the hierarchical modeling idea, the steam turbine body model, condensing system model, deaeration system model and regenerative system model are combined to build a simulation model of steam turbine system according to the connection relationship of each subsystem of steam turbine. Finally, the correctness of the model is verified by design and operation data of the 600MW supercritical unit. The results show that the maximum simulation error of the model is 2.15%, which meets the requirements of the engineering. This research provides a platform for the research on the variable operating conditions of the turbine system, and lays a foundation for the construction of the whole plant model of the thermal power plant.

Simulation-based Testing of Control Software

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ozmen, Ozgur; Nutaro, James J.; Sanyal, Jibonananda

It is impossible to adequately test complex software by examining its operation in a physical prototype of the system monitored. Adequate test coverage can require millions of test cases, and the cost of equipment prototypes combined with the real-time constraints of testing with them makes it infeasible to sample more than a small number of these tests. Model based testing seeks to avoid this problem by allowing for large numbers of relatively inexpensive virtual prototypes that operate in simulation time at a speed limited only by the available computing resources. In this report, we describe how a computer system emulatormore » can be used as part of a model based testing environment; specifically, we show that a complete software stack including operating system and application software - can be deployed within a simulated environment, and that these simulations can proceed as fast as possible. To illustrate this approach to model based testing, we describe how it is being used to test several building control systems that act to coordinate air conditioning loads for the purpose of reducing peak demand. These tests involve the use of ADEVS (A Discrete Event System Simulator) and QEMU (Quick Emulator) to host the operational software within the simulation, and a building model developed with the MODELICA programming language using Buildings Library and packaged as an FMU (Functional Mock-up Unit) that serves as the virtual test environment.« less

StarLogo TNG

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klopfer, Eric; Scheintaub, Hal; Huang, Wendy; Wendel, Daniel

Computational approaches to science are radically altering the nature of scientific investigatiogn. Yet these computer programs and simulations are sparsely used in science education, and when they are used, they are typically “canned” simulations which are black boxes to students. StarLogo The Next Generation (TNG) was developed to make programming of simulations more accessible for students and teachers. StarLogo TNG builds on the StarLogo tradition of agent-based modeling for students and teachers, with the added features of a graphical programming environment and a three-dimensional (3D) world. The graphical programming environment reduces the learning curve of programming, especially syntax. The 3D graphics make for a more immersive and engaging experience for students, including making it easy to design and program their own video games. Another change to StarLogo TNG is a fundamental restructuring of the virtual machine to make it more transparent. As a result of these changes, classroom use of TNG is expanding to new areas. This chapter is concluded with a description of field tests conducted in middle and high school science classes.

Capturing complexity in work disability research: application of system dynamics modeling methodology.

PubMed

Jetha, Arif; Pransky, Glenn; Hettinger, Lawrence J

2016-01-01

Work disability (WD) is characterized by variable and occasionally undesirable outcomes. The underlying determinants of WD outcomes include patterns of dynamic relationships among health, personal, organizational and regulatory factors that have been challenging to characterize, and inadequately represented by contemporary WD models. System dynamics modeling (SDM) methodology applies a sociotechnical systems thinking lens to view WD systems as comprising a range of influential factors linked by feedback relationships. SDM can potentially overcome limitations in contemporary WD models by uncovering causal feedback relationships, and conceptualizing dynamic system behaviors. It employs a collaborative and stakeholder-based model building methodology to create a visual depiction of the system as a whole. SDM can also enable researchers to run dynamic simulations to provide evidence of anticipated or unanticipated outcomes that could result from policy and programmatic intervention. SDM may advance rehabilitation research by providing greater insights into the structure and dynamics of WD systems while helping to understand inherent complexity. Challenges related to data availability, determining validity, and the extensive time and technical skill requirements for model building may limit SDM's use in the field and should be considered. Contemporary work disability (WD) models provide limited insight into complexity associated with WD processes. System dynamics modeling (SDM) has the potential to capture complexity through a stakeholder-based approach that generates a simulation model consisting of multiple feedback loops. SDM may enable WD researchers and practitioners to understand the structure and behavior of the WD system as a whole, and inform development of improved strategies to manage straightforward and complex WD cases.

PyNN: A Common Interface for Neuronal Network Simulators.

PubMed

Davison, Andrew P; Brüderle, Daniel; Eppler, Jochen; Kremkow, Jens; Muller, Eilif; Pecevski, Dejan; Perrinet, Laurent; Yger, Pierre

2008-01-01

Computational neuroscience has produced a diversity of software for simulations of networks of spiking neurons, with both negative and positive consequences. On the one hand, each simulator uses its own programming or configuration language, leading to considerable difficulty in porting models from one simulator to another. This impedes communication between investigators and makes it harder to reproduce and build on the work of others. On the other hand, simulation results can be cross-checked between different simulators, giving greater confidence in their correctness, and each simulator has different optimizations, so the most appropriate simulator can be chosen for a given modelling task. A common programming interface to multiple simulators would reduce or eliminate the problems of simulator diversity while retaining the benefits. PyNN is such an interface, making it possible to write a simulation script once, using the Python programming language, and run it without modification on any supported simulator (currently NEURON, NEST, PCSIM, Brian and the Heidelberg VLSI neuromorphic hardware). PyNN increases the productivity of neuronal network modelling by providing high-level abstraction, by promoting code sharing and reuse, and by providing a foundation for simulator-agnostic analysis, visualization and data-management tools. PyNN increases the reliability of modelling studies by making it much easier to check results on multiple simulators. PyNN is open-source software and is available from http://neuralensemble.org/PyNN.

PyNN: A Common Interface for Neuronal Network Simulators

PubMed Central

Davison, Andrew P.; Brüderle, Daniel; Eppler, Jochen; Kremkow, Jens; Muller, Eilif; Pecevski, Dejan; Perrinet, Laurent; Yger, Pierre

2008-01-01

Computational neuroscience has produced a diversity of software for simulations of networks of spiking neurons, with both negative and positive consequences. On the one hand, each simulator uses its own programming or configuration language, leading to considerable difficulty in porting models from one simulator to another. This impedes communication between investigators and makes it harder to reproduce and build on the work of others. On the other hand, simulation results can be cross-checked between different simulators, giving greater confidence in their correctness, and each simulator has different optimizations, so the most appropriate simulator can be chosen for a given modelling task. A common programming interface to multiple simulators would reduce or eliminate the problems of simulator diversity while retaining the benefits. PyNN is such an interface, making it possible to write a simulation script once, using the Python programming language, and run it without modification on any supported simulator (currently NEURON, NEST, PCSIM, Brian and the Heidelberg VLSI neuromorphic hardware). PyNN increases the productivity of neuronal network modelling by providing high-level abstraction, by promoting code sharing and reuse, and by providing a foundation for simulator-agnostic analysis, visualization and data-management tools. PyNN increases the reliability of modelling studies by making it much easier to check results on multiple simulators. PyNN is open-source software and is available from http://neuralensemble.org/PyNN. PMID:19194529

40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Hot-Humid Climate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

none,

This guide book is a resource to help builders design and construct highly energy-efficient homes, while addressing building durability, indoor air quality, and occupant health, safety, and comfort. With the measures described in this guide, builders in the hot-humid climate can build homes that achieve whole house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark (the 1993 Model Energy Code) with no added overall costs for consumers.

40% Whole-House Energy Savings in the Mixed-Humid Climate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baechler, Michael C.; Gilbride, T. L.; Hefty, M. G.

2011-09-01

This guide book is a resource to help builders design and construct highly energy-efficient homes, while addressing building durability, indoor air quality, and occupant health, safety, and comfort. With the measures described in this guide, builders in the mixed-humid climate can build homes that achieve whole house energy savings of 40% over the Building America benchmark (the 1993 Model Energy Code) with no added overall costs for consumers.

Weather Correlations to Calculate Infiltration Rates for U. S. Commercial Building Energy Models.

PubMed

Ng, Lisa C; Quiles, Nelson Ojeda; Dols, W Stuart; Emmerich, Steven J

2018-01-01

As building envelope performance improves, a greater percentage of building energy loss will occur through envelope leakage. Although the energy impacts of infiltration on building energy use can be significant, current energy simulation software have limited ability to accurately account for envelope infiltration and the impacts of improved airtightness. This paper extends previous work by the National Institute of Standards and Technology that developed a set of EnergyPlus inputs for modeling infiltration in several commercial reference buildings using Chicago weather. The current work includes cities in seven additional climate zones and uses the updated versions of the prototype commercial building types developed by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for the U. S. Department of Energy. Comparisons were made between the predicted infiltration rates using three representations of the commercial building types: PNNL EnergyPlus models, CONTAM models, and EnergyPlus models using the infiltration inputs developed in this paper. The newly developed infiltration inputs in EnergyPlus yielded average annual increases of 3 % and 8 % in the HVAC electrical and gas use, respectively, over the original infiltration inputs in the PNNL EnergyPlus models. When analyzing the benefits of building envelope airtightening, greater HVAC energy savings were predicted using the newly developed infiltration inputs in EnergyPlus compared with using the original infiltration inputs. These results indicate that the effects of infiltration on HVAC energy use can be significant and that infiltration can and should be better accounted for in whole-building energy models.

Water Hammer Simulations of MMH Propellant - New Capability Demonstration of the Generalized Fluid Flow Simulation Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burkhardt, Z.; Ramachandran, N.; Majumdar, A.

2017-01-01

Fluid Transient analysis is important for the design of spacecraft propulsion system to ensure structural stability of the system in the event of sudden closing or opening of the valve. Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP), a general purpose flow network code developed at NASA/MSFC is capable of simulating pressure surge due to sudden opening or closing of valve when thermodynamic properties of real fluid are available for the entire range of simulation. Specifically GFSSP needs an accurate representation of pressure-density relationship in order to predict pressure surge during a fluid transient. Unfortunately, the available thermodynamic property programs such as REFPROP, GASP or GASPAK does not provide the thermodynamic properties of Monomethylhydrazine (MMH). This paper will illustrate the process used for building a customized table of properties of state variables from available properties and speed of sound that is required by GFSSP for simulation. Good agreement was found between the simulations and measured data. This method can be adopted for modeling flow networks and systems with other fluids whose properties are not known in detail in order to obtain general technical insight. Rigorous code validation of this approach will be done and reported at a future date.

Evaluating Domestic Hot Water Distribution System Options With Validated Analysis Models

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weitzel, E.; Hoeschele, M.

2014-09-01

A developing body of work is forming that collects data on domestic hot water consumption, water use behaviors, and energy efficiency of various distribution systems. A full distribution system developed in TRNSYS has been validated using field monitoring data and then exercised in a number of climates to understand climate impact on performance. This study builds upon previous analysis modelling work to evaluate differing distribution systems and the sensitivities of water heating energy and water use efficiency to variations of climate, load, distribution type, insulation and compact plumbing practices. Overall 124 different TRNSYS models were simulated. Of the configurations evaluated,more » distribution losses account for 13-29% of the total water heating energy use and water use efficiency ranges from 11-22%. The base case, an uninsulated trunk and branch system sees the most improvement in energy consumption by insulating and locating the water heater central to all fixtures. Demand recirculation systems are not projected to provide significant energy savings and in some cases increase energy consumption. Water use is most efficient with demand recirculation systems, followed by the insulated trunk and branch system with a central water heater. Compact plumbing practices and insulation have the most impact on energy consumption (2-6% for insulation and 3-4% per 10 gallons of enclosed volume reduced). The results of this work are useful in informing future development of water heating best practices guides as well as more accurate (and simulation time efficient) distribution models for annual whole house simulation programs.« less

Thinking Like a Whole Building: A Whole Foods Market New Construction Case Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Deru, M.; Bonnema, E.; Doebber, I.

2011-04-01

Whole Foods Market participates in the U.S. Department of Energy's Commercial Building Partnerships (CBP) to identify and develop cost-effective, readily deployed, replicable energy efficiency measures (EEMs) for commercial buildings. Whole Foods Market is working with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) on a retrofit and a new construction CBP project. Whole Foods Market's CBP new construction project is a standalone store in Raleigh, North Carolina. Whole Foods Market examined the energy systems and the interactions between those systems in the design for the new Raleigh store. Based on this collaboration and preliminary energy modeling, Whole Foods Market and NREL identifiedmore » a number of cost-effective EEMs that can be readily deployed in other Whole Foods Market stores and in other U.S. supermarkets. If the actual savings in the Raleigh store - which NREL will monitor and verify - match the modeling results, each year this store will save nearly $100,000 in operating costs (Raleigh's rates are about $0.06/kWh for electricity and $0.83/therm for natural gas). The store will also use 41% less energy than a Standard 90.1-compliant store and avoid about 3.7 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.« less

DEVELOPMENT OF A SAFETY COMMUNICATION AND RECOGNITION PROGRAM FOR CONSTRUCTION

PubMed Central

SPARER, EMILY H.; HERRICK, ROBERT F.; DENNERLEIN, JACK T.

2017-01-01

Leading-indicator–based (e.g., hazard recognition) incentive programs provide an alternative to controversial lagging-indicator–based (e.g., injury rates) programs. We designed a leading-indicator–based safety communication and recognition program that incentivized safe working conditions. The program was piloted for two months on a commercial construction worksite, and then redesigned using qualitative interview and focus group data from management and workers. We then ran the redesigned program for six months on the same worksite. Foremen received detailed weekly feedback from safety inspections, and posters displayed worksite and subcontractor safety scores. In the final program design, the whole site, not individual subcontractors, was the unit of analysis and recognition. This received high levels of acceptance from workers, who noted increased levels of site unity and team-building. This pilot program showed that construction workers value solidarity with others on site, demonstrating the importance of health and safety programs that engage all workers through a reliable and consistent communication infrastructure. PMID:25815741

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilson, E.; Engebrecht-Metzger, C.; Horowitz, S.

As BA has grown to include a large and diverse cross-section of the home building and retrofit industries, it has become more important to develop accurate, consistent analysis techniques to measure progress towards the program's goals. The House Simulation Protocol (HSP) document provides guidance to program partners and managers so they can compare energy savings for new construction and retrofit projects. The HSP provides the program with analysis methods that are proven to be effective and reliable in investigating the energy use of advanced energy systems and of entire houses.

Overview of the solar dynamic ground test demonstration program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaltens, Richard K.; Boyle, Robert V.

1993-01-01

The Solar Dynamic (SD) Ground Test Demonstration (GTD) program demonstrates the availability of SD technologies in a simulated space environment at the NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) vacuum facility. An aerospace industry/ government team is working together to design, fabricate, build, and test a complete SD system. This paper reviews the goals and status of the SD GTD program. A description of the SD system includes key design features of the system, subsystems, and components as reported at the Critical Design Review (CDR).

Benchmark Simulations of the Thermal-Hydraulic Responses during EBR-II Inherent Safety Tests using SAM

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hu, Rui; Sumner, Tyler S.

2016-04-17

An advanced system analysis tool SAM is being developed for fast-running, improved-fidelity, and whole-plant transient analyses at Argonne National Laboratory under DOE-NE’s Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program. As an important part of code development, companion validation activities are being conducted to ensure the performance and validity of the SAM code. This paper presents the benchmark simulations of two EBR-II tests, SHRT-45R and BOP-302R, whose data are available through the support of DOE-NE’s Advanced Reactor Technology (ART) program. The code predictions of major primary coolant system parameter are compared with the test results. Additionally, the SAS4A/SASSYS-1 code simulationmore » results are also included for a code-to-code comparison.« less

Comparison of Software Models for Energy Savings from Cool Roofs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

New, Joshua Ryan; Miller, William A; Huang, Yu

2014-01-01

A web-based Roof Savings Calculator (RSC) has been deployed for the United States Department of Energy as an industry-consensus tool to help building owners, manufacturers, distributors, contractors and researchers easily run complex roof and attic simulations. This tool employs modern web technologies, usability design, and national average defaults as an interface to annual simulations of hour-by-hour, whole-building performance using the world-class simulation tools DOE-2.1E and AtticSim in order to provide estimated annual energy and cost savings. In addition to cool reflective roofs, RSC simulates multiple roof and attic configurations including different roof slopes, above sheathing ventilation, radiant barriers, low-emittance roofmore » surfaces, duct location, duct leakage rates, multiple substrate types, and insulation levels. A base case and energy-efficient alternative can be compared side-by-side to estimate monthly energy. RSC was benchmarked against field data from demonstration homes in Ft. Irwin, California; while cooling savings were similar, heating penalty varied significantly across different simulation engines. RSC results reduce cool roofing cost-effectiveness thus mitigating expected economic incentives for this countermeasure to the urban heat island effect. This paper consolidates comparison of RSC s projected energy savings to other simulation engines including DOE-2.1E, AtticSim, Micropas, and EnergyPlus, and presents preliminary analyses. RSC s algorithms for capturing radiant heat transfer and duct interaction in the attic assembly are considered major contributing factors to increased cooling savings and heating penalties. Comparison to previous simulation-based studies, analysis on the force multiplier of RSC cooling savings and heating penalties, the role of radiative heat exchange in an attic assembly, and changes made for increased accuracy of the duct model are included.« less

Home Energy Scoring Tools (website) and Application Programming Interfaces, APIs (aka HEScore)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mills, Evan; Bourassa, Norm; Rainer, Leo

A web-based residential energy rating tool with APIs that runs the LBNL website: Provides customized estimates of residential energy use and energy bills based on building description information provided by the user. Energy use is estimated using engineering models developed at LBNL. Space heating and cooling use is based on the DOE-2. 1E building simulation model. Other end-users (water heating, appliances, lighting, and misc. equipment) are based on engineering models developed by LBNL.

Home Energy Scoring Tools (website) and Application Programming Interfaces, APIs (aka HEScore)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mills, Evan; Bourassa, Norm; Rainer, Leo

2016-04-22

A web-based residential energy rating tool with APIs that runs the LBNL website: Provides customized estimates of residential energy use and energy bills based on building description information provided by the user. Energy use is estimated using engineering models developed at LBNL. Space heating and cooling use is based on the DOE-2. 1E building simulation model. Other end-users (water heating, appliances, lighting, and misc. equipment) are based on engineering models developed by LBNL.

Leveraging OpenStudio's Application Programming Interfaces: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Long, N.; Ball, B.; Goldwasser, D.

2013-11-01

OpenStudio development efforts have been focused on providing Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) where users are able to extend OpenStudio without the need to compile the open source libraries. This paper will discuss the basic purposes and functionalities of the core libraries that have been wrapped with APIs including the Building Model, Results Processing, Advanced Analysis, UncertaintyQuantification, and Data Interoperability through Translators. Several building energy modeling applications have been produced using OpenStudio's API and Software Development Kits (SDK) including the United States Department of Energy's Asset ScoreCalculator, a mobile-based audit tool, an energy design assistance reporting protocol, and a portfolio scalemore » incentive optimization analysismethodology. Each of these software applications will be discussed briefly and will describe how the APIs were leveraged for various uses including high-level modeling, data transformations from detailed building audits, error checking/quality assurance of models, and use of high-performance computing for mass simulations.« less

Thermal Simulation of a Zero Energy Glazed Pavilion in Sofia, Bulgaria. New Strategies for Energy Management by Means of Water Flow Glazing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

del Ama Gonzalo, Fernando; Hernandez Ramos, Juan A.; Moreno, Belen

2017-10-01

The building sector is primarily responsible for a major part of total energy consumption. The European Energy Performance of Buildings Directives (EPBD) emphasized the need to reduce the energy consumption in buildings, and put forward the rationale for developing Near to Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB). Passive and active strategies help architects to minimize the use of active HVAC systems, taking advantage of the available natural resources such as solar radiation, thermal variability and daylight. The building envelope plays a decisive role in passive and active design strategies. The ideal transparent façade would be one with optical properties, such as Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) and Visible Transmittance (VT), that could readily adapt in response to changing climatic conditions or occupant preferences. The aim of this article consists of describing the system to maintain a small glazed pavilion located in Sofia (Bulgaria) at the desired interior temperature over a whole year. The system comprises i) the use of Water Flow Glazing facades (WFG) and Radiant Interior Walls (RIW), ii) the use of free cooling devices along with traditional heat pump connected to photo-voltaic panels and iii) the use of a new Energy Management System that collects data and acts accordingly by controlling all components. The effect of these strategies and the use of active systems, like Water Flow Glazing, are analysed by means of simulating the prototype over one year. Summer and Winter energy management strategies are discussed in order to change the SHGC value of the Water Flow Glazing and thus, reduce the required energy to maintain comfort conditions.

Marine Mammal Stock Assessments :: NOAA Fisheries

Science.gov Websites

CLIMATE RESEARCH COASTS CAREERS Go! Fisheries Home About Us Our Mission Leadership Message Meet Our marine mammal research programs at each of NMFS' Fisheries Science Centers and by other researchers. The qualitative concepts into quantitative terms. After building a scientific foundation through simulation

"Bohr's Atomic Model."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willden, Jeff

2001-01-01

"Bohr's Atomic Model" is a small interactive multimedia program that introduces the viewer to a simplified model of the atom. This interactive simulation lets students build an atom using an atomic construction set. The underlying design methodology for "Bohr's Atomic Model" is model-centered instruction, which means the central model of the…

A Worked Example of an Application of the Saint Simulation Program.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-09-01

tApprove foX pu bldc L-- -’ -:,=* J Approved for public release. This work is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of study, research...this network are 1. there are three types of incoming messages, 2. the rate of message generation is varied between two limits and is controlled by the...SAINT controlling program, and 3. the whole scenario is run for a fixed period of time itim limit). These features were included on the basis of

A better sequence-read simulator program for metagenomics.

PubMed

Johnson, Stephen; Trost, Brett; Long, Jeffrey R; Pittet, Vanessa; Kusalik, Anthony

2014-01-01

There are many programs available for generating simulated whole-genome shotgun sequence reads. The data generated by many of these programs follow predefined models, which limits their use to the authors' original intentions. For example, many models assume that read lengths follow a uniform or normal distribution. Other programs generate models from actual sequencing data, but are limited to reads from single-genome studies. To our knowledge, there are no programs that allow a user to generate simulated data following non-parametric read-length distributions and quality profiles based on empirically-derived information from metagenomics sequencing data. We present BEAR (Better Emulation for Artificial Reads), a program that uses a machine-learning approach to generate reads with lengths and quality values that closely match empirically-derived distributions. BEAR can emulate reads from various sequencing platforms, including Illumina, 454, and Ion Torrent. BEAR requires minimal user input, as it automatically determines appropriate parameter settings from user-supplied data. BEAR also uses a unique method for deriving run-specific error rates, and extracts useful statistics from the metagenomic data itself, such as quality-error models. Many existing simulators are specific to a particular sequencing technology; however, BEAR is not restricted in this way. Because of its flexibility, BEAR is particularly useful for emulating the behaviour of technologies like Ion Torrent, for which no dedicated sequencing simulators are currently available. BEAR is also the first metagenomic sequencing simulator program that automates the process of generating abundances, which can be an arduous task. BEAR is useful for evaluating data processing tools in genomics. It has many advantages over existing comparable software, such as generating more realistic reads and being independent of sequencing technology, and has features particularly useful for metagenomics work.

Offline software for the DAMPE experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Chi; Liu, Dong; Wei, Yifeng; Zhang, Zhiyong; Zhang, Yunlong; Wang, Xiaolian; Xu, Zizong; Huang, Guangshun; Tykhonov, Andrii; Wu, Xin; Zang, Jingjing; Liu, Yang; Jiang, Wei; Wen, Sicheng; Wu, Jian; Chang, Jin

2017-10-01

A software system has been developed for the DArk Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) mission, a satellite-based experiment. The DAMPE software is mainly written in C++ and steered using a Python script. This article presents an overview of the DAMPE offline software, including the major architecture design and specific implementation for simulation, calibration and reconstruction. The whole system has been successfully applied to DAMPE data analysis. Some results obtained using the system, from simulation and beam test experiments, are presented. Supported by Chinese 973 Program (2010CB833002), the Strategic Priority Research Program on Space Science of the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) (XDA04040202-4), the Joint Research Fund in Astronomy under cooperative agreement between the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) and CAS (U1531126) and 100 Talents Program of the Chinese Academy of Science

Building black holes: supercomputer cinema.

PubMed

Shapiro, S L; Teukolsky, S A

1988-07-22

A new computer code can solve Einstein's equations of general relativity for the dynamical evolution of a relativistic star cluster. The cluster may contain a large number of stars that move in a strong gravitational field at speeds approaching the speed of light. Unstable star clusters undergo catastrophic collapse to black holes. The collapse of an unstable cluster to a supermassive black hole at the center of a galaxy may explain the origin of quasars and active galactic nuclei. By means of a supercomputer simulation and color graphics, the whole process can be viewed in real time on a movie screen.

Analysis of wallboard containing a phase change material

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tomlinson, J.J.; Heberle, D.P.

1990-01-01

Phase change materials (PCMs) used on the interior of buildings hold the promise for improved thermal performance by reducing the energy requirements for space conditioning and by improving thermal comfort by reducing temperature swings inside the building. Efforts are underway to develop a gypsum wallboard containing a hydrocarbon PCM. With a phase change temperature in the room temperature range, the PCM wallboard adds substantially to the thermal mass of the building while serving the same architectural function as conventional wallboard. To determine the thermal and economic performance of this PCM wallboard, the Transient Systems Simulation Program (TRNSYS) was modified tomore » accommodate walls that are covered with PCM plasterboard, nd to apportion the direct beam solar radiation to interior surfaces of a building. The modified code was used to simulate the performance of conventional and direct-gain passive solar residential-sized buildings with and without PCM wallboard. Space heating energy savings were determined as a function of PCM wallboard characteristics. Thermal comfort improvements in buildings containing the PCM were qualified in terms of energy savings. The report concludes with a present worth economic analysis of these energy savings and arrives at system costs and economic payback based on current costs of PCMs under study for the wallboard application. 5 refs., 4 figs., 4 tabs.« less

Adaptive thinking & leadership simulation game training for special forces officers.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Raybourn, Elaine Marie; Mendini, Kip; Heneghan, Jerry

Complex problem solving approaches and novel strategies employed by the military at the squad, team, and commander level are often best learned experimentally. Since live action exercises can be costly, advances in simulation game training technology offer exciting ways to enhance current training. Computer games provide an environment for active, critical learning. Games open up possibilities for simultaneous learning on multiple levels; players may learn from contextual information embedded in the dynamics of the game, the organic process generated by the game, and through the risks, benefits, costs, outcomes, and rewards of alternative strategies that result from decision making. Inmore » the present paper we discuss a multiplayer computer game simulation created for the Adaptive Thinking & Leadership (ATL) Program to train Special Forces Team Leaders. The ATL training simulation consists of a scripted single-player and an immersive multiplayer environment for classroom use which leverages immersive computer game technology. We define adaptive thinking as consisting of competencies such as negotiation and consensus building skills, the ability to communicate effectively, analyze ambiguous situations, be self-aware, think innovatively, and critically use effective problem solving skills. Each of these competencies is an essential element of leader development training for the U.S. Army Special Forces. The ATL simulation is used to augment experiential learning in the curriculum for the U.S. Army JFK Special Warfare Center & School (SWCS) course in Adaptive Thinking & Leadership. The school is incorporating the ATL simulation game into two additional training pipelines (PSYOPS and Civil Affairs Qualification Courses) that are also concerned with developing cultural awareness, interpersonal communication adaptability, and rapport-building skills. In the present paper, we discuss the design, development, and deployment of the training simulation, and emphasize how the multiplayer simulation game is successfully used in the Special Forces Officer training program.« less

Zsolnai Állami Főreáliskola, Art Nouveau Building and its Painted Decorations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grúňová, Zuzana; Borošová Michalcová, Miloslava

2017-06-01

The historic art nouveau building of the former high school in Žilina - Zsolnai Állami Főreáliskola - is nowadays one of the University of Žilina buildings. Empty, awaiting much needed renovation is school building a subject of the various researches of its art-historical and architectural features. Paper deals with wall painting as a one type decoration among preserved ones in this building. Lack of funds during its initial building and decoration works created rather limited amount motifs and simple technologies. If the whole scope of architectural works of Orth and Somló architectural studio (and the whole set of art nouveau buildings in Žilina) is taken into account, even these simple, but elegant painting in well thought palette of colours could be valuable basis for renovation.

Design and development of Building energy simulation Software for prefabricated cabin type of industrial building (PCES)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jun; Li, Ri Yi

2018-06-01

Building energy simulation is an important supporting tool for green building design and building energy consumption assessment, At present, Building energy simulation software can't meet the needs of energy consumption analysis and cabinet level micro environment control design of prefabricated building. thermal physical model of prefabricated building is proposed in this paper, based on the physical model, the energy consumption calculation software of prefabricated cabin building(PCES) is developed. we can achieve building parameter setting, energy consumption simulation and building thermal process and energy consumption analysis by PCES.

Whole community planning: building resiliency at the local level.

PubMed

Grimm, Dee

2014-01-01

Business continuity planning often looks to preserving internal operations and focuses on customer retention as a marker for a successful outcome after a disaster. Building more resilient continuity plans also means planning for the survival of the community at large. As the national emphasis in the USA on 'whole community planning' becomes prominent guidance for emergency management planning, this paper examines the implications for businesses as members of the whole community and how they can increase their involvement in the whole community process. The paper will also discuss the impediments to and benefits of becoming a partner in planning for the community at large.

A Computational Systems Biology Software Platform for Multiscale Modeling and Simulation: Integrating Whole-Body Physiology, Disease Biology, and Molecular Reaction Networks

PubMed Central

Eissing, Thomas; Kuepfer, Lars; Becker, Corina; Block, Michael; Coboeken, Katrin; Gaub, Thomas; Goerlitz, Linus; Jaeger, Juergen; Loosen, Roland; Ludewig, Bernd; Meyer, Michaela; Niederalt, Christoph; Sevestre, Michael; Siegmund, Hans-Ulrich; Solodenko, Juri; Thelen, Kirstin; Telle, Ulrich; Weiss, Wolfgang; Wendl, Thomas; Willmann, Stefan; Lippert, Joerg

2011-01-01

Today, in silico studies and trial simulations already complement experimental approaches in pharmaceutical R&D and have become indispensable tools for decision making and communication with regulatory agencies. While biology is multiscale by nature, project work, and software tools usually focus on isolated aspects of drug action, such as pharmacokinetics at the organism scale or pharmacodynamic interaction on the molecular level. We present a modeling and simulation software platform consisting of PK-Sim® and MoBi® capable of building and simulating models that integrate across biological scales. A prototypical multiscale model for the progression of a pancreatic tumor and its response to pharmacotherapy is constructed and virtual patients are treated with a prodrug activated by hepatic metabolization. Tumor growth is driven by signal transduction leading to cell cycle transition and proliferation. Free tumor concentrations of the active metabolite inhibit Raf kinase in the signaling cascade and thereby cell cycle progression. In a virtual clinical study, the individual therapeutic outcome of the chemotherapeutic intervention is simulated for a large population with heterogeneous genomic background. Thereby, the platform allows efficient model building and integration of biological knowledge and prior data from all biological scales. Experimental in vitro model systems can be linked with observations in animal experiments and clinical trials. The interplay between patients, diseases, and drugs and topics with high clinical relevance such as the role of pharmacogenomics, drug–drug, or drug–metabolite interactions can be addressed using this mechanistic, insight driven multiscale modeling approach. PMID:21483730

Relative significance of heat transfer processes to quantify tradeoffs between complexity and accuracy of energy simulations with a building energy use patterns classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heidarinejad, Mohammad

This dissertation develops rapid and accurate building energy simulations based on a building classification that identifies and focuses modeling efforts on most significant heat transfer processes. The building classification identifies energy use patterns and their contributing parameters for a portfolio of buildings. The dissertation hypothesis is "Building classification can provide minimal required inputs for rapid and accurate energy simulations for a large number of buildings". The critical literature review indicated there is lack of studies to (1) Consider synoptic point of view rather than the case study approach, (2) Analyze influence of different granularities of energy use, (3) Identify key variables based on the heat transfer processes, and (4) Automate the procedure to quantify model complexity with accuracy. Therefore, three dissertation objectives are designed to test out the dissertation hypothesis: (1) Develop different classes of buildings based on their energy use patterns, (2) Develop different building energy simulation approaches for the identified classes of buildings to quantify tradeoffs between model accuracy and complexity, (3) Demonstrate building simulation approaches for case studies. Penn State's and Harvard's campus buildings as well as high performance LEED NC office buildings are test beds for this study to develop different classes of buildings. The campus buildings include detailed chilled water, electricity, and steam data, enabling to classify buildings into externally-load, internally-load, or mixed-load dominated. The energy use of the internally-load buildings is primarily a function of the internal loads and their schedules. Externally-load dominated buildings tend to have an energy use pattern that is a function of building construction materials and outdoor weather conditions. However, most of the commercial medium-sized office buildings have a mixed-load pattern, meaning the HVAC system and operation schedule dictate the indoor condition regardless of the contribution of internal and external loads. To deploy the methodology to another portfolio of buildings, simulated LEED NC office buildings are selected. The advantage of this approach is to isolate energy performance due to inherent building characteristics and location, rather than operational and maintenance factors that can contribute to significant variation in building energy use. A framework for detailed building energy databases with annual energy end-uses is developed to select variables and omit outliers. The results show that the high performance office buildings are internally-load dominated with existence of three different clusters of low-intensity, medium-intensity, and high-intensity energy use pattern for the reviewed office buildings. Low-intensity cluster buildings benefit from small building area, while the medium- and high-intensity clusters have a similar range of floor areas and different energy use intensities. Half of the energy use in the low-intensity buildings is associated with the internal loads, such as lighting and plug loads, indicating that there are opportunities to save energy by using lighting or plug load management systems. A comparison between the frameworks developed for the campus buildings and LEED NC office buildings indicates these two frameworks are complementary to each other. Availability of the information has yielded to two different procedures, suggesting future studies for a portfolio of buildings such as city benchmarking and disclosure ordinance should collect and disclose minimal required inputs suggested by this study with the minimum level of monthly energy consumption granularity. This dissertation developed automated methods using the OpenStudio API (Application Programing Interface) to create energy models based on the building class. ASHRAE Guideline 14 defines well-accepted criteria to measure accuracy of energy simulations; however, there is no well-accepted methodology to quantify the model complexity without the influence of the energy modeler judgment about the model complexity. This study developed a novel method using two weighting factors, including weighting factors based on (1) computational time and (2) easiness of on-site data collection, to measure complexity of the energy models. Therefore, this dissertation enables measurement of both model complexity and accuracy as well as assessment of the inherent tradeoffs between energy simulation model complexity and accuracy. The results of this methodology suggest for most of the internal load contributors such as operation schedules the on-site data collection adds more complexity to the model compared to the computational time. Overall, this study provided specific data on tradeoffs between accuracy and model complexity that points to critical inputs for different building classes, rather than an increase in the volume and detail of model inputs as the current research and consulting practice indicates. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).

Interim Final Report for the Strengthening Retrofit Markets for Comprehensive Savings in Multifamily Buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meinking, Rick; Adamson, Joy M

2013-12-20

Energy efficiency is vitally important in Maine. Nearly 70% of Maine households rely on fuel oil as their primary energy source for home heating, a higher share than in any other state. Coupled with the state's long, cold winters, Maine's dependence on oil renders homeowners particularly vulnerable to fluctuating fuel costs. With $4.5 million in seed funding from the Energy Department's Better Buildings Neighborhood Program, the Governor's Energy Office (GEO), through Efficiency Maine Trust (the Trust), is spurring Maine landlords to lower their monthly energy bills and improve comfort for their tenants during the state's cold winter months and increasinglymore » warmer summers. Maine's aging multifamily housing stock can be expensive to heat and costly to maintain. It is not unusual to find buildings with little or no insulation, drafty windows, and significant air leaks, making them ideal candidates for energy efficiency upgrades. Maine modeled its Multifamily Efficiency Program (MEP) after the state's highly successful Home Energy Savings Program (HESP) for single-family homes. HESP provided cash incentives and financing opportunities to owners of one-to four-unit structures, which resulted in thousands of energy assessments and whole-house energy upgrades in 225 communities. Maine's new MEP multifamily energy efficiency upgrade and weatherization initiative focuses on small to medium-sized (i.e., five to 20 units) apartment buildings. The program's energy efficiency upgrades will provide at least 20% energy savings for each upgraded multifamily unit. The Trust’s MEP relies on a network of approved program partners who help move projects through the pipeline from assessment to upgrade. MEP has two components: benchmarking and development of an Energy Reduction Plan (ERP). Using the ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager benchmarking tool, MEP provides an assessment of current energy usage in the building, establishes a baseline for future energy efficiency improvements, and enables tracking and monitoring of future energy usage at the building— all at no cost to the building owner. The ERP is developed by a program partner using either the Trust’s approved modeling or prescriptive tools; it provides detailed information about the current energyrelated conditions in the building and recommends energy efficiency, health, and safety improvements. The Trust's delivery contractor provides quality assurance and controls throughout the process. Through this effort, MEP's goal is to establish a self-sustaining, market-driven program, demonstrating the value of energy efficiency to other building owners. The increasing value of properties across the state will help incentivize these owners to continue upgrades after the grant period has ended. Targeting urban areas in Maine with dense clusters of multifamily units—such as Portland, Lewiston- Auburn, Bangor, and Augusta—MEP engaged a variety of stakeholder groups early on to design its multifamily program. Through direct emails and its website, program officials invited lending institutions, building professionals, engineering firms, equipment distributors, and local property owners associations to attend open meetings around the state to learn about the goals of the multifamily program and to help define its parameters. These meetings helped program administrators understand the diversity of the customer base: some owners are individuals with a single building, while other owners are groups of people or management companies with an entire portfolio of multifamily buildings. The diversity of the customer base notwithstanding, owners see MEP as an opportunity to make gains in their respective properties. Consistently high turnouts at stakeholder meetings fueled greater customer interest as awareness of the program spread through word of mouth. The program also gained traction by utilizing the program partner networks and building on the legacy of the Trust’s successful HESP for single-family residences. MEP offers significant incentives for building owners to participate in the upgrade program. Wholebuilding benchmarking services are available to most multifamily housing buildings free of charge. The service provides the building owner with an assessment of the building's current energy efficiency as compared to other multifamily buildings on a national scale, establishes a baseline to measure future improvements, and enables owners to track monthly energy consumption using the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. Once the benchmarking process is complete, the program links building owners with approved program partners (e.g., energy professionals, home performance contractors) to identify and implement specific energy-saving opportunities in the building. Program partners can also provide project quotes with estimated financing incentives and payback period calculations that enable building owners to make informed decisions. What's more, the Trust provides two financial incentives for successful completion of program milestones. The first is a per-unit incentive for completion of an approved ERP (i.e., $100 per unit if a prescriptive path is followed, and $200 per unit for a modeled ERP). Upon final inspection of the installed project scope of work, an incentive of $1,400 per unit or 50% of installed cost—whichever is less—is paid. The Trust originally established a $1 million loan-loss reserve fund (LLRF) to further enhance financing opportunities for qualified multifamily building owners. This funding mechanism was designed to connect building owners with lenders that retain the mortgages for their properties and encourages the lenders to offer financing for energy efficiency improvements. However, there has been no interest in the LLRF and therefore the LLRF has been reduced. Ultimately, MEP plans to build an online tool for building owners to assess opportunities to make upgrades in their multifamily units. The tool will include a performance rating system to provide a way for building owners to more easily understand energy use in their building, and how it could be improved with energy efficiency upgrades. Prospective tenants will also be able to use the rating system to make informed decisions about where to rent. Furthermore, the rating can be incorporated into real estate listings as a way for prospective home buyers and the real estate financial community to evaluate a home's operating costs. The Trust’s MEP has identified the state's most experienced energy professionals, vendors, suppliers, and contractors that install energy efficiency equipment in the multifamily sector to be qualified program partners. To be eligible for partnership, energy assessment professionals and contractors are required to have demonstrated experience in the multifamily sector and hold associated professional certifications, such as Building Operator Certification (BOC), Certified Energy Manager (CEM), Professional Engineer (PE), or Building Performance Institute (BPI) Multifamily Building Analyst. Widespread program interest has enabled the Trust to redirect funds that might otherwise be needed for program promotion to building capacity through contractor training. In addition to boosting professional training and certification opportunities, MEP teaches its partners how to market the multifamily program to prospective multifamily homeowners.« less

A Learning Framework for Knowledge Building and Collective Wisdom Advancement in Virtual Learning Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gan, Yongcheng; Zhu, Zhiting

2007-01-01

This study represents an effort to construct a learning framework for knowledge building and collective wisdom advancement in a virtual learning community (VLC) from the perspectives of system wholeness, intelligence wholeness and dynamics, learning models, and knowledge management. It also tries to construct the zone of proximal development (ZPD)…

Night ventilation control strategies in office buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Zhaojun; Yi, Lingli; Gao, Fusheng

2009-10-15

In moderate climates night ventilation is an effective and energy-efficient approach to improve the indoor thermal environment for office buildings during the summer months, especially for heavyweight construction. However, is night ventilation a suitable strategy for office buildings with lightweight construction located in cold climates? In order to answer this question, the whole energy-consumption analysis software EnergyPlus was used to simulate the indoor thermal environment and energy consumption in typical office buildings with night mechanical ventilation in three cities in northern China. The summer outdoor climate data was analyzed, and three typical design days were chosen. The most important factorsmore » influencing night ventilation performance such as ventilation rates, ventilation duration, building mass and climatic conditions were evaluated. When night ventilation operation time is closer to active cooling time, the efficiency of night ventilation is higher. With night ventilation rate of 10 ach, the mean radiant temperature of the indoor surface decreased by up to 3.9 C. The longer the duration of operation, the more efficient the night ventilation strategy becomes. The control strategies for three locations are given in the paper. Based on the optimized strategies, the operation consumption and fees are calculated. The results show that more energy is saved in office buildings cooled by a night ventilation system in northern China than ones that do not employ this strategy. (author)« less

Grammar-based Automatic 3D Model Reconstruction from Terrestrial Laser Scanning Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Q.; Helmholz, P.; Belton, D.; West, G.

2014-04-01

The automatic reconstruction of 3D buildings has been an important research topic during the last years. In this paper, a novel method is proposed to automatically reconstruct the 3D building models from segmented data based on pre-defined formal grammar and rules. Such segmented data can be extracted e.g. from terrestrial or mobile laser scanning devices. Two steps are considered in detail. The first step is to transform the segmented data into 3D shapes, for instance using the DXF (Drawing Exchange Format) format which is a CAD data file format used for data interchange between AutoCAD and other program. Second, we develop a formal grammar to describe the building model structure and integrate the pre-defined grammars into the reconstruction process. Depending on the different segmented data, the selected grammar and rules are applied to drive the reconstruction process in an automatic manner. Compared with other existing approaches, our proposed method allows the model reconstruction directly from 3D shapes and takes the whole building into account.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

By working with builder partners on test homes, researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America program can vet whole-house building strategies and avoid potential unintended consequences of implementing untested solution packages on a production scale. To support this research, Building America team Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB) partnered with Preferred Builders Inc. on a high-performance test home in Old Greenwich, Connecticut. The philosophy and science behind the 2,700 ft2 “Performance House” was based on the premise that homes should be safe, healthy, comfortable, durable, efficient, and adaptable to the needs of homeowners. The technologies and strategies usedmore » in the “Performance House” were best practices rather than cutting edge, with a focus on simplicity in construction, maintenance, and operation. Achieving 30% source energy savings compared with a home built to the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code in the cold climate zone requires that nearly all components and systems be optimized. Careful planning and design are critical. The end result was a DOE Challenge Home that achieved a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index Score of 20 (43 without photovoltaics [PV]).« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

By working with builder partners on test homes, researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy's Building America program can vet whole-house building strategies and avoid potential unintended consequences of implementing untested solution packages on a production scale. To support this research, Building America team Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB) partnered with Preferred Builders Inc. on a high-performance test home in Old Greenwich, Connecticut. The philosophy and science behind the 2,700 ft2 "Performance House" was based on the premise that homes should be safe, healthy, comfortable, durable, efficient, and adaptable to the needs of homeowners. The technologies and strategies usedmore » in the "Performance House" were best practices rather than cutting edge, with a focus on simplicity in construction, maintenance, and operation. Achieving 30% source energy savings compared with a home built to the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code in the cold climate zone requires that nearly all components and systems be optimized. Careful planning and design are critical. The end result was a DOE Challenge Home that achieved a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index Score of 20 (43 without photovoltaics [PV]).« less

A livability rating system of a high-rise housing and its computer simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhengrui

2017-09-01

Aiming at the problems in housing choosing and purchasing in the high-rise residential buildings, this paper considers the factors that affect various livable degrees and analyzes the important degrees of the factors through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), quantifying the various factors by 10 point scoring system. Accordingly, this paper puts forward a habitable housing index, validating the correctness of the indicators by simulating the process of housing choosing through computer program.

Sybil--efficient constraint-based modelling in R.

PubMed

Gelius-Dietrich, Gabriel; Desouki, Abdelmoneim Amer; Fritzemeier, Claus Jonathan; Lercher, Martin J

2013-11-13

Constraint-based analyses of metabolic networks are widely used to simulate the properties of genome-scale metabolic networks. Publicly available implementations tend to be slow, impeding large scale analyses such as the genome-wide computation of pairwise gene knock-outs, or the automated search for model improvements. Furthermore, available implementations cannot easily be extended or adapted by users. Here, we present sybil, an open source software library for constraint-based analyses in R; R is a free, platform-independent environment for statistical computing and graphics that is widely used in bioinformatics. Among other functions, sybil currently provides efficient methods for flux-balance analysis (FBA), MOMA, and ROOM that are about ten times faster than previous implementations when calculating the effect of whole-genome single gene deletions in silico on a complete E. coli metabolic model. Due to the object-oriented architecture of sybil, users can easily build analysis pipelines in R or even implement their own constraint-based algorithms. Based on its highly efficient communication with different mathematical optimisation programs, sybil facilitates the exploration of high-dimensional optimisation problems on small time scales. Sybil and all its dependencies are open source. Sybil and its documentation are available for download from the comprehensive R archive network (CRAN).

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Joyce Jihyun; Yin, Rongxin; Kiliccote, Sila

Open Automated Demand Response (OpenADR), an XML-based information exchange model, is used to facilitate continuous price-responsive operation and demand response participation for large commercial buildings in New York who are subject to the default day-ahead hourly pricing. We summarize the existing demand response programs in New York and discuss OpenADR communication, prioritization of demand response signals, and control methods. Building energy simulation models are developed and field tests are conducted to evaluate continuous energy management and demand response capabilities of two commercial buildings in New York City. Preliminary results reveal that providing machine-readable prices to commercial buildings can facilitate bothmore » demand response participation and continuous energy cost savings. Hence, efforts should be made to develop more sophisticated algorithms for building control systems to minimize customer's utility bill based on price and reliability information from the electricity grid.« less

Building face composites can harm lineup identification performance.

PubMed

Wells, Gary L; Charman, Steve D; Olson, Elizabeth A

2005-09-01

Face composite programs permit eyewitnesses to build likenesses of target faces by selecting facial features and combining them into an intact face. Research has shown that these composites are generally poor likenesses of the target face. Two experiments tested the proposition that this composite-building process could harm the builder's memory for the face. In Experiment 1 (n = 150), the authors used 50 different faces and found that the building of a composite reduced the chances that the person could later identify the original face from a lineup when compared with no composite control conditions or with yoked composite-exposure control conditions. In Experiment 2 (n = 200), the authors found that this effect generalized to a simulated-crime video, but mistaken identifications from target-absent lineups were not inflated by composite building. Copyright 2005 APA, all rights reserved.

Inquiry-Based Whole-Class Teaching with Computer Simulations in Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rutten, Nico; van der Veen, Jan T.; van Joolingen, Wouter R.

2015-01-01

In this study we investigated the pedagogical context of whole-class teaching with computer simulations. We examined relations between the attitudes and learning goals of teachers and their students regarding the use of simulations in whole-class teaching, and how teachers implement these simulations in their teaching practices. We observed…

BLAST: Building energy simulation in Hong Kong

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fong, Sai-Keung

1999-11-01

The characteristics of energy use in buildings under local weather conditions were studied and evaluated using the energy simulation program BLAST-3.0. The parameters used in the energy simulation for the study and evaluation include the architectural features, different internal building heat load settings and weather data. In this study, mathematical equations and the associated coefficients useful to the industry were established. A technology for estimating energy use in buildings under local weather conditions was developed by using the results of this study. A weather data file of Typical Meteorological Years (TMY) has been compiled for building energy studies by analyzing and evaluating the weather of Hong Kong from the year 1979 to 1988. The weather data file TMY and the example weather years 1980 and 1988 were used by BLAST-3.0 to evaluate and study the energy use in different buildings. BLAST-3.0 was compared with other building energy simulation and approximation methods: Bin method and Degree Days method. Energy use in rectangular compartments of different volumes varying from 4,000 m3 to 40,000 m3 with different aspect ratios were analyzed. The use of energy in buildings with concrete roofs was compared with those with glass roofs at indoor temperature 21°C, 23°C and 25°C. Correlation relationships among building energy, space volume, monthly mean temperature and solar radiation were derived and investigated. The effects of space volume, monthly mean temperature and solar radiation on building energy were evaluated. The coefficients of the mathematical relationships between space volume and energy use in a building were computed and found satisfactory. The calculated coefficients can be used for quick estimation of energy use in buildings under similar situations. To study energy use in buildings, the cooling load per floor area against room volume was investigated. The case of an air-conditioned single compartment with 5 m ceiling height was evaluated. It was found that the supply of cool air to the lower portion of the compartment provided significant performance of space cooling. The mathematical relationships between different shading patterns and different glass window to wall ratios of single compartments were established to provide a guide for easy approximation of energy use under similar conditions. In addition, the Overall Thermal Transfer Values (OTTV) for the compartments were studied. The monthly and annual energy use of three realistic buildings were investigated. They were a commercial building, an industrial building and a dual-purpose building. The cooling loads per floor area for the buildings were studied and the OTTV were evaluated by two different methods. Sensitivity analysis was carried out to investigate the impact of the parameters of internal heat gains on the energy use of an academic building. It was found that there was major influence of indoor temperature setting on building energy use The performances of using the local weather data file of TMY and example weather years 1980 and 1989 were evaluated. TMY was found to be the most suitable for energy simulation while the weather years 1980 and 1989 yielded good results.

Technology Solutions for New and Existing Homes Case Study: Optimized Slab-on-Grade Foundation Insulation Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

T. Schirber; Goldberg, L.; Mosiman, G.

A more accurate assessment of SOG foundation insulation energy savings than traditionally possible is now feasible. This has been enabled by advances in whole building energy simulation with 3-dimensional foundation modelling integration at each time step together with an experimental measurement of the site energy savings of SOG foundation insulation. Ten SOG insulation strategies were evaluated on a test building to identify an optimum retrofit insulation strategy in a zone 6 climate (Minneapolis, MN). The optimum insulation strategy in terms of energy savings and cost effectiveness consisted of two components: (a) R-20 XPS insulation above grade, and, (b) R-20 insulationmore » at grade (comprising an outer layer of R-10 insulation and an interior layer of R-12 poured polyurethane insulation) tapering to R-10 XPS insulation at half the below-grade wall height (the lower half of the stem wall was uninsulated).« less

High-Performance Slab-on-Grade Foundation Insulation Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goldberg, Louise F.; Mosiman, Garrett E.

A more accurate assessment of slab-on-grade foundation insulation energy savings than traditionally possible is now feasible. This has been enabled by advances in whole building energy simulation with 3-dimensional foundation modelling integration at each time step together with an experimental measurement of the site energy savings of SOG foundation insulation. Ten SOG insulation strategies were evaluated on a test building to identify an optimum retrofit insulation strategy in a zone 6 climate (Minneapolis, MN). The optimum insulation strategy in terms of energy savings and cost effectiveness consisted of two components: (a) R-20 XPS insulation above grade, and, (b) R-20 insulationmore » at grade (comprising an outer layer of R-10 insulation and an interior layer of R-12 poured polyurethane insulation) tapering to R-10 XPS insulation at half the below-grade wall height (the lower half of the stem wall was uninsulated).« less

Model description document for a computer program for the emulation/simulation of a space station environmental control and life support system (ESCM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yanosy, James L.

1988-01-01

Emulation/Simulation Computer Model (ESCM) computes the transient performance of a Space Station air revitalization subsystem with carbon dioxide removal provided by a solid amine water desorbed subsystem called SAWD. This manual describes the mathematical modeling and equations used in the ESCM. For the system as a whole and for each individual component, the fundamental physical and chemical laws which govern their operations are presented. Assumptions are stated, and when necessary, data is presented to support empirically developed relationships.

[Training of residents in obstetrics and gynecology: Assessment of an educational program including formal lectures and practical sessions using simulators].

PubMed

Jordan, A; El Haloui, O; Breaud, J; Chevalier, D; Antomarchi, J; Bongain, A; Boucoiran, I; Delotte, J

2015-01-01

Evaluate an educational program in the training of residents in gynecology-obstetrics (GO) with a theory session and a practical session on simulators and analyze their learning curve. Single-center prospective study, at the university hospital (CHU). Two-day sessions were leaded in April and July 2013. An evaluation on obstetric and gynecological surgery simulator was available to all residents. Theoretical knowledge principles of obstetrics were evaluated early in the session and after formal lectures was taught to them. At the end of the first session, a satisfaction questionnaire was distributed to all participants. Twenty residents agreed to participate to the training sessions. Evaluation of theoretical knowledge: at the end of the session, the residents obtained a significant improvement in their score on 20 testing knowledge. Obstetrical simulator: a statistically significant improvement in scores on assessments simulator vaginal delivery between the first and second session. Subjectively, a larger increase feeling was seen after breech delivery simulation than for the cephalic vaginal delivery. However, the confidence level of the resident after breech delivery simulation has not been improved at the end of the second session. Simulation in gynecological surgery: a trend towards improvement in the time realized on the peg-transfer between the two sessions was noted. In the virtual simulation, no statistically significant differences showed, no improvement for in salpingectomy's time. Subjectively, the residents felt an increase in the precision of their gesture. Satisfaction: All residents have tried the whole program. They considered the pursuit of these sessions on simulators was necessary and even mandatory. The approach chosen by this structured educational program allowed a progression for the residents, both objectively and subjectively. This simulation program type for the resident's training would use this tool in assessing their skills and develop learning curves. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Parallel Execution of Functional Mock-up Units in Buildings Modeling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ozmen, Ozgur; Nutaro, James J.; New, Joshua Ryan

2016-06-30

A Functional Mock-up Interface (FMI) defines a standardized interface to be used in computer simulations to develop complex cyber-physical systems. FMI implementation by a software modeling tool enables the creation of a simulation model that can be interconnected, or the creation of a software library called a Functional Mock-up Unit (FMU). This report describes an FMU wrapper implementation that imports FMUs into a C++ environment and uses an Euler solver that executes FMUs in parallel using Open Multi-Processing (OpenMP). The purpose of this report is to elucidate the runtime performance of the solver when a multi-component system is imported asmore » a single FMU (for the whole system) or as multiple FMUs (for different groups of components as sub-systems). This performance comparison is conducted using two test cases: (1) a simple, multi-tank problem; and (2) a more realistic use case based on the Modelica Buildings Library. In both test cases, the performance gains are promising when each FMU consists of a large number of states and state events that are wrapped in a single FMU. Load balancing is demonstrated to be a critical factor in speeding up parallel execution of multiple FMUs.« less

A Framework for Analyzing the Whole Body Surface Area from a Single View

PubMed Central

Doretto, Gianfranco; Adjeroh, Donald

2017-01-01

We present a virtual reality (VR) framework for the analysis of whole human body surface area. Usual methods for determining the whole body surface area (WBSA) are based on well known formulae, characterized by large errors when the subject is obese, or belongs to certain subgroups. For these situations, we believe that a computer vision approach can overcome these problems and provide a better estimate of this important body indicator. Unfortunately, using machine learning techniques to design a computer vision system able to provide a new body indicator that goes beyond the use of only body weight and height, entails a long and expensive data acquisition process. A more viable solution is to use a dataset composed of virtual subjects. Generating a virtual dataset allowed us to build a population with different characteristics (obese, underweight, age, gender). However, synthetic data might differ from a real scenario, typical of the physician’s clinic. For this reason we develop a new virtual environment to facilitate the analysis of human subjects in 3D. This framework can simulate the acquisition process of a real camera, making it easy to analyze and to create training data for machine learning algorithms. With this virtual environment, we can easily simulate the real setup of a clinic, where a subject is standing in front of a camera, or may assume a different pose with respect to the camera. We use this newly designated environment to analyze the whole body surface area (WBSA). In particular, we show that we can obtain accurate WBSA estimations with just one view, virtually enabling the possibility to use inexpensive depth sensors (e.g., the Kinect) for large scale quantification of the WBSA from a single view 3D map. PMID:28045895

JGromacs: a Java package for analyzing protein simulations.

PubMed

Münz, Márton; Biggin, Philip C

2012-01-23

In this paper, we introduce JGromacs, a Java API (Application Programming Interface) that facilitates the development of cross-platform data analysis applications for Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations. The API supports parsing and writing file formats applied by GROMACS (GROningen MAchine for Chemical Simulations), one of the most widely used MD simulation packages. JGromacs builds on the strengths of object-oriented programming in Java by providing a multilevel object-oriented representation of simulation data to integrate and interconvert sequence, structure, and dynamics information. The easy-to-learn, easy-to-use, and easy-to-extend framework is intended to simplify and accelerate the implementation and development of complex data analysis algorithms. Furthermore, a basic analysis toolkit is included in the package. The programmer is also provided with simple tools (e.g., XML-based configuration) to create applications with a user interface resembling the command-line interface of GROMACS applications. JGromacs and detailed documentation is freely available from http://sbcb.bioch.ox.ac.uk/jgromacs under a GPLv3 license .

JGromacs: A Java Package for Analyzing Protein Simulations

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

In this paper, we introduce JGromacs, a Java API (Application Programming Interface) that facilitates the development of cross-platform data analysis applications for Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations. The API supports parsing and writing file formats applied by GROMACS (GROningen MAchine for Chemical Simulations), one of the most widely used MD simulation packages. JGromacs builds on the strengths of object-oriented programming in Java by providing a multilevel object-oriented representation of simulation data to integrate and interconvert sequence, structure, and dynamics information. The easy-to-learn, easy-to-use, and easy-to-extend framework is intended to simplify and accelerate the implementation and development of complex data analysis algorithms. Furthermore, a basic analysis toolkit is included in the package. The programmer is also provided with simple tools (e.g., XML-based configuration) to create applications with a user interface resembling the command-line interface of GROMACS applications. Availability: JGromacs and detailed documentation is freely available from http://sbcb.bioch.ox.ac.uk/jgromacs under a GPLv3 license. PMID:22191855

Study on the Quality Management of Building Electricity Engineering Construction in the Whole Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Minwu

2018-05-01

With the progress of science and technology, people use more and more types of electrical equipment and the functions are more and more complicated, which put forward higher requirements on the construction quality of electrical construction. If you ignore some of the necessary quality requirements and violate the specification of operation in the process of building electrical construction, that will bring great security risks and resulting in huge economic losses, even endanger personal safety. Manage and control construction quality of building electrical construction must be carried out throughout the whole process of construction. According to the construction characteristics of building electrical construction, this article analyze the construction details that are easy to be ignored but very important in the construction, based on management theory and put forward the methods of quality management in the whole process of building electrical construction. This template explains and demonstrates how to prepare your camera-ready paper for Trans Tech Publications. The best is to read these instructions and follow the outline of this text.

Enhanced modeling features within TREETOPS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vandervoort, R. J.; Kumar, Manoj N.

1989-01-01

The original motivation for TREETOPS was to build a generic multi-body simulation and remove the burden of writing multi-body equations from the engineers. The motivation of the enhancement was twofold: (1) to extend the menu of built-in features (sensors, actuators, constraints, etc.) that did not require user code; and (2) to extend the control system design capabilities by linking with other government funded software (NASTRAN and MATLAB). These enhancements also serve to bridge the gap between structures and control groups. It is common on large space programs for the structures groups to build hi-fidelity models of the structure using NASTRAN and for the controls group to build lower order models because they lack the tools to incorporate the former into their analysis. Now the controls engineers can accept the hi-fidelity NASTRAN models into TREETOPS, add sensors and actuators, perform model reduction and couple the result directly into MATLAB to perform their design. The controller can then be imported directly into TREETOPS for non-linear, time-history simulation.

Whole School Improvement and Restructuring as Prevention and Promotion: Lessons from STEP and the Project on High Performance Learning Communities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Felner, Robert D.; Favazza, Antoinette; Shim, Minsuk; Brand, Stephen; Gu, Kenneth; Noonan, Nancy

2001-01-01

Describes the School Transitional Environment Project and its successor, the Project on High Performance Learning Communities, that have contributed to building a model for school improvement called the High Performance Learning Communities. The model seeks to build the principles of prevention into whole school change. Presents findings from…

Modeling and Simulation of HVAC Faulty Operations and Performance Degradation due to Maintenance Issues

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Liping; Hong, Tianzhen

Almost half of the total energy used in the U.S. buildings is consumed by heating, ventilation and air conditionings (HVAC) according to EIA statistics. Among various driving factors to energy performance of building, operations and maintenance play a significant role. Many researches have been done to look at design efficiencies and operational controls for improving energy performance of buildings, but very few study the impacts of HVAC systems maintenance. Different practices of HVAC system maintenance can result in substantial differences in building energy use. If a piece of HVAC equipment is not well maintained, its performance will degrade. If sensorsmore » used for control purpose are not calibrated, not only building energy usage could be dramatically increased, but also mechanical systems may not be able to satisfy indoor thermal comfort. Properly maintained HVAC systems can operate efficiently, improve occupant comfort, and prolong equipment service life. In the paper, maintenance practices for HVAC systems are presented based on literature reviews and discussions with HVAC engineers, building operators, facility managers, and commissioning agents. We categorize the maintenance practices into three levels depending on the maintenance effort and coverage: 1) proactive, performance-monitored maintenance; 2) preventive, scheduled maintenance; and 3) reactive, unplanned or no maintenance. A sampled list of maintenance issues, including cooling tower fouling, boiler/chiller fouling, refrigerant over or under charge, temperature sensor offset, outdoor air damper leakage, outdoor air screen blockage, outdoor air damper stuck at fully open position, and dirty filters are investigated in this study using field survey data and detailed simulation models. The energy impacts of both individual maintenance issue and combined scenarios for an office building with central VAV systems and central plant were evaluated by EnergyPlus simulations using three approaches: 1) direct modeling with EnergyPlus, 2) using the energy management system feature of EnergyPlus, and 3) modifying EnergyPlus source code. The results demonstrated the importance of maintenance for HVAC systems on energy performance of buildings. The research is intended to provide a guideline to help practitioners and building operators to gain the knowledge of maintaining HVAC systems in efficient operations, and prioritize HVAC maintenance work plan. The paper also discusses challenges of modeling building maintenance issues using energy simulation programs.« less

Interval sampling methods and measurement error: a computer simulation.

PubMed

Wirth, Oliver; Slaven, James; Taylor, Matthew A

2014-01-01

A simulation study was conducted to provide a more thorough account of measurement error associated with interval sampling methods. A computer program simulated the application of momentary time sampling, partial-interval recording, and whole-interval recording methods on target events randomly distributed across an observation period. The simulation yielded measures of error for multiple combinations of observation period, interval duration, event duration, and cumulative event duration. The simulations were conducted up to 100 times to yield measures of error variability. Although the present simulation confirmed some previously reported characteristics of interval sampling methods, it also revealed many new findings that pertain to each method's inherent strengths and weaknesses. The analysis and resulting error tables can help guide the selection of the most appropriate sampling method for observation-based behavioral assessments. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Application of solar energy; Proceedings of the Third Southeastern Conference, Huntsville, Ala., April 17-19, 1978

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, S. T. (Editor); Christensen, D. L.; Head, R. R.

1978-01-01

Demonstration projects, systems-subsystems simulation programs, applications (heating, cooling, agricultural, industrial), and climatic data testing (standards, economics, institutional) are the topics of the book. Economics of preheating water for commercial use and collecting, processing, and dissemination of data for the national demonstration program are discussed. Computer simulation of a solar energy system and graphical representation of solar collector performance are considered. Attention is given to solar driven heat pumps, solar cooling equipment, hybrid passive/active solar systems, and solar farm buildings. Evaluation of a thermographic scanning device for solar energy and conservation applications, use of meteorological data in system evaluation, and biomass conversion potential are presented.

Simulation of Transcritical CO2 Refrigeration System with Booster Hot Gas Bypass in Tropical Climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santosa, I. D. M. C.; Sudirman; Waisnawa, IGNS; Sunu, PW; Temaja, IW

2018-01-01

A Simulation computer becomes significant important for performance analysis since there is high cost and time allocation to build an experimental rig, especially for CO2 refrigeration system. Besides, to modify the rig also need additional cos and time. One of computer program simulation that is very eligible to refrigeration system is Engineering Equation System (EES). In term of CO2 refrigeration system, environmental issues becomes priority on the refrigeration system development since the Carbon dioxide (CO2) is natural and clean refrigerant. This study aims is to analysis the EES simulation effectiveness to perform CO2 transcritical refrigeration system with booster hot gas bypass in high outdoor temperature. The research was carried out by theoretical study and numerical analysis of the refrigeration system using the EES program. Data input and simulation validation were obtained from experimental and secondary data. The result showed that the coefficient of performance (COP) decreased gradually with the outdoor temperature variation increasing. The results show the program can calculate the performance of the refrigeration system with quick running time and accurate. So, it will be significant important for the preliminary reference to improve the CO2 refrigeration system design for the hot climate temperature.

Autopoiesis + extended cognition + nature = can buildings think?

PubMed Central

Dollens, Dennis

2015-01-01

To incorporate metabolic, bioremedial functions into the performance of buildings and to balance generative architecture's dominant focus on computational programming and digital fabrication, this text first discusses hybridizing Maturana and Varela's biological theory of autopoiesis with Andy Clark's hypothesis of extended cognition. Doing so establishes a procedural protocol to research biological domains from which design could source data/insight from biosemiotics, sensory plants, and biocomputation. I trace computation and botanic simulations back to Alan Turing's little-known 1950s Morphogenetic drawings, reaction-diffusion algorithms, and pioneering artificial intelligence (AI) in order to establish bioarchitecture's generative point of origin. I ask provocatively, Can buildings think? as a question echoing Turing's own, "Can machines think?" PMID:26478784

An interactive learning environment for health care professionals.

PubMed Central

Cobbs, E.; Pincetl, P.; Silverman, B.; Liao, R. L.; Motta, C.

1994-01-01

This article summarizes experiences to date with building and deploying a clinical simulator that medical students use as part of a 3rd year primary care rotation. The simulated microworld helps students and health care professionals gain experience with and learn meta-cognitive skills for the care of complex patient populations that require treatment in the biopsychosocial-value dimensions. We explain lessons learned and next steps resulting from use of the program by over 300 users to date. PMID:7949975

Development of a safety communication and recognition program for construction.

PubMed

Sparer, Emily H; Herrick, Robert F; Dennerlein, Jack T

2015-05-01

Leading-indicator-based (e.g., hazard recognition) incentive programs provide an alternative to controversial lagging-indicator-based (e.g., injury rates) programs. We designed a leading-indicator-based safety communication and recognition program that incentivized safe working conditions. The program was piloted for two months on a commercial construction worksite and then redesigned using qualitative interview and focus group data from management and workers. We then ran the redesigned program for six months on the same worksite. Foremen received detailed weekly feedback from safety inspections, and posters displayed worksite and subcontractor safety scores. In the final program design, the whole site, not individual subcontractors, was the unit of analysis and recognition. This received high levels of acceptance from workers, who noted increased levels of site unity and team-building. This pilot program showed that construction workers value solidarity with others on site, demonstrating the importance of health and safety programs that engage all workers through a reliable and consistent communication infrastructure. © The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Teaching Technology with Technology. An Off-the-Shelf Robotics Course Builds Technical Center Enrollment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hannemann, Jim; Rice, Thomas R.

1991-01-01

At the Oakland Technical Center, which provides vocational programs for nine Michigan high schools, a one-semester course in Foundations of Technology Systems uses a computer-simulated manufacturing environment to teach applied math, science, language arts, communication skills, problem solving, and teamwork in the context of technology education.…

STTR Phase I: Low-Cost, High-Accuracy, Whole-Building Carbon Dioxide Monitoring for Demand Control Ventilation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hallstrom, Jason O.; Ni, Zheng Richard

This STTR Phase I project assessed the feasibility of a new CO 2 sensing system optimized for low-cost, high-accuracy, whole-building monitoring for use in demand control ventilation. The focus was on the development of a wireless networking platform and associated firmware to provide signal conditioning and conversion, fault- and disruptiontolerant networking, and multi-hop routing at building scales to avoid wiring costs. Early exploration of a bridge (or “gateway”) to direct digital control services was also explored. Results of the project contributed to an improved understanding of a new electrochemical sensor for monitoring indoor CO 2 concentrations, as well as themore » electronics and networking infrastructure required to deploy those sensors at building scales. New knowledge was acquired concerning the sensor’s accuracy, environmental response, and failure modes, and the acquisition electronics required to achieve accuracy over a wide range of CO 2 concentrations. The project demonstrated that the new sensor offers repeatable correspondence with commercial optical sensors, with supporting electronics that offer gain accuracy within 0.5%, and acquisition accuracy within 1.5% across three orders of magnitude variation in generated current. Considering production, installation, and maintenance costs, the technology presents a foundation for achieving whole-building CO 2 sensing at a price point below $0.066 / sq-ft – meeting economic feasibility criteria established by the Department of Energy. The technology developed under this award addresses obstacles on the critical path to enabling whole-building CO 2 sensing and demand control ventilation in commercial retrofits, small commercial buildings, residential complexes, and other highpotential structures that have been slow to adopt these technologies. It presents an opportunity to significantly reduce energy use throughout the United States.« less

Quantitative simulation of extraterrestrial engineering devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arabyan, A.; Nikravesh, P. E.; Vincent, T. L.

1991-01-01

This is a multicomponent, multidisciplinary project whose overall objective is to build an integrated database, simulation, visualization, and optimization system for the proposed oxygen manufacturing plant on Mars. Specifically, the system allows users to enter physical description, engineering, and connectivity data through a uniform, user-friendly interface and stores the data in formats compatible with other software also developed as part of this project. These latter components include: (1) programs to simulate the behavior of various parts of the plant in Martian conditions; (2) an animation program which, in different modes, provides visual feedback to designers and researchers about the location of and temperature distribution among components as well as heat, mass, and data flow through the plant as it operates in different scenarios; (3) a control program to investigate the stability and response of the system under different disturbance conditions; and (4) an optimization program to maximize or minimize various criteria as the system evolves into its final design. All components of the system are interconnected so that changes entered through one component are reflected in the others.

A Stigmergy Collaboration Approach in the Open Source Software Developer Community

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cui, Xiaohui; Pullum, Laura L; Treadwell, Jim N

2009-01-01

The communication model of some self-organized online communities is significantly different from the traditional social network based community. It is problematic to use social network analysis to analyze the collaboration structure and emergent behaviors in these communities because these communities lack peer-to-peer connections. Stigmergy theory provides an explanation of the collaboration model of these communities. In this research, we present a stigmergy approach for building an agent-based simulation to simulate the collaboration model in the open source software (OSS) developer community. We used a group of actors who collaborate on OSS projects through forums as our frame of reference andmore » investigated how the choices actors make in contributing their work on the projects determines the global status of the whole OSS project. In our simulation, the forum posts serve as the digital pheromone and the modified Pierre-Paul Grasse pheromone model is used for computing the developer agents behavior selection probability.« less

Enhanced proton acceleration from an ultrathin target irradiated by laser pulses with plateau ASE.

PubMed

Wang, Dahui; Shou, Yinren; Wang, Pengjie; Liu, Jianbo; Li, Chengcai; Gong, Zheng; Hu, Ronghao; Ma, Wenjun; Yan, Xueqing

2018-02-07

We report a simulation study on proton acceleration driven by ultraintense laser pulses with normal contrast (10 7 -10 9 ) containing nanosecond plateau amplified spontaneous emission (ASE). It's found in hydrodynamic simulations that if the thickness of the targets lies in the range of hundreds nanometer matching the intensity and duration of ASE, the ablation pressure would push the whole target in the forward direction with speed exceeding the expansion velocity of plasma, resulting in a plasma density profile with a long extension at the target front and a sharp gradient at the target rear. When the main pulse irradiates the plasma, self-focusing happens at the target front, producing highly energetic electrons through direct laser acceleration(DLA) building the sheath field. The sharp plasma gradient at target rear ensures a strong sheath field. 2D particle-in-cell(PIC) simulations reveal that the proton energy can be enhanced by a factor of 2 compared to the case of using micrometer-thick targets.

Energy 101: Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings

ScienceCinema

None

2018-06-06

Learn how commercial buildings can incorporate whole-building design to save energy and money while enhancing performance and comfort. This video highlights several energy-saving features of the Research Support Facility at the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory-a model for high-performance office building design.

Commercial and Multifamily Building Tenant Energy Usage Aggregation and Privacy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Livingston, Olga V.; Pulsipher, Trenton C.; Wang, Na

2014-11-17

In a number of cities and states, building owners are required to disclose and/or benchmark their building energy use. This requires the building owner to possess monthly whole-building energy usage information, which can be challenging for buildings in which individual tenants have their own utility meters and accounts with the utility. Some utilities and utility regulators have turned to aggregation of customer data as a way to give building owners the whole-building energy usage data while protecting customer privacy. However, no utilities or regulators appear to have conducted a concerted statistical, cybersecurity, and privacy analysis to justify the level ofmore » aggregation selected. Therefore, the Tennant Data Aggregation Task was established to help utilities address these issues and provide recommendations as well as a theoretical justification of the aggregation threshold. This study is focused on the use case of submitting data for ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager (ESPM), but it also looks at other potential use cases for monthly energy consumption data.« less

The Python Sky Model: software for simulating the Galactic microwave sky

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thorne, B.; Dunkley, J.; Alonso, D.; Næss, S.

2017-08-01

We present a numerical code to simulate maps of Galactic emission in intensity and polarization at microwave frequencies, aiding in the design of cosmic microwave background experiments. This python code builds on existing efforts to simulate the sky by providing an easy-to-use interface and is based on publicly available data from the WMAP (Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe) and Planck satellite missions. We simulate synchrotron, thermal dust, free-free and anomalous microwave emission over the whole sky, in addition to the cosmic microwave background, and include a set of alternative prescriptions for the frequency dependence of each component, for example, polarized dust with multiple temperatures and a decorrelation of the signals with frequency, which introduce complexity that is consistent with current data. We also present a new prescription for adding small-scale realizations of these components at resolutions greater than current all-sky measurements. The usefulness of the code is demonstrated by forecasting the impact of varying foreground complexity on the recovered tensor-to-scalar ratio for the LiteBIRD satellite. The code is available at: https://github.com/bthorne93/PySM_public.

Sonic-boom-induced building structure responses including damage.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clarkson, B. L.; Mayes, W. H.

1972-01-01

Concepts of sonic-boom pressure loading of building structures and the associated responses are reviewed, and results of pertinent theoretical and experimental research programs are summarized. The significance of sonic-boom load time histories, including waveshape effects, are illustrated with the aid of simple structural elements such as beams and plates. Also included are discussions of the significance of such other phenomena as three-dimensional loading effects, air cavity coupling, multimodal responses, and structural nonlinearities. Measured deflection, acceleration, and strain data from laboratory models and full-scale building tests are summarized, and these data are compared, where possible, with predicted values. Damage complaint and claim experience due both to controlled and uncontrolled supersonic flights over communities are summarized with particular reference to residential, commercial, and historic buildings. Sonic-boom-induced building responses are compared with those from other impulsive loadings due to natural and cultural events and from laboratory simulation tests.

Stair evacuation simulation based on cellular automata considering evacuees’ walk preferences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Ning; Zhang, Hui; Chen, Tao; Peter, B. Luh

2015-06-01

As a physical model, the cellular automata (CA) model is widely used in many areas, such as stair evacuation. However, existing CA models do not consider evacuees’ walk preferences nor psychological status, and the structure of the basic model is unapplicable for the stair structure. This paper is to improve the stair evacuation simulation by addressing these issues, and a new cellular automata model is established. Several evacuees’ walk preference and how evacuee’s psychology influences their behaviors are introduced into this model. Evacuees’ speeds will be influenced by these features. To validate this simulation, two fire drills held in two high-rise buildings are video-recorded. It is found that the simulation results are similar to the fire drill results. The structure of this model is simple, and it is easy to further develop and utilize in different buildings with various kinds of occupants. Project supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2012CB719705) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 91224008, 91024032, and 71373139).

Performance evaluation of an agent-based occupancy simulation model

DOE PAGES

Luo, Xuan; Lam, Khee Poh; Chen, Yixing; ...

2017-01-17

Occupancy is an important factor driving building performance. Static and homogeneous occupant schedules, commonly used in building performance simulation, contribute to issues such as performance gaps between simulated and measured energy use in buildings. Stochastic occupancy models have been recently developed and applied to better represent spatial and temporal diversity of occupants in buildings. However, there is very limited evaluation of the usability and accuracy of these models. This study used measured occupancy data from a real office building to evaluate the performance of an agent-based occupancy simulation model: the Occupancy Simulator. The occupancy patterns of various occupant types weremore » first derived from the measured occupant schedule data using statistical analysis. Then the performance of the simulation model was evaluated and verified based on (1) whether the distribution of observed occupancy behavior patterns follows the theoretical ones included in the Occupancy Simulator, and (2) whether the simulator can reproduce a variety of occupancy patterns accurately. Results demonstrated the feasibility of applying the Occupancy Simulator to simulate a range of occupancy presence and movement behaviors for regular types of occupants in office buildings, and to generate stochastic occupant schedules at the room and individual occupant levels for building performance simulation. For future work, model validation is recommended, which includes collecting and using detailed interval occupancy data of all spaces in an office building to validate the simulated occupant schedules from the Occupancy Simulator.« less

Performance evaluation of an agent-based occupancy simulation model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Luo, Xuan; Lam, Khee Poh; Chen, Yixing

Occupancy is an important factor driving building performance. Static and homogeneous occupant schedules, commonly used in building performance simulation, contribute to issues such as performance gaps between simulated and measured energy use in buildings. Stochastic occupancy models have been recently developed and applied to better represent spatial and temporal diversity of occupants in buildings. However, there is very limited evaluation of the usability and accuracy of these models. This study used measured occupancy data from a real office building to evaluate the performance of an agent-based occupancy simulation model: the Occupancy Simulator. The occupancy patterns of various occupant types weremore » first derived from the measured occupant schedule data using statistical analysis. Then the performance of the simulation model was evaluated and verified based on (1) whether the distribution of observed occupancy behavior patterns follows the theoretical ones included in the Occupancy Simulator, and (2) whether the simulator can reproduce a variety of occupancy patterns accurately. Results demonstrated the feasibility of applying the Occupancy Simulator to simulate a range of occupancy presence and movement behaviors for regular types of occupants in office buildings, and to generate stochastic occupant schedules at the room and individual occupant levels for building performance simulation. For future work, model validation is recommended, which includes collecting and using detailed interval occupancy data of all spaces in an office building to validate the simulated occupant schedules from the Occupancy Simulator.« less

Water Hammer Simulations of Monomethylhydrazine Propellant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burkhardt, Zachary; Ramachandran, N.; Majumdar, A.

2017-01-01

Fluid Transient analysis is important for the design of spacecraft propulsion system to ensure structural stability of the system in the event of sudden closing or opening of the valve. Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP), a general purpose flow network code developed at NASA/MSFC is capable of simulating pressure surge due to sudden opening or closing of valve when thermodynamic properties of real fluid are available for the entire range of simulation. Specifically GFSSP needs an accurate representation of pressure density relationship in order to predict pressure surge during a fluid transient. Unfortunately, the available thermodynamic property programs such as REFPROP, GASP or GASPAK do not provide the thermodynamic properties of Monomethylhydrazine(MMH). This work illustrates the process used for building a customized table of properties of state variables from available properties and speed of sound that is required by GFSSP for simulation. Good agreement was found between the simulations and measured data. This method can be adopted for modeling flow networks and systems with other fluids whose properties are not known in detail in order to obtain general technical insight.

Elementary Introduction to the Green Management of the Construction in Whole Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Na), Wu Y. N.(Yun; Yu), Yan H. Y.(Hong; Jun), Huang Z. J.(Zhi

Construction industries consume more energy resources than necessary. it is essential to establish a management system with all pollution problems resolved to construct green buildings. By applying the theory of whole life cycle, this paper divides the whole process of construction into four sub-phases, which will also be subdivided into more concrete working procedures. Based on this, a systematic framework is promoted for the green management of the construction, especially and creatively, considering the green aims as important as the traditional three aims-"quality aim, schedule aim and cost aim". This framework, adhering to the integration idea-"customers first, whole optimal", regards the green control and workflow as an organic whole in order to build green, sustainable and healthy architecture, and then provide a perfect guide and reference to the green management.

Model Checking Satellite Operational Procedures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavaliere, Federico; Mari, Federico; Melatti, Igor; Minei, Giovanni; Salvo, Ivano; Tronci, Enrico; Verzino, Giovanni; Yushtein, Yuri

2011-08-01

We present a model checking approach for the automatic verification of satellite operational procedures (OPs). Building a model for a complex system as a satellite is a hard task. We overcome this obstruction by using a suitable simulator (SIMSAT) for the satellite. Our approach aims at improving OP quality assurance by automatic exhaustive exploration of all possible simulation scenarios. Moreover, our solution decreases OP verification costs by using a model checker (CMurphi) to automatically drive the simulator. We model OPs as user-executed programs observing the simulator telemetries and sending telecommands to the simulator. In order to assess feasibility of our approach we present experimental results on a simple meaningful scenario. Our results show that we can save up to 90% of verification time.

An Advanced simulation Code for Modeling Inductive Output Tubes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thuc Bui; R. Lawrence Ives

2012-04-27

During the Phase I program, CCR completed several major building blocks for a 3D large signal, inductive output tube (IOT) code using modern computer language and programming techniques. These included a 3D, Helmholtz, time-harmonic, field solver with a fully functional graphical user interface (GUI), automeshing and adaptivity. Other building blocks included the improved electrostatic Poisson solver with temporal boundary conditions to provide temporal fields for the time-stepping particle pusher as well as the self electric field caused by time-varying space charge. The magnetostatic field solver was also updated to solve for the self magnetic field caused by time changing currentmore » density in the output cavity gap. The goal function to optimize an IOT cavity was also formulated, and the optimization methodologies were investigated.« less

Diagnostic Assessment of Deep Learning Algorithms for Detection of Lymph Node Metastases in Women With Breast Cancer.

PubMed

Ehteshami Bejnordi, Babak; Veta, Mitko; Johannes van Diest, Paul; van Ginneken, Bram; Karssemeijer, Nico; Litjens, Geert; van der Laak, Jeroen A W M; Hermsen, Meyke; Manson, Quirine F; Balkenhol, Maschenka; Geessink, Oscar; Stathonikos, Nikolaos; van Dijk, Marcory Crf; Bult, Peter; Beca, Francisco; Beck, Andrew H; Wang, Dayong; Khosla, Aditya; Gargeya, Rishab; Irshad, Humayun; Zhong, Aoxiao; Dou, Qi; Li, Quanzheng; Chen, Hao; Lin, Huang-Jing; Heng, Pheng-Ann; Haß, Christian; Bruni, Elia; Wong, Quincy; Halici, Ugur; Öner, Mustafa Ümit; Cetin-Atalay, Rengul; Berseth, Matt; Khvatkov, Vitali; Vylegzhanin, Alexei; Kraus, Oren; Shaban, Muhammad; Rajpoot, Nasir; Awan, Ruqayya; Sirinukunwattana, Korsuk; Qaiser, Talha; Tsang, Yee-Wah; Tellez, David; Annuscheit, Jonas; Hufnagl, Peter; Valkonen, Mira; Kartasalo, Kimmo; Latonen, Leena; Ruusuvuori, Pekka; Liimatainen, Kaisa; Albarqouni, Shadi; Mungal, Bharti; George, Ami; Demirci, Stefanie; Navab, Nassir; Watanabe, Seiryo; Seno, Shigeto; Takenaka, Yoichi; Matsuda, Hideo; Ahmady Phoulady, Hady; Kovalev, Vassili; Kalinovsky, Alexander; Liauchuk, Vitali; Bueno, Gloria; Fernandez-Carrobles, M Milagro; Serrano, Ismael; Deniz, Oscar; Racoceanu, Daniel; Venâncio, Rui

2017-12-12

Application of deep learning algorithms to whole-slide pathology images can potentially improve diagnostic accuracy and efficiency. Assess the performance of automated deep learning algorithms at detecting metastases in hematoxylin and eosin-stained tissue sections of lymph nodes of women with breast cancer and compare it with pathologists' diagnoses in a diagnostic setting. Researcher challenge competition (CAMELYON16) to develop automated solutions for detecting lymph node metastases (November 2015-November 2016). A training data set of whole-slide images from 2 centers in the Netherlands with (n = 110) and without (n = 160) nodal metastases verified by immunohistochemical staining were provided to challenge participants to build algorithms. Algorithm performance was evaluated in an independent test set of 129 whole-slide images (49 with and 80 without metastases). The same test set of corresponding glass slides was also evaluated by a panel of 11 pathologists with time constraint (WTC) from the Netherlands to ascertain likelihood of nodal metastases for each slide in a flexible 2-hour session, simulating routine pathology workflow, and by 1 pathologist without time constraint (WOTC). Deep learning algorithms submitted as part of a challenge competition or pathologist interpretation. The presence of specific metastatic foci and the absence vs presence of lymph node metastasis in a slide or image using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The 11 pathologists participating in the simulation exercise rated their diagnostic confidence as definitely normal, probably normal, equivocal, probably tumor, or definitely tumor. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for the algorithms ranged from 0.556 to 0.994. The top-performing algorithm achieved a lesion-level, true-positive fraction comparable with that of the pathologist WOTC (72.4% [95% CI, 64.3%-80.4%]) at a mean of 0.0125 false-positives per normal whole-slide image. For the whole-slide image classification task, the best algorithm (AUC, 0.994 [95% CI, 0.983-0.999]) performed significantly better than the pathologists WTC in a diagnostic simulation (mean AUC, 0.810 [range, 0.738-0.884]; P < .001). The top 5 algorithms had a mean AUC that was comparable with the pathologist interpreting the slides in the absence of time constraints (mean AUC, 0.960 [range, 0.923-0.994] for the top 5 algorithms vs 0.966 [95% CI, 0.927-0.998] for the pathologist WOTC). In the setting of a challenge competition, some deep learning algorithms achieved better diagnostic performance than a panel of 11 pathologists participating in a simulation exercise designed to mimic routine pathology workflow; algorithm performance was comparable with an expert pathologist interpreting whole-slide images without time constraints. Whether this approach has clinical utility will require evaluation in a clinical setting.

Applicability and economic efficiency of earthquake retrofit measures on existing buildings in Bucharest, Romania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bostenaru, M.

2009-04-01

The research discussed in this contribution contains two aspects: on one side the economic efficiency of seismic retrofit measures, and on the other their applicability. The research was limited to housing buildings. Bucharest, the capital of Romania, was the object of the research. Strong earthquakes affect Bucharest about three times in a century, the damaging earthquakes of the 20th century being in 1940 and 1977. Other strong earthquakes occurred in 1986 and 1990. Since it is a broad topic, first the building type was determined, which should serve further research. For this scope the building types of the 20th century, which are common in Bucharest, Romania, were investigated. For each building type reports have been written, which comprised the earthquake resilient features, the seismic defficiencies, the damage patterns and the retrofit measures. Each of these features was listed for elements of the building. A first result of the research was an integrated system in order to include latter aspects in the planning in the first steps. So already at the building survey attention has to be paid on how a building is subdivided in order to be able to determine the economic efficiency of the planned action. So were defined the `retrofit elements`. In a first step the characteristics were defined, through which these retrofit elements (for example column, wall part between two windows) can be recognised in the building survey. In a further one, which retrofit measures can be connected to these. Diagrams were built, in order to visualise these findings. For each retrofit element and the corresponding measure the costs were calculated. Also, these retrofit elements and the measures connected to them were modelled for the simulation with the structural software, so that the benefit of the measures could be determined. In the part which regarded the economic efficiency, benefits and costs of retrofit measures had to be compared, so the improvement in the rigidity, ductility and/or strength of the structure at different retrofit measures with its costs. In order to investigate the improvement in the seismic characteristics numerous simulations of the earthquake impact on reinforced concrete frame buildings were conducted and in that context conventional strengthening measures with reinforced concrete and steel were considered. In these reinforced concrete frame buildings interwar buildings from Bucharest were modelled, as these proved to be the most vulnerable in the initial investigation. For the investigation of the economic efficiency also the damages through earthquakes were simulated. With help of a characteristic of the software used so called performance points could be set, so at the end of the simulation it could be seen how strongly was damaged the steel and respectively the concrete in the reinforced concrete element and so was conducted a classification of the strength of the damages in different retrofit elements. These simulations were done for the 1977, 1986 and 1990 earthquakes, as for these the strong motion records were digitally available. For two simple models alternatives of retrofit actions and their locations were fully simulated, while for real building models customised retrofit strategies considering more retrofit elements within the strategy were employed. To the benefit belong not only the improvement of the structural behaviour, as often assumed in earthquake engineering circles. There belong also aesthetical and sociologic aspects. In order to give these aspects their rights, a decision tree was developed, in which the actors are the engineer, the architect, the investor and the user. The retrofit measures were evaluated with two different decision systems. This was the part about the applicability. Further research would serve to see how can be used the developed method for the strategic planning, in which not only single buildings but whole urban areas build the object. The research was funded by the Research Training Network 450 "Natural Disasters" supported by the DFG (German Research Network), 2000-2004 while the result was published with support from a subsequent research project of the author, CA'REDIVIVUS, which continued the research, supported by the European Commission, in 2006.

Building a Simulation Toolkit for Wireless Mesh Clusters and Evaluating the Suitability of Different Families of Ad Hoc Protocols for the Tactical Network Topology

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-01

International Conference On Computers Communications and Networks, 153- 161, Lafayette, L.A. Deitel , H.M. and P.J. Deitel . 2003. C++ How to Program ...of this study is to provide an additional performance evaluation technique for the TNT program of Naval Postgraduate School. The current approach...case are the PAMAS and DBTMA protocols. Toh (2002) illustrates how these approaches succeed in solving the problem. In order to address all the

Center for the Built Environment: Research on Controls and Information

Science.gov Websites

Foundation Complex Case Study Publications Research Area : Sustainability, Whole Building Energy, and Other commercial building energy use. Krege Foundation Complex Case Study Analyzing performance of LEED platinum criteria for high performance buildings. Building test equipment The first in-depth case study was

An atomistic geometrical model of the B-DNA configuration for DNA-radiation interaction simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernal, M. A.; Sikansi, D.; Cavalcante, F.; Incerti, S.; Champion, C.; Ivanchenko, V.; Francis, Z.

2013-12-01

In this paper, an atomistic geometrical model for the B-DNA configuration is explained. This model accounts for five organization levels of the DNA, up to the 30 nm chromatin fiber. However, fragments of this fiber can be used to construct the whole genome. The algorithm developed in this work is capable to determine which is the closest atom with respect to an arbitrary point in space. It can be used in any application in which a DNA geometrical model is needed, for instance, in investigations related to the effects of ionizing radiations on the human genetic material. Successful consistency checks were carried out to test the proposed model. Catalogue identifier: AEPZ_v1_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEPZ_v1_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen’s University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: Standard CPC licence, http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/licence/licence.html No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 1245 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 6574 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: FORTRAN. Computer: Any. Operating system: Multi-platform. RAM: 2 Gb Classification: 3. Nature of problem: The Monte Carlo method is used to simulate the interaction of ionizing radiation with the human genetic material in order to determine DNA damage yields per unit absorbed dose. To accomplish this task, an algorithm to determine if a given energy deposition lies within a given target is needed. This target can be an atom or any other structure of the genetic material. Solution method: This is a stand-alone subroutine describing an atomic-resolution geometrical model of the B-DNA configuration. It is able to determine the closest atom to an arbitrary point in space. This model accounts for five organization levels of the human genetic material, from the nucleotide pair up to the 30 nm chromatin fiber. This subroutine carries out a series of coordinate transformations to find which is the closest atom containing an arbitrary point in space. Atom sizes are according to the corresponding van der Waals radii. Restrictions: The geometrical model presented here does not include the chromosome organization level but it could be easily build up by using fragments of the 30 nm chromatin fiber. Unusual features: To our knowledge, this is the first open source atomic-resolution DNA geometrical model developed for DNA-radiation interaction Monte Carlo simulations. In our tests, the current model took into account the explicit position of about 56×106 atoms, although the user may enhance this amount according to the necessities. Running time: This subroutine can process about 2 million points within a few minutes in a typical current computer.

Conceptual Design of Simulation Models in an Early Development Phase of Lunar Spacecraft Simulator Using SMP2 Standard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hoon Hee; Koo, Cheol Hea; Moon, Sung Tae; Han, Sang Hyuck; Ju, Gwang Hyeok

2013-08-01

The conceptual study for Korean lunar orbiter/lander prototype has been performed in Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI). Across diverse space programs around European countries, a variety of simulation application has been developed using SMP2 (Simulation Modelling Platform) standard related to portability and reuse of simulation models by various model users. KARI has not only first-hand experience of a development of SMP compatible simulation environment but also an ongoing study to apply the SMP2 development process of simulation model to a simulator development project for lunar missions. KARI has tried to extend the coverage of the development domain based on SMP2 standard across the whole simulation model life-cycle from software design to its validation through a lunar exploration project. Figure. 1 shows a snapshot from a visualization tool for the simulation of lunar lander motion. In reality, a demonstrator prototype on the right-hand side of image was made and tested in 2012. In an early phase of simulator development prior to a kick-off start in the near future, targeted hardware to be modelled has been investigated and indentified at the end of 2012. The architectural breakdown of the lunar simulator at system level was performed and the architecture with a hierarchical tree of models from the system to parts at lower level has been established. Finally, SMP Documents such as Catalogue, Assembly, Schedule and so on were converted using a XML(eXtensible Mark-up Language) converter. To obtain benefits of the suggested approaches and design mechanisms in SMP2 standard as far as possible, the object-oriented and component-based design concepts were strictly chosen throughout a whole model development process.

Feeling and Understanding Plate Tectonics - How can We attract Museum Visitors Attention?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simon, Gilla; Apel, Michael

2017-04-01

Earthquakes, volcano eruptions and other natural hazards are commonly paid attention to, if news about disastrous events reach us. The mission of an Earth Science or Natural History Museum, however, goes beyond explaining the causes of natural disasters, but should also present science history and cutting edge research. Since dealing with a subject, especially with one, which seems to be in the abstract, is more effective, we realised two new projects where our visitors can feel and understand plate tectonics in a more exciting way. In 2015 we installed an earthquake simulator in our permanent exhibition to allow our visitors the physical experience of an earthquake. Because of static restrictions the simulator is housed in a container outside the building where it can be visited as a booked program upon prior reservation or by joining public tours on Sundays and special occasions. The simulation of six real earthquakes in two spatial directions is accompanied by a movie presenting facts about the earthquake itself (e.g. location, magnitude, damage and victims), but also general information about plate tectonics. This standard program takes about 20 minutes. During an educational program, however, not only the simulator is visited, but also the permanent exhibition, where the guide can focus on different aspects and then might choose specific earthquakes and information blocs in the simulator. In addition workshops with experiments are offered for school classes and other groups. This allows us to offer an individual program fitting to the visitor group. In 2016 we converted an old movie room to a state of the art media room. In cooperation with Media Informatics students we developed a quiz for three different levels and various themes like earthquakes, volcanoes, history and plate tectonics in general. Starting the quiz, a virtual earthquake destroys a building which will be reconstructed if the participants answer multiple choice questions correctly. Though, the rebuilding of the house is faster if a group of participants plays together. A first statistic evaluation of the media room shows that the quiz is greatly accepted by the visitors: The quiz is played on an average six times per hour and abortion rate is very low with less than 10%.

Concept Six Year-Round School Plan. A Simulation Notebook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, William

Concept 6, a new program designed to cope with burgeoning enrollments and a shortage of classroom space in Jefferson County, Colorado, keeps school buildings in use 250 days and divides the school year into six terms of instruction. Individual students attend classes four terms and choose their vacations during the other two. An option for a fifth…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parker, D.; Sutherland, K.; Chasar, D.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Building America program, in collaboration with Florida Power and Light (FPL), conducted a phased residential energy-efficiency retrofit program. This research sought to establish impacts on annual energy and peak energy reductions from the technologies applied at two levels of retrofit - shallow and deep, with savings levels approaching the Building America program goals of reducing whole-house energy use by 40%. Under the Phased Deep Retrofit (PDR) project, we have installed phased, energy-efficiency retrofits in a sample of 56 existing, all-electric homes. End-use savings and economic evaluation results from the phased measure packages and singlemore » measures are summarized in this report. Project results will be of interest to utility program designers, weatherization evaluators, and the housing remodel industry. Shallow retrofits were conducted in all homes from March to June 2013. The measures for this phase were chosen based on ease of installation, targeting lighting (CFLs and LED lamps), domestic hot water (wraps and showerheads), refrigeration (cleaning of coils), pool pump (reduction of operating hours), and the home entertainment center (smart plugs). Deep retrofits were conducted on a subset of ten PDR homes from May 2013 through March 2014. Measures included new air source heat pumps, duct repair, ceiling insulation, heat pump water heaters, variable speed pool pumps and learning thermostats. Major appliances such as refrigerators and dishwashers were replaced where they were old and inefficient.« less

A FLUKA simulation of the KLOE electromagnetic calorimeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Micco, B.; Branchini, P.; Ferrari, A.; Loffredo, S.; Passeri, A.; Patera, V.

2007-10-01

We present the simulation of the KLOE calorimeter with the FLUKA Monte Carlo program. The response of the detector to electromagnetic showers has been studied and compared with the publicly available KLOE data. The energy and the time resolution of the electromagnetic clusters is in good agreement with the data. The simulation has been also used to study a possible improvement of the KLOE calorimeter using multianode photo-multipliers. An HAMAMATSU R7600-M16 photomultiplier has been assembled in order to determine the whole cross talk matrix that has been included in the simulation. The cross talk matrix takes into account the effects of a realistic photo-multiplier's electronics and of its coupling to the active material. The performance of the modified readout has been compared to the usual KLOE configuration.

C++QEDv2: The multi-array concept and compile-time algorithms in the definition of composite quantum systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vukics, András

2012-06-01

C++QED is a versatile framework for simulating open quantum dynamics. It allows to build arbitrarily complex quantum systems from elementary free subsystems and interactions, and simulate their time evolution with the available time-evolution drivers. Through this framework, we introduce a design which should be generic for high-level representations of composite quantum systems. It relies heavily on the object-oriented and generic programming paradigms on one hand, and on the other hand, compile-time algorithms, in particular C++ template-metaprogramming techniques. The core of the design is the data structure which represents the state vectors of composite quantum systems. This data structure models the multi-array concept. The use of template metaprogramming is not only crucial to the design, but with its use all computations pertaining to the layout of the simulated system can be shifted to compile time, hence cutting on runtime. Program summaryProgram title: C++QED Catalogue identifier: AELU_v1_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AELU_v1_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/licence/aelu_v1_0.html. The C++QED package contains other software packages, Blitz, Boost and FLENS, all of which may be distributed freely but have individual license requirements. Please see individual packages for license conditions. No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 597 974 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 4 874 839 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: C++ Computer: i386-i686, x86_64 Operating system: In principle cross-platform, as yet tested only on UNIX-like systems (including Mac OS X). RAM: The framework itself takes about 60 MB, which is fully shared. The additional memory taken by the program which defines the actual physical system (script) is typically less than 1 MB. The memory storing the actual data scales with the system dimension for state-vector manipulations, and the square of the dimension for density-operator manipulations. This might easily be GBs, and often the memory of the machine limits the size of the simulated system. Classification: 4.3, 4.13, 6.2, 20 External routines: Boost C++ libraries (http://www.boost.org/), GNU Scientific Library (http://www.gnu.org/software/gsl/), Blitz++ (http://www.oonumerics.org/blitz/), Linear Algebra Package - Flexible Library for Efficient Numerical Solutions (http://flens.sourceforge.net/). Nature of problem: Definition of (open) composite quantum systems out of elementary building blocks [1]. Manipulation of such systems, with emphasis on dynamical simulations such as Master-equation evolution [2] and Monte Carlo wave-function simulation [3]. Solution method: Master equation, Monte Carlo wave-function method. Restrictions: Total dimensionality of the system. Master equation - few thousands. Monte Carlo wave-function trajectory - several millions. Unusual features: Because of the heavy use of compile-time algorithms, compilation of programs written in the framework may take a long time and much memory (up to several GBs). Additional comments: The framework is not a program, but provides and implements an application-programming interface for developing simulations in the indicated problem domain. Supplementary information: http://cppqed.sourceforge.net/. Running time: Depending on the magnitude of the problem, can vary from a few seconds to weeks.

Computer Simulation of Electron Positron Annihilation Processes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, y

2003-10-02

With the launching of the Next Linear Collider coming closer and closer, there is a pressing need for physicists to develop a fully-integrated computer simulation of e{sup +}e{sup -} annihilation process at center-of-mass energy of 1TeV. A simulation program acts as the template for future experiments. Either new physics will be discovered, or current theoretical uncertainties will shrink due to more accurate higher-order radiative correction calculations. The existence of an efficient and accurate simulation will help us understand the new data and validate (or veto) some of the theoretical models developed to explain new physics. It should handle well interfacesmore » between different sectors of physics, e.g., interactions happening at parton levels well above the QCD scale which are described by perturbative QCD, and interactions happening at much lower energy scale, which combine partons into hadrons. Also it should achieve competitive speed in real time when the complexity of the simulation increases. This thesis contributes some tools that will be useful for the development of such simulation programs. We begin our study by the development of a new Monte Carlo algorithm intended to perform efficiently in selecting weight-1 events when multiple parameter dimensions are strongly correlated. The algorithm first seeks to model the peaks of the distribution by features, adapting these features to the function using the EM algorithm. The representation of the distribution provided by these features is then improved using the VEGAS algorithm for the Monte Carlo integration. The two strategies mesh neatly into an effective multi-channel adaptive representation. We then present a new algorithm for the simulation of parton shower processes in high energy QCD. We want to find an algorithm which is free of negative weights, produces its output as a set of exclusive events, and whose total rate exactly matches the full Feynman amplitude calculation. Our strategy is to create the whole QCD shower as a tree structure generated by a multiple Poisson process. Working with the whole shower allows us to include correlations between gluon emissions from different sources. QCD destructive interference is controlled by the implementation of ''angular-ordering,'' as in the HERWIG Monte Carlo program. We discuss methods for systematic improvement of the approach to include higher order QCD effects.« less

Electronics and Software Engineer for Robotics Project Intern

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Teijeiro, Antonio

2017-01-01

I was assigned to mentor high school students for the 2017 First Robotics Competition. Using a team based approach, I worked with the students to program the robot and applied my electrical background to build the robot from start to finish. I worked with students who had an interest in electrical engineering to teach them about voltage, current, pulse width modulation, solenoids, electromagnets, relays, DC motors, DC motor controllers, crimping and soldering electrical components, Java programming, and robotic simulation. For the simulation, we worked together to generate graphics files, write simulator description format code, operate Linux, and operate SOLIDWORKS. Upon completion of the FRC season, I transitioned over to providing full time support for the LCS hardware team. During this phase of my internship I helped my co-intern write test steps for two networking hardware DVTs , as well as run cables and update cable running lists.

KSC-2011-1449

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-02-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers receive training atop a mast climber that is attached to launch simulation towers outside the Launch Equipment Test Facility. The training includes attaching carrier plates, water and air systems, and electricity to the climber to simulate working in Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). Mast climbers can be substituted for fixed service structures currently inside the VAB to provide access to any type of launch vehicle. Since 1977, the facility has supported NASA’s Launch Services, shuttle, International Space Station, and Constellation programs, as well as commercial providers. Last year, the facility underwent a major upgrade to support even more programs, projects and customers. It houses a 6,000-square-foot high bay, cable fabrication and molding shop, pneumatics shop, machine and weld shop and full-scale control room. Outside, the facility features a water flow test loop, vehicle motion simulator and a cryogenic system. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2011-1446

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-02-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers receive training atop a mast climber that is attached to launch simulation towers outside the Launch Equipment Test Facility. The training includes attaching carrier plates, water and air systems, and electricity to the climber to simulate working in Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). Mast climbers can be substituted for fixed service structures currently inside the VAB to provide access to any type of launch vehicle. Since 1977, the facility has supported NASA’s Launch Services, shuttle, International Space Station, and Constellation programs, as well as commercial providers. Last year, the facility underwent a major upgrade to support even more programs, projects and customers. It houses a 6,000-square-foot high bay, cable fabrication and molding shop, pneumatics shop, machine and weld shop and full-scale control room. Outside, the facility features a water flow test loop, vehicle motion simulator and a cryogenic system. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2011-1450

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-02-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, training takes place atop a mast climber that is attached to launch simulation towers outside the Launch Equipment Test Facility. The training includes attaching carrier plates, water and air systems, and electricity to the climber to simulate working in Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). Mast climbers can be substituted for fixed service structures currently inside the VAB to provide access to any type of launch vehicle. Since 1977, the facility has supported NASA’s Launch Services, shuttle, International Space Station, and Constellation programs, as well as commercial providers. Last year, the facility underwent a major upgrade to support even more programs, projects and customers. It houses a 6,000-square-foot high bay, cable fabrication and molding shop, pneumatics shop, machine and weld shop and full-scale control room. Outside, the facility features a water flow test loop, vehicle motion simulator and a cryogenic system. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2011-1448

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-02-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers receive training atop a mast climber that is attached to launch simulation towers outside the Launch Equipment Test Facility. The training includes attaching carrier plates, water and air systems, and electricity to the climber to simulate working in Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). Mast climbers can be substituted for fixed service structures currently inside the VAB to provide access to any type of launch vehicle. Since 1977, the facility has supported NASA’s Launch Services, shuttle, International Space Station, and Constellation programs, as well as commercial providers. Last year, the facility underwent a major upgrade to support even more programs, projects and customers. It houses a 6,000-square-foot high bay, cable fabrication and molding shop, pneumatics shop, machine and weld shop and full-scale control room. Outside, the facility features a water flow test loop, vehicle motion simulator and a cryogenic system. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2011-1447

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-02-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers receive training on a mast climber that is attached to launch simulation towers outside the Launch Equipment Test Facility. The training includes attaching carrier plates, water and air systems, and electricity to the climber to simulate working in Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). Mast climbers can be substituted for fixed service structures currently inside the VAB to provide access to any type of launch vehicle. Since 1977, the facility has supported NASA’s Launch Services, shuttle, International Space Station, and Constellation programs, as well as commercial providers. Last year, the facility underwent a major upgrade to support even more programs, projects and customers. It houses a 6,000-square-foot high bay, cable fabrication and molding shop, pneumatics shop, machine and weld shop and full-scale control room. Outside, the facility features a water flow test loop, vehicle motion simulator and a cryogenic system. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

Validation of the solar heating and cooling high speed performance (HISPER) computer code

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wallace, D. B.

1980-01-01

Developed to give a quick and accurate predictions HISPER, a simplification of the TRNSYS program, achieves its computational speed by not simulating detailed system operations or performing detailed load computations. In order to validate the HISPER computer for air systems the simulation was compared to the actual performance of an operational test site. Solar insolation, ambient temperature, water usage rate, and water main temperatures from the data tapes for an office building in Huntsville, Alabama were used as input. The HISPER program was found to predict the heating loads and solar fraction of the loads with errors of less than ten percent. Good correlation was found on both a seasonal basis and a monthly basis. Several parameters (such as infiltration rate and the outside ambient temperature above which heating is not required) were found to require careful selection for accurate simulation.

Kinematical simulation of robotic complex operation for implementing full-scale additive technologies of high-end materials, composites, structures, and buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antsiferov, S. I.; Eltsov, M. Iu; Khakhalev, P. A.

2018-03-01

This paper considers a newly designed electronic digital model of a robotic complex for implementing full-scale additive technologies, funded under a Federal Target Program. The electronic and digital model was used to solve the problem of simulating the movement of a robotic complex using the NX CAD/CAM/CAE system. The virtual mechanism was built and the main assemblies, joints, and drives were identified as part of solving the problem. In addition, the maximum allowed printable area size was identified for the robotic complex, and a simulation of printing a rectangular-shaped article was carried out.

Analysis Results for Lunar Soil Simulant Using a Portable X-Ray Fluorescence Analyzer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boothe, R. E.

2006-01-01

Lunar soil will potentially be used for oxygen generation, water generation, and as filler for building blocks during habitation missions on the Moon. NASA s in situ fabrication and repair program is evaluating portable technologies that can assess the chemistry of lunar soil and lunar soil simulants. This Technical Memorandum summarizes the results of the JSC 1 lunar soil simulant analysis using the TRACeR III IV handheld x-ray fluorescence analyzer, manufactured by KeyMaster Technologies, Inc. The focus of the evaluation was to determine how well the current instrument configuration would detect and quantify the components of JSC-1.

Fault detection and diagnosis of photovoltaic systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Xing

The rapid growth of the solar industry over the past several years has expanded the significance of photovoltaic (PV) systems. One of the primary aims of research in building-integrated PV systems is to improve the performance of the system's efficiency, availability, and reliability. Although much work has been done on technological design to increase a photovoltaic module's efficiency, there is little research so far on fault diagnosis for PV systems. Faults in a PV system, if not detected, may not only reduce power generation, but also threaten the availability and reliability, effectively the "security" of the whole system. In this paper, first a circuit-based simulation baseline model of a PV system with maximum power point tracking (MPPT) is developed using MATLAB software. MATLAB is one of the most popular tools for integrating computation, visualization and programming in an easy-to-use modeling environment. Second, data collection of a PV system at variable surface temperatures and insolation levels under normal operation is acquired. The developed simulation model of PV system is then calibrated and improved by comparing modeled I-V and P-V characteristics with measured I--V and P--V characteristics to make sure the simulated curves are close to those measured values from the experiments. Finally, based on the circuit-based simulation model, a PV model of various types of faults will be developed by changing conditions or inputs in the MATLAB model, and the I--V and P--V characteristic curves, and the time-dependent voltage and current characteristics of the fault modalities will be characterized for each type of fault. These will be developed as benchmark I-V or P-V, or prototype transient curves. If a fault occurs in a PV system, polling and comparing actual measured I--V and P--V characteristic curves with both normal operational curves and these baseline fault curves will aid in fault diagnosis.

Building intelligence in third-generation training and battle simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacobi, Dennis; Anderson, Don; von Borries, Vance; Elmaghraby, Adel; Kantardzic, Mehmed; Ragade, Rammohan

2003-09-01

Current war games and simulations are primarily attrition based, and are centered on the concept of force on force. They constitute what can be defined as "second generation" war games. So-called "first generation" war games were focused on strategy with the primary concept of mind on mind. We envision "third generation" war games and battle simulations as concentrating on effects with the primary concept being system on system. Thus the third generation systems will incorporate each successive generation and take into account strategy, attrition and effects. This paper will describe the principal advantages and features that need to be implemented to create a true "third generation" battle simulation and the architectural issues faced when designing and building such a system. Areas of primary concern are doctrine, command and control, allied and coalition warfare, and cascading effects. Effectively addressing the interactive effects of these issues is of critical importance. In order to provide an adaptable and modular system that will accept future modifications and additions with relative ease, we are researching the use of a distributed Multi-Agent System (MAS) that incorporates various artificial intelligence methods. The agent architecture can mirror the military command structure from both vertical and horizontal perspectives while providing the ability to make modifications to doctrine, command structures, inter-command communications, as well as model the results of various effects upon one another, and upon the components of the simulation. This is commonly referred to as "cascading effects," in which A affects B, B affects C and so on. Agents can be used to simulate units or parts of units that interact to form the whole. Even individuals can eventually be simulated to take into account the affect to key individuals such as commanders, heroes, and aces. Each agent will have a learning component built in to provide "individual intelligence" based on experience.

Robotic Surgery Simulator: Elements to Build a Training Program.

PubMed

Tillou, Xavier; Collon, Sylvie; Martin-Francois, Sandrine; Doerfler, Arnaud

2016-01-01

Face, content, and construct validity of robotic surgery simulators were confirmed in the literature by several studies, but elements to build a training program are still lacking. The aim of our study was to validate a progressive training program and to assess according to prior surgical experience the amount of training needed with a robotic simulator to complete the program. Exercises using the Da Vinci Skill Simulator were chosen to ensure progressive learning. A new exercise could only be started if a minimal score of 80% was achieved in the prior one. The number of repetitions to achieve an exercise was not limited. We devised a "performance index" by calculating the ratio of the sum of scores for each exercise over the number of repetitions needed to complete the exercise with at least an 80% score. The study took place at the François Baclesse Cancer Center. Participants all work at the primary care university Hospital located next to the cancer center. A total of 32 surgeons participated in the study- 2 experienced surgeons, 8 junior and 8 senior residents in surgery, 6 registrars, and 6 attending surgeons. There was no difference between junior and senior residents, whereas the registrars had better results (p < 0.0001). The registrars performed less exercise repetitions compared to the junior or senior residents (p = 0.012). Attending surgeons performed significantly more repetitions than registrars (p = 0.024), but they performed fewer repetitions than junior or senior residents with no statistical difference (p = 0.09). The registrars had a performance index of 50, which is the best result among all novice groups. Attending surgeons were between senior and junior residents with an index at 33.85. Choice of basic exercises to manipulate different elements of the robotic surgery console in a specific and progressive order enables rapid progress. The level of prior experience in laparoscopic surgery affects outcomes. More advanced laparoscopic expertise seems to slow down learning, surgeons having to "unlearn" to acquire a new technique. Copyright © 2016 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MS PHD'S: A Synergistic Model for Diversifying the Earth Science Community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ricciardi, L.; Johnson, A.; Williamson Whitney, V.; Ithier-Guzman, W.; Braxton, L.; Johnson, A.

2013-05-01

The Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees of Success in Earth System Science (MS PHD'S) program focuses on increasing the number of underrepresented minorities (URM) receiving advanced degrees in Earth system sciences (ESS). Subscribing to Aristotle's philosophy that the "whole is greater than the sum of its parts", MS PHD'S uses a synergistic model of tiered mentoring practices, successful minority scientist role models, peer-to-peer community building activities, professional development training techniques, networking opportunities, and state of the art virtual communication tools to facilitate the retention and advancement of underrepresented ESS scientists. Using a three-phase program structure supported by a virtual community, URM students in ESS are afforded opportunities to establish mentoring relationships with successful scientists, build meaningful ties with URM peers and future colleagues, strengthen oral and written communication skills, engage in networking opportunities within premier scientific venues, and maintain continuity of networks formed through program participation. Established in 2003, MS PHD'S is now in its ninth cohort. From the original cohort of 24 participants, the program has grown to support 213 participants. Of these 213 participants, 42 have obtained the doctorate and are employed within the ESS workforce. Another 71 are enrolled in doctoral programs. Looking to the future with the purpose of continually furthering its synergistic philosophy, MS PHD'S has developed a new initiative, Beyond the PhD, designed to support and advance the representation of URM scientists within a global workforce.

Jake Garn Mission Simulator and Training Facility, Building 5, Historical Documentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slovinac, Trish; Deming, Joan

2010-01-01

In response to President George W. Bush's announcement in January 2004 that the Space Shuttle Program (SSP) would end in 2010, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) completed a nation-wide historical survey and evaluation of NASA-owned facilities and properties (real property assets) at all its Centers and component facilities. The buildings and structures which supported the SSP were inventoried and assessed as per the criteria of eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in the context of this program. This study was performed in compliance with Section 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966 (Public Law 89-665), as amended; the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (Public Law 91-190); Executive Order (EO) 11593: Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment; EO 13287, Preserve America, and other relevant legislation. As part of this nation-wide study, in September 2006, historical survey and evaluation of NASA-owned and managed facilities at was conducted by NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas. The results of this study are presented in a report entitled, "Survey and Evaluation of NASA-owned Historic Facilities and Properties in the Context of the U.S. Space Shuttle Program, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas," prepared in November 2007 by NASA JSC's contractor, Archaeological Consultants, Inc. As a result of this survey, the Jake Gam Mission Simulator and Training Facility (Building 5) was determined eligible for listing in the NRHP, with concurrence by the Texas State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO). The survey concluded that Building 5 is eligible for the NRHP under Criteria A and C in the context of the U.S. Space Shuttle program (1969-2010). Because it has achieved significance within the past 50 years, Criteria Consideration G applies. At the time of this documentation, Building 5 was still used to support the SSP as an astronaut training facility. This documentation package precedes any undertaking as defined by Section 106 of the NHPA, as amended, and implemented in 36 CFR Part 800, as NASA JSC has decided to proactively pursue efforts to mitigate the potential adverse affects of any future modifications to the facility. It includes a historical summary of the Space Shuttle program; the history of JSC in relation to the SSP; a narrative of the history of Building 5 and how it supported the SSP; and a physical description of the structure. In addition, photographs documenting the construction and historical use of Building 5 in support of the SSP, as well as photographs of the facility documenting the existing conditions, special technological features, and engineering details, are included. A contact sheet printed on archival paper, and an electronic copy of the work product on CD, are also provided.

ExCEL in Social Work: Excellence in Cancer Education & Leadership: An Oncology Social Work Response to the 2008 Institute of Medicine Report.

PubMed

Otis-Green, Shirley; Jones, Barbara; Zebrack, Brad; Kilburn, Lisa; Altilio, Terry A; Ferrell, Betty

2015-09-01

ExCEL in Social Work: Excellence in Cancer Education & Leadership was a multi-year National Cancer Institute (NCI)-funded grant for the development and implementation of an innovative educational program for oncology social workers. The program's curriculum focused upon six core competencies of psychosocial-spiritual support necessary to meet the standard of care recommended by the 2008 Institute of Medicine (IOM) Report: Cancer Care for the Whole Patient: Meeting Psychosocial Health Needs. The curriculum was delivered through a collaborative partnership between the City of Hope National Medical Center and the two leading professional organizations devoted exclusively to representing oncology social workers--the Association of Oncology Social Work and the Association of Pediatric Oncology Social Workers. Initial findings support the feasibility and acceptability of this tailored leadership skills-building program for participating oncology social workers.

76 FR 2493 - Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-13

...This rule proposes to revise the meal patterns and nutrition requirements for the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program to align them with the 2005 ``Dietary Guidelines for Americans,'' as required by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. The proposed changes are based on recommendations from the National Academies' Institute of Medicine set forth in the report ``School Meals: Building Blocks for Healthy Children.'' This proposed rule would increase the availability of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free and low-fat fluid milk in school meals; reduce the levels of sodium and saturated fat in meals; and help meet the nutrition needs of school children within their calorie requirements. Implementation of this proposed rule would result in more nutritious school meals that improve the dietary habits of school children and protect their health.

CHARMM: The Biomolecular Simulation Program

PubMed Central

Brooks, B.R.; Brooks, C.L.; MacKerell, A.D.; Nilsson, L.; Petrella, R.J.; Roux, B.; Won, Y.; Archontis, G.; Bartels, C.; Boresch, S.; Caflisch, A.; Caves, L.; Cui, Q.; Dinner, A.R.; Feig, M.; Fischer, S.; Gao, J.; Hodoscek, M.; Im, W.; Kuczera, K.; Lazaridis, T.; Ma, J.; Ovchinnikov, V.; Paci, E.; Pastor, R.W.; Post, C.B.; Pu, J.Z.; Schaefer, M.; Tidor, B.; Venable, R. M.; Woodcock, H. L.; Wu, X.; Yang, W.; York, D.M.; Karplus, M.

2009-01-01

CHARMM (Chemistry at HARvard Molecular Mechanics) is a highly versatile and widely used molecular simulation program. It has been developed over the last three decades with a primary focus on molecules of biological interest, including proteins, peptides, lipids, nucleic acids, carbohydrates and small molecule ligands, as they occur in solution, crystals, and membrane environments. For the study of such systems, the program provides a large suite of computational tools that include numerous conformational and path sampling methods, free energy estimators, molecular minimization, dynamics, and analysis techniques, and model-building capabilities. In addition, the CHARMM program is applicable to problems involving a much broader class of many-particle systems. Calculations with CHARMM can be performed using a number of different energy functions and models, from mixed quantum mechanical-molecular mechanical force fields, to all-atom classical potential energy functions with explicit solvent and various boundary conditions, to implicit solvent and membrane models. The program has been ported to numerous platforms in both serial and parallel architectures. This paper provides an overview of the program as it exists today with an emphasis on developments since the publication of the original CHARMM paper in 1983. PMID:19444816

Predictive Optimal Control of Active and Passive Building Thermal Storage Inventory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gregor P. Henze; Moncef Krarti

2005-09-30

Cooling of commercial buildings contributes significantly to the peak demand placed on an electrical utility grid. Time-of-use electricity rates encourage shifting of electrical loads to off-peak periods at night and weekends. Buildings can respond to these pricing signals by shifting cooling-related thermal loads either by precooling the building's massive structure or the use of active thermal energy storage systems such as ice storage. While these two thermal batteries have been engaged separately in the past, this project investigated the merits of harnessing both storage media concurrently in the context of predictive optimal control. To pursue the analysis, modeling, and simulationmore » research of Phase 1, two separate simulation environments were developed. Based on the new dynamic building simulation program EnergyPlus, a utility rate module, two thermal energy storage models were added. Also, a sequential optimization approach to the cost minimization problem using direct search, gradient-based, and dynamic programming methods was incorporated. The objective function was the total utility bill including the cost of reheat and a time-of-use electricity rate either with or without demand charges. An alternative simulation environment based on TRNSYS and Matlab was developed to allow for comparison and cross-validation with EnergyPlus. The initial evaluation of the theoretical potential of the combined optimal control assumed perfect weather prediction and match between the building model and the actual building counterpart. The analysis showed that the combined utilization leads to cost savings that is significantly greater than either storage but less than the sum of the individual savings. The findings reveal that the cooling-related on-peak electrical demand of commercial buildings can be considerably reduced. A subsequent analysis of the impact of forecasting uncertainty in the required short-term weather forecasts determined that it takes only very simple short-term prediction models to realize almost all of the theoretical potential of this control strategy. Further work evaluated the impact of modeling accuracy on the model-based closed-loop predictive optimal controller to minimize utility cost. The following guidelines have been derived: For an internal heat gain dominated commercial building, reasonable geometry simplifications are acceptable without a loss of cost savings potential. In fact, zoning simplification may improve optimizer performance and save computation time. The mass of the internal structure did not show a strong effect on the optimization. Building construction characteristics were found to impact building passive thermal storage capacity. It is thus advisable to make sure the construction material is well modeled. Zone temperature setpoint profiles and TES performance are strongly affected by mismatches in internal heat gains, especially when they are underestimated. Since they are a key factor in determining the building cooling load, efforts should be made to keep the internal gain mismatch as small as possible. Efficiencies of the building energy systems affect both zone temperature setpoints and active TES operation because of the coupling of the base chiller for building precooling and the icemaking TES chiller. Relative efficiencies of the base and TES chillers will determine the balance of operation of the two chillers. The impact of mismatch in this category may be significant. Next, a parametric analysis was conducted to assess the effects of building mass, utility rate, building location and season, thermal comfort, central plant capacities, and an economizer on the cost saving performance of optimal control for active and passive building thermal storage inventory. The key findings are: (1) Heavy-mass buildings, strong-incentive time-of-use electrical utility rates, and large on-peak cooling loads will likely lead to attractive savings resulting from optimal combined thermal storage control. (2) By using economizer to take advantage of the cool fresh air during the night, the building electrical cost can be reduced by using less mechanical cooling. (3) Larger base chiller and active thermal storage capacities have the potential of shifting more cooling loads to off-peak hours and thus higher savings can be achieved. (4) Optimal combined thermal storage control with a thermal comfort penalty included in the objective function can improve the thermal comfort levels of building occupants when compared to the non-optimized base case. Lab testing conducted in the Larson HVAC Laboratory during Phase 2 showed that the EnergyPlus-based simulation was a surprisingly accurate prediction of the experiment. Therefore, actual savings of building energy costs can be expected by applying optimal controls from simulation results.« less

Application of automated measurement and verification to utility energy efficiency program data

DOE PAGES

Granderson, Jessica; Touzani, Samir; Fernandes, Samuel; ...

2017-02-17

Trustworthy savings calculations are critical to convincing regulators of both the cost-effectiveness of energy efficiency program investments and their ability to defer supply-side capital investments. Today’s methods for measurement and verification (M&V) of energy savings constitute a significant portion of the total costs of energy efficiency programs. They also require time-consuming data acquisition. A spectrum of savings calculation approaches is used, with some relying more heavily on measured data and others relying more heavily on estimated, modeled, or stipulated data. The increasing availability of “smart” meters and devices that report near-real time data, combined with new analytical approaches to quantifymore » savings, offers the potential to conduct M&V more quickly and at lower cost, with comparable or improved accuracy. Commercial energy management and information systems (EMIS) technologies are beginning to offer these ‘M&V 2.0’ capabilities, and program administrators want to understand how they might assist programs in quickly and accurately measuring energy savings. This paper presents the results of recent testing of the ability to use automation to streamline the M&V process. In this paper, we apply an automated whole-building M&V tool to historic data sets from energy efficiency programs to begin to explore the accuracy, cost, and time trade-offs between more traditional M&V, and these emerging streamlined methods that use high-resolution energy data and automated computational intelligence. For the data sets studied we evaluate the fraction of buildings that are well suited to automated baseline characterization, the uncertainty in gross savings that is due to M&V 2.0 tools’ model error, and indications of labor time savings, and how the automated savings results compare to prior, traditionally determined savings results. The results show that 70% of the buildings were well suited to the automated approach. In a majority of the cases (80%) savings and uncertainties for each individual building were quantified to levels above the criteria in ASHRAE Guideline 14. In addition the findings suggest that M&V 2.0 methods may also offer time-savings relative to traditional approaches. Lastly, we discuss the implications of these findings relative to the potential evolution of M&V, and pilots currently being launched to test how M&V automation can be integrated into ratepayer-funded programs and professional implementation and evaluation practice.« less

Application of automated measurement and verification to utility energy efficiency program data

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Granderson, Jessica; Touzani, Samir; Fernandes, Samuel

Trustworthy savings calculations are critical to convincing regulators of both the cost-effectiveness of energy efficiency program investments and their ability to defer supply-side capital investments. Today’s methods for measurement and verification (M&V) of energy savings constitute a significant portion of the total costs of energy efficiency programs. They also require time-consuming data acquisition. A spectrum of savings calculation approaches is used, with some relying more heavily on measured data and others relying more heavily on estimated, modeled, or stipulated data. The increasing availability of “smart” meters and devices that report near-real time data, combined with new analytical approaches to quantifymore » savings, offers the potential to conduct M&V more quickly and at lower cost, with comparable or improved accuracy. Commercial energy management and information systems (EMIS) technologies are beginning to offer these ‘M&V 2.0’ capabilities, and program administrators want to understand how they might assist programs in quickly and accurately measuring energy savings. This paper presents the results of recent testing of the ability to use automation to streamline the M&V process. In this paper, we apply an automated whole-building M&V tool to historic data sets from energy efficiency programs to begin to explore the accuracy, cost, and time trade-offs between more traditional M&V, and these emerging streamlined methods that use high-resolution energy data and automated computational intelligence. For the data sets studied we evaluate the fraction of buildings that are well suited to automated baseline characterization, the uncertainty in gross savings that is due to M&V 2.0 tools’ model error, and indications of labor time savings, and how the automated savings results compare to prior, traditionally determined savings results. The results show that 70% of the buildings were well suited to the automated approach. In a majority of the cases (80%) savings and uncertainties for each individual building were quantified to levels above the criteria in ASHRAE Guideline 14. In addition the findings suggest that M&V 2.0 methods may also offer time-savings relative to traditional approaches. Lastly, we discuss the implications of these findings relative to the potential evolution of M&V, and pilots currently being launched to test how M&V automation can be integrated into ratepayer-funded programs and professional implementation and evaluation practice.« less

e-Learning development in medical physics and engineering

PubMed Central

Tabakov, S

2008-01-01

Medical Physics and Engineering was among the first professions to develop and apply e-Learning (e-L). The profession provides excellent background for application of simulations and other e-L materials. The paper describes several layers for e-L development: Programming specific simulations; Building e-L modules; Development of e-L web-based programmes. The paper shows examples from these layers and outlines their specificities. At the end, the newest e-L development (project EMITEL) is briefly introduced and the necessity of a regularly updated list of e-L activities is emphasised. PMID:21614312

Building occupancy simulation and data assimilation using a graph-based agent-oriented model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rai, Sanish; Hu, Xiaolin

2018-07-01

Building occupancy simulation and estimation simulates the dynamics of occupants and estimates their real-time spatial distribution in a building. It requires a simulation model and an algorithm for data assimilation that assimilates real-time sensor data into the simulation model. Existing building occupancy simulation models include agent-based models and graph-based models. The agent-based models suffer high computation cost for simulating large numbers of occupants, and graph-based models overlook the heterogeneity and detailed behaviors of individuals. Recognizing the limitations of existing models, this paper presents a new graph-based agent-oriented model which can efficiently simulate large numbers of occupants in various kinds of building structures. To support real-time occupancy dynamics estimation, a data assimilation framework based on Sequential Monte Carlo Methods is also developed and applied to the graph-based agent-oriented model to assimilate real-time sensor data. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the developed model and the data assimilation framework. The major contributions of this work are to provide an efficient model for building occupancy simulation that can accommodate large numbers of occupants and an effective data assimilation framework that can provide real-time estimations of building occupancy from sensor data.

Desktop Application Program to Simulate Cargo-Air-Drop Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cuthbert, Peter

2009-01-01

The DSS Application is a computer program comprising a Windows version of the UNIX-based Decelerator System Simulation (DSS) coupled with an Excel front end. The DSS is an executable code that simulates the dynamics of airdropped cargo from first motion in an aircraft through landing. The bare DSS is difficult to use; the front end makes it easy to use. All inputs to the DSS, control of execution of the DSS, and postprocessing and plotting of outputs are handled in the front end. The front end is graphics-intensive. The Excel software provides the graphical elements without need for additional programming. Categories of input parameters are divided into separate tabbed windows. Pop-up comments describe each parameter. An error-checking software component evaluates combinations of parameters and alerts the user if an error results. Case files can be created from inputs, making it possible to build cases from previous ones. Simulation output is plotted in 16 charts displayed on a separate worksheet, enabling plotting of multiple DSS cases with flight-test data. Variables assigned to each plot can be changed. Selected input parameters can be edited from the plot sheet for quick sensitivity studies.

Virtual Reality for Artificial Intelligence: human-centered simulation for social science.

PubMed

Cipresso, Pietro; Riva, Giuseppe

2015-01-01

There is a long last tradition in Artificial Intelligence as use of Robots endowing human peculiarities, from a cognitive and emotional point of view, and not only in shape. Today Artificial Intelligence is more oriented to several form of collective intelligence, also building robot simulators (hardware or software) to deeply understand collective behaviors in human beings and society as a whole. Modeling has also been crucial in the social sciences, to understand how complex systems can arise from simple rules. However, while engineers' simulations can be performed in the physical world using robots, for social scientist this is impossible. For decades, researchers tried to improve simulations by endowing artificial agents with simple and complex rules that emulated human behavior also by using artificial intelligence (AI). To include human beings and their real intelligence within artificial societies is now the big challenge. We present an hybrid (human-artificial) platform where experiments can be performed by simulated artificial worlds in the following manner: 1) agents' behaviors are regulated by the behaviors shown in Virtual Reality involving real human beings exposed to specific situations to simulate, and 2) technology transfers these rules into the artificial world. These form a closed-loop of real behaviors inserted into artificial agents, which can be used to study real society.

Asbestos release from whole-building demolition of buildings with asbestos-containing material.

PubMed

Perkins, Robert A; Hargesheimer, John; Fourie, Walter

2007-12-01

The whole-building demolition method, which entails one-or two-story buildings pushed down by heavy equipment, loaded into trucks, and hauled away, is generally the most cost-effective means to remove small buildings. For taller buildings, a crane and wrecking ball may be used initially to reduce the height of the building. Demolitions might release asbestos fibers from friable asbestos-containing material (ACM). Fibers also might be released from nominally nonfriable ACM (Categories I and II nonfriable ACM) if it becomes friable after rough handling throughout the whole-building demolition process. This paper reports on asbestos air monitoring from two demolition projects involving ACM. In one building, Category II nonfriable ACM was present because it could not be removed safely prior to demolition. Both projects had large quantities of gypsum wallboard with ACM joint compound and ACM flooring. One building had large quantities of ACM spray-on ceiling material. During the demolitions personal air monitoring of the workers and area air monitoring downwind and around the sites were conducted. The monitoring found the concentrations of fibers detected by phase contrast microscopy were generally well below the permissible exposure limits (PEL) of workers. Electron microcopy analysis of samples at or near the PEL indicated most of the fibers were not asbestos, and the actual asbestos exposure was often below the detection limit of the procedure. The buildings were kept wet with fire hoses during the demolition and that required large quantities of water, 20,000-60,000 gal/day (75-225 m(3)/day). Earlier studies found little asbestos release from buildings containing only nonfriable ACM demolished by this method. This project found a negligible release of asbestos fibers, despite the presence of nonfriable materials that might become friable, such as ACM joint compound and spray-on ACM ceiling coating.

National Cycle Program (NCP) Common Analysis Tool for Aeropropulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Follen, G.; Naiman, C.; Evans, A.

1999-01-01

Through the NASA/Industry Cooperative Effort (NICE) agreement, NASA Lewis and industry partners are developing a new engine simulation, called the National Cycle Program (NCP), which is the initial framework of NPSS. NCP is the first phase toward achieving the goal of NPSS. This new software supports the aerothermodynamic system simulation process for the full life cycle of an engine. The National Cycle Program (NCP) was written following the Object Oriented Paradigm (C++, CORBA). The software development process used was also based on the Object Oriented paradigm. Software reviews, configuration management, test plans, requirements, design were all apart of the process used in developing NCP. Due to the many contributors to NCP, the stated software process was mandatory for building a common tool intended for use by so many organizations. The U.S. aircraft and airframe companies recognize NCP as the future industry standard for propulsion system modeling.

Monte Carlo ray-tracing simulations of luminescent solar concentrators for building integrated photovoltaics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leow, Shin Woei; Corrado, Carley; Osborn, Melissa; Carter, Sue A.

2013-09-01

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) have the ability to receive light from a wide range of angles, concentrating the captured light onto small photo active areas. This enables greater incorporation of LSCs into building designs as windows, skylights and wall claddings in addition to rooftop installations of current solar panels. Using relatively cheap luminescent dyes and acrylic waveguides to effect light concentration onto lesser photovoltaic (PV) cells, there is potential for this technology to approach grid price parity. We employ a panel design in which the front facing PV cells collect both direct and concentrated light ensuring a gain factor greater than one. This also allows for flexibility in determining the placement and percentage coverage of PV cells during the design process to balance reabsorption losses against the power output and level of light concentration desired. To aid in design optimization, a Monte-Carlo ray tracing program was developed to study the transport of photons and loss mechanisms in LSC panels. The program imports measured absorption/emission spectra and transmission coefficients as simulation parameters with interactions of photons in the panel determined by comparing calculated probabilities with random number generators. LSC panels with multiple dyes or layers can also be simulated. Analysis of the results reveals optimal panel dimensions and PV cell layouts for maximum power output for a given dye concentration, absorbtion/emission spectrum and quantum efficiency.

C++QEDv2 Milestone 10: A C++/Python application-programming framework for simulating open quantum dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sandner, Raimar; Vukics, András

2014-09-01

The v2 Milestone 10 release of C++QED is primarily a feature release, which also corrects some problems of the previous release, especially as regards the build system. The adoption of C++11 features has led to many simplifications in the codebase. A full doxygen-based API manual [1] is now provided together with updated user guides. A largely automated, versatile new testsuite directed both towards computational and physics features allows for quickly spotting arising errors. The states of trajectories are now savable and recoverable with full binary precision, allowing for trajectory continuation regardless of evolution method (single/ensemble Monte Carlo wave-function or Master equation trajectory). As the main new feature, the framework now presents Python bindings to the highest-level programming interface, so that actual simulations for given composite quantum systems can now be performed from Python. Catalogue identifier: AELU_v2_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AELU_v2_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: yes No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 492422 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 8070987 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: C++/Python. Computer: i386-i686, x86 64. Operating system: In principle cross-platform, as yet tested only on UNIX-like systems (including Mac OS X). RAM: The framework itself takes about 60MB, which is fully shared. The additional memory taken by the program which defines the actual physical system (script) is typically less than 1MB. The memory storing the actual data scales with the system dimension for state-vector manipulations, and the square of the dimension for density-operator manipulations. This might easily be GBs, and often the memory of the machine limits the size of the simulated system. Classification: 4.3, 4.13, 6.2. External routines: Boost C++ libraries, GNU Scientific Library, Blitz++, FLENS, NumPy, SciPy Catalogue identifier of previous version: AELU_v1_0 Journal reference of previous version: Comput. Phys. Comm. 183 (2012) 1381 Does the new version supersede the previous version?: Yes Nature of problem: Definition of (open) composite quantum systems out of elementary building blocks [2,3]. Manipulation of such systems, with emphasis on dynamical simulations such as Master-equation evolution [4] and Monte Carlo wave-function simulation [5]. Solution method: Master equation, Monte Carlo wave-function method Reasons for new version: The new version is mainly a feature release, but it does correct some problems of the previous version, especially as regards the build system. Summary of revisions: We give an example for a typical Python script implementing the ring-cavity system presented in Sec. 3.3 of Ref. [2]: Restrictions: Total dimensionality of the system. Master equation-few thousands. Monte Carlo wave-function trajectory-several millions. Unusual features: Because of the heavy use of compile-time algorithms, compilation of programs written in the framework may take a long time and much memory (up to several GBs). Additional comments: The framework is not a program, but provides and implements an application-programming interface for developing simulations in the indicated problem domain. We use several C++11 features which limits the range of supported compilers (g++ 4.7, clang++ 3.1) Documentation, http://cppqed.sourceforge.net/ Running time: Depending on the magnitude of the problem, can vary from a few seconds to weeks. References: [1] Entry point: http://cppqed.sf.net [2] A. Vukics, C++QEDv2: The multi-array concept and compile-time algorithms in the definition of composite quantum systems, Comp. Phys. Comm. 183(2012)1381. [3] A. Vukics, H. Ritsch, C++QED: an object-oriented framework for wave-function simulations of cavity QED systems, Eur. Phys. J. D 44 (2007) 585. [4] H. J. Carmichael, An Open Systems Approach to Quantum Optics, Springer, 1993. [5] J. Dalibard, Y. Castin, K. Molmer, Wave-function approach to dissipative processes in quantum optics, Phys. Rev. Lett. 68 (1992) 580.

Lumacaftor and Ivacaftor

MedlinePlus

... body to decrease the build-up of thick mucus in the lungs and improving other symptoms of ... avocados, nuts, butter, peanut butter, cheese pizza, whole milk and other whole milk products such as cheese ...

Tezacaftor and Ivacaftor

MedlinePlus

... body to decrease the build-up of thick mucus in the lungs and improve other cystic fibrosis ... butter, nuts, peanut butter, cheese pizza, and whole-milk dairy products (such as whole milk, cheese, and ...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chao, Tian-Jy; Kim, Younghun

An end-to-end interoperability and workflows from building architecture design to one or more simulations, in one aspect, may comprise establishing a BIM enablement platform architecture. A data model defines data entities and entity relationships for enabling the interoperability and workflows. A data definition language may be implemented that defines and creates a table schema of a database associated with the data model. Data management services and/or application programming interfaces may be implemented for interacting with the data model. Web services may also be provided for interacting with the data model via the Web. A user interface may be implemented thatmore » communicates with users and uses the BIM enablement platform architecture, the data model, the data definition language, data management services and application programming interfaces to provide functions to the users to perform work related to building information management.« less

New Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Technology Solutions for New Manufactured Homes, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

BA-PIRC

2013-11-01

The Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction, the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), and Northwest Energy Works (NEW), the current Northwest Energy Efficient Manufactured Housing Program (NEEM) administrator, have been collaborating to conduct research on new specifications that would improve on the energy requirements of a NEEM home. In its role as administrator, NEW administers the technical specs, performs research and engineering analysis, implements ongoing construction quality management procedures, and maintains a central database with home tracking. This project prototyped and assessed the performances of cost-effective high performance building assemblies and mechanical systems that are not commonly deployed in themore » manufacturing setting. The package of measures is able to reduce energy used for space conditioning, water heating and lighting by 50 percent over typical manufactured homes produced in the northwest.« less

Building Whole People, Whole Organizations, and Whole Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mittelstet, Stephen K.

2009-01-01

Gandhi's inspiration, true for the individual, is also true for the lives of the higher education institutions, especially if they intend their students to be builders of sustainable local and world community, characterized by social equity and justice, economic sufficiency, and a healthy environment. If how presidents conduct their institutions…

Analysis of the impact of simulation model simplifications on the quality of low-energy buildings simulation results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klimczak, Marcin; Bojarski, Jacek; Ziembicki, Piotr; Kęskiewicz, Piotr

2017-11-01

The requirements concerning energy performance of buildings and their internal installations, particularly HVAC systems, have been growing continuously in Poland and all over the world. The existing, traditional calculation methods following from the static heat exchange model are frequently not sufficient for a reasonable heating design of a building. Both in Poland and elsewhere in the world, methods and software are employed which allow a detailed simulation of the heating and moisture conditions in a building, and also an analysis of the performance of HVAC systems within a building. However, these systems are usually difficult in use and complex. In addition, the development of a simulation model that is sufficiently adequate to the real building requires considerable time involvement of a designer, is time-consuming and laborious. A simplification of the simulation model of a building renders it possible to reduce the costs of computer simulations. The paper analyses in detail the effect of introducing a number of different variants of the simulation model developed in Design Builder on the quality of final results obtained. The objective of this analysis is to find simplifications which allow obtaining simulation results which have an acceptable level of deviations from the detailed model, thus facilitating a quick energy performance analysis of a given building.

Community Capacity Building.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGinty, Sue

As community assets, schools are central to community development and are best suited to provide a learning community that can build the whole community's capacity to address educational disadvantage. Community capacity building means strengthening a community's ability to become self-reliant by increasing social cohesion and social capital. In…

A Fast and Self-Acting Release-Caging-Mechanism for Actively Driven Drop Tower Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gierse, Andreas; Kaczmarczik, Ulrich; Greif, Andreas; Selig, Hanns; von Kampen, Peter; Könemann, Thorben; Lämmerzahl, Claus

2017-10-01

Today's and future scientific research programs ask for high quality microgravity conditions of 10-6 g on ground combined with high repetition rates of 100 flights per day or more. Accordingly, a new type of drop tower, the GraviTower Bremen, (GTB), has been suggested and is currently under development. As a first stage of development, a GTB-Prototype (GTB-Pro) has been designed which uses an active rope drive to accelerate a slider/drag shield and an experiment therein on a vertical parabola. During the free fall phase, the experiment is decoupled from the slider by a self-acting Release-Caging-Mechanism (RCM). Our prototype will provide 2.5 s of microgravity for experiments of up to 500 kg for at least 100 times per day. In this article, the final concept of the engineering of the active rope drive and the RCM are presented in detail. Based on extensive simulations aiming at an optimization of the whole system we developed a hydraulic rope drive system with minimized vibrational amplitude and low number of eigenfrequencies. The RCM achieves a very fast (≤ 0.1 s) self-acting release of the experiment from the slider by making use of the dynamics of the hydraulic rope drive. Furthermore, passive hydraulic stop dampers in the RCM build a passive and self-acting recoupling mechanism. This system is optimized for a fast decoupling to compensate for the time limitation posed by the chosen drive technology. The simulations included a comparison of different drive technologies, physical effects like the Coriolis force, and the dynamics of the RCM system itself.

Gate-to-gate Life-Cycle Inventory of Hardboard Production in North America

Treesearch

Richard Bergman

2014-01-01

Whole-building life-cycle assessments (LCAs) populated by life-cycle inventory (LCI) data are incorporated into environmental footprint software tools for establishing green building certification by building professionals and code. However, LCI data on some wood building products are still needed to help fill gaps in the data and thus provide a more complete picture...

The Mine Locomotive Wireless Network Strategy Based on Successive Interference Cancellation

PubMed Central

Wu, Liaoyuan; Han, Jianghong; Wei, Xing; Shi, Lei; Ding, Xu

2015-01-01

We consider a wireless network strategy based on successive interference cancellation (SIC) for mine locomotives. We firstly build the original mathematical model for the strategy which is a non-convex model. Then, we examine this model intensively, and figure out that there are certain regulations embedded in it. Based on these findings, we are able to reformulate the model into a new form and design a simple algorithm which can assign each locomotive with a proper transmitting scheme during the whole schedule procedure. Simulation results show that the outcomes obtained through this algorithm are improved by around 50% compared with those that do not apply the SIC technique. PMID:26569240

Systems analysis techniques for annual cycle thermal energy storage solar systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baylin, F.

1980-07-01

Community-scale annual cycle thermal energy storage solar systems are options for building heat and cooling. A variety of approaches are feasible in modeling ACTES solar systems. The key parameter in such efforts, average collector efficiency, is examined, followed by several approaches for simple and effective modeling. Methods are also examined for modeling building loads for structures based on both conventional and passive architectural designs. Two simulation models for sizing solar heating systems with annual storage are presented. Validation is presented by comparison with the results of a study of seasonal storage systems based on SOLANSIM, an hour-by-hour simulation. These models are presently used to examine the economic trade-off between collector field area and storage capacity. Programs directed toward developing other system components such as improved tanks and solar ponds or design tools for ACTES solar systems are examined.

Holistic Nursing Simulation: A Concept Analysis.

PubMed

Cohen, Bonni S; Boni, Rebecca

2018-03-01

Simulation as a technology and holistic nursing care as a philosophy are two components within nursing programs that have merged during the process of knowledge and skill acquisition in the care of the patients as whole beings. Simulation provides opportunities to apply knowledge and skill through the use of simulators, standardized patients, and virtual settings. Concerns with simulation have been raised regarding the integration of the nursing process and recognizing the totality of the human being. Though simulation is useful as a technology, the nursing profession places importance on patient care, drawing on knowledge, theories, and expertise to administer patient care. There is a need to promptly and comprehensively define the concept of holistic nursing simulation to provide consistency and a basis for quality application within nursing curricula. This concept analysis uses Walker and Avant's approach to define holistic nursing simulation by defining antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents. The concept of holism and the practice of holistic nursing incorporated into simulation require an analysis of the concept of holistic nursing simulation by developing a language and model to provide direction for educators in design and development of holistic nursing simulation.

Simulating Operations at a Spaceport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nevins, Michael R.

2007-01-01

SPACESIM is a computer program for detailed simulation of operations at a spaceport. SPACESIM is being developed to greatly improve existing spaceports and to aid in designing, building, and operating future spaceports, given that there is a worldwide trend in spaceport operations from very expensive, research- oriented launches to more frequent commercial launches. From an operational perspective, future spaceports are expected to resemble current airports and seaports, for which it is necessary to resolve issues of safety, security, efficient movement of machinery and people, cost effectiveness, timeliness, and maximizing effectiveness in utilization of resources. Simulations can be performed, for example, to (1) simultaneously analyze launches of reusable and expendable rockets and identify bottlenecks arising from competition for limited resources or (2) perform what-if scenario analyses to identify optimal scenarios prior to making large capital investments. SPACESIM includes an object-oriented discrete-event-simulation engine. (Discrete- event simulation has been used to assess processes at modern seaports.) The simulation engine is built upon the Java programming language for maximum portability. Extensible Markup Language (XML) is used for storage of data to enable industry-standard interchange of data with other software. A graphical user interface facilitates creation of scenarios and analysis of data.

Integrating Existing Simulation Components into a Cohesive Simulation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McLaughlin, Brian J.; Barrett, Larry K.

2012-01-01

A tradition of leveraging the re-use of components to help manage costs has evolved in the development of complex system. This tradition continues on in the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) Program with the cloning of the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) satellite for the JPSS-1 mission, including the instrument complement. One benefit of re-use on a mission is the availability of existing simulation assets from the systems that were previously built. An issue arises in the continual shift of technology over a long mission, or multi-mission, lifecycle. As the missions mature, the requirements for the observatory simulations evolve. The challenge in this environment becomes re-using the existing components in that ever-changing landscape. To meet this challenge, the system must: establish an operational architecture that minimizes impacts on the implementation of individual components, consolidate the satisfaction of new high-impact requirements into system-level infrastructure, and build in a long-term view of system adaptation that spans the full lifecycle of the simulation system. The Flight Vehicle Test Suite (FVTS) within the JPSS Program is defining and executing this approach to ensure a robust simulation capability for the JPSS multi-mission environment

Enhancements to the Branched Lagrangian Transport Modeling System

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jobson, Harvey E.

1997-01-01

The Branched Lagrangian Transport Model (BLTM) has received wide use within the U.S. Geological Survey over the past 10 years. This report documents the enhancements and modifications that have been made to this modeling system since it was first introduced. The programs in the modeling system are arranged into five levels?programs to generate time-series of meteorological data (EQULTMP, SOLAR), programs to process time-series data (INTRP, MRG), programs to build input files for transport model (BBLTM, BQUAL2E), the model with defined reaction kinetics (BLTM, QUAL2E), and post processor plotting programs (CTPLT, CXPLT). An example application is presented to illustrate how the modeling system can be used to simulate 10 water-quality constituents in the Chattahoochee River below Atlanta, Georgia.

Coupling indoor airflow, HVAC, control and building envelope heat transfer in the Modelica Buildings library

DOE PAGES

Zuo, Wangda; Wetter, Michael; Tian, Wei; ...

2015-07-13

Here, this paper describes a coupled dynamic simulation of an indoor environment with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, controls and building envelope heat transfer. The coupled simulation can be used for the design and control of ventilation systems with stratified air distributions. Those systems are commonly used to reduce building energy consumption while improving the indoor environment quality. The indoor environment was simulated using the fast fluid dynamics (FFD) simulation programme. The building fabric heat transfer, HVAC and control system were modelled using the Modelica Buildings library. After presenting the concept, the mathematical algorithm and the implementation ofmore » the coupled simulation were introduced. The coupled FFD–Modelica simulation was then evaluated using three examples of room ventilation with complex flow distributions with and without feedback control. Lastly, further research and development needs were also discussed.« less

Coupling indoor airflow, HVAC, control and building envelope heat transfer in the Modelica Buildings library

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zuo, Wangda; Wetter, Michael; Tian, Wei

Here, this paper describes a coupled dynamic simulation of an indoor environment with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, controls and building envelope heat transfer. The coupled simulation can be used for the design and control of ventilation systems with stratified air distributions. Those systems are commonly used to reduce building energy consumption while improving the indoor environment quality. The indoor environment was simulated using the fast fluid dynamics (FFD) simulation programme. The building fabric heat transfer, HVAC and control system were modelled using the Modelica Buildings library. After presenting the concept, the mathematical algorithm and the implementation ofmore » the coupled simulation were introduced. The coupled FFD–Modelica simulation was then evaluated using three examples of room ventilation with complex flow distributions with and without feedback control. Lastly, further research and development needs were also discussed.« less

Tips for daylighting with windows

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robinson, Alastair; Selkowitz, Stephen

2013-10-01

These guidelines provide an integrated approach to the cost-effective design of perimeter zones in new commercial buildings and existing building retrofits. They function as a quick reference for building designers, through a set of easy steps and rules-of-thumb, emphasizing “how-to” practical details. References are given to more detailed sources of information, should the reader wish to go further. The design method used in this document emphasizes that building decisions should be made within the context of the whole building as a single functioning system rather than as an assembly of distinct parts. This integrated design approach looks at the ramificationsmore » of each individual system decision on the whole building. For example, the decision on glazing selection will have an effect on lighting, mechanical systems, and interior design. Therefore, the entire design team should participate and influence this glazing decision—which typically rests with the architect alone. The benefit of an integrated design approach is a greater chance of success towards long-term comfort and sustained energy savings in the building.« less

Center for the Built Environment: Research

Science.gov Websites

to design and development teams, leading to a situation in which many building industry professionals make economic and design decisions with insufficient feedback from experience, or input from objective building design, construction, and operations. Learn more about our sustainability and whole building

Center for the Built Environment: Research on Controls and Information

Science.gov Websites

and Control Sustainability and Whole Building Energy Publications Research Area : Research on Human Interactions Contributing to the next generation of high-performance building control systems. New information for sensing and control of buildings using wireless communications technology, micro-electromechancial

Simulation of tree shade impacts on residential energy use for space conditioning in Sacramento

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simpson, J. R.; McPherson, E. G.

Tree shade reduces summer air conditioning demand and increases winter heating load by intercepting solar energy that would otherwise heat the shaded structure. We evaluate the magnitude of these effects here for 254 residential properties participating in a utility sponsored tree planting program in Sacramento, California. Tree and building characteristics and typical weather data are used to model hourly shading and energy used for space conditioning for each building for a period of one year. There were an average of 3.1 program trees per property which reduced annual and peak (8 h average from 1 to 9 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time) cooling energy use 153 kWh (7.1%) and 0.08 kW (2.3%) per tree, respectively. Annual heating load increased 0.85 GJ (0.80 MBtu, 1.9%) per tree. Changes in cooling load were smaller, but percentage changes larger, for newer buildings. Averaged over all homes, annual cooling savings of 15.25 per tree were reduced by a heating penalty of 5.25 per tree, for net savings of 10.00 per tree from shade. We estimate an annual cooling penalty of 2.80 per tree and heating savings of 6.80 per tree from reduced wind speed, for a net savings of 4.00 per tree, and total annual savings of 14.00 per tree (43.00 per property). Results are found to be consistent with previous simulations and the limited measurements available.

A digital computer simulation and study of a direct-energy-transfer power-conditioning system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burns, W. W., III; Owen, H. A., Jr.; Wilson, T. G.; Rodriguez, G. E.; Paulkovich, J.

1975-01-01

An investigation of the behavior of the power-conditioning system as a whole is a necessity to ensure the integrity of the aggregate system in the case of space applications. An approach for conducting such an investigation is considered. A description is given of the application of a general digital analog simulator program to the study of an aggregate power-conditioning system which is being developed for use on the International Ultraviolet Explorer spacecraft. The function of the direct energy transfer system studied involves a coupling of a solar array through a main distribution bus to the spacecraft electrical loads.

Case-based tutoring from a medical knowledge base.

PubMed

Chin, H L; Cooper, G F

1989-01-01

The past decade has seen the emergence of programs that make use of large knowledge bases to assist physicians in diagnosis within the general field of internal medicine. One such program, Internist-I, contains knowledge about over 600 diseases, covering a significant proportion of internal medicine. This paper describes the process of converting a subset of this knowledge base--in the area of cardiovascular diseases--into a probabilistic format, and the use of this resulting knowledge base to teach medical diagnostic knowledge. The system (called KBSimulator--for Knowledge-Based patient Simulator) generates simulated patient cases and uses these cases as a focal point from which to teach medical knowledge. This project demonstrates the feasibility of building an intelligent, flexible instructional system that uses a knowledge base constructed primarily for medical diagnosis.

Design of energy efficient building with radiant slab cooling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Zhen

2007-12-01

Air-conditioning comprises a substantial fraction of commercial building energy use because of compressor-driven refrigeration and fan-driven air circulation. Core regions of large buildings require year-round cooling due to heat gains from people, lights and equipment. Negative environmental impacts include CO2 emissions from electric generation and leakage of ozone-depleting refrigerants. Some argue that radiant cooling simultaneously improves building efficiency and occupant thermal comfort, and that current thermal comfort models fail to reflect occupant experience with radiant thermal control systems. There is little field evidence to test these claims. The University of Calgary's Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Building, is a pioneering radiant slab cooling installation in North America. Thermal comfort and energy performance were evaluated. Measurements included: (1) heating and cooling energy use, (2) electrical energy use for lighting and equipment, and (3) indoor temperatures. Accuracy of a whole building energy simulation model was evaluated with these data. Simulation was then used to compare the radiant slab design with a conventional (variable air volume) system. The radiant system energy performance was found to be poorer mainly due to: (1) simultaneous cooling by the slab and heating by other systems, (2) omission of low-exergy (e.g., groundwater) cooling possible with the high cooling water temperatures possible with radiant slabs and (3) excessive solar gain and conductive heat loss due to the wall and fenestration design. Occupant thermal comfort was evaluated through questionnaires and concurrent measurement of workstation comfort parameters. Analysis of 116 sets of data from 82 occupants showed that occupant assessment was consistent with estimates based on current thermal comfort models. The main thermal comfort improvements were reductions in (1) local discomfort from draft and (2) vertical air temperature stratification. The analysis showed that integrated architectural and mechanical design is required to achieve the potential benefits of radiant slab cooling, including: (1) reduction of peak solar gain via windows through (a) avoiding large window-to-wall ratios and/or (b) exterior shading of windows, (2) use of low-quality cooling sources such as cooling towers and ground water, especially in cold, dry climates, and (3) coordination of system control to avoid simultaneous heating and cooling.

Introducing Molecular Life Science Students to Model Building Using Computer Simulations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aegerter-Wilmsen, Tinri; Kettenis, Dik; Sessink, Olivier; Hartog, Rob; Bisseling, Ton; Janssen, Fred

2006-01-01

Computer simulations can facilitate the building of models of natural phenomena in research, such as in the molecular life sciences. In order to introduce molecular life science students to the use of computer simulations for model building, a digital case was developed in which students build a model of a pattern formation process in…

1. NEUTRAL BUOYANCY SIMULATOR BUILDING (NBS) EXTERIOR ELEVATION LOOKING NORTH; ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

1. NEUTRAL BUOYANCY SIMULATOR BUILDING (NBS) EXTERIOR ELEVATION LOOKING NORTH; TANK BUILDING TO LEFT, CONTROL ROOM ETC. TO RIGHT OF CONNECTING BAY. - Marshall Space Flight Center, Neutral Buoyancy Simulator Facility, Rideout Road, Huntsville, Madison County, AL

Promoting Connectedness through Whole-School Approaches: Key Elements and Pathways of Influence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowe, Fiona; Stewart, Donald

2011-01-01

Purpose: A comprehensive whole-school approach has emerged as a promising model for building connectedness in the school setting. The health-promoting school model, through its whole-school orientation and attention to the school organizational environment, identifies structures and processes that influence school connectedness. This paper aims to…

Laboratory exposure systems to simulate atmospheric degradation of building stone under dry and wet deposition conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, J. B.; Haneef, S. J.; Hepburn, B. J.; Hutchinson, A. J.; Thompson, G. E.; Wood, G. C.

The design philosophy, construction and use of two exposure test systems are described, in which the objective is to simulate the degradation of stone samples under, respectively, the 'dry' and 'wet' deposition of atmospheric pollutants. Some element of realistic acceleration is possible in certain experiments. Particular emphasis is placed upon using known presentation rates of the pollutants, both in respect of typical depositions of pollutants and their oxidation products appropriate for an industrial atmosphere. In the dry deposition rig, SO 2, NO 2, NO, HCl and the oxidant O 3 are presented individually or together at realistic deposition rates. In the wet deposition apparatus, SO 2-4, NO -3 and Cl - at a pH of 3.5, simulating 'acid rain' but in a more concentrated form, are deposited. The dry deposition chamber can be operated at constant relative humidity (typically 84%) with pre-dried or precisely wetted stones to simulate episodic rain wetting, or using other methods of wet/dry cycling, which are also a feature of the wet deposition chamber. Heating and cooling of the samples is also possible, as is the use of shaped or coupled stones of different kinds such as are found in a building facade. The results are illustrated in terms of data on the weight change, the anion content of stone and run-off, the pH change of run-off and the total calcium reacted, using Portland stone, as a prelude to later papers in which behaviour of a whole matrix of stone types and environments is presented and discussed. Such an approach permits the eventual production of 'pollutant-material response' relationships and damage functions for comparison with and prediction of external exposure results.

Interprofessional education in pharmacology using high-fidelity simulation.

PubMed

Meyer, Brittney A; Seefeldt, Teresa M; Ngorsuraches, Surachat; Hendrickx, Lori D; Lubeck, Paula M; Farver, Debra K; Heins, Jodi R

2017-11-01

This study examined the feasibility of an interprofessional high-fidelity pharmacology simulation and its impact on pharmacy and nursing students' perceptions of interprofessionalism and pharmacology knowledge. Pharmacy and nursing students participated in a pharmacology simulation using a high-fidelity patient simulator. Faculty-facilitated debriefing included discussion of the case and collaboration. To determine the impact of the activity on students' perceptions of interprofessionalism and their ability to apply pharmacology knowledge, surveys were administered to students before and after the simulation. Attitudes Toward Health Care Teams scale (ATHCT) scores improved from 4.55 to 4.72 on a scale of 1-6 (p = 0.005). Almost all (over 90%) of the students stated their pharmacology knowledge and their ability to apply that knowledge improved following the simulation. A simulation in pharmacology is feasible and favorably affected students' interprofessionalism and pharmacology knowledge perceptions. Pharmacology is a core science course required by multiple health professions in early program curricula, making it favorable for incorporation of interprofessional learning experiences. However, reports of high-fidelity interprofessional simulation in pharmacology courses are limited. This manuscript contributes to the literature in the field of interprofessional education by demonstrating that an interprofessional simulation in pharmacology is feasible and can favorably affect students' perceptions of interprofessionalism. This manuscript provides an example of a pharmacology interprofessional simulation that faculty in other programs can use to build similar educational activities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Assessment of Deep Learning Algorithms for Detection of Lymph Node Metastases in Women With Breast Cancer

PubMed Central

Veta, Mitko; Johannes van Diest, Paul; van Ginneken, Bram; Karssemeijer, Nico; Litjens, Geert; van der Laak, Jeroen A. W. M.; Hermsen, Meyke; Manson, Quirine F; Balkenhol, Maschenka; Geessink, Oscar; Stathonikos, Nikolaos; van Dijk, Marcory CRF; Bult, Peter; Beca, Francisco; Beck, Andrew H; Wang, Dayong; Khosla, Aditya; Gargeya, Rishab; Irshad, Humayun; Zhong, Aoxiao; Dou, Qi; Li, Quanzheng; Chen, Hao; Lin, Huang-Jing; Heng, Pheng-Ann; Haß, Christian; Bruni, Elia; Wong, Quincy; Halici, Ugur; Öner, Mustafa Ümit; Cetin-Atalay, Rengul; Berseth, Matt; Khvatkov, Vitali; Vylegzhanin, Alexei; Kraus, Oren; Shaban, Muhammad; Rajpoot, Nasir; Awan, Ruqayya; Sirinukunwattana, Korsuk; Qaiser, Talha; Tsang, Yee-Wah; Tellez, David; Annuscheit, Jonas; Hufnagl, Peter; Valkonen, Mira; Kartasalo, Kimmo; Latonen, Leena; Ruusuvuori, Pekka; Liimatainen, Kaisa; Albarqouni, Shadi; Mungal, Bharti; George, Ami; Demirci, Stefanie; Navab, Nassir; Watanabe, Seiryo; Seno, Shigeto; Takenaka, Yoichi; Matsuda, Hideo; Ahmady Phoulady, Hady; Kovalev, Vassili; Kalinovsky, Alexander; Liauchuk, Vitali; Bueno, Gloria; Fernandez-Carrobles, M. Milagro; Serrano, Ismael; Deniz, Oscar; Racoceanu, Daniel; Venâncio, Rui

2017-01-01

Importance Application of deep learning algorithms to whole-slide pathology images can potentially improve diagnostic accuracy and efficiency. Objective Assess the performance of automated deep learning algorithms at detecting metastases in hematoxylin and eosin–stained tissue sections of lymph nodes of women with breast cancer and compare it with pathologists’ diagnoses in a diagnostic setting. Design, Setting, and Participants Researcher challenge competition (CAMELYON16) to develop automated solutions for detecting lymph node metastases (November 2015-November 2016). A training data set of whole-slide images from 2 centers in the Netherlands with (n = 110) and without (n = 160) nodal metastases verified by immunohistochemical staining were provided to challenge participants to build algorithms. Algorithm performance was evaluated in an independent test set of 129 whole-slide images (49 with and 80 without metastases). The same test set of corresponding glass slides was also evaluated by a panel of 11 pathologists with time constraint (WTC) from the Netherlands to ascertain likelihood of nodal metastases for each slide in a flexible 2-hour session, simulating routine pathology workflow, and by 1 pathologist without time constraint (WOTC). Exposures Deep learning algorithms submitted as part of a challenge competition or pathologist interpretation. Main Outcomes and Measures The presence of specific metastatic foci and the absence vs presence of lymph node metastasis in a slide or image using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The 11 pathologists participating in the simulation exercise rated their diagnostic confidence as definitely normal, probably normal, equivocal, probably tumor, or definitely tumor. Results The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for the algorithms ranged from 0.556 to 0.994. The top-performing algorithm achieved a lesion-level, true-positive fraction comparable with that of the pathologist WOTC (72.4% [95% CI, 64.3%-80.4%]) at a mean of 0.0125 false-positives per normal whole-slide image. For the whole-slide image classification task, the best algorithm (AUC, 0.994 [95% CI, 0.983-0.999]) performed significantly better than the pathologists WTC in a diagnostic simulation (mean AUC, 0.810 [range, 0.738-0.884]; P < .001). The top 5 algorithms had a mean AUC that was comparable with the pathologist interpreting the slides in the absence of time constraints (mean AUC, 0.960 [range, 0.923-0.994] for the top 5 algorithms vs 0.966 [95% CI, 0.927-0.998] for the pathologist WOTC). Conclusions and Relevance In the setting of a challenge competition, some deep learning algorithms achieved better diagnostic performance than a panel of 11 pathologists participating in a simulation exercise designed to mimic routine pathology workflow; algorithm performance was comparable with an expert pathologist interpreting whole-slide images without time constraints. Whether this approach has clinical utility will require evaluation in a clinical setting. PMID:29234806

The Theoretical Astrophysical Observatory: Cloud-based Mock Galaxy Catalogs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernyk, Maksym; Croton, Darren J.; Tonini, Chiara; Hodkinson, Luke; Hassan, Amr H.; Garel, Thibault; Duffy, Alan R.; Mutch, Simon J.; Poole, Gregory B.; Hegarty, Sarah

2016-03-01

We introduce the Theoretical Astrophysical Observatory (TAO), an online virtual laboratory that houses mock observations of galaxy survey data. Such mocks have become an integral part of the modern analysis pipeline. However, building them requires expert knowledge of galaxy modeling and simulation techniques, significant investment in software development, and access to high performance computing. These requirements make it difficult for a small research team or individual to quickly build a mock catalog suited to their needs. To address this TAO offers access to multiple cosmological simulations and semi-analytic galaxy formation models from an intuitive and clean web interface. Results can be funnelled through science modules and sent to a dedicated supercomputer for further processing and manipulation. These modules include the ability to (1) construct custom observer light cones from the simulation data cubes; (2) generate the stellar emission from star formation histories, apply dust extinction, and compute absolute and/or apparent magnitudes; and (3) produce mock images of the sky. All of TAO’s features can be accessed without any programming requirements. The modular nature of TAO opens it up for further expansion in the future.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bernyk, Maksym; Croton, Darren J.; Tonini, Chiara

We introduce the Theoretical Astrophysical Observatory (TAO), an online virtual laboratory that houses mock observations of galaxy survey data. Such mocks have become an integral part of the modern analysis pipeline. However, building them requires expert knowledge of galaxy modeling and simulation techniques, significant investment in software development, and access to high performance computing. These requirements make it difficult for a small research team or individual to quickly build a mock catalog suited to their needs. To address this TAO offers access to multiple cosmological simulations and semi-analytic galaxy formation models from an intuitive and clean web interface. Results canmore » be funnelled through science modules and sent to a dedicated supercomputer for further processing and manipulation. These modules include the ability to (1) construct custom observer light cones from the simulation data cubes; (2) generate the stellar emission from star formation histories, apply dust extinction, and compute absolute and/or apparent magnitudes; and (3) produce mock images of the sky. All of TAO’s features can be accessed without any programming requirements. The modular nature of TAO opens it up for further expansion in the future.« less

Residential Capabilities | Buildings | NREL

Science.gov Websites

components, develop whole-house strategies, and predict performance at various levels of energy savings. This packages at levels of whole-house energy savings. This photo shows a man in front of two computer screens

Building simulation: Ten challenges

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hong, Tianzhen; Langevin, Jared; Sun, Kaiyu

Buildings consume more than one-third of the world’s primary energy. Reducing energy use and greenhouse-gas emissions in the buildings sector through energy conservation and efficiency improvements constitutes a key strategy for achieving global energy and environmental goals. Building performance simulation has been increasingly used as a tool for designing, operating and retrofitting buildings to save energy and utility costs. However, opportunities remain for researchers, software developers, practitioners and policymakers to maximize the value of building performance simulation in the design and operation of low energy buildings and communities that leverage interdisciplinary approaches to integrate humans, buildings, and the power gridmore » at a large scale. This paper presents ten challenges that highlight some of the most important issues in building performance simulation, covering the full building life cycle and a wide range of modeling scales. In conclusion, the formulation and discussion of each challenge aims to provide insights into the state-of-the-art and future research opportunities for each topic, and to inspire new questions from young researchers in this field.« less

Building simulation: Ten challenges

DOE PAGES

Hong, Tianzhen; Langevin, Jared; Sun, Kaiyu

2018-04-12

Buildings consume more than one-third of the world’s primary energy. Reducing energy use and greenhouse-gas emissions in the buildings sector through energy conservation and efficiency improvements constitutes a key strategy for achieving global energy and environmental goals. Building performance simulation has been increasingly used as a tool for designing, operating and retrofitting buildings to save energy and utility costs. However, opportunities remain for researchers, software developers, practitioners and policymakers to maximize the value of building performance simulation in the design and operation of low energy buildings and communities that leverage interdisciplinary approaches to integrate humans, buildings, and the power gridmore » at a large scale. This paper presents ten challenges that highlight some of the most important issues in building performance simulation, covering the full building life cycle and a wide range of modeling scales. In conclusion, the formulation and discussion of each challenge aims to provide insights into the state-of-the-art and future research opportunities for each topic, and to inspire new questions from young researchers in this field.« less

Evaluation of Humidity Control Options in Hot-Humid Climate Homes (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

2011-12-01

This technical highlight describes NREL research to analyze the indoor relative humidity in three home types in the hot-humid climate zone, and examine the impacts of various dehumidification equipment and controls. As the Building America program researches construction of homes that achieve greater source energy savings over typical mid-1990s construction, proper modeling of whole-house latent loads and operation of humidity control equipment has become a high priority. Long-term high relative humidity can cause health and durability problems in homes, particularly in a hot-humid climate. In this study, researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) used the latest EnergyPlus toolmore » equipped with the moisture capacitance model to analyze the indoor relative humidity in three home types: a Building America high-performance home; a mid-1990s reference home; and a 2006 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)-compliant home in hot-humid climate zones. They examined the impacts of various dehumidification equipment and controls on the high-performance home where the dehumidification equipment energy use can become a much larger portion of whole-house energy consumption. The research included a number of simulated cases: thermostat reset, A/C with energy recovery ventilator, heat exchanger assisted A/C, A/C with condenser reheat, A/C with desiccant wheel dehumidifier, A/C with DX dehumidifier, A/C with energy recovery ventilator, and DX dehumidifier. Space relative humidity, thermal comfort, and whole-house source energy consumption were compared for indoor relative humidity set points of 50%, 55%, and 60%. The study revealed why similar trends of high humidity were observed in all three homes regardless of energy efficiency, and why humidity problems are not necessarily unique in the high-performance home. Thermal comfort analysis indicated that occupants are unlikely to notice indoor humidity problems. The study confirmed that supplemental dehumidification is needed to maintain space relative humidity (RH) below 60% in a hot-humid climate home. Researchers also concluded that while all the active dehumidification options included in the study successfully controlled space relative humidity excursions, the increase in whole-house energy consumption was much more sensitive to the humidity set point than the chosen technology option. In the high-performance home, supplemental dehumidification equipment results in a significant source energy consumption penalty at 50% RH set point (12.6%-22.4%) compared to the consumption at 60% RH set point (1.5%-2.7%). At 50% and 55% RH set points, A/C with desiccant wheel dehumidifier and A/C with ERV and high-efficiency DX dehumidifier stand out as the two cases resulting in the smallest increase of source energy consumption. At an RH set point of 60%, all explicit dehumidification technologies result in similar insignificant increases in source energy consumption and thus are equally competitive.« less

Subcontracted activities related to TES for building heating and cooling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, J.

1980-01-01

The subcontract program elements related to thermal energy storage for building heating and cooling systems are outlined. The following factors are included: subcontracts in the utility load management application area; life and stability testing of packaged low cost energy storage materials; and development of thermal energy storage systems for residential space cooling. Resistance storage heater component development, demonstration of storage heater systems for residential applications, and simulation and evaluation of latent heat thermal energy storage (heat pump systems) are also discussed. Application of thermal energy storage for solar application and twin cities district heating are covered including an application analysis and technology assessment of thermal energy storage.

Multi-scale computation methods: Their applications in lithium-ion battery research and development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siqi, Shi; Jian, Gao; Yue, Liu; Yan, Zhao; Qu, Wu; Wangwei, Ju; Chuying, Ouyang; Ruijuan, Xiao

2016-01-01

Based upon advances in theoretical algorithms, modeling and simulations, and computer technologies, the rational design of materials, cells, devices, and packs in the field of lithium-ion batteries is being realized incrementally and will at some point trigger a paradigm revolution by combining calculations and experiments linked by a big shared database, enabling accelerated development of the whole industrial chain. Theory and multi-scale modeling and simulation, as supplements to experimental efforts, can help greatly to close some of the current experimental and technological gaps, as well as predict path-independent properties and help to fundamentally understand path-independent performance in multiple spatial and temporal scales. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51372228 and 11234013), the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2015AA034201), and Shanghai Pujiang Program, China (Grant No. 14PJ1403900).

a Geodatabase for Multisource Data Applied to Cultural Heritage: the Case Study of Villa Revedin Bolasco

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guarnieri, A.; Masiero, A.; Piragnolo, M.; Pirotti, F.; Vettore, A.

2016-06-01

In this paper we present the results of the development of a Web-based archiving and documenting system aimed to the management of multisource and multitemporal data related to cultural heritage. As case study we selected the building complex of Villa Revedin Bolasco in Castefranco Veneto (Treviso, Italy) and its park. Buildings and park were built in XIX century after several restorations of the original XIV century area. The data management system relies on a geodatabase framework, in which different kinds of datasets were stored. More specifically, the geodatabase elements consist of historical information, documents, descriptions of artistic characteristics of the building and the park, in the form of text and images. In addition, we used also floorplans, sections and views of the outer facades of the building extracted by a TLS-based 3D model of the whole Villa. In order to manage and explore these rich dataset, we developed a geodatabase using PostgreSQL and PostGIS as spatial plugin. The Web-GIS platform, based on HTML5 and PHP programming languages, implements the NASA Web World Wind virtual globe, a 3D virtual globe we used to enable the navigation and interactive exploration of the park. Furthermore, through a specific timeline function, the user can explore the historical evolution of the building complex.

Virtual environments simulation in research reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muhamad, Shalina Bt. Sheik; Bahrin, Muhammad Hannan Bin

2017-01-01

Virtual reality based simulations are interactive and engaging. It has the useful potential in improving safety training. Virtual reality technology can be used to train workers who are unfamiliar with the physical layout of an area. In this study, a simulation program based on the virtual environment at research reactor was developed. The platform used for virtual simulation is 3DVia software for which it's rendering capabilities, physics for movement and collision and interactive navigation features have been taken advantage of. A real research reactor was virtually modelled and simulated with the model of avatars adopted to simulate walking. Collision detection algorithms were developed for various parts of the 3D building and avatars to restrain the avatars to certain regions of the virtual environment. A user can control the avatar to move around inside the virtual environment. Thus, this work can assist in the training of personnel, as in evaluating the radiological safety of the research reactor facility.

Bottom-up modeling approach for the quantitative estimation of parameters in pathogen-host interactions

PubMed Central

Lehnert, Teresa; Timme, Sandra; Pollmächer, Johannes; Hünniger, Kerstin; Kurzai, Oliver; Figge, Marc Thilo

2015-01-01

Opportunistic fungal pathogens can cause bloodstream infection and severe sepsis upon entering the blood stream of the host. The early immune response in human blood comprises the elimination of pathogens by antimicrobial peptides and innate immune cells, such as neutrophils or monocytes. Mathematical modeling is a predictive method to examine these complex processes and to quantify the dynamics of pathogen-host interactions. Since model parameters are often not directly accessible from experiment, their estimation is required by calibrating model predictions with experimental data. Depending on the complexity of the mathematical model, parameter estimation can be associated with excessively high computational costs in terms of run time and memory. We apply a strategy for reliable parameter estimation where different modeling approaches with increasing complexity are used that build on one another. This bottom-up modeling approach is applied to an experimental human whole-blood infection assay for Candida albicans. Aiming for the quantification of the relative impact of different routes of the immune response against this human-pathogenic fungus, we start from a non-spatial state-based model (SBM), because this level of model complexity allows estimating a priori unknown transition rates between various system states by the global optimization method simulated annealing. Building on the non-spatial SBM, an agent-based model (ABM) is implemented that incorporates the migration of interacting cells in three-dimensional space. The ABM takes advantage of estimated parameters from the non-spatial SBM, leading to a decreased dimensionality of the parameter space. This space can be scanned using a local optimization approach, i.e., least-squares error estimation based on an adaptive regular grid search, to predict cell migration parameters that are not accessible in experiment. In the future, spatio-temporal simulations of whole-blood samples may enable timely stratification of sepsis patients by distinguishing hyper-inflammatory from paralytic phases in immune dysregulation. PMID:26150807

Bottom-up modeling approach for the quantitative estimation of parameters in pathogen-host interactions.

PubMed

Lehnert, Teresa; Timme, Sandra; Pollmächer, Johannes; Hünniger, Kerstin; Kurzai, Oliver; Figge, Marc Thilo

2015-01-01

Opportunistic fungal pathogens can cause bloodstream infection and severe sepsis upon entering the blood stream of the host. The early immune response in human blood comprises the elimination of pathogens by antimicrobial peptides and innate immune cells, such as neutrophils or monocytes. Mathematical modeling is a predictive method to examine these complex processes and to quantify the dynamics of pathogen-host interactions. Since model parameters are often not directly accessible from experiment, their estimation is required by calibrating model predictions with experimental data. Depending on the complexity of the mathematical model, parameter estimation can be associated with excessively high computational costs in terms of run time and memory. We apply a strategy for reliable parameter estimation where different modeling approaches with increasing complexity are used that build on one another. This bottom-up modeling approach is applied to an experimental human whole-blood infection assay for Candida albicans. Aiming for the quantification of the relative impact of different routes of the immune response against this human-pathogenic fungus, we start from a non-spatial state-based model (SBM), because this level of model complexity allows estimating a priori unknown transition rates between various system states by the global optimization method simulated annealing. Building on the non-spatial SBM, an agent-based model (ABM) is implemented that incorporates the migration of interacting cells in three-dimensional space. The ABM takes advantage of estimated parameters from the non-spatial SBM, leading to a decreased dimensionality of the parameter space. This space can be scanned using a local optimization approach, i.e., least-squares error estimation based on an adaptive regular grid search, to predict cell migration parameters that are not accessible in experiment. In the future, spatio-temporal simulations of whole-blood samples may enable timely stratification of sepsis patients by distinguishing hyper-inflammatory from paralytic phases in immune dysregulation.

Hierarchical Testing with Automated Document Generation for Amanzi, ASCEM's Subsurface Flow and Reactive Transport Simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moulton, J. D.; Steefel, C. I.; Yabusaki, S.; Castleton, K.; Scheibe, T. D.; Keating, E. H.; Freedman, V. L.

2013-12-01

The Advanced Simulation Capabililty for Environmental Management (ASCEM) program is developing an approach and open-source tool suite for standardized risk and performance assessments at legacy nuclear waste sites. These assessments use a graded and iterative approach, beginning with simplified highly abstracted models, and adding geometric and geologic complexity as understanding is gained. To build confidence in this assessment capability, extensive testing of the underlying tools is needed. Since the tools themselves, such as the subsurface flow and reactive-transport simulator, Amanzi, are under active development, testing must be both hierarchical and highly automated. In this presentation we show how we have met these requirements, by leveraging the python-based open-source documentation system called Sphinx with several other open-source tools. Sphinx builds on the reStructured text tool docutils, with important extensions that include high-quality formatting of equations, and integrated plotting through matplotlib. This allows the documentation, as well as the input files for tests, benchmark and tutorial problems, to be maintained with the source code under a version control system. In addition, it enables developers to build documentation in several different formats (e.g., html and pdf) from a single source. We will highlight these features, and discuss important benefits of this approach for Amanzi. In addition, we'll show that some of ASCEM's other tools, such as the sampling provided by the Uncertainty Quantification toolset, are naturally leveraged to enable more comprehensive testing. Finally, we will highlight the integration of this hiearchical testing and documentation framework with our build system and tools (CMake, CTest, and CDash).

Enhancement of the Logistics Battle Command Model: Architecture Upgrades and Attrition Module Development

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-01-05

module. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Logistics, attrition, discrete event simulation, Simkit, LBC 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: Unclassified 17. LIMITATION...stochastics, and discrete event model programmed in Java building largely on the Simkit library. The primary purpose of the LBC model is to support...equations makes them incompatible with the discrete event construct of LBC. Bullard further advances this methodology by developing a stochastic

Building Information Management as a Tool for Managing Knowledge throughout whole Building Life Cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nývlt, Vladimír; Prušková, Kristýna

2017-10-01

BIM today is much more than drafting in 3D only, and project participants are further challenging, what is the topic of both this paper, and further research. Knowledge of objects, their behaviour, and other characteristics has high impact on whole building life cycle. Other structured and unstructured knowledge is rightfully added (e.g. historically based experience, needs and requirements of users, investors, needs for project and objects revisions) Grasping of all attributes into system for collection, managing and time control of knowledge. Further important findings lie in the necessity of understanding how to manage knowledge needs with diverse and variable ways, when BIM maturity levels are advanced, as defined by Bew and Richards (2008). All decisions made would always rely on good, timely, and correct data. Usage of BIM models in terms of Building Information Management can support all decisions through data gathering, sharing, and using across all disciplines and all Life Cycle steps. It particularly significantly improves possibilities and level of life cycle costing. Experience and knowledge stored in data models of BIM, describing user requirements, best practices derived from other projects and/or research outputs will help to understand sustainability in its complexity and wholeness.

Simulation environment and graphical visualization environment: a COPD use-case.

PubMed

Huertas-Migueláñez, Mercedes; Mora, Daniel; Cano, Isaac; Maier, Dieter; Gomez-Cabrero, David; Lluch-Ariet, Magí; Miralles, Felip

2014-11-28

Today, many different tools are developed to execute and visualize physiological models that represent the human physiology. Most of these tools run models written in very specific programming languages which in turn simplify the communication among models. Nevertheless, not all of these tools are able to run models written in different programming languages. In addition, interoperability between such models remains an unresolved issue. In this paper we present a simulation environment that allows, first, the execution of models developed in different programming languages and second the communication of parameters to interconnect these models. This simulation environment, developed within the Synergy-COPD project, aims at helping and supporting bio-researchers and medical students understand the internal mechanisms of the human body through the use of physiological models. This tool is composed of a graphical visualization environment, which is a web interface through which the user can interact with the models, and a simulation workflow management system composed of a control module and a data warehouse manager. The control module monitors the correct functioning of the whole system. The data warehouse manager is responsible for managing the stored information and supporting its flow among the different modules. It has been proved that the simulation environment presented here allows the user to research and study the internal mechanisms of the human physiology by the use of models via a graphical visualization environment. A new tool for bio-researchers is ready for deployment in various use cases scenarios.

Cyberpsychology: a human-interaction perspective based on cognitive modeling.

PubMed

Emond, Bruno; West, Robert L

2003-10-01

This paper argues for the relevance of cognitive modeling and cognitive architectures to cyberpsychology. From a human-computer interaction point of view, cognitive modeling can have benefits both for theory and model building, and for the design and evaluation of sociotechnical systems usability. Cognitive modeling research applied to human-computer interaction has two complimentary objectives: (1) to develop theories and computational models of human interactive behavior with information and collaborative technologies, and (2) to use the computational models as building blocks for the design, implementation, and evaluation of interactive technologies. From the perspective of building theories and models, cognitive modeling offers the possibility to anchor cyberpsychology theories and models into cognitive architectures. From the perspective of the design and evaluation of socio-technical systems, cognitive models can provide the basis for simulated users, which can play an important role in usability testing. As an example of application of cognitive modeling to technology design, the paper presents a simulation of interactive behavior with five different adaptive menu algorithms: random, fixed, stacked, frequency based, and activation based. Results of the simulation indicate that fixed menu positions seem to offer the best support for classification like tasks such as filing e-mails. This research is part of the Human-Computer Interaction, and the Broadband Visual Communication research programs at the National Research Council of Canada, in collaboration with the Carleton Cognitive Modeling Lab at Carleton University.

Building Simulation Modelers are we big-data ready?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sanyal, Jibonananda; New, Joshua Ryan

Recent advances in computing and sensor technologies have pushed the amount of data we collect or generate to limits previously unheard of. Sub-minute resolution data from dozens of channels is becoming increasingly common and is expected to increase with the prevalence of non-intrusive load monitoring. Experts are running larger building simulation experiments and are faced with an increasingly complex data set to analyze and derive meaningful insight. This paper focuses on the data management challenges that building modeling experts may face in data collected from a large array of sensors, or generated from running a large number of building energy/performancemore » simulations. The paper highlights the technical difficulties that were encountered and overcome in order to run 3.5 million EnergyPlus simulations on supercomputers and generating over 200 TBs of simulation output. This extreme case involved development of technologies and insights that will be beneficial to modelers in the immediate future. The paper discusses different database technologies (including relational databases, columnar storage, and schema-less Hadoop) in order to contrast the advantages and disadvantages of employing each for storage of EnergyPlus output. Scalability, analysis requirements, and the adaptability of these database technologies are discussed. Additionally, unique attributes of EnergyPlus output are highlighted which make data-entry non-trivial for multiple simulations. Practical experience regarding cost-effective strategies for big-data storage is provided. The paper also discusses network performance issues when transferring large amounts of data across a network to different computing devices. Practical issues involving lag, bandwidth, and methods for synchronizing or transferring logical portions of the data are presented. A cornerstone of big-data is its use for analytics; data is useless unless information can be meaningfully derived from it. In addition to technical aspects of managing big data, the paper details design of experiments in anticipation of large volumes of data. The cost of re-reading output into an analysis program is elaborated and analysis techniques that perform analysis in-situ with the simulations as they are run are discussed. The paper concludes with an example and elaboration of the tipping point where it becomes more expensive to store the output than re-running a set of simulations.« less

Enhancements to the SHARP Build System and NEK5000 Coupling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McCaskey, Alex; Bennett, Andrew R.; Billings, Jay Jay

The SHARP project for the Department of Energy's Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program provides a multiphysics framework for coupled simulations of advanced nuclear reactor designs. It provides an overall coupling environment that utilizes custom interfaces to couple existing physics codes through a common spatial decomposition and unique solution transfer component. As of this writing, SHARP couples neutronics, thermal hydraulics, and structural mechanics using PROTEUS, Nek5000, and Diablo respectively. This report details two primary SHARP improvements regarding the Nek5000 and Diablo individual physics codes: (1) an improved Nek5000 coupling interface that lets SHARP achieve a vast increase inmore » overall solution accuracy by manipulating the structure of the internal Nek5000 spatial mesh, and (2) the capability to seamlessly couple structural mechanics calculations into the framework through improvements to the SHARP build system. The Nek5000 coupling interface now uses a barycentric Lagrange interpolation method that takes the vertex-based power and density computed from the PROTEUS neutronics solver and maps it to the user-specified, general-order Nek5000 spectral element mesh. Before this work, SHARP handled this vertex-based solution transfer in an averaging-based manner. SHARP users can now achieve higher levels of accuracy by specifying any arbitrary Nek5000 spectral mesh order. This improvement takes the average percentage error between the PROTEUS power solution and the Nek5000 interpolated result down drastically from over 23 % to just above 2 %, and maintains the correct power profile. We have integrated Diablo into the SHARP build system to facilitate the future coupling of structural mechanics calculations into SHARP. Previously, simulations involving Diablo were done in an iterative manner, requiring a large amount manual work, and left only as a task for advanced users. This report will detail a new Diablo build system that was implemented using GNU Autotools, mirroring much of the current SHARP build system, and easing the use of structural mechanics calculations for end-users of the SHARP multiphysics framework. It lets users easily build and use Diablo as a stand-alone simulation, as well as fully couple with the other SHARP physics modules. The top-level SHARP build system was modified to allow Diablo to hook in directly. New dependency handlers were implemented to let SHARP users easily build the framework with these new simulation capabilities. The remainder of this report will describe this work in full, with a detailed discussion of the overall design philosophy of SHARP, the new solution interpolation method introduced, and the Diablo integration work. We will conclude with a discussion of possible future SHARP improvements that will serve to increase solution accuracy and framework capability.« less

Prediction of atmospheric degradation data for POPs by gene expression programming.

PubMed

Luan, F; Si, H Z; Liu, H T; Wen, Y Y; Zhang, X Y

2008-01-01

Quantitative structure-activity relationship models for the prediction of the mean and the maximum atmospheric degradation half-life values of persistent organic pollutants were developed based on the linear heuristic method (HM) and non-linear gene expression programming (GEP). Molecular descriptors, calculated from the structures alone, were used to represent the characteristics of the compounds. HM was used both to pre-select the whole descriptor sets and to build the linear model. GEP yielded satisfactory prediction results: the square of the correlation coefficient r(2) was 0.80 and 0.81 for the mean and maximum half-life values of the test set, and the root mean square errors were 0.448 and 0.426, respectively. The results of this work indicate that the GEP is a very promising tool for non-linear approximations.

Building Inclusion from the Ground up: A Review of Whole School Re-Culturing Programmes for Sustaining Inclusive Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMaster, Christopher

2013-01-01

This paper suggests that whole school re-culturing programmes can potentially assist in the creation of more inclusive value orientated schools. The relationship between school culture and successful inclusion has been demonstrated in the literature. Furthermore, the structure of whole school programmes in inculcating inclusive values and…

Teacher Guidance of Algebraic Formula Building: Functional Grammatical Analysis of a Whole-Class Conversation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zolkower, Betina; Shreyar, Sam; Pérez, Silvia

2015-01-01

How does teacher-guided whole-class interaction contribute to expanding students' potential for making and exchanging mathematical meanings? We address this question through an interpretative analysis of a whole-group conversation in a sixth grade class taught by an experienced teacher in a school in Southern Argentina. The extended interaction…

End-use energy consumption estimates for US commercial buildings, 1989

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Belzer, D.B.; Wrench, L.E.; Marsh, T.L.

An accurate picture of how energy is used in the nation`s stock of commercial buildings can serve a variety of program planning and policy needs within the Department of Energy, by utilities, and other groups seeking to improve the efficiency of energy use in the building sector. This report describes an estimation of energy consumption by end use based upon data from the 1989 Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS). The methodology used in the study combines elements of engineering simulations and statistical analysis to estimate end-use intensities for heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting, refrigeration, hot water, cooking, and miscellaneous equipment.more » Billing data for electricity and natural gas were first decomposed into weather and nonweather dependent loads. Subsequently, Statistical Adjusted Engineering (SAE) models were estimated by building type with annual data. The SAE models used variables such as building size, vintage, climate region, weekly operating hours, and employee density to adjust the engineering model predicted loads to the observed consumption. End-use consumption by fuel was estimated for each of the 5,876 buildings in the 1989 CBECS. The report displays the summary results for eleven separate building types as well as for the total US commercial building stock.« less

A numerical simulation strategy on occupant evacuation behaviors and casualty prediction in a building during earthquakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Shuang; Yu, Xiaohui; Zhang, Yanjuan; Zhai, Changhai

2018-01-01

Casualty prediction in a building during earthquakes benefits to implement the economic loss estimation in the performance-based earthquake engineering methodology. Although after-earthquake observations reveal that the evacuation has effects on the quantity of occupant casualties during earthquakes, few current studies consider occupant movements in the building in casualty prediction procedures. To bridge this knowledge gap, a numerical simulation method using refined cellular automata model is presented, which can describe various occupant dynamic behaviors and building dimensions. The simulation on the occupant evacuation is verified by a recorded evacuation process from a school classroom in real-life 2013 Ya'an earthquake in China. The occupant casualties in the building under earthquakes are evaluated by coupling the building collapse process simulation by finite element method, the occupant evacuation simulation, and the casualty occurrence criteria with time and space synchronization. A case study of casualty prediction in a building during an earthquake is provided to demonstrate the effect of occupant movements on casualty prediction.

A simulation-based efficiency comparison of AC and DC power distribution networks in commercial buildings

DOE PAGES

Gerber, Daniel L.; Vossos, Vagelis; Feng, Wei; ...

2017-06-12

Direct current (DC) power distribution has recently gained traction in buildings research due to the proliferation of on-site electricity generation and battery storage, and an increasing prevalence of internal DC loads. The research discussed in this paper uses Modelica-based simulation to compare the efficiency of DC building power distribution with an equivalent alternating current (AC) distribution. The buildings are all modeled with solar generation, battery storage, and loads that are representative of the most efficient building technology. A variety of paramet ric simulations determine how and when DC distribution proves advantageous. These simulations also validate previous studies that use simplermore » approaches and arithmetic efficiency models. This work shows that using DC distribution can be considerably more efficient: a medium sized office building using DC distribution has an expected baseline of 12% savings, but may also save up to 18%. In these results, the baseline simulation parameters are for a zero net energy (ZNE) building that can island as a microgrid. DC is most advantageous in buildings with large solar capacity, large battery capacity, and high voltage distribution.« less

A simulation-based efficiency comparison of AC and DC power distribution networks in commercial buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gerber, Daniel L.; Vossos, Vagelis; Feng, Wei

Direct current (DC) power distribution has recently gained traction in buildings research due to the proliferation of on-site electricity generation and battery storage, and an increasing prevalence of internal DC loads. The research discussed in this paper uses Modelica-based simulation to compare the efficiency of DC building power distribution with an equivalent alternating current (AC) distribution. The buildings are all modeled with solar generation, battery storage, and loads that are representative of the most efficient building technology. A variety of paramet ric simulations determine how and when DC distribution proves advantageous. These simulations also validate previous studies that use simplermore » approaches and arithmetic efficiency models. This work shows that using DC distribution can be considerably more efficient: a medium sized office building using DC distribution has an expected baseline of 12% savings, but may also save up to 18%. In these results, the baseline simulation parameters are for a zero net energy (ZNE) building that can island as a microgrid. DC is most advantageous in buildings with large solar capacity, large battery capacity, and high voltage distribution.« less

POLYANA-A tool for the calculation of molecular radial distribution functions based on Molecular Dynamics trajectories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dimitroulis, Christos; Raptis, Theophanes; Raptis, Vasilios

2015-12-01

We present an application for the calculation of radial distribution functions for molecular centres of mass, based on trajectories generated by molecular simulation methods (Molecular Dynamics, Monte Carlo). When designing this application, the emphasis was placed on ease of use as well as ease of further development. In its current version, the program can read trajectories generated by the well-known DL_POLY package, but it can be easily extended to handle other formats. It is also very easy to 'hack' the program so it can compute intermolecular radial distribution functions for groups of interaction sites rather than whole molecules.

Data and Tools | Integrated Energy Solutions | NREL

Science.gov Websites

for a research campus eQUEST. Detailed analysis of today's state-of-the-art building design source software tools to support whole building energy modeling and advanced daylight analysis BESTEST-EX

Minimization of bovine tuberculosis control costs in US dairy herds

PubMed Central

Smith, Rebecca L.; Tauer, Loren W.; Schukken, Ynte H.; Lu, Zhao; Grohn, Yrjo T.

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to minimize the cost of controlling an isolated bovine tuberculosis (bTB) outbreak in a US dairy herd, using a stochastic simulation model of bTB with economic and biological layers. A model optimizer produced a control program that required 2-month testing intervals (TI) with 2 negative whole-herd tests to leave quarantine. This control program minimized both farm and government costs. In all cases, test-and-removal costs were lower than depopulation costs, although the variability in costs increased for farms with high holding costs or small herd sizes. Increasing herd size significantly increased costs for both the farm and the government, while increasing indemnity payments significantly decreased farm costs and increasing testing costs significantly increased government costs. Based on the results of this model, we recommend 2-month testing intervals for herds after an outbreak of bovine tuberculosis, with 2 negative whole herd tests being sufficient to lift quarantine. A prolonged test and cull program may cause a state to lose its bTB-free status during the testing period. When the cost of losing the bTB-free status is greater than $1.4 million then depopulation of farms could be preferred over a test and cull program. PMID:23953679

Distributed dynamic simulations of networked control and building performance applications.

PubMed

Yahiaoui, Azzedine

2018-02-01

The use of computer-based automation and control systems for smart sustainable buildings, often so-called Automated Buildings (ABs), has become an effective way to automatically control, optimize, and supervise a wide range of building performance applications over a network while achieving the minimum energy consumption possible, and in doing so generally refers to Building Automation and Control Systems (BACS) architecture. Instead of costly and time-consuming experiments, this paper focuses on using distributed dynamic simulations to analyze the real-time performance of network-based building control systems in ABs and improve the functions of the BACS technology. The paper also presents the development and design of a distributed dynamic simulation environment with the capability of representing the BACS architecture in simulation by run-time coupling two or more different software tools over a network. The application and capability of this new dynamic simulation environment are demonstrated by an experimental design in this paper.

Distributed dynamic simulations of networked control and building performance applications

PubMed Central

Yahiaoui, Azzedine

2017-01-01

The use of computer-based automation and control systems for smart sustainable buildings, often so-called Automated Buildings (ABs), has become an effective way to automatically control, optimize, and supervise a wide range of building performance applications over a network while achieving the minimum energy consumption possible, and in doing so generally refers to Building Automation and Control Systems (BACS) architecture. Instead of costly and time-consuming experiments, this paper focuses on using distributed dynamic simulations to analyze the real-time performance of network-based building control systems in ABs and improve the functions of the BACS technology. The paper also presents the development and design of a distributed dynamic simulation environment with the capability of representing the BACS architecture in simulation by run-time coupling two or more different software tools over a network. The application and capability of this new dynamic simulation environment are demonstrated by an experimental design in this paper. PMID:29568135

A finite-element simulation of galvanic coupling intra-body communication based on the whole human body.

PubMed

Song, Yong; Zhang, Kai; Hao, Qun; Hu, Lanxin; Wang, Jingwen; Shang, Fuzhou

2012-10-09

Simulation based on the finite-element (FE) method plays an important role in the investigation of intra-body communication (IBC). In this paper, a finite-element model of the whole body model used for the IBC simulation is proposed and verified, while the FE simulation of the galvanic coupling IBC with different signal transmission paths has been achieved. Firstly, a novel finite-element method for modeling the whole human body is proposed, and a FE model of the whole human body used for IBC simulation was developed. Secondly, the simulations of the galvanic coupling IBC with the different signal transmission paths were implemented. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed method was verified by using in vivo measurements within the frequency range of 10 kHz-5 MHz, whereby some important conclusions were deduced. Our results indicate that the proposed method will offer significant advantages in the investigation of the galvanic coupling intra-body communication.

A Finite-Element Simulation of Galvanic Coupling Intra-Body Communication Based on the Whole Human Body

PubMed Central

Song, Yong; Zhang, Kai; Hao, Qun; Hu, Lanxin; Wang, Jingwen; Shang, Fuzhou

2012-01-01

Simulation based on the finite-element (FE) method plays an important role in the investigation of intra-body communication (IBC). In this paper, a finite-element model of the whole body model used for the IBC simulation is proposed and verified, while the FE simulation of the galvanic coupling IBC with different signal transmission paths has been achieved. Firstly, a novel finite-element method for modeling the whole human body is proposed, and a FE model of the whole human body used for IBC simulation was developed. Secondly, the simulations of the galvanic coupling IBC with the different signal transmission paths were implemented. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed method was verified by using in vivo measurements within the frequency range of 10 kHz–5 MHz, whereby some important conclusions were deduced. Our results indicate that the proposed method will offer significant advantages in the investigation of the galvanic coupling intra-body communication. PMID:23202010

The Destructive Impact of a Positive Team-Building Intervention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boss, R. Wayne; McConkie, Mark L.

1981-01-01

Examines a confrontation team-building intervention that was highly successful in building the supervisors into a unified group. Evaluation indicated the team became the most important variable with little consideration given to the rest of the organization, resulting in the whole organization being severely crippled and having to be rebuilt.…

A Wireless Platform for Energy Efficient Building Control Retrofits

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-01

University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign UTRC United Technologies Research Center VFD variable frequency drive WSN wireless sensor network ...demonstration area. .............................................................. 16 Table 4. Cost model for wireless sensor network ...buildings with MPC-based whole-building optimal control and (2) reduction in first costs achievable with a wireless sensor network (WSN)-based

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Herk, A.; Poerschke, A.; Beach, R.

In 2012-2013, IBACOS worked with a builder, Brookfield Homes in Denver, Colorado, to design and construct a Passive House certified model home. IBACOS used several modeling programs and calculation methods to complete the final design package along with Brookfield's architect KGA Studio. This design package included upgrades to the thermal enclosure, basement insulation, windows, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. Short-term performance testing in the Passive House was done during construction and after construction. Testing with a blower door indicated that whole-building air leakage to the outside was 324 CFM and 0.60 ACH50. The other two test homes had littlemore » short-term testing done post-construction by the local energy rater. IBACOS then monitored the energy consumption and whole-house comfort conditions of that occupied Passive House after one year of operation and compared the monitoring results to those for two other occupied test houses in the same area with similar square footage but slightly different floor plans. IBACOS also assisted the builder, Brookfield Homes, in researching design scenarios for Zero Energy Ready Home and ENERGY STAR acceptance levels. IBACOS also assisted Brookfield in conceptualizing product for Denver's Brighton Heights area. Brookfield was considering building to Zero Energy Ready Home standards in that location. IBACOS provided strategies that Brookfield may draw from in the event the builder chooses to pursue a Zero Energy Ready Home plan for that market.« less

Using a simulation assistant in modeling manufacturing systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schroer, Bernard J.; Tseng, Fan T.; Zhang, S. X.; Wolfsberger, John W.

1988-01-01

Numerous simulation languages exist for modeling discrete event processes, and are now ported to microcomputers. Graphic and animation capabilities were added to many of these languages to assist the users build models and evaluate the simulation results. With all these languages and added features, the user is still plagued with learning the simulation language. Futhermore, the time to construct and then to validate the simulation model is always greater than originally anticipated. One approach to minimize the time requirement is to use pre-defined macros that describe various common processes or operations in a system. The development of a simulation assistant for modeling discrete event manufacturing processes is presented. A simulation assistant is defined as an interactive intelligent software tool that assists the modeler in writing a simulation program by translating the modeler's symbolic description of the problem and then automatically generating the corresponding simulation code. The simulation assistant is discussed with emphasis on an overview of the simulation assistant, the elements of the assistant, and the five manufacturing simulation generators. A typical manufacturing system will be modeled using the simulation assistant and the advantages and disadvantages discussed.

CHARMM-GUI 10 Years for Biomolecular Modeling and Simulation

PubMed Central

Jo, Sunhwan; Cheng, Xi; Lee, Jumin; Kim, Seonghoon; Park, Sang-Jun; Patel, Dhilon S.; Beaven, Andrew H.; Lee, Kyu Il; Rui, Huan; Roux, Benoît; MacKerell, Alexander D.; Klauda, Jeffrey B.; Qi, Yifei

2017-01-01

CHARMM-GUI, http://www.charmm-gui.org, is a web-based graphical user interface that prepares complex biomolecular systems for molecular simulations. CHARMM-GUI creates input files for a number of programs including CHARMM, NAMD, GROMACS, AMBER, GENESIS, LAMMPS, Desmond, OpenMM, and CHARMM/OpenMM. Since its original development in 2006, CHARMM-GUI has been widely adopted for various purposes and now contains a number of different modules designed to set up a broad range of simulations: (1) PDB Reader & Manipulator, Glycan Reader, and Ligand Reader & Modeler for reading and modifying molecules; (2) Quick MD Simulator, Membrane Builder, Nanodisc Builder, HMMM Builder, Monolayer Builder, Micelle Builder, and Hex Phase Builder for building all-atom simulation systems in various environments; (3) PACE CG Builder and Martini Maker for building coarse-grained simulation systems; (4) DEER Facilitator and MDFF/xMDFF Utilizer for experimentally guided simulations; (5) Implicit Solvent Modeler, PBEQ-Solver, and GCMC/BD Ion Simulator for implicit solvent related calculations; (6) Ligand Binder for ligand solvation and binding free energy simulations; and (7) Drude Prepper for preparation of simulations with the CHARMM Drude polarizable force field. Recently, new modules have been integrated into CHARMM-GUI, such as Glycolipid Modeler for generation of various glycolipid structures, and LPS Modeler for generation of lipopolysaccharide structures from various Gram-negative bacteria. These new features together with existing modules are expected to facilitate advanced molecular modeling and simulation thereby leading to an improved understanding of the molecular details of the structure and dynamics of complex biomolecular systems. Here, we briefly review these capabilities and discuss potential future directions in the CHARMM-GUI development project. PMID:27862047

CHARMM-GUI 10 years for biomolecular modeling and simulation.

PubMed

Jo, Sunhwan; Cheng, Xi; Lee, Jumin; Kim, Seonghoon; Park, Sang-Jun; Patel, Dhilon S; Beaven, Andrew H; Lee, Kyu Il; Rui, Huan; Park, Soohyung; Lee, Hui Sun; Roux, Benoît; MacKerell, Alexander D; Klauda, Jeffrey B; Qi, Yifei; Im, Wonpil

2017-06-05

CHARMM-GUI, http://www.charmm-gui.org, is a web-based graphical user interface that prepares complex biomolecular systems for molecular simulations. CHARMM-GUI creates input files for a number of programs including CHARMM, NAMD, GROMACS, AMBER, GENESIS, LAMMPS, Desmond, OpenMM, and CHARMM/OpenMM. Since its original development in 2006, CHARMM-GUI has been widely adopted for various purposes and now contains a number of different modules designed to set up a broad range of simulations: (1) PDB Reader & Manipulator, Glycan Reader, and Ligand Reader & Modeler for reading and modifying molecules; (2) Quick MD Simulator, Membrane Builder, Nanodisc Builder, HMMM Builder, Monolayer Builder, Micelle Builder, and Hex Phase Builder for building all-atom simulation systems in various environments; (3) PACE CG Builder and Martini Maker for building coarse-grained simulation systems; (4) DEER Facilitator and MDFF/xMDFF Utilizer for experimentally guided simulations; (5) Implicit Solvent Modeler, PBEQ-Solver, and GCMC/BD Ion Simulator for implicit solvent related calculations; (6) Ligand Binder for ligand solvation and binding free energy simulations; and (7) Drude Prepper for preparation of simulations with the CHARMM Drude polarizable force field. Recently, new modules have been integrated into CHARMM-GUI, such as Glycolipid Modeler for generation of various glycolipid structures, and LPS Modeler for generation of lipopolysaccharide structures from various Gram-negative bacteria. These new features together with existing modules are expected to facilitate advanced molecular modeling and simulation thereby leading to an improved understanding of the structure and dynamics of complex biomolecular systems. Here, we briefly review these capabilities and discuss potential future directions in the CHARMM-GUI development project. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vincenti, H.; Vay, J. -L.

Due to discretization effects and truncation to finite domains, many electromagnetic simulations present non-physical modifications of Maxwell's equations in space that may generate spurious signals affecting the overall accuracy of the result. Such modifications for instance occur when Perfectly Matched Layers (PMLs) are used at simulation domain boundaries to simulate open media. Another example is the use of arbitrary order Maxwell solver with domain decomposition technique that may under some condition involve stencil truncations at subdomain boundaries, resulting in small spurious errors that do eventually build up. In each case, a careful evaluation of the characteristics and magnitude of themore » errors resulting from these approximations, and their impact at any frequency and angle, requires detailed analytical and numerical studies. To this end, we present a general analytical approach that enables the evaluation of numerical discretization errors of fully three-dimensional arbitrary order finite-difference Maxwell solver, with arbitrary modification of the local stencil in the simulation domain. The analytical model is validated against simulations of domain decomposition technique and PMLs, when these are used with very high-order Maxwell solver, as well as in the infinite order limit of pseudo-spectral solvers. Results confirm that the new analytical approach enables exact predictions in each case. It also confirms that the domain decomposition technique can be used with very high-order Maxwell solver and a reasonably low number of guard cells with negligible effects on the whole accuracy of the simulation.« less

Climate-sensitive urban design through Envi-Met simulation: case study in Kemayoran, Jakarta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kusumastuty, K. D.; Poerbo, H. W.; Koerniawan, M. D.

2018-03-01

Indonesia as a tropical country which the character of its climate are hot and humid, the outdoor activity applications are often disrupted due to discomfort in thermal conditions. Massive construction of skyscrapers in urban areas are caused by the increase of human population leads to reduced green and infiltration areas that impact to environmental imbalances and triggering microclimate changes with rising air temperatures on the surface. The area that significantly experiences the rise of temperature in the Central Business District (CBD), which has need an analysis to create thermal comfort conditions to improve the ease of outdoor activities by an approach. This study aims to design the Kemayoran CBD through Climate Sensitive Urban Design especially in hot and humid tropical climate area and analyze thermal comfort level and optimal air conditioning in the outdoor area. This research used a quantitative method by generating the design using Climate Sensitive Urban Design principle through Envi-met 4.1 simulation program to find out the value of PMV, air temperature, wind speed and relative humidity conditions. The design area considers the configuration of buildings such as the distance between buildings, the average height, the orientation of the building, and the width of the road.

2013 Building Technologies Office Program Peer Review Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

none,

2013-11-01

The 2013 Building Technologies Office Program Peer Review Report summarizes the results of the 2013 Building Technologies Office (BTO) peer review, which was held in Washington, D.C., on April 2–4, 2013. The review was attended by over 300 participants and included presentations on 59 BTO-funded projects: 29 from BTO’s Emerging Technologies Program, 20 from the Commercial Buildings Integration Program, 6 from the Residential Buildings Integration Program, and 4 from the Building Energy Codes Program. This report summarizes the scores and comments provided by the independent reviewers for each project.

A Whole Language Flight Plan: An Interview with Three Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffith, Priscilla L.; Klesius, Janell

1990-01-01

Provides suggestions to teachers planning to implement a whole language program, based on interviews with three whole language teachers. Focuses on support for the whole language program; decisions about curriculum and evaluation; development of vocabulary and comprehension; strengths and weaknesses of the whole language approach; and preparation…

Study Trapped Charge Distribution in P-Channel Silicon-Oxide-Nitride-Oxide-Silicon Memory Device Using Dynamic Programming Scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Fu-Hai; Chiu, Yung-Yueh; Lee, Yen-Hui; Chang, Ru-Wei; Yang, Bo-Jun; Sun, Wein-Town; Lee, Eric; Kuo, Chao-Wei; Shirota, Riichiro

2013-04-01

In this study, we precisely investigate the charge distribution in SiN layer by dynamic programming of channel hot hole induced hot electron injection (CHHIHE) in p-channel silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) memory device. In the dynamic programming scheme, gate voltage is increased as a staircase with fixed step amplitude, which can prohibits the injection of holes in SiN layer. Three-dimensional device simulation is calibrated and is compared with the measured programming characteristics. It is found, for the first time, that the hot electron injection point quickly traverses from drain to source side synchronizing to the expansion of charged area in SiN layer. As a result, the injected charges quickly spread over on the almost whole channel area uniformly during a short programming period, which will afford large tolerance against lateral trapped charge diffusion by baking.

An interactive drilling simulator for teaching and research

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cooper, G.A.; Cooper, A.G.; Bihn, G.

1995-12-31

An interactive program has been constructed that allows a student or engineer to simulate the drilling of an oil well, and to optimize the drilling process by comparing different drilling plans. The program operates in a very user-friendly way, with emphasis on menu and button-driven commands. The simulator may be run either as a training program, with exercises that illustrate various features of the drilling process, as a game, in which a student is set a challenge to drill a well with minimum cost or time under constraints set by an instructor, or as a simulator of a real situationmore » to investigate the merit of different drilling strategies. It has three main parts, a Lithology Editor, a Settings Editor and the simulation program itself. The Lithology Editor allows the student, instructor or engineer to build a real or imaginary sequence of rock layers, each characterized by its mineralogy, drilling and log responses. The Settings Editor allows the definition of all the operational parameters, ranging from the drilling and wear rates of particular bits in specified rocks to the costs of different procedures. The simulator itself contains an algorithm that determines rate of penetration and rate of wear of the bit as drilling continues. It also determines whether the well kicks or fractures, and assigns various other {open_quotes}accident{close_quotes} conditions. During operation, a depth vs. time curve is displayed, together with a {open_quotes}mud log{close_quotes} showing the rock layers penetrated. If desired, the well may be {open_quotes}logged{close_quotes} casings may be set and pore and fracture pressure gradients may be displayed. During drilling, the total time and cost are shown, together with cost per foot in total and for the current bit run.« less

Energy Impacts of Oversized Residential Air Conditioners -- Simulation Study of Retrofit Sequence Impacts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Booten, C.; Christensen, C.; Winkler, J.

2014-11-01

This research addresses the question of what are the energy consequences for oversizing of an air conditioner in a home. Conventional wisdom holds that oversizing the AC results in significant energy penalties. However, the reason for this was shown to be due to crankcase heaters and not due to cycling performance of the AC, and is only valid for a particular set of assumptions. Adding or removing individual characteristics, such as ducts or crankcase heaters, can have measurable impacts on energy use. However, with all other home characteristics held constant, oversizing the AC generally has a small effect on coolingmore » energy use, even if the cycling performance of the unit is poor. The relevant aspects of air conditioner modeling are discussed to illustrate the effects of the cycling loss coefficient, Cd, capacity, climate, ducts and parasitic losses such as crankcase heaters. A case study of a typical 1960's vintage home demonstrates results in the context of whole building simulations using EnergyPlus.« less

Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP) - Version 6

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Majumdar, Alok; LeClair, Andre; Moore, Ric; Schallhorn, Paul

2015-01-01

The Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP) is a finite-volume based general-purpose computer program for analyzing steady state and time-dependent flow rates, pressures, temperatures, and concentrations in a complex flow network. The program is capable of modeling real fluids with phase changes, compressibility, mixture thermodynamics, conjugate heat transfer between solid and fluid, fluid transients, pumps, compressors, flow control valves and external body forces such as gravity and centrifugal. The thermo-fluid system to be analyzed is discretized into nodes, branches, and conductors. The scalar properties such as pressure, temperature, and concentrations are calculated at nodes. Mass flow rates and heat transfer rates are computed in branches and conductors. The graphical user interface allows users to build their models using the 'point, drag, and click' method; the users can also run their models and post-process the results in the same environment. The integrated fluid library supplies thermodynamic and thermo-physical properties of 36 fluids, and 24 different resistance/source options are provided for modeling momentum sources or sinks in the branches. Users can introduce new physics, non-linear and time-dependent boundary conditions through user-subroutine.

Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program, Version 6.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Majumdar, A. K.; LeClair, A. C.; Moore, A.; Schallhorn, P. A.

2013-01-01

The Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP) is a finite-volume based general-purpose computer program for analyzing steady state and time-dependant flow rates, pressures, temperatures, and concentrations in a complex flow network. The program is capable of modeling real fluids with phase changes, compressibility, mixture thermodynamics, conjugate heat transfer between solid and fluid, fluid transients, pumps, compressors and external body forces such as gravity and centrifugal. The thermo-fluid system to be analyzed is discretized into nodes, branches, and conductors. The scalar properties such as pressure, temperature, and concentrations are calculated at nodes. Mass flow rates and heat transfer rates are computed in branches and conductors. The graphical user interface allows users to build their models using the 'point, drag, and click' method; the users can also run their models and post-process the results in the same environment. The integrated fluid library supplies thermodynamic and thermo-physical properties of 36 fluids, and 24 different resistance/source options are provided for modeling momentum sources or sinks in the branches. This Technical Memorandum illustrates the application and verification of the code through 25 demonstrated example problems.

Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program, Version 5.0-Educational

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Majumdar, A. K.

2011-01-01

The Generalized Fluid System Simulation Program (GFSSP) is a finite-volume based general-purpose computer program for analyzing steady state and time-dependent flow rates, pressures, temperatures, and concentrations in a complex flow network. The program is capable of modeling real fluids with phase changes, compressibility, mixture thermodynamics, conjugate heat transfer between solid and fluid, fluid transients, pumps, compressors and external body forces such as gravity and centrifugal. The thermofluid system to be analyzed is discretized into nodes, branches, and conductors. The scalar properties such as pressure, temperature, and concentrations are calculated at nodes. Mass flow rates and heat transfer rates are computed in branches and conductors. The graphical user interface allows users to build their models using the point, drag and click method; the users can also run their models and post-process the results in the same environment. The integrated fluid library supplies thermodynamic and thermo-physical properties of 36 fluids and 21 different resistance/source options are provided for modeling momentum sources or sinks in the branches. This Technical Memorandum illustrates the application and verification of the code through 12 demonstrated example problems.

NECAP 4.1: NASA's Energy-Cost Analysis Program input manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jensen, R. N.

1982-01-01

The computer program NECAP (NASA's Energy Cost Analysis Program) is described. The program is a versatile building design and energy analysis tool which has embodied within it state of the art techniques for performing thermal load calculations and energy use predictions. With the program, comparisons of building designs and operational alternatives for new or existing buildings can be made. The major feature of the program is the response factor technique for calculating the heat transfer through the building surfaces which accounts for the building's mass. The program expands the response factor technique into a space response factor to account for internal building temperature swings; this is extremely important in determining true building loads and energy consumption when internal temperatures are allowed to swing.

NASA and X PRIZE Announce Winners of Lunar Lander Challenge

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-11-05

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden gives opening remarks at an awards ceremony for the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge at the Rayburn House Office Building on Nov. 5, 2009, in Washington, DC. NASA's Centennial Challenges program gave $1.65 million in prize money to a pair of aerospace companies that successfully simulated landing a spacecraft on the moon and lifting off again. Photo Credit: (NASA/Carla Cioffi)

Pilot in the Loop CFD Method Development

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-07-31

Aerospace Engineering 231C Hammond Building University Park, PA 16802 Attn: Joseph F. Horn Phone: 814-865-6434, Fax: 814-865-7092 Email: joehorn...larger main rotor provides propulsion and lift, and thus induces significant flow disturbances on the surrounding air . The CFD coupling interface...J., “UH-60A Black Hawk Engineering Simulation Program: Volume I – Mathematical Model,” NASA CR166309, 1981. 5. Transitions/Impact No major

Study of CdTe/CdS solar cell at low power density for low-illumination applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devi, Nisha; Aziz, Anver; Datta, Shouvik

2016-05-01

In this paper, we numerically investigate CdTe/CdS PV cell properties using a simulation program Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator in 1D (SCAPS-1D). A simple structure of CdTe PV cell has been optimized to study the effect of temperature, absorber thickness and work function at very low incident power. Objective of this research paper is to build an efficient and cost effective solar cell for portable electronic devices such as portable computers and cell phones that work at low incident power because most of such devices work at diffused and reflected sunlight. In this report, we simulated a simple CdTe PV cell at very low incident power, which gives good efficiency.

The NASA environmental models of Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaplan, D. I.

1991-01-01

NASA environmental models are discussed with particular attention given to the Mars Global Reference Atmospheric Model (Mars-GRAM) and the Mars Terrain simulator. The Mars-GRAM model takes into account seasonal, diurnal, and surface topography and dust storm effects upon the atmosphere. It is also capable of simulating appropriate random density perturbations along any trajectory path through the atmosphere. The Mars Terrain Simulator is a software program that builds pseudo-Martian terrains by layering the effects of geological processes upon one another. Output pictures of the constructed surfaces can be viewed from any vantage point under any illumination conditions. Attention is also given to the document 'Environment of Mars, 1988' in which scientific models of the Martian atmosphere and Martian surface are presented.

Dual effects of pedestrian density on emergency evacuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Yi; Lee, Eric Wai Ming; Yuen, Richard Kwok Kit

2017-02-01

This paper investigates the effect of the pedestrian density in building on the evacuation dynamic with simulation method. In the simulations, both the visibility in building and the exit limit of building are taken into account. The simulation results show that the effect of the pedestrian density in building on the evacuation dynamics is dual. On the one hand, when the visibility in building is very large, the increased pedestrian density plays a negative effect. On the other hand, when the visibility in building is very small, the increased pedestrian density can play a positive effect. The simulation results also show that when both the exit width and visibility are very small, the varying of evacuation time with regard to the pedestrian density is non-monotonous and presents a U-shaped tendency. That is, in this case, too large or too small pedestrian density in building is disadvantageous to the evacuation process. Our findings provide a new insight about the effect of the pedestrian density in building on the evacuation dynamic.

iCrowd: agent-based behavior modeling and crowd simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kountouriotis, Vassilios I.; Paterakis, Manolis; Thomopoulos, Stelios C. A.

2016-05-01

Initially designed in the context of the TASS (Total Airport Security System) FP-7 project, the Crowd Simulation platform developed by the Integrated Systems Lab of the Institute of Informatics and Telecommunications at N.C.S.R. Demokritos, has evolved into a complete domain-independent agent-based behavior simulator with an emphasis on crowd behavior and building evacuation simulation. Under continuous development, it reflects an effort to implement a modern, multithreaded, data-oriented simulation engine employing latest state-of-the-art programming technologies and paradigms. It is based on an extensible architecture that separates core services from the individual layers of agent behavior, offering a concrete simulation kernel designed for high-performance and stability. Its primary goal is to deliver an abstract platform to facilitate implementation of several Agent-Based Simulation solutions with applicability in several domains of knowledge, such as: (i) Crowd behavior simulation during [in/out] door evacuation. (ii) Non-Player Character AI for Game-oriented applications and Gamification activities. (iii) Vessel traffic modeling and simulation for Maritime Security and Surveillance applications. (iv) Urban and Highway Traffic and Transportation Simulations. (v) Social Behavior Simulation and Modeling.

Entangling spin-spin interactions of ions in individually controlled potential wells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Andrew; Colombe, Yves; Brown, Kenton; Knill, Emanuel; Leibfried, Dietrich; Wineland, David

2014-03-01

Physical systems that cannot be modeled with classical computers appear in many different branches of science, including condensed-matter physics, statistical mechanics, high-energy physics, atomic physics and quantum chemistry. Despite impressive progress on the control and manipulation of various quantum systems, implementation of scalable devices for quantum simulation remains a formidable challenge. As one approach to scalability in simulation, here we demonstrate an elementary building-block of a configurable quantum simulator based on atomic ions. Two ions are trapped in separate potential wells that can individually be tailored to emulate a number of different spin-spin couplings mediated by the ions' Coulomb interaction together with classical laser and microwave fields. We demonstrate deterministic tuning of this interaction by independent control of the local wells and emulate a particular spin-spin interaction to entangle the internal states of the two ions with 0.81(2) fidelity. Extension of the building-block demonstrated here to a 2D-network, which ion-trap micro-fabrication processes enable, may provide a new quantum simulator architecture with broad flexibility in designing and scaling the arrangement of ions and their mutual interactions. This research was funded by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), ONR, and the NIST Quantum Information Program.

Distribution of branches in whole starches from maize mutants deficient in starch synthase III.

PubMed

Zhu, Fan; Bertoft, Eric; Seetharaman, Koushik

2014-05-21

An earlier study explored the possibility of analyzing the distribution of branches directly in native, whole starch without isolating the amylopectin component. The aim of this study was to explore if this approach can be extended to include starch mutants. Whole starches from du1 maize mutants deficient in starch synthase III (SSIII) with amylose content of ∼30-40% were characterized and compared with the wild type of the common genetic background W64A. Clusters were produced from whole starch by hydrolysis with α-amylase of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. Their compositions of building blocks and chains were analyzed further by complete α-amylolysis and by debranching, respectively, whereafter the products were subjected to gel permeation and anion exchange chromatography. The size and structure of the clusters were compared with those of their isolated amylopectin component. Whereas the whole starch of the wild type sample had a branched structure similar to that of its amylopectin component, the results showed that the du1 mutation resulted in more singly branched building blocks in the whole starch compared to the isolated amylopectin. This suggested that amylose and/or intermediate materials in whole du1 starches likely contributed to the composition of branches. This study explored an alternative procedure to characterize the composition of branches in the whole starch without fractionating the components.

The energy performance of prototype holographic glazings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papamichael, K.; Beltran, L.; Furler, R.; Lee, E. S.; Selkowitz, S.; Rubin, M.

1993-02-01

We report on the simulation of the energy performance of prototype holographic glazings in commercial office buildings in a California climate. These prototype glazings, installed above conventional side windows, are designed to diffract the transmitted solar radiation and reflect it off the ceiling, providing adequate daylight illumination for typical office tasks up to 10m from the window. In this study, we experimentally determined a comprehensive set of solar-optical properties and characterized the contribution of the prototype holographic glazings to workplane illuminance in a scale model of a typical office space. We then used the scale model measurements to simulate the energy performance of the holographic glazings over the course of an entire year for four window orientations (North, East, South and West) for the inland Los Angeles climate, using the DOE-2.lD building energy analysis computer program. The results of our experimental analyses indicate that these prototype holographic glazings diffract only a small fraction of the incident light. The results of this study indicate that these prototype holographic glazings will not save energy in commercial office buildings. Their performance is very similar to that of clear glass, which, through side windows, cannot efficiently illuminate more than a 4-6 m depth of a building's perimeter, because the cooling penalties due to solar heat gain are greater than the electric lighting savings due to daylighting.

USING TIME VARIANT VOLTAGE TO CALCULATE ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND POWER USE OF BUILDING SYSTEMS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Makhmalbaf, Atefe; Augenbroe , Godfried

2015-12-09

Buildings are the main consumers of electricity across the world. However, in the research and studies related to building performance assessment, the focus has been on evaluating the energy efficiency of buildings whereas the instantaneous power efficiency has been overlooked as an important aspect of total energy consumption. As a result, we never developed adequate models that capture both thermal and electrical characteristics (e.g., voltage) of building systems to assess the impact of variations in the power system and emerging technologies of the smart grid on buildings energy and power performance and vice versa. This paper argues that the powermore » performance of buildings as a function of electrical parameters should be evaluated in addition to systems’ mechanical and thermal behavior. The main advantage of capturing electrical behavior of building load is to better understand instantaneous power consumption and more importantly to control it. Voltage is one of the electrical parameters that can be used to describe load. Hence, voltage dependent power models are constructed in this work and they are coupled with existing thermal energy models. Lack of models that describe electrical behavior of systems also adds to the uncertainty of energy consumption calculations carried out in building energy simulation tools such as EnergyPlus, a common building energy modeling and simulation tool. To integrate voltage-dependent power models with thermal models, the thermal cycle (operation mode) of each system was fed into the voltage-based electrical model. Energy consumption of systems used in this study were simulated using EnergyPlus. Simulated results were then compared with estimated and measured power data. The mean square error (MSE) between simulated, estimated, and measured values were calculated. Results indicate that estimated power has lower MSE when compared with measured data than simulated results. Results discussed in this paper will illustrate the significance of enhancing building energy models with electrical characteristics. This would support different studies such as those related to modernization of the power system that require micro scale building-grid interaction, evaluating building energy efficiency with power efficiency considerations, and also design and control decisions that rely on accuracy of building energy simulation results.« less

Development of Next Generation Energy Audit Protocols for the Rapid and Advanced Analysis of Building Energy Use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartley, Christopher Ahlvin

Current building energy auditing techniques are outdated and lack targeted, actionable information. These analyses only use one year's worth of monthly electricity and gas bills to define energy conservation and efficiency measures. These limited data sets cannot provide robust, directed energy reduction recommendations. The need is apparent for an overhaul of existing energy audit protocols to utilize all data that is available from the building's utility provider, installed energy management system (EMS), and sub-metering devices. This thesis analyzed the current state-of-the-art in energy audits, generated a next generation energy audit protocol, and conducted both audits types on four case study buildings to find out what additional information can be obtained from additional data sources and increased data gathering resolutions. Energy data from each case study building were collected using a variety of means including utility meters, whole building energy meters, EMS systems, and sub-metering devices. In addition to conducting an energy analysis for each case study building using the current and next generation energy audit protocols, two building energy models were created using the programs eQuest and EnergyPlus. The current and next generation energy audit protocol results were compared to one another upon completion. The results show that using the current audit protocols, only variations in season are apparent. Results from the developed next generation energy audit protocols show that in addition to seasonal variations, building heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) schedules, occupancy schedules, baseline and peak energy demand levels, and malfunctioning equipment can be found. This new protocol may also be used to quickly generate accurate building models because of the increased resolution that yields scheduling information. The developed next generation energy auditing protocol is scalable and can work for many building types across the United States, and perhaps the world.

Flood risk and cultural heritage: the case study of Florence (Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arrighi, Chiara; Castelli, Fabio; Brugioni, Marcello; Franceschini, Serena; Mazzanti, Bernardo

2016-04-01

Cultural heritage plays a key role for communities in terms of both identity and economic value. It is often under serious threat by natural hazards, nevertheless, quantitative assessments of risk are quite uncommon. This work addresses the flood risk assessment to cultural heritage in an exemplary art city, which is Florence, Italy. The risk assessment method here adopted borrows the most common definition of flood risk as the product of hazard, vulnerability and exposure, with some necessary adjustments. The risk estimation is carried out at the building scale for the whole UNESCO site, which coincides with the historical centre of the city. A distinction in macro- and micro-damage categories has been made according to the vulnerability of the objects at risk. Two damage macro-categories are selected namely cultural buildings and contents. Cultural buildings are classified in damage micro-categories as churches/religious complexes, libraries/archives and museums. The damages to the contents are estimated for four micro-categories: paintings, sculptures, books/prints and goldsmith's art. Data from hydraulic simulations for different recurrence scenarios, historical reports of the devastating 1966 flood and the cultural heritage recognition sheets allow estimating and mapping the annual expected number of works of art lost in absence of risk mitigation strategies.

Development of Design Guidance for K-12 Schools: From 30% to 50% Energy Savings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pless, S.; Torcellini, P.; Long, N.

2008-01-01

This paper describes the development of energy efficiency recommendations for achieving 30% whole-building energy savings in K-12 Schools over levels achieved by following the ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings (1999 and 2004 versions). Exhaustive simulations were run to create packages of energy design solutions available over a wide range of K-12 schools and climates. These design recommendations look at building envelope, fenestration, lighting systems (including electrical lights and daylighting), HVAC systems, building automation and controls, outside air treatment, and service water heating. We document and discuss the energy modeling performed to demonstrate that themore » recommendations will result in at least 30% energy savings over ASHRAE 90.1-1999 and ASHRAE 90.1-2004. Recommendations are evaluated based on the availability of daylighting for the school and by the type of HVAC system. Compared to the ASHRAE 90.1-1999 baseline, the recommendations result in more than 30% savings in all climate zones for both daylit and nondaylit elementary, middle, and high schools with a range of HVAC system types. These recommendations have been included in the Advanced Energy Design Guide for K-12 School Buildings. Compared to the more stringent ASHRAE 90.1-2004 baseline, the recommendations result in more than 30% savings in all climate zones, for only the daylit elementary, middle, and high schools, with a range of HVAC system types. To inform the future development of recommendations for higher level of energy savings, we analyzed a subset of recommendations to understand which energy efficiency technologies would be needed to achieve 50% energy savings.« less

Simulation-Based Valuation of Transactive Energy Systems

DOE PAGES

Huang, Qiuhua; McDermott, Tom; Tang, Yingying; ...

2018-05-18

Transactive Energy (TE) has been recognized as a promising technique for integrating responsive loads and distributed energy resources as well as advancing grid modernization. To help the industry better understand the value of TE and compare different TE schemes in a systematic and transparent manner, a comprehensive simulation-based TE valuation method is developed. The method has the following salient features: 1) it formally defines the valuation scenarios, use cases, baseline and valuation metrics; 2) an open-source simulation platform for transactive energy systems has been developed by integrating transmission, distribution and building simulators, and plugin TE and non-TE agents through themore » Framework for Network Co-Simulation (FNCS); 3) transparency and flexibility of the valuation is enhanced through separation of simulation and valuation, base valuation metrics and final valuation metrics. In conclusion, a valuation example based on the Smart Grid Interoperability Panel (SGIP) Use Case 1 is provided to demonstrate the developed TE simulation program and the valuation method.« less

Simulation-Based Valuation of Transactive Energy Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, Qiuhua; McDermott, Tom; Tang, Yingying

Transactive Energy (TE) has been recognized as a promising technique for integrating responsive loads and distributed energy resources as well as advancing grid modernization. To help the industry better understand the value of TE and compare different TE schemes in a systematic and transparent manner, a comprehensive simulation-based TE valuation method is developed. The method has the following salient features: 1) it formally defines the valuation scenarios, use cases, baseline and valuation metrics; 2) an open-source simulation platform for transactive energy systems has been developed by integrating transmission, distribution and building simulators, and plugin TE and non-TE agents through themore » Framework for Network Co-Simulation (FNCS); 3) transparency and flexibility of the valuation is enhanced through separation of simulation and valuation, base valuation metrics and final valuation metrics. In conclusion, a valuation example based on the Smart Grid Interoperability Panel (SGIP) Use Case 1 is provided to demonstrate the developed TE simulation program and the valuation method.« less

A rule-based expert system applied to moisture durability of building envelopes

DOE PAGES

Boudreaux, Philip R.; Pallin, Simon B.; Accawi, Gina K.; ...

2018-01-09

The moisture durability of an envelope component such as a wall or roof is difficult to predict. Moisture durability depends on all the construction materials used, as well as the climate, orientation, air tightness, and indoor conditions. Modern building codes require more insulation and tighter construction but provide little guidance about how to ensure these energy-efficient assemblies remain moisture durable. Furthermore, as new products and materials are introduced, builders are increasingly uncertain about the long-term durability of their building envelope designs. Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the US Department of Energy’s Building America Program are applying a rule-based expert systemmore » methodology in a web tool to help designers determine whether a given wall design is likely to be moisture durable and provide expert guidance on moisture risk management specific to a wall design and climate. Finally, the expert system is populated with knowledge from both expert judgment and probabilistic hygrothermal simulation results.« less

A rule-based expert system applied to moisture durability of building envelopes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boudreaux, Philip R.; Pallin, Simon B.; Accawi, Gina K.

The moisture durability of an envelope component such as a wall or roof is difficult to predict. Moisture durability depends on all the construction materials used, as well as the climate, orientation, air tightness, and indoor conditions. Modern building codes require more insulation and tighter construction but provide little guidance about how to ensure these energy-efficient assemblies remain moisture durable. Furthermore, as new products and materials are introduced, builders are increasingly uncertain about the long-term durability of their building envelope designs. Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the US Department of Energy’s Building America Program are applying a rule-based expert systemmore » methodology in a web tool to help designers determine whether a given wall design is likely to be moisture durable and provide expert guidance on moisture risk management specific to a wall design and climate. Finally, the expert system is populated with knowledge from both expert judgment and probabilistic hygrothermal simulation results.« less

Whole-genome regression and prediction methods applied to plant and animal breeding.

PubMed

de Los Campos, Gustavo; Hickey, John M; Pong-Wong, Ricardo; Daetwyler, Hans D; Calus, Mario P L

2013-02-01

Genomic-enabled prediction is becoming increasingly important in animal and plant breeding and is also receiving attention in human genetics. Deriving accurate predictions of complex traits requires implementing whole-genome regression (WGR) models where phenotypes are regressed on thousands of markers concurrently. Methods exist that allow implementing these large-p with small-n regressions, and genome-enabled selection (GS) is being implemented in several plant and animal breeding programs. The list of available methods is long, and the relationships between them have not been fully addressed. In this article we provide an overview of available methods for implementing parametric WGR models, discuss selected topics that emerge in applications, and present a general discussion of lessons learned from simulation and empirical data analysis in the last decade.

Whole-Genome Regression and Prediction Methods Applied to Plant and Animal Breeding

PubMed Central

de los Campos, Gustavo; Hickey, John M.; Pong-Wong, Ricardo; Daetwyler, Hans D.; Calus, Mario P. L.

2013-01-01

Genomic-enabled prediction is becoming increasingly important in animal and plant breeding and is also receiving attention in human genetics. Deriving accurate predictions of complex traits requires implementing whole-genome regression (WGR) models where phenotypes are regressed on thousands of markers concurrently. Methods exist that allow implementing these large-p with small-n regressions, and genome-enabled selection (GS) is being implemented in several plant and animal breeding programs. The list of available methods is long, and the relationships between them have not been fully addressed. In this article we provide an overview of available methods for implementing parametric WGR models, discuss selected topics that emerge in applications, and present a general discussion of lessons learned from simulation and empirical data analysis in the last decade. PMID:22745228

Ground Source Heat Supply in Moscow Oblast: Temperature Potential and Sustainable Depth of Heat Wells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasil'ev, G. P.; Gornov, V. F.; Dmitriev, A. N.; Kolesova, M. V.; Yurchenko, V. A.

2018-01-01

The paper is devoted to a problem of increasing the efficiency of low-potential geothermal heat in heat pump systems of residential buildings the Moscow oblast of Russia, including Moscow. Estimates of a natural geothermal potential in the Moscow oblast (based on climatological data for the period from 1982 to 2011) are presented and a "Typical climatic year of natural soil temperature variations for the geoclimatic conditions of the Moscow oblast, including the city of Moscow" is proposed. Numerical simulation of the influence of geothermal energy potential and the depth of heat wells on the efficiency of ground source heat pump systems for the heat supply of residential buildings is carried out. Analysis of the numerical simulation showed that the operation of a heat pump system in a house heating mode under the geoclimatic conditions of the Moscow oblast leads to a temperature drop of the heat-exchange medium circulating through heat wells to 5-6°C by the end of the first 10 years of operation, and the process stabilizes by the 15th year of operation, and further changes in the heat-exchange medium temperature do not any longer significantly affect the temperature of the heat-exchange medium in the heat well. In this case, the exact dependence of the heat-exchange medium temperature drop on the depth is not revealed. Data on the economically expedient heat well depth for the conditions of the Moscow oblast ensuring a net present value for the whole residential building life cycle are presented. It is found that the heat well depth of 60 m can be considered as an endpoint for the Moscow oblast, and a further heat well deepening is economically impractical.