Development of Visual Basic GUI for Option C Energy Saving of IPMVP

Abstract

This paper proposes a Visual Basic based Graphical User Interface (GUI) to determine energy saving using Option C, the whole facility measurement that is adherence to the IPMVP. The tool provides user to choose either to use a single variable linear regression or multiple linear regression model to calculate energy savings. Two approaches of calculating energy saving for both single and multiple linear regressions have been presented, i.e. 1) energy cost avoidance and 2) normalized savings. The GUI has been tested using a case study in an office building in Malaysia. Two independent variables have been considered in the analysis, i.e. 1) Cooling Degree Days (CDD) and 2) number of working days in a month. For the analyses, four types of energy saving analyses have been presented in the case study, 1) Single linear regression with cost avoidance for each independent variable, 2) Single linear regression with normalized saving for each independent variable, 3) Multiple linear regression with cost avoidance, 4) multiple linear regression with normalized saving. Results show that the GUI is able to calculate the energy saving as recommended by the IPMVP. This tool is useful for facility owner to calculate energy saving created by the ECMs installed in the building as well as for the Energy Service Company (ESCOs) to report a proper energy saving for Energy Performance Contract (EPC).