CBECC Title-24 Compliance Software

The Building Energy Efficiency Software (BEES) Consortium

The Building Energy Efficiency Software (BEES) Consortium's mission is to advance open source software tools that may be used by Code Agencies, Rating Authorities, or Utility Programs in the development of energy codes, standards, or efficiency programs. Architects, engineers, and energy consultants may also use these tools to demonstrate compliance with the energy codes or beyond-code programs.

The consortium consists of two projects - one focused on Residential buildings and one focused on Nonresidential buildings. This site is dedicated to the Nonresidential project software, CBECC-Com. Information on the Residential project (CBECC-Res) can be found at: http://www.bwilcox.com/BEES/BEES.html

The CBECC-Com Team

This project is managed by NORESCO, LLC . The project team consists of a wide range of subject matter experts in the fields of energy standard development, the design of high performance buildings, and the development of building analysis software tools.

CBECC-Com Gap Analysis

In 2015, NORESCO worked with Southern California Edison to assess the capabilities of CBECC-Com. The project commenced with a rigorous analysis of design strategies used in conventional and low-energy buildings with a primary focus on comparing the full range of modeling capabilities of both EnergyPlus and CBECC-Com with respect to these strategies. The goal of this initial step was to identify gaps between modeling features supported by EnergyPlus that are not currently available in CBECC-Com. This report summarizes the gap analysis process and results, and provides a series of recommended actions to advance the capabilities of CBECC-Com.

Download CBECC-Com Gap Analysis Report

CBECC-Com Title-24 Prototype Models

These models are intended for research purposes only and cannot be used for compliance/permitting. The models included in the download file are:

Hotel (Small) | Mixed Use (Ground Floor) | Office - Small/Medium/Large/Lab | Parking Structure | Restaurant (Small) | Retail - Medium/Large | School - Small/Large | Strip Mall | Warehouse

Download CBECC-Com 2016.3.0 SP1 Prototype Models


Download/Install SketchUp & OpenStudio SketchUp Plugin

CBECC-Com uses SketchUp in combination with OpenStudio SketchUp Plugin to create and building geometry for input into CBECC-Com for simulation and compliance analysis. Please use the links below to download the supporting tools from their respective website.

Tutorials - Getting Started with CBECC-Com 2013 v3

To get started with CBECC-Com a series of tutorials has been developed to help users understand the software workflow. The development of the tutorials has been funded by Southern California Edison (SCE) and other IOU's in the State of California.

The tutorials will help users understand the two different modeling methodology that can be used to create building geometry - Detailed Geometry approach and Simplified Geometry approach for compliance modeling with CBECC-Com.

The key difference between the two approaches is that the Detailed Geometry approach requires the user to draw the building and all its elements using a drawing tool, in this case SketchUp with the OpenStudio plug-in. This approach accurately represents a building and its elements in three-dimensional (3D) form. Spatial relationships and properties of the building surfaces such as areas, orientation and tilt are accurately represented in the 3D drawings. The additional software required for using the Detailed approach can be downloaded from the software page. The Simplified Geometry approach on the other hand defines the properties (areas, orientation, tilt, etc.) of the building surfaces within the CBECC-Com interface, but the spatial relationship between surfaces is not defined.

A series of tutorial files have also been provided to illustrate and help users work along using the two modeling approaches.


1. Workflow Overview [PDF]  
2. Creating Model Geometry [Simplified Geometry] [Detailed Geometry]
3. Defining Constructions [PDF]  
4. Defining Lighting and Internal Loads [PDF]  
5. Defining Packaged HVAC Systems [PDF]  
6. Defining DHW Systems [PDF]  
7. Performing Analysis [PDF]  
8. Defining Central Plant Systems [PDF]  
     
Tutotial Files [ZIP] [Simplified Geometry] [Detailed Geometry]

CBECC-Com 2013 Software Development

This web page contains several documents related to the development and planning of the 2013 Nonresidential Compliance Software (CBECC-Com). On this site, you can view and download meeting agendas and minutes, presentations, review drafts of reports, and other project documents.