Universal Translator 3

A Tool for building performance

data analysis

Reinhard Seidl, P.E.

Taylor Engineering

rseidl@taylor-engineering.com

510-263-1544

1

Outline/Agenda

• Development History

• New Features in UT3

• Basic Modules included in first release

• Outlook

2

Development History

• Pre$1999 – Universal Translator started to deal

with trend logger data (MS Access)

• 2006 – UT2 started for handling larger data sets

(SQL as internal database)

• 2010 – UT3 started to provide open platform with

API (Advanced Programming Interface)

for 3rd party developers, and custom

database for higher speed

3

Development History

• UT3 is a PIER$funded collaboration

between

– Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory

– Quest

– NIST

– PG&E (Merging Solutions is

programming team)

– Taylor Engineering

4

Outline/Agenda

• Development History

• New Features in UT3

• Demo

• Basic Modules included in first release

• Outlook

5

• New Interface

UT3 New Features

6

• Simplified interface

• More reminiscent of typical

Windows tree structure

• No more creation of

separate tests to re$sample

data at different time

intervals

UT3 New Features

7

• Graphs : any number of panes and axes

• Zoom in and scroll through large datasets with

arrow keys

UT3 New Features

8

• Simpler export

UT3 New Features

9

• Simpler export

UT3 New Features

10

• No more tests:

– Data is internally re$sampled as needed

behind the scenes

• Occurs pretty much instantaneously

• New UT3 about 20$25 times faster than

UT2

UT3 New Features

11

• API – Open programming interface for 3rd

party developers

• Intent is to allow Universities and others to

create new modules for analysis of data in

new ways, using the existing features to

– Import Data

– Organize Input, Graph and Display Output

– Export Results

UT3 New Features

12

Outline/Agenda

• Development History

• New Features in UT3

• Demo

• Basic Modules included in first release

• Outlook

13

Create a simple graph

14

Convert to template graph

15

• Apply graph to any folder with matching

data

Convert to template graph

16

• Rapidly view data from multiple equipment

Convert to template graph

17

• Setpoint analysis (now absolute and

relative results)

Analyze datasets

18

• Model behavior (example Bldg kW vs OAT)

M&V Module

19

• Verify model accuracy / regression fit

M&V Module

20

• Do the same thing for post$ retrofit data

M&V Module

21

• Show avoided energy use (project specific)

M&V Module

22

• Show avoided energy use – extrapolate over

standardized weather data

M&V Module

23

Demo

24

Outline/Agenda

• Development History

• New Features in UT3

• Demo

• Basic Modules included in first release

• Outlook

25

UT Core Modules

• General Release and Research Release versions

• Aimed at different user audience

• “Core” Audience

– Existing Engineering, Commissioning and Energy

auditing users

• “Research” Audience

– EnergyPlus Analysis providers

– Further development of NIST routines developed for

field staff

26

UT Core Modules

• Basic release version

– Statistics

– Psychrometric Functions

– Plug Load

– Light Load

– Setpoint Analysis

– Economizer module (August 13)

– M&V Module

27

UT Core Modules

• Advanced/Research version

– NIST Fault Detection Routines

• Single Duct and Dual Duct Air Handling Units

• Single Duct and Dual Duct VAV Terminals

• Fancoil Units

– Aimed at field staff/use in field environment

– Not fully clear how such a new user group

could be supported, and whether interface is

suitable for them

28

UT Core Modules

• Advanced/Research version

– LBL Fan/Duct Analysis

• Development of fan coefficients for EnergyPlus to

allow analysis of fan performance, from field

measurements or from vendor cut sheets

• Duct system analysis to complement fan model in

energy analysis

– LBL Control Loop Stability Analysis

• Uses Fourier Analysis to determine behavior of

variables

• Not clear yet if this method is sufficiently applicable

29

Outline/Agenda

• Development History

• New Features in UT3

• Demo

• Basic Modules included in first release

• Outlook

30

UT3 Future

• PIER funding cycle complete, current UT3

development effort over

• PG&E tool lending library budget will

continue to fund maintenance on small

budget

• Software Development Kit (SDK) is ready

for use by third party developers

• Aim is to grow the number of available

analysis modules and

31

UT3 Future

• Aim is to grow the number of available

analysis modules

• Not clear yet how ultimate distribution and

support will be implemented, will depend

somewhat on the volume of modules

actually being developed

32

Questions?

33