The computer-based simulation program required in subsections 60D-4.004(1), (2), (4) and (7), F.A.C., shall comply with all of the following:

Terms Used In Florida Regulations 60D-4.005

  • Baseline: Projection of the receipts, outlays, and other budget amounts that would ensue in the future without any change in existing policy. Baseline projections are used to gauge the extent to which proposed legislation, if enacted into law, would alter current spending and revenue levels.
    (1) The energy baseline and all alternative designs shall be modeled with a computer-based simulation program that is capable of modeling all of the following:
    (a) 8,760 hours per year;
    (b) Hourly variations in occupancy, lighting power, miscellaneous equipment power, thermostat setpoints, and HVAC system operation, defined separately for each day of the week and holidays;
    (c) Thermal mass effects;
    (d) Ten or more thermal zones;
    (e) Part-load performance curves for mechanical equipment;
    (f) Capacity and efficiency correction curves for mechanical heating and cooling equipment.
    (2) The computer-based simulation program shall be capable of performing design load calculations to determine all of the following:
    (a) HVAC equipment capacities;
    (b) HVAC air flow rates;
    (c) HVAC water flow rates.
    (3) The computer-based simulation program shall have the ability to do one of the following:
    (a) Directly determine the energy performance for the alternative designs, or
    (b) Produce hourly reports of energy usage that is suitable for the performance of the alternative designs to be determined by a separate calculation program
    (4) The following computer-based simulation programs shall be considered acceptable:
    (a) DOE-2;
    (b) BLAST;
    (c) eQuest;
    (d) EnergyPlus;
    (e) Carrier HAP;
    (f) Trane TRACE;
    (g) Other computer-based simulation programs that demonstrate compliance with this rule shall be considered acceptable.
    (5) When the sustainable building rating adopted by the agency in accordance with Section 255.257(4)(a), F.S., requires a computer-based simulation, the computer-based simulation program utilized for the analysis shall be consistent with the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, the Green Building Initiative’s Green Globes rating system, or the Florida Green Building Coalition standards.
Rulemaking Authority 255.255 FS. Law Implemented Florida Statutes § 255.255. History-New 5-26-76, Formerly 13D-10.05, 13D-10.005, Amended 3-17-10.