Template Projects and Sample have been included in the TREAT installation to assist users during the training and modeling process.Additional sample models may be found on our website.
Sample projects are intended to serve as examples of how TREAT might be used to model common building types. These projects contain an assortment of Improvements and Packages of Improvements. Sample projects are a particularly useful training tool for new users.
Template projects are templates of common buildings which may be used to expedite the modeling process. Template projects are similar to Sample projects but do not contain Improvements or Packages of Improvements. Templates projects do not contain customer specific information.
Project Group Templates are PGT files which are identical to other TREAT TPG project group files. As a result, template files may be edited, copied or deleted. Users may also create their own Template projects to represent commonly occurring buildings in their region.
TREAT sample files have the file extension .TPG (TREAT Project Group), even though they can be also used as templates. To convert them to .PGT (Project Group Template) files, open them by clicking Project Group>Open>Project Group on the main menu at the top of the screen, then save them as a template by clicking Project Group > Save As > Template on the main menu at the top of the screen.
To convert a TPG file to a template, save it as a template. The new template will be open in TREAT.
Example: Ranch + Slab on grade.TPG. After being opened and saved as a template, the name is Ranch + Slab on grade.PGT.
On the Project Group > New menu select the Use Template option. Select the appropriate template from the Select a Template window. This will create and open a new Treat Project Group with the same contents as the selected template.
Partial cooling is common and is often not modeled correctly. Users may adjust the template or create new templates with two conditioned spaces – heated only and heated/cooled.
Edit the modeling inputs within the project to accurately represent the specific scenario. Follow the general guidelines listed below.
Project Description – Input the Building Address, General Information, Contact Person, and other optional information. Edit the Occupancy to match specific conditions. Occupancy is the only required input.
Fuels / Rates – Edit the cost of fuels and add fuels when necessary. Template projects contain Natural Gas at $1.00 per therm, Electricity at $.10 per kWh and Oil #2 at $1.50 per gallon.
Weather / Defaults – Select the appropriate Daily Weather and Long term Weather Site. Add additional Daily Weather locations or data if necessary. Edit the heating and cooling seasons.
Billing Analysis – Input utility bills and perform billing analysis if applicable.
Spaces – Verify information for entered spaces. Add additional spaces if necessary. If some of the rooms are air conditioned, then rooms that have similar thermostat settings should be aggregated and modeled as a separate space. Ceiling height is set to 8′, adjust if necessary.
Walls / Surfaces – Edit surface description, size and exposure if necessary. Add overhangs on Advanced screen as needed to model exterior shading for windows on this surface. Enter surfaces for any new spaces created in the previous step.
Doors – Edit door description, sizes and number of doors if necessary.
Windows – Edit window description, size and number if necessary.
Infiltration – Input the correct blower door reading. Adjust the ACH to match billing if blower door reading is not applicable. Adjust infiltration of unconditioned space if applicable.
Thermostats – Adjust thermostats to match appropriate temperature set points and schedules. Add cooling if needed. Thermostats have been set at 70F for heating only with no setbacks.
Fans – Adjust CFM or ACH of fan. Delete fan if applicable. Note: TREAT allows one fan per space. Additional fans may be modeled by adding CFM to the existing fan.
Hot Water – Edit or adjust the Hot Water Heater inputs if necessary. Adjust the Number of Occupants Served to match conditions. Add additional fuels under Fuels / Rates if appropriate fuel is not a choice in the Hot Water Heater - Fuel drop down menu.
Lighting – Lighting load in template projects equals 3 Wh/SqFt/Day, which is typical for residential buildings. If you added or removed spaces or changed floor area of any space you need to edit lighting inputs to increase or decrease the lighting load if needed.
Appliances - The template contains typical residential appliances. Add, delete or edit appliances where applicable. Adjust hot water usage or secondary fuels used by appliances if necessary. Match appliance base load to billing where applicable.
Visual Inspection – Template projects contain no recorded Visual Inspections. Add inspections where applicable.
Measurements – Template projects contain no recorded measurements. Record measurements where applicable.
Improvements – Template projects contain no improvements. Use the Improvement Wizard to create the applicable Improvements. Review sample projects to see how various improvements may be modeled.
Packages - Template projects contain no packages. Aggregate Improvements into Improvement Packages to calculate interacted energy savings. Review sample projects to see how various packages may be created.
Check Model Inputs by running the Model Inspector utility by clicking Tools > Model Inspector on the main menu. Review all the warnings and modify model inputs as needed. Run the Model Inspector again to make sure that all errors are corrected.
Users may build their own Template projects to match frequently modeled building types in their region. Users should utilize existing Template projects as a guideline for new Template projects. Consider the following guidelines.
Project Description – Enter data for Occupancy and Prepared by. Avoid project specific data such as Contact info or Building Address as this information might inadvertently appear on a new project report.
Fuels / Rates – Add all appropriate fuels and rates for your area.
Weather / Defaults – Set the appropriate Daily Weather and Long term Weather Site for your region.
Billing Analysis – Record no utility bills in templates.
Improvements and Packages of Improvements – Do not include Improvements or Packages in Template projects. When you use a template, you will likely make modifications to the base building inputs. These modifications may be incompatible with the template improvements, and you will be forced to delete the improvement and modify all packages that contain this improvement in order to make modification to existing building.
Your template is for the building with forced air heating. It contains ductwork insulation improvement, which is included in two different packages. If you use this template for a building with hydronic heat, you will have to remove distribution system improvement from both packages, delete the improvement, and then change existing heating system from furnace to boiler.
You can use your existing project as a starting point for a template. Click Save As > Template to save the existing TPG under a new name as a template. After using Save As, the newly created template PGT will be open in TREAT as the active template. Delete all project-specific details from the new template and save it to use as a starting point for future projects.
Name new template projects using a naming convention similar to the template projects provided.
Each TREAT Project Group (TPG) file has its own set of editable libraries. Editable libraries are the libraries that contain user-entered information, such as User, Customer, Contractor, Daily Weather Data and Fuel Rate libraries
You do not have to re-enter information in the Editable Libraries for each template or project. Enter it in one TPG and then select Project Group > Store Editable Libraries from the main menu. Select the editable libraries that you want to make available to other TPGs. Then go to Project Group > Options and select Prompt to Upgrade Libraries in the Editable Libraries box. After this option is selected, you will be prompted to upgrade editable libraries each time you open a new TPG. Reset the option back to Do Not Upgrade Editable Libraries once you finished customizing the templates.
It is strongly recommended that you only upgrade the TPGs that are used for the templates. Upgrading libraries for existing projects may create inconsistency in project inputs, since the library information used in the project may be replaced with different information.
Sample Projects for TREAT were included during the software installation.
These projects are helpful for new users to familiarize themselves with the modeling process.
This sample project is a two story colonial located in Green Bay, WI. The home contains 1800 square foot of conditioned space heated by an older furnace. The envelope contains no wall insulation, single pane windows and has recorded a blower door reading of 2200 CFM @ 50 Pa. Utility records show a pattern of high energy usage (over 2000 therms/ year for heating). A utility bill analysis has been performed for both electric and natural gas. The furnace and the majority of the ductwork are located in the basement. The home is centrally cooled with a 3 ton split system installed in 1985. The thermostat has been set to 68F as the occupied heating temperature and is set back to 60F for 14 hours per day. The occupied cooling temperature is set to 72F with setbacks to 85F for 12 hours per day.
Hot water is produced by a direct fired, natural gas, 40-gallon hot water heater. Appliances include a clothes washer, electric dryer, electric oven and range, two refrigerators (an older refrigerator is located in the basement).
Improvements include: a high efficiency furnace replacement, a cooling system replacement, air sealing, dense pack cellulose in all exterior walls, addition of 10″ of cellulose in attic over existing fiberglass, refrigerator replacement, window replacement and an full heating system conversion to a high efficiency boiler with an indirect tank for domestic hot water.
A number of Packages have been created to identify savings. These include: (Note: The name of an improvement or package is determined by the user.)
“Insulation & Air Sealing Only” – Dense pack insulation in walls, 10″ additional cellulose insulation in attic, air sealing (reduction from 2200CFM to 1500CFM).
“Savings from Windows Only” – Includes window replacement and infiltration reduction associated with window replacement (estimated 500 CFM reduction)
“All Measures, Furnace option” – Includes a new furnace and all other measures including air sealing, insulation, windows, refrigerator replacement.
“All Measures, Boiler option, no windows” – Include a new boiler, DHW zoned off boiler and all other measures EXCEPT windows.
This sample project is a ranch with a basement located in Buffalo, NY. This 1200 square foot home employs an older boiler, no wall insulation, single pane windows and has recorded a blower door of 3200 CFM @ 50 Pa. A utility bill analysis has NOT been performed The boiler and all piping is located in the basement. The home employs no cooling system.
The thermostat is set to 65F as the occupied heating temperature and is set back to 60F for 8 hours per day (based upon homeowner interview).
Hot water is produced by a direct fired tank, natural gas, 40-gallon hot water heater. Appliances include a clothes washer, electric dryer, electric oven and range, and an older refrigerator.
Improvements modeled include: boiler replacement, insulation upgrade of walls and attic, refrigerator replacement, compact fluorescent bulbs for lighting, window replacement, and targeted air sealing.
Packages include:
“Insulation and Air Sealing Only” – calculates the savings from dense pack of walls, upgrading attic insulation to R47, targeted air sealing with foam plus infiltration benefits of dense pack (target 1500 CFM).
“Insulation, Air Sealing, New Boiler” – same as above except package has been expanded to also include a boiler replacement.
“All Measures” - Includes insulation, boiler, new refrigerator, window replacement, lighting replacement with compact fluorescent bulbs, and dryer venting to the outdoors (health & safety).
Sample project is based upon an older style trailer located in Concord, NH. This 890 square foot trailer was built in 1970 and has had a wood frame sloped roof added. It employs the original furnace, minimal wall insulation, single pane windows and has recorded a blower door of 2000 CFM @ 50 Pa. A utility bill analysis has NOT been performed. The trailer employs no cooling system. The thermostat is set to 62F as the occupied heating temperature and is set back to 58F for 12 hours per day (based upon homeowner interview).
Hot water is produced by an electric 30-gallon hot water heater. Appliances include an electric oven, range, and the original 1970 refrigerator.
Improvements modeled include: a high efficiency furnace replacement, air sealing, roof insulation upgrade, new windows, air sealing, a new propane-fired hot water heater and a health & safety improvement named “Flash patch roof”.
Packages include:
“Insulation and Air Sealing Only” –calculates the savings from targeted air sealing and dense packing the roof cavity insulation.
“All Measures”- Includes insulation, new furnace, window replacement, new propane-fired water heater, air sealing and flash patching of the roof (health & safety).
“All Measures Except Windows” – same as above except windows are not included in the package.
Three story garden apartments located in Syracuse, NY. This sample project is a 4300 square foot building containing 6 apartments. The building was constructed in 1965 and contains the original 250,000 btu/hour boiler, R11 insulation in walls, R19 in the attic, double pane windows, and an 80-gallon gas-fired hot water tank. A blower door was not a viable technique to measure infiltration, instead the ACH (air changes per hour) was estimated and adjusted to match billing. The landlord pays all gas bills for heat and hot water and all electric bills. A utility bill analysis has been performed for both electricity and natural gas.
The boiler and the hot water heater are located in the ground level mechanical room. All apartments are cooled by a 12,000 Btu/hour, through-wall unit. These AC units are original circa 1965. The through-wall AC units are estimated to have an aggregated output capacity of 72,000 Btu/ hour.
The thermostat is set to 72F as the occupied heating temperature and not set back (since tenants do not pay for heat). The occupied cooling temperature is set to 75F with setbacks to 90F for 16 hours per day (tenants pay their own cooling costs). Temperature set points were adjusted as part of the comparison to a billing analysis.
Hot water is produced by a direct fired, natural gas, 80-gallon hot water heater. Shared appliances include a coin-op clothes washer with matching coin-op gas dryer. Each apartment has an electric oven and range, a refrigerator, and a dishwasher.
Improvements modeled include: a boiler replacement, an indirect domestic hot water tank zoned off the new boiler, new AC units, targeted air sealing, an additional 10″ of cellulose over the existing 6″ of fiberglass in attic, refrigerator replacement, low flow shower heads, and lighting improvements.
A number of Packages have been created to identify savings.
“New Boiler with Indirect DHW tank, Insulation, Air Sealing” - 93% efficient boiler with outdoor reset control, 28-gallon hot water tank zoned off boiler, 10" of cellulose over existing fiberglass, and targeted air sealing in the attic.
“Electric Measures Only” – Includes measures which reduce electric consumption. This includes new refrigerators, lighting, and air conditioners.
“Boiler and DHW Only” – Includes 93% efficient boiler with outdoor reset control and a 28-gallon hot water tank zoned off the new boiler.
“Insulation & Air Sealing Only” – Increase attic insulation to R52, decrease uncontrolled ACH to 0.64 from 0.81.(estimated 20% reduction based upon visual inspection of large accessible air pathways in attic).
“All Measures” – contains all the Improvements including boiler, DHW tank, windows, AC units, insulation, air sealing, lighting, and refrigerators.
A twenty story high rise apartment building located in New York, NY. This sample project is a 78,000 square foot building containing 120 apartments. The building was constructed in 1950 and contains the original 10,000,000 Btu/hour oil-fired steam boiler. The building envelope consists of 8″ block walls with 4″ face brick, 4″ concrete flat roof with no insulation, and single pane windows. Domestic hot water is produced by a separate 500,000 Btu/hr oil-fired boiler with a 500-gallon storage tank. A blower door was not a viable technique to measure infiltration, instead the ACH (air changes per hour) was estimated and adjusted to match billing. The landlord pays all utility costs including oil for heat, hot water and all electric costs. A utility bill analysis has been performed for both electric and #2 oil.
Both boilers are located in the basement level mechanical room. Each apartment contains a through-wall PTAC AC unit installed in the living area. The average AC unit is sized at 12,000 Btu/hour. All AC units were installed in 1982 and are estimated to have an aggregated output capacity of 1,440,000 Btu/ hour (average unit size × 120 units). Note: only ½ of each apartment is served by air conditioning (living area only). Window units are not permitted in bedrooms due to wiring and electrical load concerns.
The thermostat is set to 75F as the occupied heating temperature and not set back (since tenants do not pay for heat -thermostat was adjusted to match billing). The occupied cooling temperature is set to 75F with no setbacks (tenants do not pay their own cooling costs – adjusted to match billing).
Shared appliances include a 6 coin-op clothes washers with 4 matching coin-op electric dryers. These are located in the basement. Each apartment has an electric oven and range, and a refrigerator.
Improvements modeled include: a boiler replacement, new Energy Star refrigerators, new Energy Star rated washers and gas dryers, new AC units, targeted air sealing including window weather stripping, an additional 2″ of rigid insulation under new roof, and lighting improvements.
A number of Packages have been created to identify savings.
“Measures with Payback of 10 years or less” - included measures with a simple payback of ten years or less. Includes: 86% efficient boiler with outdoor reset control, new Energy Star rated refrigerators and clothes washers, gas dryers, window weather strip instead of window replacement, replacement of all incandescent fixtures with 20 W fluorescent fixtures in apartments, and 2″ of additional insulation in roof.
“Fast Payback Package” – Includes measures which enjoy a simple individual payback of 5 years or less. This includes new refrigerators, lighting, window weather stripping, washers, dryers and additional roof insulation.
“All Measures Package” – Contains all measures regardless of simple payback. Package included new boiler, appliances, lighting, roof insulation, new windows, and AC units.