eQUEST is a sophisticated, yet easy to use building energy use analysis tool which provides professional-level results with an affordable level of effort.

This freeware tool was designed to allow you to perform detailed analysis of today's state-of-the-art building design technologies using today's most sophisticated building energy use simulation techniques but without requiring extensive experience in the "art" of building performance modeling. This is accomplished by combining a building creation wizard, an energy efficiency measure (EEM) wizard and a graphical results display module with an enhanced DOE-2-derived building energy use simulation program.

the QUick Energy Simulation Tool

Something for everyone...

Imagine a building energy simulation tool comprehensive enough to be useful to ALL design team members, yet so intuitive ANY design team member could use it, in ANY or ALL design phases, including schematic design. eQUEST is well named because it provides something the you've been looking for, but have been unable to find a sophisticated, yet easy-to-use building energy analysis tool. With eQUEST, you'll be able to provide professional-level results in an affordable level of effort.

Evaluate today's building technologies at the speed of today's design process

eQUEST was designed to allow you to perform detailed analysis of today's state-of-the-art building design technologies using today's most sophisticated building energy use simulation techniques but without requiring extensive experience in the "art" of building performance modeling.

eQUEST = enhanced DOE-2 + Wizards + Graphics

This is accomplished by combining a building creation wizard, an energy efficiency measure (EEM) wizard, and graphical reporting with a simulation "engine" derived from the latest version of DOE-2. Reliable detailed simulation has never been easier!

eQUEST features a building creation "wizard" that walks you through the process of creating an effective building energy model. This involves following a series of steps that help you describe the features of your design that would impact energy use, such as:

• architectural design
• HVAC equipment
• building type and size
• floor plan layout
• construction materials
• area usage and occupancy
• lighting system

Building Creation Wizard

The eQUEST building creation wizard first requests the most general information about your building design, and then delves into progressively deeper detail. In all, the building description process comprises 23 data-entry steps - each represented by a "wizard" screen.

At each step of describing your building design, the wizard provides easy-to-understand choices of component and system options. It also offers advice in the form of "intelligent defaults" for each choice. (These defaults are based on more information gathered early in the description process). In addition, eQUEST automatically skips steps that do not apply to your design.

Although the building description process can get quite detailed, it isn't necessary to complete every single step in the wizard. If you choose, you can "bail out" of the description process once you are satisfied with the level of detail. At that point, the wizard fills in any missing information using the eQUEST "intelligent default" process.

After compiling a building description, eQUEST produces a detailed simulation of your building, as well as an estimate of how much energy it would use. Although these results are generated quickly, they are quite accurate because this software utilizes the full capabilities of DOE-2 (the latest version of a well-respected and popular building energy simulation program developed over the last 20 years by the U.S. DOE).

Within eQUEST, DOE-2 performs an hourly simulation of your building design for a one-year period. It calculates heating or cooling loads for each hour of the year, based on the factors such as:

• walls
• windows
• glass
• people
• plug loads
• ventilation

DOE-2 also simulates the performance of:

• fans
• pumps
• chillers
• boilers
• other energy-consuming devices

During the simulation, DOE-2 also tabulates your building's projected energy use for various end uses such as:

• lighting
• plug loads (computers, appliances, copiers, etc.)
• heating
• cooling
• ventilation
• pumping

Viewing eQUEST Results

eQUEST offers several graphical formats for viewing simulation results. For instance, you can display graphs of estimated overall building energy on an annual or monthly basis. (See Figure 1.) You also can compare the performance of alternative building designs. (See Figure 2.)

In addition, eQUEST allows you to perform multiple simulations and view the alternative results in side-by-side graphics. It offers:

• Energy cost estimating
• Daylighting and lighting system control
• Automatic implementation of common energy efficiency measures (by selecting preferred measures from a list)

The current version of eQUEST provides even more comprehensive analysis capability. It allows the advanced user to input additional building details to analyze complex buildings. A three-dimensional view of the building geometry is available in this version, as well as HVAC system diagrams. In addition, rate schedules for PG&E, SCE, and SDG&E are embedded in the program.

(Click for larger image) Figure 1: A building's projected monthly energy consumption, with consumption attributed to various end-use categories.

(Click for larger image) Figure 2: Comparison of monthly energy use for base building design and four alternatives which incorporate Energy Efficiency Measures (EEMs)

Training

We encourage beginning eQUEST users to read the tutorials for a solid background in program fundamentals.

For more information about training options, visit the eQUEST home page.

Community Support

The best way to get support for eQUEST is to join the equest-users mailing list, where energy professionals from around the globe discuss tips, tricks, and best practices. A companion list, bldg-sim, discusses building energy simulation topics more generally and is not specifically focused on eQUEST.

Please note that Energy Design Resources is not the developer of eQUEST and is not able to provide direct training and support.

System Requirements and Installation

eQUEST runs on Windows 7/Vista/XP, and previous versions of Windows dating back to Win98. There is no Mac OS X version.

Because of the large file size of eQUEST's setup.exe file, we suggest that you download the program to your hard drive (select "save" after left clicking the link, or right click on the link and "save target as") rather than opening or running the installation procedure from your browser.

Also, because of MS Windows 7 security considerations and to facilitate installation within military and corporate IT environments, eQUEST files are now installed by default into your "My Documents" folder (i.e the installation option "Just Me" is now the default).