IC3 Resnet Accreditation User's Guide

This document is intended to provide the users from the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) with information on the supporting materials for the RESNET Accreditation of International Code Compliance Calculator (IC3) v3.3 software as an IECC Performance Path Calculation Tool. The CD that accompanies this document contains five files/folders including the electronic copy of the application and the supporting materials for the RESNET accreditation of IC3. The IC3 software is a web-based tool which was developed by the Energy Systems Laboratory (ESL) to demonstrate compliance of single-family residences with the Texas Building Energy Performance Standards (TBEPS). The Desktop DOE-2 Processor (DDP) spreadsheet is the ESL’s internal desktop version that utilizes the same DOE-2 simulation as the web-based IC3. It also provides the batch entry for IC3, which allows the creating and modifying of the proposed design and standard reference design to be done manually or automatically. The simulation inputs are passed to the DOE-2 input file for the energy simulation of the proposed and standard reference designs. Finally, the DDP reports the simulation results back to the DDP spreadsheet. The user-interface of IC3 was designed to ensure simple and quick input through reduced user input fields, and simple output by reporting the code-compliance as percent above or below code only for the locations in Texas. The DDP spreadsheet has the flexibility to calculate compliance with other codes by auto-generating the corresponding standard reference designs, incorporate additional weather locations, report the simulation results in a desired manner, as well as modify several simulation inputs, which are not available in the user interface of IC3. Since the test runs for RESNET accreditation cannot be performed using the user interface of web-based IC3, a special version of DDP spreadsheet (i.e., RESNET_DDP_IC3.xls) was developed for RESNET accreditation. This spreadsheet can be uploaded to the ESL’s web server for processing, and downloaded after the processing is complete, to view the simulation results. In this manual, Section 1 presents a brief overview of the IC3. Section 2 includes the details of the specially created DDP spreadsheet (RESNET_DDP_IC3.xls) for RESNET accreditation, and Section 3 includes the instructions for replicating the test runs using this spreadsheet. Section 4 presents other helpful information, including contact information and account sign up. At last, Appendix A and B present the results of five tests required for the RESNET accreditation and the contents of the accompanying CD, respectively

Recommendations for 2009 IECC 15% Above Code Energy Efficiency Measures for Residential Buildings

In the 79th Legislature (2005) the Energy Systems Laboratory was required to develop three alternative methods for achieving 15% above-code energy savings in new residential, commercial and industrial construction. The Laboratory continues to work closely with code officials, energy raters, manufacturers, state officials and other stakeholders to develop cost effective energy efficiency measures. This report presents detailed information about the recommendations for achieving 15% above-code energy performance, which are based on the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), for single-family residences across the State of Texas. To estimate above-code savings (%) of energy efficiency measures, total source energy savings from heating, cooling, lighting, equipment, and DHW were considered for emissions reductions determination. The recommendations were developed for three 2009 IECC climate zones in Texas along with simple payback calculations. This information is useful to homebuilders, utility demand side energy managers, homeowners and others who wish to construct residential buildings that exceed the minimum national energy code requirements. The analysis was performed using an ESL simulation model based on the DOE-2.1e simulation of a 2009 IECC code-compliant, single family residence and the appropriate TMY2 weather files for seventeen counties in Texas for which TMY2 data is available. According to 2009 IECC Climate Zone, seventeen counties were categorized into three climate zones: Climate Zone 2, 3, and 4, and the 2009 IECC code-compliance base-case models were constructed for each climate zone. Two options based on the choice of heating fuel type were considered: (a) natural gas (gas-fired furnace for space heating, and gas water heater for domestic water heating), and (b) electricity (heat pump for space heating, and electric water heater for domestic water heating). A total of eighteen measures based on the energy savings above the base-case house were selected. These measures include building envelope and fenestration, HVAC system, domestic hot water (DHW) system, lighting and renewable options. The implementation costs of each individual measure were also calculated along with simple payback calculations. These measures were then combined to achieve the total source energy savings of the group is 15% above the base-case 2009 code-compliant house. As a result, three example combinations were proposed for each base case ((a) electric/gas house and (b) all-electric house) in each climate zone. Each combination was formed to have a different payback period. Finally, the corresponding emissions savings of each combination were calculated based on the eGrid for Texas

Pharyngeal Oxygen Delivery Device Sustains Manikin Lung Oxygenation Longer Than High-Flow Nasal Cannula

PURPOSE: Hypoxemia during a failed airway scenario is life threatening. A dual-lumen pharyngeal oxygen delivery device (PODD) was developed to fit inside a traditional oropharyngeal airway for undisrupted supraglottic oxygenation and gas analysis during laryngoscopy and intubation. We hypothesized that the PODD would provide oxygen as effectively as high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) while using lower oxygen flow rates. METHODS: We compared oxygen delivery of the PODD to HFNC in a preoxygenated, apneic manikin lung that approximated an adult functional residual capacity. Four arms were studied: HFNC at 20 and 60 liters per minute (LPM) oxygen, PODD at 10 LPM oxygen, and a control arm with no oxygen flow after initial preoxygenation. Five randomized 20-minute trials were performed for each arm (20 trials total). Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance were used with statistical significance of RESULTS: Mean oxygen concentrations were statistically different and decreased from 97% as follows: 41 ± 0% for the control, 90 ± 1% for HFNC at 20 LPM, 88 ± 2% for HFNC at 60 LPM, and 97 ± 1% (no change) for the PODD at 10 LPM. CONCLUSION: Oxygen delivery with the PODD maintained oxygen concentration longer than HFNC in this manikin model at lower flow rates than HFNC

Src Binds Cortactin Through An Sh2 Domain Cystine-Mediated Linkage

Tyrosine-kinase-based signal transduction mediated by modular protein domains is critical for cellular function. The Src homology (SH)2 domain is an important conductor of intracellular signaling that binds to phosphorylated tyrosines on acceptor proteins, producing molecular complexes responsible for signal relay. Cortactin is a cytoskeletal protein and tyrosine kinase substrate that regulates actin-based motility through interactions with SH2-domain-containing proteins. The Src kinase SH2 domain mediates cortactin binding and tyrosine phosphorylation, but how Src interacts with cortactin is unknown. Here we demonstrate that Src binds cortactin through cystine bonding between Src C185 in the SH2 domain within the phosphotyrosine binding pocket and cortactin C112/246 in the cortactin repeats domain, independent of tyrosine phosphorylation. Interaction studies show that the presence of reducing agents ablates Src-cortactin binding, eliminates cortactin phosphorylation by Src, and prevents Src SH2 domain binding to cortactin. Tandem MS/MS sequencing demonstrates cystine bond formation between Src C185 and cortactin C112/246. Mutational studies indicate that an intact cystine binding interface is required for Src-mediated cortactin phosphorylation, cell migration, and pre-invadopodia formation. Our results identify a novel phosphotyrosine-independent binding mode between the Src SH2 domain and cortactin. Besides Src, one quarter of all SH2 domains contain cysteines at or near the analogous Src C185 position. This provides a potential alternative mechanism to tyrosine phosphorylation for cysteine-containing SH2 domains to bind cognate ligands that may be widespread in propagating signals regulating diverse cellular functions

Going Beyond a Resnet Certification for Code-Compliant Simulations: A Sensitivity Analysis of Detailed Results of Three RESNET-Certified, Code-Compliant Residential Simulation Programs

In many states building code officials rely on certified, code-compliant simulations to determine whether or not a residence satisfies the energy code requirements using a performance-path analysis. In the United States, certification of residential code-complaint software is performed by the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET). Unfortunately, significant differences in results can exist when one compares the ratings from one certified software program to the next. This paper continues the exploration of some of these differences presented in a previously published paper for an analysis of a code-complaint residence in Texas and presents a sensitivity study using several of these RESNET-certified software in two locations in Texas

Going Beyond a Resnet Certification for Code-Compliant Simulations: A Sensitivity Analysis of Detailed Results of Three RESNET-Certified, Code-Compliant Residential Simulation Programs

In many states building code officials rely on certified, code-compliant simulations to determine whether or not a residence satisfies the energy code requirements using a performance-path analysis. In the United States, certification of residential code-complaint software is performed by the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET). Unfortunately, significant differences in results can exist when one compares the ratings from one certified software program to the next. This paper continues the exploration of some of these differences presented in a previously published paper for an analysis of a code-complaint residence in Texas and presents a sensitivity study using several of these RESNET-certified software in two locations in Texas

High-Precision Scanning Water Vapor Radiometers for Cosmic Microwave Background Site Characterization and Comparison

The compelling science case for the observation of B-mode polarization in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) is driving the CMB community to expand the observed sky fraction, either by extending survey sizes or by deploying receivers to potential new northern sites. For ground-based CMB instruments, poorly-mixed atmospheric water vapor constitutes the primary source of short-term sky noise. This results in short-timescale brightness fluctuations, which must be rejected by some form of modulation. To maximize the sensitivity of ground-based CMB observations, it is useful to understand the effects of atmospheric water vapor over timescales and angular scales relevant for CMB polarization measurements. To this end, we have undertaken a campaign to perform a coordinated characterization of current and potential future observing sites using scanning 183 GHz water vapor radiometers (WVRs). So far, we have deployed two identical WVR units; one at the South Pole, Antarctica, and the other at Summit Station, Greenland. The former site has a long heritage of ground-based CMB observations and is the current location of the Bicep/Keck Array telescopes as well as the South Pole Telescope. The latter site, though less well characterized, is under consideration as a northern-hemisphere location for future CMB receivers. Data collection from this campaign began in January 2016 at South Pole and July 2016 at Summit Station. Data analysis is ongoing to reduce the data to a single spatial and temporal statistic that can be used for one-to-one site comparison.Comment: Published in Proc. SPIE. Presented at SPIE Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation Conference 10708: Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy XI, June 2018. 10 pages, 11 figure

Energy Efficiency/Renewable Energy (EERE) Projects in Texas Public Schools

This paper presents the preliminary results from an analysis of the energy saving potential in new and existing Texas Independent School Districts (ISDs). The analysis was performed using a K-12 simulation model based on the DOE-2.1e program that uses ASHRAE Standard 90.1 code-compliant, school buildings for three climate zones in Texas. In this analysis, government and private data sources from the U.S. EPA Energy Star, the Texas Education Agency, and the EnergyPlus Benchmark school models were reviewed to determine the base-case K-12 school characteristics in Texas. Available guidelines and case-studies were reviewed to develop energy efficient measures for high performance school buildings. As a result, four base-case school models that are compliant with the ASHRAE Standard 90.1-1989, 1999, 2004, and 2007 were developed for each climate zone. In addition, a total of eighteen energy efficient measures were considered. These include measures for the building envelope, lighting, HVAC system, DHW system, and renewable energy systems. The proposed energy efficient measures were then applied to the base-case school model to examine the energy saving potential for Texas ISDs.Energy Systems Laboratory, Texas A&M Universit