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Energy Efficiency Resources

Design Tools

Idaho Power

Sponsored by Idaho Power

In our work we often find recurring time barriers to achieving energy savings in buildings. Sometimes we are successful in securing funding to create tools that will help to remove these barriers. The energy efficiency design tools available here provide design teams with information to support improved decision making in early design stages.

As of March 2026 if a link to a design tool does not work it has not been posted yet or is currently under maintenance and will be available soon.

Disclaimer

While the calculations presented in this tool have been reviewed for technical accuracy and are believed to be reasonably accurate, the findings are estimates and actual results may vary. As a result, University of Idaho, Integrated Design Lab is not liable if projected estimated savings or economics are not actually achieved. All savings and cost estimates in the report are for informational purposes, and are not to be construed as design documents or as guarantees.

The user shall independently evaluate any advice or direction provided in this tool. In no event will University of Idaho, Integrated Design Lab be liable for the failure of the customer to achieve a specified amount of energy savings, the operation of customer's facilities, or any incidental or consequential damages of any kind in connection with this report or the installation of recommended measures.

Sustainable Design & Practice Benefits

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Sponsored by the Idaho Power Company, the University of Idaho Integrated Design Lab (UI-IDL) developed this series of infographics to communicate sustainable design & practice Benefits of five different building types for their bottom line impact on efficiency for each building type.

2012 CBECS Data Visualization Infographics

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Sponsored by the Idaho Power Company, the University of Idaho Integrated Design Lab (UI-IDL) developed this series of infographics to communicate how four different building types consume energy on both a regional and national level.

Daylight Pattern Guide

Daylight pattern guide
The Daylighting Pattern Guide is the newest offering in the Advanced Buildings suite of tools and resources to help design teams create high performance commercial buildings.

The Climate Responsive Design Web Tool

Climate response
The Climate Responsive Design web tool is designed to graphically illustrate the feasibility and potential energy benefits of several climate responsive design strategies.

Infiltration Equations & Conversions

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A key factor in building heat gain and loss may be the infiltration rate, or the rate at which outdoor air is exchanged with conditioned interior air through the envelope. This spreadsheet tool outlines a set of simplified equations aimed at converting typical, real world infiltration measurements into metrics that can be input into EnergyPlus.

EnergyPlus Fan Energy Calculator

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This spreadsheet was created in order to aid with determining the fan inputs into EnergyPlus via equations from ASHRARE 90.1 Appendix G (for baseline systems) and fan specifications (for proposed systems).

Weather Normalization

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This spread sheet was created in order to aid with the processing and analysis of building energy usage. In order to operate this spread sheet you will need the following bills for each month in the period you wish to analyze

Thermal Energy Savings Tabulator (TEST)

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This tool aims to provide designers, engineers, and manufacturers a quick and easy way to calculate energy savings from the application of different heat pump HVAC technologies early in the design process.

Cost and Efficiency of IAQ Devices

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Sponsored by the Idaho Power Company, the University of Idaho Integrated Design Lab (UI-IDL) developed this series of infographics to communicate how COVID-19 has brought the issue of indoor air quality to the forefront of building science.

LM-83-12 Three-phase Daylight Simulation Script

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Annual simulation of dynamic/complex fenestration systems under LM-83 guidelines. This script will generate its own folder structure beyond the starting directories required, which are outlined below.

Idaho Power Company Meter Analysis Template

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This spreadsheet is designed to handle meter data provided in the Idaho Power format. IPC provides hourly kW data in a table where each row is a day and each column is an hour.

2018 CBECS Data Visualization Infographics

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Sponsored by the Idaho Power Company, the University of Idaho Integrated Design Lab (UI-IDL) developed this series of infographics to communicate how four different building types consume energy on both a regional and national level.

MIT - Sustainable Design Lab

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This simple web form walks you through the fundamental choices necessary to select an HVAC system design for your existing building or proposed design, including the pros and cons of different selections.

2018 CBECS Micro Master

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Sponsored by the Idaho Power Company, the University of Idaho Integrated Design Lab (UI-IDL) developed this series of infographics to communicate how four different building types consume energy on both a regional and national level.

LBNL - Building Performance Database

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The Building Performance Database (BPD) is the nation's largest dataset of information about the energy-related characteristics of commercial and residential buildings.

SBW - Energy Charting & Metrics (ECAM)

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ECAM provides a standardized and transparent means for measurement and verification (M&V) of energy savings. Its consistent, repeatable methodology for measuring savings adheres to the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol – IPMVP (Efficiency Valuation Organization, 2012).

2018 CBECS Education Data Visualization Infographics

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Sponsored by the Idaho Power Company, the University of Idaho Integrated Design Lab (UI-IDL) developed this series of infographics to communicate how four different building types consume energy on both a regional and national level.

2018 CBECS Additional Data Visualization Infographics

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Sponsored by the Idaho Power Company, the University of Idaho Integrated Design Lab (UI-IDL) developed this series of infographics to communicate how four different building types consume energy on both a regional and national level.

High-Efficiency Lighting & IECC Optimization (HELIOS)

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HELIOS — High-Efficiency Lighting & IECC Optimization System. A guided sequence of design-phase tools — from establishing the lighting power allowance through daylight zones, the fenestration envelope, and the final interior and exterior compliance checks. for IECC 2018 C405.