This section will describe the main components of the TREAT interface. The main screen of the program is split into three sections: Project Index, Input Panel/Main Screen and Feeback Panel.

Project Index:

The leftmost section in your TREAT software is called the Project Index. It contains the titles of all the main input screens. Click on the title to navigate to the desired screen. Screen titles are disabled and shown in light gray when no project is open. Open an existing project or start a new one from the TREAT Main Menu to enable navigation.

The input screens are grouped in six sections: General Information, Billing Data, Building Model, Building Inspection, Evaluated Options, and Reporting. Section titles are in black font and are for reference, not navigation.

Within each input group you will see a number of screen options to help guide you in building your model. Models should be built starting from the top of the Project Index and moving down.


Blue Screen Titles are those that have not been opened in the currently opened TPGX

Red Screen Titles show the currently selected screen

Brown Screen Titles show screens you have already opened

Green Check Marks show that you have successfully saved inputs on that screen.


Note: Checkmarks do not necessarily mean that an input is complete. Remember the user is responsible for verifying that inputs are complete and accurate.


Input Panel/Main Screen:

The central section of the screen is called the Input Panel. The Input Panel holds the current input screen. The screen title is displayed in the upper right corner.

On most screens the input is presented in a table. If the column title has an asterisk (*) next to it, then the input is required in order for the data to be saved. A purple question mark (?) next to the input or title indicates that there is a context-sensitive help statement available for this item. Position the mouse over the question mark to view the statement. New inputs are typed in the first row of the table just below the headings. This row is called the Input Line. The white cells of the Input Line allow the user to type the input or select it from the drop down box. Click on light gray Input Line cells to open the corresponding library and select the desired input. Enter information left to right or top to bottom, depending on the screen layout.

In many cases the program fills out the Input Line with default values to expedite the data entry. These values are either generated based on your previous inputs or represent the typical case.


Note: It is your responsibility to verify that the values are correct and edit them as needed.


Clicking Apply checks that the new record entered in the Input Line is complete and moves it to the lower part of the table. The Input Line is then cleared and ready for a new input. To delete a record, select it in the table and click Delete. To edit a record, select it in the table (which moves it to the Input Line). Make changes and click Apply to save the record and clear the Input Line. Clicking Clear clears all the inputs from the Input Area and reverts the screen to the state it was in after the most recent Apply or Delete operation.

Copy and Paste are available on some input screens. The functionality of the buttons is similar to the capabilities offered by many Windows software tools. Copy saves the currently selected record to the TREAT clipboard. Paste adds the record to the current input screen. Only one object of each type (one window, one surface) may be copied for pasting.

Feedback Panel:

The Feedback Panel occupies the lower right portion of the screen. It contains the summary of calculation Results. Calculation results for the energy model of the existing building without improvements (the “Base Building“) are shown on the Building Model row of the table. Calculation results for billing analysis for the analysis period that is compared to the Base Building are shown on the Billing Data row of the table.

Click the Calculate Model button to calculate energy consumption of the Base Building model. Before running the calculations, TREAT verifies that the model inputs are consistent. A detailed message appears if a problem is found with the inputs. Depending on the severity of the problem you may choose to ignore the warning or correct the input. Some of the problems must be corrected before the calculations can proceed.


Note: The model must be calculated before you can run billing analysis reports or any improvement package reports.

Click Calculate Billing to run a billing analysis for the analysis period that is compared to the Base Building. The button is disabled if there is no such analysis period in the project. The Calculate Model and Calculate Billing functions each require completion of specific inputs before they can be used.


Note: Each time the essential inputs for the Base Building are modified, the corresponding portion of the Feedback Panel is cleared because calculation results are no longer up-to-date.


The Feedback Panel shows usage in units of fuel for each fuel specified on the Fuels/Rates screen. Use the scroll bar in the upper right corner of the Feedback Panel to view more fuels if there are more than three fuels in the project. The detailed breakdown of fuel cost by end use can be viewed in the Model Energy Report in the Reports section. The Feedback Panel also shows the Heating Reference Temperature and Heating Slope for the model and billing.

Remember:

  • Calculate Model and Calculate Billing do not re-run the calculations if the corresponding row of the Feedback Panel is filled with the calculation results. In this case TREAT displays the previously calculated outputs. New calculations are performed only if the output row is not filled out.
  • When TREAT is used to perform a billing data analysis only, no information is displayed on the Feedback Panel.
  • True-Up Help brings up a window with tips on how to match outputs from the Base Building model to the billing data.
  • Billing and model fuel usage is for the entire calendar year. Thirty-year average weather data for the long-term weather site specified on the Weather/Defaults screen is used to estimate annual Heating Degree Days and Cooling Degree Days for both model and billing.

Heating reference temperature (balance point temperature)[F]:

The outdoor temperature at which for the user specified value of the interior temperature the total heat loss is equal to the heat gain from sun, occupants, lighting, appliances, etc. Heating reference temperature is almost always lower than the thermostat set point due to internal gains from occupants, lighting and appliances. The model reference temperature is always used for the analysis period that is compared to the model.

The main factors that influence the reference temperature are internal heat gain (the amount of heat produced by sources other than the heating system) and the building heat loss rate (how fast the building loses this heat).

Example:

Building A is a new building, very well sealed and insulated, with a very efficient heating system. Building B is poorly insulated, with leaky windows and an inefficient heating system. Heating thermostats are set to the same temperature. If there are no heat gain from appliances, lighting, occupants, or sun (no internal heat gains) then the reference temperature for both buildings is equal to the thermostat set point. However, if there is equal internal heat gain in both buildings, then building A will have lower reference temperature because the heat produced by appliances, lighting, etc. in the building will keep the building warm at a lower outdoor temperature.

Heating Slope:

Measured in Btu/F-day-sq.ft., is the heating energy consumption per degree of temperature difference between the reference temperature and the outdoor temperature normalized by the building area. Heating slope characterizes the building heat loss rate to ambient and ground due to infiltration, ventilation, and through walls, roof, windows and floors. It also accounts for the overall heating system efficiency, including heating distribution. Heating Degree Days is the sum of positive differences between reference temperature and outdoor temperature for the heating season.