Big Green: TRANE/TRACE Oversizing Equipment?

[Russ Weiser (HKP)]

At a recent workshop on energy modelling one of the speakers had the 
opinion that TRANE/TRACE simulation software tended to oversize the 
mechanical equipment (sometimes by double).  I've also heard this 
from one of the Mechanical Engineers we work with for one case study.

As architects we'd like to help design energy efficient buildings and 
save up-front cost by "right-sizing" the mechanical equipment.  If 
it's "twice-sized" it takes away one of the benefits of energy 
efficient design.  Has anyone else had experience with TRANE/TRACE 
oversizing mechanicals?


Russ Weiser, AIA, LEED AP, Ph.D.
HKP architects
314 Pine Street, Suite 205
Mount Vernon, WA  98273
(360) 336-2155
(360) 336-3657 FAX
rweiser at hkpa.com
http://www.hkpa.com