Smarter tools for PHPP users

Microsoft have had the facility to add custom buttons on a ribbon (toolbar) in Excel for some time. Tim Martel and the AECB have teamed up to create one for PHPP which speeds up common tasks and extends what PHPP can do. Tim Martel is now a RICS Technical Partner and PHribbon aligns with the RICS Professional Statement, 2nd edition on Whole Life Carbon. AECB PHribbon extends PHPP beyond energy performance, described below in the following sections:

• Whole Life Carbon and there is a training course available to learn about this feature in depth.
• Build PHPP – enables you to build libraries of U-values, has its own library of Lambda values, windows and more.
• Daylight Factor  – Optional module works with a separate spreadsheet, the Daylight Calculator
• Improvement Option Evaluation and Retrofit Costs – Optional module called “Retrofit Costs” that adds extra sheets to your PHPP

Entering Data

PHribbon makes the input process really easy. New in v7.01 is that there is now a list of RICS categories on the main menu – these open relevant screens for each type of data.

Most of the data comes from your U-values (button 1). Materials are matched from your U-value calcs though the final selection is up to you. Quantities are from your PHPP (it can do an area correction for you if you wish). It remembers the names you use for materials and offers the same EPD when you use that name again.  If you want to change a material, a checkbox in buttons 1-4 allows you to change a material, keeping the quantities. Buttons 2, 3 and 4 are for entering windows, internal walls/floors etc and services.

• Built-in library of 1000 entries, mainly EPDs with info for [A]-[D] including sequestration for timber/natural materials, some entries also have info on the uncertainty factor (an estimate of the reliability of that data)
• UK/Ireland Reference Study Period of 60yrs (UK) can be changed to 50 for Ireland
• Retained existing materials a checkbox in buttons 1-4 allows you to enter existing materials in retrofit, (RICS requirement) omitting A1-A5, from v6.13.
• Optioneering up to 12 options can be graphed/compared.
• Mac compatible, from v6.13

Main menu and buttons 1, 2:

For those familiar with the existing buttons 1-4, you can still enter data that way too. When entering this way, buttons 3 and 4 below now have filter buttons at the top which filter the list by RICS category, and also move to that category in the spreadsheet:

Outputs

Coloured “heat map” results, the output table is coloured by value redder figures are higher CO₂ ,green figures represent storage of CO₂. Each data result is fully transparent, formulas/figures can be inspected.

Graphs show in detail the breakdown of embodied carbon (left) and the combined graph of embodied and operational carbon throughout the 60 year reference study period (a theoretical time frame for comparison).

The main results tables below show

• • Whole Life Carbon CO₂ graph shows operational and embodied CO_2.
  • RIBA 2030 Challenge results for operational and embodied
  • LETI results and graphic
  • UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard (UKNZCBS), an estimate of the pilot

There are further advantages within the results that are less obvious:

• WLCA uncertainty factor calculations are now much quicker, PHribbon fills in some of the information for you, v6.14
• Full set of RICS reporting and summary tables, v6.13 or simple categories for a quick calculation
• Update button on the main menu, updates existing calculations from v6.06 onwards
• Advanced use of partial data from Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), v6.12
  Example RICS requirements for solid timber:
  1% reuse, 78% recycling 20% incineration and 1% landfill.
  If an EPD provides 100% reuse, 100% recycling, and 100% incineration, PHribbon uses these values and only estimates the landfill portion. → Result: 99% of the end-of-life impact is based on the EPD, not RICS defaults.
  If the EPD only specifies 100% recycling, PHribbon uses that figure and estimates the remaining categories (reuse, incineration, landfill). → Result: 77% of the impact is derived from the EPD, the rest estimated.

• • Climate – helps you find the climate region by showing the counties. If there is more than one climate station, it shows them so you can choose the nearest (v7.02). From v7.04 it also shows counties and climate stations in the Republic of Ireland and also the top 5 cities in Ireland / top 20 cities in the UK for the heat island effect:

    

  • Orientation – Gives a simple way to work out bearings of each wall, draws outline of building as a crosscheck (if you have entered wall lengths)
  • Check PHPP – Takes you to each part of your PHPP and questions values. You can stop and correct something straight away, list what needs attention and change what to check.
  • Absorptivity – helps enter absorptivity, emissivity and the opaque elements shading factor

    

  • Components – gives you a list of glazing and window frames if you often add these to PHPPs – you can add your own to the list
  • Windows – Enters different window styles quickly, in mm or m, calculates the d-reveal, and enters the other info. (v10 whole window per row and pane per row methods)

    

  • D Reveal – Enters the d-reveal where there is cover. (v10 whole window per row and pane per row methods)

PHribbon exports into Mark Siddall’s Daylight Calculator spreadsheet, which calculates the daylight factor. There are several sheets that contribute to a final results sheet, shown below. For more information about the tool see our Daylight Guidance

Improvement Option Evaluation

A useful part of the “Retrofit Costs” module is Improvement Option Evaluation (IOE) for Retrofit Coordinators. PAS2035 requires IOE to help guide the selection of measures in a retrofit. Energy calcs must start with the unimproved house, try out each new measure they might use, then remove it. After listing the simple payback and carbon cost effectiveness of those results, measures can be implemented in potential packages.

PHribbon Improvement Option Evaluation helps by automating the entire process within PHPP. For a whole house retrofit a lot of measures are needed so this can save a lot of time. It works by:

• adding a new sheet (seen below) that guides you through the input data and shows results
• making selection quick and simple through input screens, e.g. below
• automating the process: it enters each measure in turn, produces results, and removes that measure. If any data is missing then it will present an input screen. The same code then continues to find results for the packages of measures.

There is also a list for Consequential Costs – where specific circumstances could significantly increase the cost of a particular measure. This feeds back into the main table:

Simple, Variant and Step by Step Costs

Estimating costs for a retrofit is complex. Costs change over time and also vary by region and by contractor. Accurate information must be obtained through quotes, however some uncertainty can be reduced by estimating some of the costs in advance. This can lead to much better estimates over time. PHribbon helps by

• adding a new sheet that lists the measures you have added and works out the cost
• organizing the rates for retrofit costs into groups and giving initial figures (which may need to be updated). These can be edited on the PHribbon Retrofit Costs “RCosts” tab.
• “Simple” generates the Net Present Value of a PHPP for a retrofitted building
• “Variants” compares the Net Present Value of several options that have been modelled in PHPP using variants
• “Step by Step” works out the Net Present Value of a sequence where each variant of the PHPP represents a step for the same building