PRESS RELEASE

Version 6.2 of Building Efficiency System Tool™ (BEST) Now Available for Download

Version 6.2 of Building Efficiency System Tool™ (BEST) Now Available for Download

Ontario, Calif. — Version 6.2 of the Radiant Professionals Alliance’s (RPA) Building Efficiency System Tool (BEST), an interactive commercial building HVAC system efficiency comparison application, is now available for download HERE. The enhanced BEST 6.2 focuses attention on energy use, including up to four selected systems in one life-cycle comparison report that utilizes historical design temperatures to determine peak energy demand and the energy utilization index (EUI).

The latest version of BEST addresses the challenge of sustainability and decarbonization tactics to use less energy. The application helps identify the choices clearly by utilizing data from projects throughout the United States. BEST 6.2 now includes up to 10 building types per 1,000 U.S.-based locations, based on weather, load and utility rates provided by trusted sources. 

“Our industry is changing rapidly and utilizing digital modeling tools can help us to make informed decisions about building systems and the options we have,” said John A. Mullen, technical liaison to the Radiant Professionals Alliance and director of technical services and research with The IAPMO Group.

BEST 6.2 includes a Demand Energy Efficiency Ratio (DEER) tab that makes it easier than ever to compare energy demand to existing efficiency ratings.

“When you use BEST software for system design, you get a side-by-side comparison of up to four system types,” said Greg Cunniff, head of Application Engineering for the Hydronics Industry Alliance (HIA), the RPA committee responsible for the development of BEST. “This free tool can help determine the return on investment for building owners who looking to have the most efficient building on the block or benchmark their current use for long-range capital planning.”

Upon its introduction in 2016, BEST solved a long-standing industry issue of being able to accurately compare different styles of HVAC systems, which are all tested to different standards, with various efficiency ratings (EER, IEER, SEER, COP, HSPF), as they are applied in an actual building.

To learn more about the HIA and the RPA, or to join this important efficiency advocacy effort, visit www.hia-c.org and www.radiantpros.org. Please contact John Mullen at john.mullen@iapmo.org or (631) 994-4774 for any questions on the RPA and the BEST software.

IAPMO Concludes 95th Annual Education and Business Conference

30 September 2024

IAPMO®, a global team of experts engaging industry and government for a safer built environment, last week conducted its 95th annual Education and Business Conference at the Planet Hollywood Las Vegas Resort and Casino. The event was co-located with ARCSA International’s Annual Conference.

Krahenbuhl Testifies Before Congressional Committee, Advocates for Improvements to FEMA Communications

26 September 2024

Addressing the role and effectiveness of the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) focus on building codes in mitigating the impact of disasters, Jordan Krahenbuhl, executive director of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC) of Nevada and former IAPMO® Board of Directors member, was on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to advocate for the inclusion of all national model construction codes in FEMA’s numerous guidance documents.

IAPMO Solicits Public Comments on 2027 UPC, UMC

09 September 2024

IAPMO®, developer of the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC®) and Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC®), is calling for public comments on the Reports on Proposals for the 2027 editions of these codes.

Scroll to top