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Guidelines Subcommittee  Guidelines Webpage

This page houses past RTF Guidelines subcommittee materials, as well as materials related to since-resoled, specific Guidelines issues. 

Individual Guidelines Revisions Archive

Development of RTF Guidelines for Custom Measures and Program Impact Evaluation

Subcommittee work on this Guidelines topic has concluded.

Summary - The RTF contracted with SBW Consulting, Inc. to develop savings estimation guidelines for custom measures and program impact evaluation. These guidelines will supplement the Guidelines for RTF Savings Estimation Methods, Release 6-1-11.

Supporting Documents

Evaluation Manager Interview Guide: SBW will performed interviews with 14 evaluation managers throughout the Region using this interview guide. Additionally, subcommittee members and any other interested parties were asked to submit written answers to the questions within the interview guide. Responses were posted to this website.

Guidelines Development for Unit Energy Savings (UES) Measure Life

Subcommittee work on this Guidelines topic has been concluded. 

Summary - The RTF contracted with Skumatz Economic Research Associates, Inc. (SERA) to develop guidelines for estimating electric energy efficiency measure life, which will supplement the Guidelines for RTF Savings Estimation Methods, Release 6-1-11.

The Contractor developed a guidelines checklist for estimating measure life or RTF unit energy savings (UES) measures and standard protocols.

Guidelines Development for Unit Energy Savings (UES) Measure Cost and Non-Energy Benefits (NEB)

Subcommittee work on this Guidelines topic has been concluded. 

Summary - The RTF contracted with Navigant Consulting to develop guidelines for estimating electric energy efficiency measure cost and non-energy benefits, which will supplement the Guidelines for RTF Savings Estimation Methods, Release 6-1-11.

The Contractor developed guidelines for estimating measure cost and NEB for RTF unit energy savings (UES) measures, custom protocols, and standard protocols.

Pacific Northwest Deemed Measure Review and Standardized Measurement and Verification Protocols Projects

Work on this Guidelines topic has been concluded. 

Summary - The RTF issued two requests for proposals for a deemed measure review project and a standardized measurement and verification (M&V) protocols project. The RTF selected SBW Consulting as the contractor for both projects and subsequently merged two subcommittees into one to provide oversight for both projects.

Deemed Measure - The purpose of this work is to strengthen technical analyses and input assumptions used for deemed energy efficiency measures by the RTF and recommend the addition or removal of deemed measures by the RTF. Work and work products under this contract will involve a review and comparison of deemed electrical energy savings used throughout the Northwest region with those used nationally. SBW will provide a detailed review of the energy savings calculation methodologies and input assumptions if the comparison of regional and national methodologies and assumptions reveals significant differences or if the RTF has omitted a measure or if the measure is considered a priority.

Standardized M&V - The purpose of this project is to develop a suite of measure-specific, simplified M&V protocols approved by the RTF for use in Pacific Northwest electric energy efficiency programs. By providing simplified M&V protocols, the RTF intends to help reduce the barriers commonly associated with development and implementation of custom M&V plans. SBW will perform a review of M&V protocols and calculators used in energy efficiency programs throughout the Region and the country, make recommendations for streamlining measurement implementation, and begin creating a suite of RTF-approved simplified M&V protocols.

Past Iterations

Revised Savings Guidelines for December 11, 2012 RTF meeting:

Subcommittee comments on Savings Guidelines:

Reviewer comments:

At its August, 2012 meeting, the RTF reviewed and accepted the changes made to incorporate Appendix D & E into the main body of the savings guidelines. Additional comments from reviewers regarding changes to the main body of the savings guidelines outside the Appendix D&E incorporation are were addressed in follow-up subcommittee meetings. The version of this mark-up with aggregated reviewer comments and contractor responses is below:

Presentation Materials for August 21, 2012 RTF meeting and discussion:

Reviewer comments on July 19, 2012 markup:

Final Adopted versions of Appendix D & E prior to Savings Guidelines roll-up:

At its June 1, 2011 meeting, the RTF authorized staff to forward the Guidelines for RTF Savings Estimation Methods, Release 6-1-11 to the Council for review of the policy implications of their adoption and use. The Guidelines describe how the RTF will judge whether the quality of the data and analytical methods are sufficient to produce reliable savings estimates. As of June 1, 2011, the Guidelines Release 6-1-11 are the operative guidelines the RTF will use to review its existing library of savings estimates and protocols for estimating savings as well as to review prospective new measures.

​Post-RTF meeting, draft of 6/1/2011, version 2 - Draft Guidelines for RTF Savings

6/1/2011 - Draft Guidelines for RTF Savings Estimation Methods -PDF (750k) / Word (2mb)

5/16/2011 - Draft Guidelines for RTF Savings Estimation Methods: PDF (750k) / Word (2mb)

3/31/2011 - Draft Guidelines for RTF Approved Savings (620k PDF)

3/21/2011 - Revised draft: Section 6.0 Program Impact Evaluation(30k Word) Discussed at 3/22 webinar

3/1/2011 - with mark-up: Draft Guidelines for RTF Approved Savings(170k Word)

2/25/11 - Draft Guidelines for RTF Approved Savings(600k PDF)

1/28/2011 - Draft Standard Savings Estimation Protocols

1/25/2011 - Draft Guidelines for RTF Approved Savings (600K PDF)

12/2/2010 - Final Report (90k Word)

12/2/2010 - Detailed Reviews(100mb zip): Individual workbooks and memos created for each detail review measure category referenced in the final report.

12/2/2010 - Citations Cross Reference- National and Regional (78mb zip): Cross-reference listing of the source documents cited in the final report and their locations.

  • Sources (78mb Zip): cited in review
  • Documents (1G Zip): obtained by search, referenced in the report and contains all the documents obtained in SBW's search, regardless of whether they are relevant to the 20 detail review measure categories

12/1/2010 - Revised Guidelines (380k Zip): Development and Maintenance of RTF-Approved Measure Savings Estimates, includes guidelines and appendices A and B
10/10/2010 - Deemed Measure Detailed Reviews (100mb Zip): Separate folders for each measure category
10/10/2010 - Simplified M&V Fan VFD (38mb Zip)
7/30/2010 - Final Rankings (210k Excel): Deemed and Simplified M&V Measures