The RTF uses building energy simulation to develop climate zone specific energy savings estimates for both residential and commercial measures. For measures that are weather dependent, the RTF uses a consistent methodology to determine savings across the region given a variety of climates. In 2018, the RTF worked to improve its methodology for selecting representative weather stations for use in these building energy simulations.

That updated methodology can be found here.

In a later expansion of this methodology, the RTF also explored the energy impacts of extreme weather events. The memo produced by that work can be found here

Below are materials that support the RTF's weather dependent energy savings analyses. 

File Upload Date Notes
Climate Zone Calculation Workbook v3.2 (67 MB)  12/19/2022 "Utility List" sheet has been updated to correct errors in the formulas assigning HZ and CZ to each utility based on HDD and CDD.
Climate Zone Weather Station Analysis Workbook v2.1 (49.6 MB)  10/12/2022 QC complete
All TMYx for PNW Workbook (228.3 MB) 10/12/2022 QC Complete
Weather File Recommendation Memo  07/07/2022 Methodology memo recommending TMYx.
TMYx Weather Files (Box Folder) 09/12/2022 Climate data files from Climate.OneBuilding.Org

 

Past Climate Zone Files Upload Date Notes
Climate Zone Calculation Workbook v3.1 (67 MB) 
10/12/2022
QC complete
Climate Zone Calculation Workbook v3.0 (61.9 MB Excel) 07/07/2022 Undergoing QC
Climate Zone Weather Station Analysis Workbook v2.0 (49.6 MB Excel) 07/07/2022 Undergoing QC
Climate Zone Calculation Workbook v2.3 (126 MB Excel) 10/15/2021 Corrected an error discovered in the previous version that impacted HDD and CDD values for a select number of NCEI climate normal sites.
Climate Zone Calculation Workbook v2.2 (88.1 MB Excel) 08/30/2021  QC Complete 
Climate Zone Elevation Workbook v2.0 (34 MB Excel) 05/17/2021 QC Complete
Climate Zone Characteristics TMY3 v1.0 (72 MB Excel) 05/17/2021 QC Complete 

Climate Zone Calculation Workbook v2.1 (89 MB Excel) 

07/19/2021

Undergoing QC

Climate Zone Calculation Workbook v2.0 (17 MB Excel)

05/17/2019

QC Complete

Climate Zone Calculation Workbook v1.3

02/19/2019 Undergoing QC

Climate Zone Characteristics TMY3 (72 MB Excel)

02/19/2019 Undergoing QC

Climate Zone Elevation Workbook (34 MB Excel)

02/19/2019 Undergoing QC

RTF_ClimateZoneCalculation_v1_2.xlsx (21 MB Excel)

09/27/2017 QC review complete.

20170523ClimateZoneUpdatePres_Final.pptx

07/10/2017

Climate Zone Presentation/Explanation

AllTMY3forPNW_CDDcalculatedHourlyv1_1.xlsx (233 MB Excel)

09/27/2017 Updated version. Corresponds to Climate Zone file 1.2

TMY3_SEEMruns.xlsm

07/10/2017 Supporting workbook

AllTMY3forPNW_CDDcalculatedHourly.xlsx

07/10/2017

Supporting workbook, updated with version 1.1.

RTF_ClimateZoneCalculation_Final.xlsx

07/10/2017

Undergoing QC.

PNW HDD and CDD Zone Assignments

6/4/2013  
PNW Utility Climate Zone Assignments

6/4/2013