REM/Design Software Chronology

Enhancements in v12.84 include:

• Repaired the building file association. Clicking on REM building files will use the latest version of REM Software.

Enhancements in v12.8 include:

• Utility Bill Disaggregation and Weather Normalization
• Added Lights and Appliances to Simplified Inputs
• Improved sizing calculations for air source heat pumps
• Added new GSHP auxiliary energy requirements
• New docked Quick Analysis showing colors on changes
• Reset menu layout command to return undocked window panes to default settings
• UDRH command to calculate same window area as the HERS Reference Home
• Ability to specify thermal boundary for unconditioned basements and crawlspaces

Enhancements in v12.7 include:

• 2009 IECC Reports and Certificate
• Added an Export database
• Added Organization input screen for Retro-FIT Report
• Added location for adiabatic foundation walls

Enhancements in v12.6 include:

• New Home Owner's Retro-FIT report in Improvement Analysis
• Updated emissions to EPA eGRID 2006 data
• New data fields for builder and rating organization information

Enhancements in v12.5 include:

• Implemented RESNET Mechanical Ventilation interpretation.
• Implemented RESNET F-factor amendment.
• Library control with Cut, Copy, Paste, and Sort.
• Buildings load with temporary libraries that are discarded or saved when building is closed.
• Added 2006 IECC Compliance Certificate and Label.
• Added winter and summer demand to the Fuel Summary report.
• Other minor enhancements and repairs:
  • Added Evacuated Tube solar collectors.
  • Allow mouse wheel scrolling in report preview.
  • New error dialog box, separate from report previewer.

Enhancements in v12.4 include:

• Added 2006 IECC Compliance Certificate
• New software registration process to facilitate download and instant purchase.
• Updated EPA ENERGY STAR Thermal Bypass Checklist.
• Other minor enhancements and repairs:
  • Version number reported when opening older building files
  • Mechanical ventilation rate checked per ASRHAE 62.2
  • Repaired ASHRAE Standard 152 default fan flow
  • Repaired title bar problem
  • Corrected Wrightsoft RSR import issues

Enhancements in REM/Design™ v12.2 include:

• Inclusion of latest interpretation from RESNET regarding infiltration shielding class. This modification affects the energy use, code compliance and other results.
• Other minor enhancements and repairs.

Enhancements in REM/Design™ v12.1 include:

• Finalized Tax Credit Report for new homes per Energy Policy Act of 2005.
• 2006 IECC compliance reports.
• New menus which are more intuitive and easier to navigate.
• Additional requirements and Thermal Bypass Checklist in support of the 2006 EPA Energy Star Home program.
• Lights and appliances added to the Batch File Modification feature.
• And many other minor enhancements and repairs.

Enhancements in REM/Design™ v12.0 include:

• The 2006 EPA Energy Star Home requirements.
• A Tax Credit Report per DOE's draft interim rule regarding the Energy Policy Act of 2005 credits for new homes.
• A new spreadsheet data entry form that allows users to enter and store tabular and calculated data of their choosing.
• Batch file modification has been augmented to include infiltration, duct leakage, programmable thermostats, and builder's address.
• New duct system input scheme, including new leakage types: % fan flow and cfm25/sf.
• Logos can now be added to nearly all reports.
• And many other minor enhancements and repairs.

Enhancements in REM/Design™ v11.4 include:

• IECC 2004 compliance reports have been added.
• Data can now be imported from Elite's RHVAC Manual J equipment sizing software.
• The Quick Analysis screen now includes surface area and code compliance summaries.
• ASHRAE 62.2 ventilation standards have been added to Air Leakage Report.
• The notes dialog is now sizable and can be toggled to always appear at program startup.
• Electric resistance backup capacity has been added as input for heat pumps.
• SIP and ICF construction have been added to the above-grade wall library.
• A locking scheme was added to the component libraries, allowing them, for the first time, to be fully shared on a central server.

Enhancements in REM/Design™ v11.31 include:

• New online help system runs much faster.
• Utility rates added to batch file modification feature.
• Worst-case orientation feature added to toolbar for faster access.

Enhancements in REM/Design™ v11.3 include:

• New feature that automatically determines the worst case window/skylight orientation.
• More options for specifying the cost of foundation wall improvement measures.
• Reorganized Building File Report.
• Above-grade wall screen now has multi-select capability.
• Additional language on performance-based code compliance reports indicating percentage by which home surpasses code.

Enhancements in REM/Design™ v11.2 include:

• The new Batch File Modification feature replaces a library component or components in a group of buildings and saves the buildings to a different location than the original files.
• Code compliance reports have been added for the 2003 IECC - for both Uo and performance-based approaches.

Enhancements in REM/Design™ v11.1 include:

• Window shading inputs have been expanded to explicitly address overhangs, interior blinds/shades, and shading from adjacent objects (e.g., trees).
• The ability to model energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) has been added. The mechanical ventilation inputs are aligned with the information available from Home Ventilation Institute (HVI) test data and directories.
• Code compliance reports have been added for the 2001 IECC - for both Uo and performance-based approaches.
• A new report, the Air Leakage Report, summarizes the infiltration, duct leakage and mechanical ventilation inputs in a new and useful way.
• The Emissions Report was added to report the absolute CO2, SO2, and NOx emissions for the home.

Enhancements in REM/Design™ v11.0 include:

• New Builder Affidavit report - provides a signature line for the builder to attest that the home has been built per the details in the Building File Report.
• New Energy Code Inspection Checklist report - designed for use by code officials inspecting the home for energy code compliance.
• Report margins can be adjusted to aid in alignment for binding.
• A new button that allows all windows to be rotated at once, helping the user determine the worst case scenario.
• A new button that calculates default duct area.
• A note field has been added to all library element input screens.
• Radiant barrier added to list of improvements available in Improvement Analysis.
• Mobile home skirting added to list of available crawlspace wall constructions.

Enhancements in REM/Design™ v10.3 include:

• Capability has been added to model grid-connected photovoltaic systems.
• The error and warning messages have been revised to provide more specific direction on how to find and address data input problems.
• A new Building Name input field has been added allowing the user to provide a name, different from the file name, which can be used to identify the building. The Building Name field is printed on all output reports.
• Numerous home features have been added to the lists highlighting the performance characteristics of the home, including duct leakage, duct location, programmable thermostats, radiant barriers, and desuperheaters.
• Heating degree-days and cooling degree-hours have been added to the Model Energy Code, International Energy Conservation Code, and ASHRAE Standard 90.2 compliance reports as appropriate.
• A new Work Order Report is available for use by those involved in weatherization and other retrofit programs. The report is generated automatically in conjunction with the Improvement Analysis Report and lists the recommended measures in a format suitable for use by a field crew implementing them.
• Column widths in the component lists are now preserved from session to session.
• Quick Report data can be sent to a comma-separated variable text file, complete with data labels, for use in other applications.
• Data presented on the Batch Report is also written to a comma-separated variable text file for importing to spreadsheets, etc.

Enhancements in REM/Design™ v10.2 include:

• Capability has been added making it easier to model mobile homes, including new input screens for ceiling and floor libraries that reflect construction techniques unique to these types of homes.
• Users can now input auxiliary electric consumption for gas furnaces and boilers.
• New features have been added to help organizations manage the component libraries, including the ability to use a single library set located on a central server, and to restrict editing of libraries or library entries.
• The duct leakage improvement measure has been expanded to handle qualitative assessment of duct leakage.
• The default framing factors for walls, ceiling and floors have been updated to reflect the findings of current research.
• A quantity of like mechanical systems can be specified, greatly improving the capability to model large multi-family buildings.
• A small change to the library access interface makes adding and selecting new entries a snap.
• A new Utility Bill Reconciliation report compares predicted energy use to actual utility bills.

Enhancements in REM/Design™ v10 include:

• The greatest change for v10 is the migration from a 16-bit application developed using Borland C++ to a 32-bit application developed in Microsoft Visual C++. You'll notice a different overall appearance of the application, the use of toolbars, acceptance of long filenames, and greater speed . REM/Design™ v10 will run on computers with Windows 95, 98, NT, and 2000.
• Instead of separate heating, cooling and hot water system lists, there is now a single list. User's no longer need to enter integrated heating/cooling or heating/hot water systems in two places.
• Air-source heat pump and integrated space/water heating system libraries have been added.
• Lighting and appliance section overhauled. A detailed audit of all lights and appliances can be performed, or default values can be used.
• A toolbar has been added for quick access to the most commonly used feature.
• Interfacing with the libraries is now easier than ever. A single screen displays both the list of library elements and the details of the selected element. A new button provided on every input screen makes access to the library quick and easy.
• New HTML-based help system with search capability.