Simplified Modeling Tools

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CEN/ISO 13790 is the European Standard for algebraic annual and hourly energy consumption calculations (http://www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_deta...). OpenStudio has an implementation (not available via the UI yet) and there is also a spreadsheet version developed and maintained by Georgia Tech although I cannot find the link to it right now. @Ralph Muehleisen from ANL is a good contact for this methodology.

Tools that generate detailed models from simplified inputs include the EnergyPlus Example File Generator (EEFG) which gives you an IDF file and the OpenStudio ModelMaker (http://modelmaker.nrel.gov/) which gives you an OSM. Speaking of OSM, you can programmatically generate an OSM model from high-level inputs using the API or collections of measures. The OpenStudio team is currently reimplementing DOE's commercial prototype buildings in this form.

DOE's Commercial Asset Score (http://buildingenergyscore.energy.gov/) creates OpenStudio models, but will not give them to you (Edit: 07/08/2015 it now allows you to download the OSM). LBNL is putting together a Commercial Building Energy Saver counterpart to Home Energy Saver. That service will be up in the next 6-12 months. Not clear whether it will make the model available or not.

Just to add to Amir's answer. In UK, SBEM provides an analysis of the building's energy consumption. SBEM calculates monthly energy use and carbon dioxide emissions of a building given a description of the building geometry, construction, use and HVAC and lighting equipment. It was originally based on the Dutch methodology NEN 2916:1998 (Energy Performance of Non-Residential Buildings) and has since been modified to comply with the recent CEN Standards (Copied from NCM:SBEM).

Here are two more tools you might look at:

1. NREL's Model Maker takes simplified inputs, makes assumptions to expand the inputs to make a detailed EnergyPlus model, runs the model, and gives you back the results.

2. The eQuest Schematic Design Wizard takes simplified inputs and makes assumptions to expand the inputs into a detailed DOE-2 model.

There is a pretty new tool called Sefaira that look pretty easy. It shows impact on energy use directly while modelling in Sketchup or Revit. They use ASHRAE’s Radiant Time Series methodology. However, I am not sure how validated it is. They have done comparison study with eQuest and IES-VE.

In addition to SBEM and the OpenStudio implementation of the ISOmodel, another simple model/interface you might consider is ComCheck which is designed for use in checking compliance with prescriptive building energy code. I used to teach it to students as a great simple building envelope energy modeling tool. There are desktop and web versions.

ComCheck.

I don't think that comcheck does any real energy modeling though. As I recall (it's been a few years since I used it) it is an interface to a regression analysis of a pile of simulations done by Pacific Northwest National Lab. It may also no longer give an EUI but only the amount that the building "fails" or "passes" code by. I think the detailed reports may give the actual estimated EUI though.

I am not sure if it could be something you are interested in but have you heard if the Simulation Platform? It is an online platform to simply building energy simulation. I am not really familiar with it but I've heard about it a while back and it looks like what you are looking for so it might be worth checking it out : Simulation Platform