APPENDIX 8-A. USER INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE LIFE-CYCLE COST ANALYSIS 

SPREADSHEET FOR COMMERCIAL PACKAGED BOILERS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

8-A.1 USER INSTRUCTIONS .............................................................................................8-A-1

8-A.2 STARTUP....................................................................................................................8-A-1

8-A.3 DESCRIPTION OF LIFE-CYCLE COST WORKSHEETS ......................................8-A-1

8-A.3.1 Main LCC worksheet.............................................................................................8-A-1

8-A.3.2 LCC input worksheet .............................................................................................8-A-4

8-A.4 BASIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR OPERATING THE LIFE-CYCLE COST 

SPREADSHEETS........................................................................................................8-A-5

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 8-A.3.1 LCC and Payback Calculation Process......................................................8-A-4

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APPENDIX 8-A. USER INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE LIFE-CYCLE COST ANALYSIS 

SPREADSHEET FOR COMMERCIAL PACKAGED BOILERS

8-A.1 USER INSTRUCTIONS

The results obtained in this analysis can be examined and reproduced using the Microsoft 

Excel spreadsheets available on the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE's) commercial packaged 

boiler rulemaking website: 

www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/rulemaking.aspx/ruleid/79. From that 

page, follow the links to the notice of data availability rulemaking phase and then to Analytical 

Tools. 

8-A.2 STARTUP

DOE’s spreadsheets enable users to perform life-cycle cost (LCC) and payback period 

(PBP) analyses for each equipment class. Two spreadsheets exist for all sixteen commercial 

packaged boiler equipment classes: a spreadsheet labeled LCC and another labeled LCC input. 

The LCC input contains the raw data used for the analysis as well the formulas that led to the 

processed data that, in turn, are used in the LCC. The purpose of the LCC is (1) to input raw data 

for the analysis and (2) inform the public about how DOE processes the data and derives the 

LCC. 

The two spreadsheets are independent. The main LCC spreadsheet can be downloaded 

and run separately. To change the input of the main LCC, based on updated data from the LCC 

input, manually copy/paste the data that was modified in the LCC input into the main LCC 

spreadsheet.

To examine the spreadsheets, DOE assumes that the user has access to a personal 

computer with a hardware configuration capable of running Windows XP or later. All LCC 

spreadsheets require Microsoft Excel 2003 or a later version installed under the Windows 

operating system. Because certain variables inside the spreadsheets are defined as distributions, a 

copy of Crystal Ball (a commercially available add-on simulation program) is required to view 

them.a

8-A.3 DESCRIPTION OF LIFE-CYCLE COST WORKSHEETS

8-A.3.1 Main LCC worksheet

For all of the boiler equipment classes, DOE creates a single LCC spreadsheet containing 

a collection of worksheets. Each worksheet represents a conceptual component within the LCC 

calculation. To facilitate navigability and identify how worksheets are related, each worksheet 

a

 See www.oracle.com/us/products/applications/crystalball/overview/index.html

8-A-1

 
contains an area on the extreme left showing variables imported to and exported from the current 

worksheet. The LCC spreadsheet contains the following worksheets: 

Introduction The Introduction worksheet contains an overview of each worksheet and a 

flow chart of the inputs and outputs of the spreadsheet,

Statistics The Statistics worksheet contains the statistics of key parameters from the 

outcome of the Monte Carlo simulations for the sample of buildings

Summary The Summary worksheet contains a user interface to manipulate energy price 

trends and start-year inputs, and to run the Crystal Ball simulation. LCC and 

PBP simulation results for each efficiency level are also displayed here.

LCC&PB 

Calcs*

The LCC&PB Calcs worksheet shows LCC calculation results for different 

efficiency levels for a single Commercial Building Energy Consumption 

Survey (CBECS) 2003 building or Residential Energy Consumption Survey 

(RECS) 2009 household.1, 2 During a Crystal Ball simulation, the spreadsheet 

records the LCC and PBP values for every sampled building.

LCC&PB by 

Category*

The LCC&PB by Category worksheet shows LCC calculation results from 

LCC&PB Calcs disaggregated by different markets (commercial replacement, 

commercial new construction, residential replacement, and residential new 

construction).

Rebuttable 

Payback

The Rebuttable Payback worksheet contains the total and incremental 

manufacturer costs, retail prices, installation costs, repair and maintenance 

costs, energy use calculations, and the simple PBP calculations for each 

efficiency level.

Equip Price* The Equip Price worksheet calculates retail price values used as inputs in the 

LCC calculations in the Summary worksheet.

Markups* The Markups worksheet calculates markup values used as inputs in the Equip 

Price worksheet. DOE applied baseline and incremental markups to calculate 

final retail prices. DOE calculated the markups differently for replacement 

units and new units.

Eqp Price Trend The Equipment Price Trend worksheet calculates projected equipment price 

trend scenarios used to adjust the manufacturer’s cost over the entire analysis 

period as inputs in the Equip Price worksheet.

Installation 

Cost*

The Installation Cost worksheet provides the weighted average installation 

cost for each design option. These results are used to calculate the total 

installed prices of the design options.

Installation, 

Maintenance, 

and Repair Data

The Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Data worksheet provides the data 

sources for inputs to the installation, maintenance, and repair cost 

calculations.

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Maintenance 

and Repair 

Cost*

The Maintenance and Repair Cost worksheet provides the maintenance and 

repair costs for each design option. These results are used to determine 

operating costs for the design options.

Labor Costs* The Labor Cost worksheet provides the labor cost by region as used to 

determine the installation and repair/maintenance costs.

Building 

Sample*

The Building Sample worksheet contains the CBECS 2003 and RECS 2009 

building data for each equipment class. During a Crystal Ball simulation, 

DOE uses these building characteristics to determine the analysis parameters.

Base Case 

Efficiency*

The Base Case Efficiency worksheet includes the boiler efficiency distribution 

for 2019.

Efficiency

(Existing)*

The Efficiency (Existing) worksheet includes the boiler efficiency for all years 

during the period 1973-2009.

Energy Use* The Energy Use worksheet calculates annual energy use by fuel type, 

depending on equipment class. The annual energy use calculations for each 

design option are inputs to the LCC&PB Calcs worksheet to calculate the 

annual operating cost of the LCC.

Energy Use 

(Calcs)*

The Energy Use (Calcs) worksheet displays intermediate energy use 

calculations. The intermediate energy use calculations for each design option 

are inputs to the Energy Use worksheet to calculate the annual energy use by 

fuel type, depending on equipment class.

Energy Price* The Energy Price worksheet shows the estimated monthly natural gas, oil, 

and electricity prices.

Energy Price 

Trends*

The Energy Price Trends worksheet shows the future price trends of the 

different heating fuels. DOE used energy price data and forecasts from the 

Energy Information Administration’s (EIA's) Annual Energy Outlook 2014

for the period until 40 and extrapolated beyond 2040.3

Discount Rate* The Discount Rate worksheet contains the distributions of discount rates for 

replacement and new units.

Lifetime* The Lifetime worksheet contains the distribution of lifetimes for equipment by

equipment class.

Energy Use 

Adjustment 

Factors*

The Energy Use Adjustment Factors worksheet contains adjustment factors 

for normal heating degree days and cooling degree days, as well as building 

shell efficiency index.

Weather Data* The Weather Data worksheet contains heating degree days, cooling degree 

days, heating and cooling outdoor design temperature, and annual mean 

temperature by weather station.

* Results displayed in these worksheets are for only one building, not the entire population.

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Figure 8-A.3.1 depicts how these various inputs are used in order to generate the LCC 

and PBP outputs.

Figure 8-A.3.1 LCC and Payback Calculation Process 

8-A.3.2 LCC input worksheet

The LCC input spreadsheet contains the following worksheets:

• Markup Input

• Eqp Price Trend

• Labor Cost Data

• RECS Sample

• RECS Codebook

• CBECS Sample

• Bldg Sple Assumpt.

• Saturations

• CE & TE Relationship

• Condensing Models Trend

• Base Case Eff Distribution

• Efficiency (Existing)

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• Sample Stats

• Energy Price Trends (to LCC)

• Energy Price Trends (to NIA)

• Energy Use Adj Input

• Energy Use Adj Factors

• Efficiency Adj Factors

• Energy Use Trend (for NIA)

• Weighting

• Weather Data

• Discount Rate

• Lifetime (Ref)

• Definitions

Each of those worksheets is designed to calculate the input that will be used in the 

corresponding worksheet in the main LCC. 

8-A.4 BASIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR OPERATING THE LIFE-CYCLE 

COST SPREADSHEETS 

Basic instructions for operating the LCC spreadsheet are as follows:

1. Once the LCC spreadsheet has been downloaded, open the file using Excel. Click 

“Enable Macro” when prompted and then click on the tab for the Summary worksheet.

2. Use Excel's View/Zoom commands at the top menu bar to change the size of the display 

to fit your monitor.

3. The user can change the parameters listed under USER OPTIONS on the Summary

worksheet. There are three drop-down boxes and one command button. The default 

parameters are:

a. Energy Price Trend: Defaults to “AEO 2014 - Reference Case.” To change the 

input, use the drop-down menu and select the desired trend (Reference, Low

Economic Case, or High Economic Case).

b. Start Year: Defaults to “2019.” To change the value, use the drop-down menu and 

select the desired year.

c. # of Trials: Defaults to “10,000.” To change the value, use the drop-down menu 

and select the desired number of trials (1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 5,000, or 10,000).

d. Subgroup: Defaults to “National.” This is currently the only functional subgroup. 

Other subgroups will be added in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.

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e. Eqp. Price Trend: Defaults to “Constant.” To change the input, use the drop-down 

menu and select the desired trend (Constant, Increasing, Decreasing).

4. To run the Crystal Ball simulation, click the “run” button (otherwise, re-run after 

changing any parameters). The spreadsheet will then be minimized. Monitor the progress 

of the simulation by watching the count of iterations at the left bottom corner. When the 

simulation is finished, the worksheet named Summary will reappear with the results.

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REFERENCES

1. U.S. Department of Energy: Energy Information Administration, Commercial Buildings 

Energy Consumption Survey, 2003. (Last accessed November, 2013.) 

<http://www.eia.gov/consumption/commercial/data/2003/index.cfm?view=microdata>

2. U.S. Department of Energy: Energy Information Administration, Residential Energy 

Consumption Survey: 2009 RECS Survey Data, 2013. (Last accessed March, 2014.) 

<http://www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/data/2009/>

3. U.S. Department of Energy-Energy Information Administration, Annual Energy Outlook 

2014 with Projections to 2040, 2014. Washington, DC. 

<http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/aeo/>

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