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A better BeOpt cost database?

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I know that you can enter in your own cost information into BeOpt with the options manager but...

Is there a better cost data set that I can download for BeOpt? The included cost information seems very very low for my area (Sacramento, CA).

Or, alternatively, does anyone know of a place to find ballpark cost information to enter manually via the options manager, rather than calling local contractors?

*Edit: I noticed that there is are cost multiplier fields in the economic section. This might be my solution...if I multiplied the national numbers by 1.5 or 2 it might get me closer to reality. Does anyone have an idea for where to find a good number to put into this multiplier field?

asked 2023-09-26 11:16:48 -0500, updated 2023-10-03 11:51:06 -0500

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Costs are notoriously difficult to obtain...

Around the end of the year, NREL will be releasing a new version of the National Residential Efficiency Measures Database, which is the source of the BEopt cost data. It will be a complete update of the cost data for all residential building components and will include a simplified format. Unfortunately that won't help you today. And because the format is changing so much, it won't immediately find its way into a BEopt release.

There is a somewhat recent LBNL report that includes some cost data for California, maybe that will help.

answered 2023-09-27 10:03:38 -0500

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Thank you! I'll check out the LBNL report.

Kent Thompson (2023-09-28 14:18:11 -0500) edit

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