[BLDG-SIM] EnergyPlus V1.3.0 Now Available

[Linda Lawrie]

EnergyPlus Version 1.3.0 Now Available

The tenth major version of EnergyPlus (1.3.0) was 
released on April 21, 2006 and is now available 
in versions for both the Windows and Linux 
operating systems.  Download this newest release 
at no cost from the EnergyPlus web site: 
<http://www.energyplus.gov/>www.energyplus.gov.

What's New in Version 1.3.0?

A few of the new features in EnergyPlus V 1.3 are 
listed below­see 
<http://www.energyplus.gov/features.html>www.energyplus.gov/features.html 
for a complete list of new features added in this and previous versions:

    * UFAD (Under Floor Air Distribution) room 
air model for exterior zones is now available.
    * Completely reworked airflow modeling­the 
new AirflowNetwork model replaces both COMIS and 
ADS and has the combined 
capabilities.  Calculation of infiltration, 
ventilation, mixing and cross mixing moved to 
system time step for future feature development 
of hybrid (mixed mode) ventilation control. 
Differences in results are usually minor.
    * Outside air temperature is now varied as a 
function of zone or surface height above 
ground.  Wind profile options can be set 
separately for the weather station and the 
building site.  Includes new zone and surface 
report variables for height dependent properties. 
There will be differences in results, 
particularly in files with Ventilation or Infiltration.
    * Simple earth tube model for preconditioning 
(heating/cooling) outside air.
    * Tempering valve (3-way valve emulation) for 
effective and safe use of stored thermal energy.
    * Variable and constant speed headered pumps.
    * Detailed ice storage.
    * New Compact HVAC models for fan powered 
VAV, fan coil, night cycle controls, outside air 
heat recovery, supply air temperature reset, 
chilled/hot water temperature reset, VAV supply 
fan part-load options, VAV fan blow through or 
draw through option, and zone supply and return plenums.
    * Energy end-use subcategories are now user-definable.
    * New report variable for Zone Operative 
Temperature (Operative Temperature Control planned for V 1.4 in October).

And many other enhancements and significant speed improvements throughout.


Update on User Interfaces?

Several interfaces and utilities for EnergyPlus 
are now available.  EP-Quick creates an 
EnergyPlus input file based on a broad range of 
zone templates.  EP-Quick was released in April 
2005.  E2AC is an interface in Portuguese and 
English available since January 2005 (more 
languages are planned).  DesignBuilder, a graphic 
user interface, was released in December 
2005.  EFEN is now available in beta version for 
users to test.  Green Building Studio can take an 
existing CAD file and convert to an EnergyPlus 
input file. Several other interfaces are under 
development.  Watch our web site 
(<http://www.energyplus.gov/ep_interfaces.html>www.energyplus.gov/ep_interfaces.html) 
for up-to-date information on these and other interfaces.

A number of utilities and tools for creating, 
editing, and running input files come with 
EnergyPlus, including IDF Editor, EP-Launch, and 
HVAC-Diagram (see 
<http://www.energyplus.gov/ep_utilities.html>www.energyplus.gov/ep_utilities.html). 
Third party tools for creating, editing, and 
displaying EnergyPlus input files are also 
available, including DrawBDL, EcoTect,  ESP-r, 
Green Building Studio, EzDrawPlus, IFCtoIDF, 
TSe+, and EzPlus-Parm.  See 
<http://www.energyplus.gov/third_party_tools.html>www.energyplus.gov/third_party_tools.html 
for more information.


Introduction to EnergyPlus Training Workshops

June 15-16, 2006, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Early registration ends May 10
Registration closes after June 7

August 1, 2006, Cambridge (Boston), Massachusetts, USA
Early registration ends June 28
Registration closes after July 24

Watch for Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington later in 2006

For more information, please 
see:  <http://www.gard.com/training.htm>http://www.gard.com/training.htm


What’s going on in V1.3.0?

Will there be any considerable difference between version 1.3.0 and 1.2.3?

Yes.... and no. There are a number of new features and bug fixes.

How about IDF and IDD? Do they remain unchanged?

There are some changes in the IDD that are 
reflected in IDFs. Particularly for any new 
features, there will be new objects.

Is version 1.3.0 backward compatible? Can I run a v1.2.3 file in v 1.3.0?

For the most part, the answer is yes. There are 
many changes that require you to transition to 
V1.3.0. EP-Launch will now check the selected 
file (if there is a version object) and you can 
launch the Transition program from the EP-Launch 
“File” menu.  You can also view the ObjectStatus 
spreadsheet in the root folder of the installed 
version. This file has detailed explanations of changes to the objects.
This is particularly important for existing input 
files with COMIS objects – they are both 
internally and externally transitioned but will 
not be internally transitioned in the next 
release.  If you have both COMIS and ADS objects 
in your input file – please contact email support 
(<mailto:EnergyPlus-Support at gard.com>EnergyPlus-Support at gard.com) 
for assistance.


EnergyPlus Weather Data

Weather data for more than 1100 locations 
worldwide are available on the EnergyPlus web 
site: 
<http://www.energyplus.gov/weatherdata.html>www.energyplus.gov/weatherdata.html

If you know of other weather data for your 
country that you'd be willing to share with the 
EnergyPlus user community, please contact Dru 
Crawley (<mailto:Drury.Crawley at ee.doe.gov>Drury.Crawley at ee.doe.gov).


EnergyPlus_Support Email Group at YahooGroups

Are you a commercial or academic user of 
EnergyPlus?  Join more than 950 EnergyPlus users 
in an email group on YahooGroups­a place to ask 
other EnergyPlus users your questions. The 
YahooGroup also provides a searchable archive of 
all 5 years of discussion. You can also upload 
files to share with other users. This group 
supplements but does not replace the primary 
support email address 
of   <mailto:EnergyPlus-Support at gard.com>EnergyPlus-Support at gard.com.

The main web page for the group is:
groups.yahoo.com/group/EnergyPlus_Support

To subscribe, send an email message to:
EnergyPlus_Support-subscribe at yahoogroups.com

If you hate to constantly receive email, you can 
edit your YahooGroup membership to only send a daily digest of messages.


Building Energy Simulation User News

Want to keep up to date on EnergyPlus and other 
building simulation tools? Subscribe to the 
bi-monthly electronic newsletter for users of 
EnergyPlus, DOE-2, BLAST, Genopt, SPARK, 
Energy-10, and Building Design Advisor.   See 
simulationresearch.lbl.gov/un.html


BLDG-SIM

Join the free e-mail list for users of all 
building energy simulation programs. Ask other 
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<http://www.gard.com/ml/bldg-sim.htm>www.gard.com/ml/bldg-sim.htm 
for information on joining this email list.


Thanks!


The EnergyPlus Team

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