[Equest-users] unusual geometry in eQuest

[Nick Caton]

Even for a rigorous studies, if your students developing the model(s) are relatively new to eQuest I would definitely advise the approach you suggest towards the end of starting with a flat-roof approximation.  You can always add extra detail later without losing work (tilt the roofs, adjust the wall/volume area) as may be deemed necessary.  The wizards can generate sloped roofs/wall surfaces fairly well given a simple-enough shell perimeter, but do not lend themselves to setting up spaces/zones within the "attic" level.

Walls and other surfaces, using what I would term 'advanced' detailed mode editing, can *technically* be any shape with flat sides, but the wizards are limited in what they will produce for walls/roofs/floors.  It's reasonable to allow for shape approximation in most models.


The alternative of setting up the "attic" in the wizards and then defining spaces/zoning after the fact is going to be much more work, unless everything on that level really is one zone to begin with.

Best of luck for your project!

~Nick

NICK CATON, P.E.
SENIOR ENGINEER

Smith & Boucher Engineers
25501 west valley parkway, suite 200
olathe, ks 66061
direct 913.344.0036
fax 913.345.0617
www.smithboucher.com 


-----Original Message-----
From: equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org [mailto:equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org] On Behalf Of Nicodemus, Julia
Sent: Wednesday, February 29, 2012 8:17 AM
To: equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org
Subject: [Equest-users] unusual geometry in eQuest

Hello, 

I am a new engineering professor at Lafayette College.  I have a group of Mechanical Engineering seniors who are working with eQuest to model a campus student house.  Once they have a working model of the existing house, they will investigate energy saving measures and renewable energy technologies and propose renovations to the college. However, we have having trouble figuring out how to accurately model the house.  The main issue is that the third floor, which has student rooms and a bathroom and some storage, is a converted attic.  The roof line of the house is also pretty complicated.  I am looking for advice on how to model the third floor -- if we just make the attic space above the second floor, than that space is not conditioned and doesn't contribute to HVAC or electric load calculations.  However, I don't know how to help them model the third floor, given that it is in the attic.  Can one model walls that are vertical until a point, and then become slanted?  Or othe  rwise specify occupied space in the attic?  

Or, does anyone have ideas for a clever work-around?  We have considered just modeling the third floor and not having an accurate roof line.  I don't have the experience with eQuest to know how much that will affect the model.  For example, they could put a third floor in with a flat roof and size it so that has the same volume or the same surface area as the actual third floor.  

Any advice or help would be very appreciated.  


--
Julia F. Nicodemus, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Engineering Studies Program
319 Acopian
Lafayette College
Easton, PA 18042
nicodemj at lafayette.edu
610.330.5228
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