[Equest-users] eQUEST v3.65 build 7163 released Mar 18 2014

[Charles Hoes]

Sketchup is still "free." (At least the version that I am using is.)  
They now call it Sketchup Make and there is a free and a fee version. As 
an frontend to OpenStudio/EnergyPlus the free version is just fine.  All 
you really need (or want) to do is run the EnergyPlus plugin.  In fact, 
if you get fancy and attempt to save your file as a sketchup file you 
will run into lots of terrible problems.

A hint, if you intend to try OpenStudio/EnergyPlus for a spin using the 
Sketchup interface, DO NOT open, save or do anything else with the 
Sketchup "File" menus for those actions.  The OS plugin has buttons that 
take care of those functions.  I spent weeks building models that would 
look great and work, only to have them "explode" and fly into disjointed 
pieces at unexpected times.  That happened because I thought that the 
Sketchup file management tools worked - they don't.  Since I weaned 
myself off of accidentally using the "File" drop-down menu that problem 
went away.  It was a hard habit to get away from since we are so used to 
using those Windows menu items for "Save", "Open", "Save As" etc.

Another hint has to do with the way that the Sketchup plugin and 
OpenStudio share files.  They both use the same file  (*.osm) which is 
neat because they are always identical.  However, they don't always 
update the file before switching back and forth between the programs.  
If you have both programs open at the same time (and you will do this) 
you need to remember to save the file before switching, and then to open 
the file again once in the other application.  The reason is that the 
applications (OpenStudio for example) don't actually use that file when 
running, they use a temporary files.  If you don't manually open the 
newly changed file from Sketchup OS will use that temporary file rather 
then the newly modified one.  The programmers included a built in a 
pop-up window to prompt for this when going from OS to Sketchup, but not 
the other way around.  You can use the OS button in Sketchup Plugin to 
launch the OS application, but if you already have OS open it creates 
another version.  Pretty soon you end up with lots of versions open - 
not a good thing.

Good luck with OS.  I find it to be powerful and useful, but extremely 
difficult to use because of a lack of descriptions of the various 
fields.  Unlike eQuest, the field names just sit there and dare you to 
figure out what they might be asking for - there are lots of information 
hidden away in the voluminous manuals and things - all written for use 
in the "native" EP+ front end.  You are left to guess at what might be 
appropriate in the OpenStudio application and plugin.  Another problem 
for me is their plethora of default values for lots of things that are 
named in ways that don't make any sense to me (they are just references 
to various sections of a bunch of standards).  I finally gave up using 
those and made my own constructions and things that I know about.  I 
just deleted all of their defaults and started from scratch.  It worked 
much better for me that way.

It is an interesting tool, but very much still a research project.

Charlie


On 3/29/2014 8:14 AM, Bruce Easterbrook wrote:
> I'm a little disappointed to hear Sketchup is no longer free.  I was 
> planning on doing some experimenting/learning with energy plus and 
> from what I know sketchup was an integral part of the new graphical 
> front end for that program.  It doesn't do the energy efficiency 
> movement much good if the free analysis engines require $5,000 to 
> $10,000 in associated software to use them.  This is fine for the 
> power users because they have this software already and use it 
> extensively throughout their normal business.  Google has made some 
> other moves in this area by buying Nest and shutting down another free 
> monitoring/control system they had in their stable.  It does make it 
> tough for the little guy to need a $4,000 AutoCad seat to get a basic 
> 2D DWG footprint to start an eQuest analysis.  Then M$ comes along 
> with a new OS and with a little collusion your $4,000 program is 
> obsolete.  Luckily DWG is no longer proprietary.  DraftSight is a free 
> 2D DWG program released by Dassault.  Now they aren't entirely 
> benevolent either as it is a lead in to their SolidWorks 3D but don't 
> look a gift horse in the mouth.  It is great, stable and supported 
> with free updates. There is a version that runs on Linux.  It will 
> give you a free DWG footprint to get started in the eQuest wizards and 
> keep you out of the proprietary software wars.
> I suppose I should conclude this with 4 pages of legal boilerplate 
> identifying all the trademarks mentioned, legal disclaimers, economic 
> disclaimers, etc, etc, etc.  That stuff makes my head hurt.  I need to 
> get back to engineering and trying to make our planet a safer, better 
> place.  So basically, a free tip in the running battle of conflicting 
> business models.  BTW support ends for XP April 8, 2014.
> Bruce Easterbrook P.Eng.
> Abode Engineering
> On 28/03/2014 2:44 PM, Chris Baker wrote:
>>
>> I have not used equest until about 2 weeks ago but I've experimented 
>> with some of the other platforms and equest is by far the most 
>> reasonable to work with.
>>
>> The older release of version 3.65 was a little buggy but those have 
>> since been worked out from what I've seen so far.
>>
>> But I will say that it depends on what your existing design files are 
>> (Autocad or Revit).
>>
>> If you have your project already drawn up in revit there is a revit 
>> add-on that  you can install for energy plus that will recognize 
>> windows, zones, building shell, etc.. (you have to specify each with 
>> the add-on).   You then export a file to energy plus and continue the 
>> energy modeling process.
>>
>> There is also an add-on for "Sketchup" that does the same thing.  If 
>> you already have a 3d model in revit, sketchup is unnecessary.  If 
>> you have a 3d model in Autocad, you can export that to sketchup, then 
>> use the sketchup add-on to specify the shell, zones, windows and 
>> doors, you would then use the add-on to create the file for energy plus.
>>
>> Sketchup (which is by google) would require you to draw the building 
>> in 3d from scratch if you don't have a 3d model drawn yet.. I wasn't 
>> happy with that.
>>
>> Plus, sketchup is no longer FREE as it was in the past.  The newest 
>> version of the Sketchup allows you to install and use the energy plus 
>> add-on.  However, Sketchup now has a brief trial period after which 
>> you are required to pay a few hundred dollars to purchase the 
>> software (which you would likely only use once for the purpose of 
>> exporting to energy plus).  I didn't like that either!
>>
>> Thus, If you have a 3d model or BIM drawn up in Autocad, energy plus 
>> is probably the easiest way to go.  Otherwise, eQuest is probably the 
>> best alternative.
>>
>> eQuest is very straightforward and easy to use.  It does have its 
>> quirks!  But any issues I've had were quickly resolved through this 
>> usergroup.  And this is my first time doing the energy modeling.
>>
>> Chris Baker
>> CCI CAD Drafter
>>
>> Fort Wainwright, Alaska
>>
>> *From:*equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org 
>> [mailto:equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org] *On Behalf Of 
>> *Demba Ndiaye
>> *Sent:* Thursday, March 27, 2014 2:42 PM
>> *To:* equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org; Building Sim Forum
>> *Subject:* Re: [Equest-users] eQUEST v3.65 build 7163 released Mar 18 
>> 2014
>>
>> Our team has so far resisted to make the switch to the new version 
>> eQuest 3.65.
>>
>> For those experiencing this new version, do you think that it is 
>> sturdy and stable enough? Any irritating issue you see?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> *Demba Ndiaye* |*Senior Energy Analyst/Mechanical Engineer*
>>
>> *demba.ndiaye at setty.com <mailto:sierra.nguyen at setty.com>*
>>
>> *Voice: 703-691-2115*
>>
>> *From:*equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org 
>> <mailto:equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org> 
>> [mailto:equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org] *On Behalf Of 
>> *Brian Fountain
>> *Sent:* Thursday, March 27, 2014 11:42 AM
>> *To:* equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org 
>> <mailto:equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org>
>> *Subject:* [Equest-users] eQUEST v3.65 build 7163 released Mar 18 
>> 2014 - fixes hourly report viewer
>>
>> I was visiting doe2.com this morning (as you do from time to time -- 
>> you know) and found that there was a relatively recent release of a 
>> new v 3.65 build.  From the "what's new" document:
>>
>> eQUEST v3.65
>>
>> build 7163 -- public release ~ 18 March 2014 -- w/ DOE-2.2 v48r
>>
>> Fixes:
>>
>> . Fixed issues with the simulation detailed results viewer 
>> application (D2SimViewer.exe) that
>>
>> prevented the viewing of hourly results in some instances (all 
>> appeared as zero values) when
>>
>> the correct results were located on the simulation output file (the 
>> .sim file).
>>
>> . Fixed issues with the installation procedure sometimes failing in 
>> cases where the installation is
>>
>> directed to a drive mounted from a network location.
>>
>> Since I just sent this to the whole mailing list, you may wish to 
>> /wait for a few days/ before downloading the new build.  I don't want 
>> to cause an unexpected flood of download requests on the doe2.com site.
>>
>> If others notice a new eQUEST release, please post a note here.  I 
>> tend to miss them.
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Brian
>>
>>
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