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[EnergyPlus_Support] Second Beta Test: EP-Quick - An EnergyPlus Input File Generator




Please participate in the second beta test of EP-Quick.  EP-
Quick is a simple program that creates an EnergyPlus input 
file.  You may use EP-Quick to create an input file for a 
building, without HVAC, using simple templates for the 
shape and zone layout. EP-Quick is not a full interface for 
EnergyPlus but simply a way to generate input files 
quickly.     

The installer may be downloaded from:

  http://www.glazersoftware.com/download.htm

To use it, press the "NEW" button and select a template and 
the types of floors. I am planning on having additional 
templates by the time it is released. Once a template is 
selected, zoning and shape are fixed but the overall 
dimension of the building can be changed.  The buildings 
are "prismatic" and are the same shape and size on all 
floors.  Windows and doors may be added and constructions 
and schedules may be modified.      

Use main "tree" interface to examine and modify the many 
different details of the building.  The main parts of the 
tree are:   

+ Overall Geometry - depth, width

+ Building - roof, floor, interior constructions

+ Defaults - default values used in "Floorplans" 

+ Internal Gain Types - lighting, people, schedules

+ Floorplans - zones, exterior walls, windows, etc

+ Corners - locations of the building vertices

+ Roof corners - locations of special roof vertices

Please take a look at the software and the resulting IDF 
files. Your feedback is welcome on:  

  Bugs

  User Interface

  Capabilities

  Price

  Templates desired

The beta test will end and the beta version will stop 
working on November 15 but please send your comments to me 
a soon as possible.  

Several bugs were found in the 0.3 release and fixed for 
this 0.5 release.   

- Both IP and SI units are supported but sometimes the SI 
default values for meters in the 0.3 release were the same 
values as the IP default values for feet making them too 
large to be reasonable. New defaulting for SI has been 
included in the 0.5 release. Defaulting for IP is 
unchanged.    

- If multiple doors were described in EP-Quick version 0.3 
for the same wall, they were created using the same name 
which caused an EnergyPlus to indicate a warning. In the 
0.5 version this has been fixed.    

- If multiple windows were described in EP-Quick 0.3, a 
warning was issued by EnergyPlus due to the 
FullInteriorAndExterior solar distribution algorthim being 
specified.  Now EP-Quick 0.5 chooses the MinimalShadowing 
algorithm instead to avoid the warning.    

- Not all the building templates would allow tilted roofs 
in version 0.3. All the templates now support tilted roofs. 
 

In addition, a problem with roof peak heights that result 
in very shallow roofs causing a severe error when run in 
EnergyPlus 1.2 has been fixed in the EnergyPlus 1.2.1 
release.      

I'm sending this message to the BLDG-SIM mailing list, the 
EnergyPlus_Support@xxxxxxxxx mailing list, and others so I 
apologize if you receive more than one copy.   

Thanks,

Jason

=========================================================
Jason Glazer, P.E.  jglazer AT gard DOT com  847 698 5686
GARD Analytics - http://www.gard.com/
1028 Busse Highway, Park Ridge, IL 60068
Building Energy Simulation and Analysis
Admin of BLDG-SIM list for building simulation users





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