EnergyPlus Version 3.1 Available
The latest release of the
EnergyPlus building energy simulation program, Version 3.1, is now available in
versions for Windows, Linux, and Mac operating systems. A few key new features
include simplified rectangular geometry
for walls, roofs, ceilings, floors, windows, and shading; thermochromic windows;
upgraded UFAD model; Standard 62.1 demand control ventilation; cool beam HVAC
model; new tabular reports to support LEED EA Credit 1 forms; and new post-processing utility to combine
Standard 90.1 Appendix rotation results. We have updated and extended
capabilities throughout the existing building envelope, daylighting, and HVAC
equipment and systems portions of the program.
EnergyPlus V 3.1 is
available at no cost from the EnergyPlus web site: www.energyplus.gov.
OpenStudio
plugin for Google SketchUp: The OpenStudio is a free plugin for the
GoogleSketchUp 3D drawing program. The plugin makes it easy to create and edit
the building geometry in your EnergyPlus input files. The plugin also allows you
to launch EnergyPlus simulations and view the results without leaving
SketchUp.
EnergyPlus
Example File Generator: A Web-based service is available that creates and runs
EnergyPlus input files for simple models of commercial buildings. The input
files (and annual results summary files) are sent to your e-mail address as
attachments. This is a pilot project and is currently made available only as a
BETA service. You can access the service and customize the characteristics of
the building you want to model on the EnergyPlus Example File Generator
Application (pop-ups must be
enabled).
The set of example input
files now includes full-blown models of typical new construction (drawn from the
DOE Commercial Benchmarks project).
What's New in Version
3.1?
Input
·
Users can now define surfaces as simple rectangles
(Simple Rectangular Surfaces) for walls, roofs, ceilings, floors, windows,
doors, glazed doors, and shading.
·
New detailed surfaces objects (Wall:Detailed,
RoofCeiling:Detailed, FloorDetailed).
·
InputProcessor can now output defaults, autosizing, and
autocalculation statistics.
·
New Constant Schedule allows simpler schedule
definition.
Daylighting
·
New variables for reporting visual discomfort: Time
Exceeding Glare Index Setpoint at Ref Point 1 and Time Exceeding Glare Index
Setpoint at Ref Point 2.
Zone
Model
·
Thermochromic windows can now be
modeled.
·
New Adiabatic Surface option for Outside Boundary
Condition.
·
New Sinusoidal option for Other Side Coefficient Boundary
Conditions allows users to apply a sinusoidal schedule to the surface boundary
conditions.
·
Two new simplified infiltration models added:
Sherman-Grimsrud and AIM-2.
·
Ventilated slab has additional SerialSlab system
configuration option, allowing multiple ventilated slabs in different zones to
be connected in series.
Natural and Mechanical
Ventilation
·
UFAD model
upgraded.
·
AirflowNetwork wind speed model for height-dependency
improved.
·
Air Distribution System Model includes more components:
heating coil and three heat
exchangers.
·
Demand Control Ventilation model based on ventilation
rate procedure of Standard 62.1-2007 procedure of Standard
62.1-2007.
HVAC
·
New Unitary Air-to-Air Heat Pump and Packaged VAV HVAC
Templates.
·
Improved control of unitary equipment under low-load
conditions (Furnaces, Heat Pumps, PTAC, PTHP, and Window
AC).
·
Furnaces/Unitary Systems now allow high humidity control
with cycling supply air fan systems.
·
Cool Beam model
added.
·
Option to size system flow rate and terminal units based
on minimum ventilation requirements added; other zone equipment will be sized on
zone loads
·
Fan:OnOff now models multi-speed fan
performance.
·
Minimum stops on VAV terminals with reheat can now be
scheduled.
·
SensibleAndLatent and Desiccant Heat Exchangers now have
economizer lockout option.
·
Revised air-bypass logic for
HeatExchanger:AirToAir:FlatPlate to match
the logic used for
HeatExchanger:AirToAir:SensibleAndLatent.
·
Refrigeration racks and systems now accept either the
name of a case or caselist, and compressor or
compressorlist.
·
Improved moisture condensation controls for Low
Temperature Radiant systems.
·
EvaporativeCooler:Direct:ResearchSpecial model
added.
·
Water consumption model for Indirect Evaporative Cooler
extended. Secondary air flow rate can now be
autosized.
Output
·
New tabular reports to support LEED EA Credit 1
forms.
·
Tabular reports now can be in Inch-Pound
units.
·
Improved diagnostics, warnings, and informative messages
throughout.
·
Output:Reports object converted to simpler
Output:Surfaces:List, Output:Surfaces:Drawing
objects.
Utilities
·
New AppGPostProcess utility in combination with
Building:Compliance object averages the results from four building rotation runs
for Standard 90.1 Appendix G
compliance.
·
Datasets can now be directly opened from a menu in
IDFEditor.
·
Weather Converter updated to allow more custom date
formats.
·
Weather Converter now can include rainfall information
(where available) in EnergyPlus weather data files.
Documentation and
Guides
·
Input/Output Reference and Engineering Reference updated
and extended for all new features and updates and renaming. Total documentation now exceeds 4,000
pages.
And many other enhancements
and speed improvements throughout.
See
http://www.energyplus.gov/features.html for a complete list of new features added
in this and previous versions.
Suggestion: get as much memory as possible in your computer for
running EnergyPlus. A recent team
upgrade from 1.8GHZ machine with 768MB memory to a 2.1GHZ machine with 2GB
memory caused one file to go from a full annual simulation (5 zones) at about 8
minutes to a 2-1/4 minute run on the newer machine.
Update on User Interfaces and
Tools?
Many user interfaces that create and run EnergyPlus input
files and display results graphically are available (Demand Response Quick
Assessment Tool, DesignBuilder, Easy EnergyPlus, EFEN, Hevacomp, and HLCP) and
under development (ComFen, TREATPlus and EPlusInterface). Check our web site
(http://www.energyplus.gov/ep_interfaces.html ) for up-to-date
information on these and other
interfaces.
Utilities and tools for
creating, editing, and running input files that come with EnergyPlus include IDF
Editor, EP-Launch, and HVAC-Diagram (see http://www.energyplus.gov/ep_utilities.html ). Third party tools for
creating, editing, and displaying EnergyPlus input files are also available,
including DrawBDL, EcoTect, EnergyPlugged, ESP-r, Green Building Studio,
EzDrawPlus, IFCtoIDF, TSe+, and EzPlus-Parm. See http://www.energyplus.gov/third_party_tools.html for more
information.
EnergyPlus Training
Workshops
We will continue to offer
training workshops throughout 2009.
For more information, please see:
http://www.gard.com/training.htm
What’s going on in
V3.1.0?
Will there be any considerable difference between version
3.0 and 3.1?
Yes.... and no. As
always, there are a number of new features and bug fixes. The highlights
of features for this version are listed below—see http://www.energyplus.gov/features.html for a complete list of new
features added in this and previous
versions.
How about IDF and IDD? Do they remain
unchanged?
There will be some changes
in the IDD and reflected in IDFs. Particularly for any new features, there will
be new objects. Your best option is to use the included Transition program if
you want to use any older version
files.
Is version 3.1 backward compatible? Can I run v3.0 file
in v3.1?
For many options, the
answer is yes. However, there are several
changes that require you to use the transition program for V3.1.
EP-Launch can 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. There is also a new
option for the transition program that allows you to supply a list of files and
it will convert them for you. The transition program is described more fully in
the Auxiliary Programs document.
EnergyPlus Weather
Data
Weather data for more than
2000 locations worldwide are available on the EnergyPlus web site: http://www.energyplus.gov/cfm/weather_data.cfm (New data for
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 (Drury.Crawley@xxxxxxxxxx).
EnergyPlus
Helpdesk
A helpdesk system has been
set up for managing EnergyPlus user support requests. The helpdesk system
includes a download area, a knowledge base and troubleshooting area. To submit
new support requests (tickets) or search the knowledge base, please go to
energyplus.helpserve.com. You may also submit new issues, files
and reply to tickets via e-mail at EnergyPlus-Support@xxxxxxxx. This address has been
linked to the helpdesk since early May 2008. This is the best way to get your
specific EnergyPlus questions answered.
EnergyPlus_Support Group at
YahooGroups
Are
you a commercial or academic user of EnergyPlus? Join more than 2,000 EnergyPlus users in
the user-to-user email group on YahooGroups—a place to ask questions and share
information with other EnergyPlus users. The YahooGroup also provides a
searchable archive of all 7+ years of discussion. You can also upload files to
share with other users. While the EnergyPlus development team does monitor the
YahooGroup list, the best place for individualized support is the
EnergyPlus Helpdesk.
The main web page for the
group is:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EnergyPlus_Support
To subscribe, send an email
message to:
EnergyPlus_Support-subscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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, and
Energy-10. See
http://simulationresearch.lbl.gov/un.html
BLDG-SIM
Join the free e-mail list
for users of all building energy simulation programs. Ask other knowledgeable
simulation program users your questions--about EnergyPlus and other simulation
programs. See http://lists.onebuilding.org/listinfo.cgi/bldg-sim-onebuilding.org for information on joining this email
list.
Thanks!
The EnergyPlus
Team
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