[EnergyPlus_Support] 100% newbie trying to take a crash course without, uh, crashing.

["jon_belmont" <jon_belmont@xxxxxxxxx>]

Perhaps I'm biting off way more than I can chew over the course of the next couple of days... I'm a grad student trying to use EnergyPlus/OpenStudio/Google Sketchup to construct a basic model of a single-family split-level residential home.  I don't need to get any more sophisticated than basic floor plan, occupancy, fenestration, and HVAC (i.e. telling the engine what type of boiler/central AC/Hot H20 I've got).  I think I can do the floor plan and fenestration in SketchUp if I understand this system correctly.

My goal is to get output from the simulation in terms of utility consumption, which I can then bounce off of utility bills to validate the model.  Once that is done, I can then project cost savings and break-even times for a few improvements (like installation of PV, thermal curtains, higher efficiency heating/cooling appliances, etc)

Is this doable for a total novice???  It looks like constructing the geometric model will not be too complicated (I have experience with other 2d/3d CAD software like Pro/Engineer), but I am concerned about my total lack of experience with the other input aspects of EnergyPlus.  Is there another 3rd Party UI I could download that would help with the HVAC/occupancy/electric loading side of the input model?

Thanks in advance for any help or advice you can provide!

-Jon Belmont



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