[EnergyPlus_Support]

In my experience, the only difference between SU free and SU Pro is that you can import/export DXF and some other formats with Pro, and StyleBuilder and Layout come with Pro. What is your experience? I have used the free version for all my EPlus work. What am I missing out on?

David

----- Original Message -----

From: YuanLu Li

To: Linda

Sent: Monday, March 01, 2010 10:21 AM

Subject: RE: [EnergyPlus_Support] import an idf file to designbuilder

Only time will tell.

The SketchUp Pro version is not free. The free version is not that good.

DesignBuilder and Autocad are not free.

Dr. Li

To: EnergyPlus_Support@yahoogroups.com
From: david@coolshadow.com
Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 10:12:51 -0800
Subject: Re: [EnergyPlus_Support] import an idf file to designbuilder

Just curious why anyone would define zones manually using point coordinates with a free tool like OpenStudio available for the free drawing program SketchUp?

David

----- Original Message -----

From: YuanLu Li

To: Linda

Sent: Monday, March 01, 2010 4:58 AM

Subject: RE: [EnergyPlus_Support] import an idf file to designbuilder

If you know how to use the Macro in EPlus, all you need is to enter one macro line with the Zone name and the two diagonally opposit coordinaates of the wall. The macro expension program will place the numbers in the proper order, and prefix the zone name to each macro object name.

Of course, you would need to define the internal, external, partition, ceiling and floor objects first in the Macro file format once, with the names that you wanted to customize.

Dr. Li

To: EnergyPlus_Support@yahoogroups.com
From: giannakis.georgios@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 1 Mar 2010 10:04:21 +0200
Subject: Re: [EnergyPlus_Support] import an idf file to designbuilder

Dear Emanuele,

I have already spent 2 days trying to draw the building into DB. As you said it is more easy and let me say more entertaining than the drawing into energy+(in order to create a wall you have to give the 3 coordinates for the vertices which are consists of that wall).

The truth is that, it would be easier to import an gbxml but as a new researcher I dont have 6000 euros to spend.

I appreciate the time you spent to give me any answer.
Thanks,

Giorgos

2010/2/28 Emanuele Naboni <emanuele.naboni@gmail.com>

Dear Giorgious,

I found a bit complicated to create a correct Gbxml for DB: the source model needs to be optimized for importation in either Archicad or Revit and this requires that you are an expert modeler.

It is a bit complex, but if you create a dxf from the idf, than you can transform it into a 3ds file from google sketchup pro or Rhino.

Once you have it, an easier way to create a gbxml file for DB is to use Ecotect 2010. You just need to set each zone as a thermal zones and shading elements as "not thermal zones" in the zone management, than you check zone volumes and interzonal adjacences under the Calculate menu and you can export to gbxml and finally import to DesignBuilder.

I tried this path and it is working. If you have 6000 euros to spend in software tools and have time for your self training you are ready to go....... it is clear that the process is not sustainable and you are doing right redrawing it from scratch.

An alternative path would be passing trough IFC format but unfortunately DB does not support that standard yet.

Hope this helps.

Emanuele

--

Emanuele Naboni - www.e3lab.org - info@xxxxxxxxx
MArch, PhD Building Science, LEED AP, EU licensed architect
sustainable design consultant - consulente per la sostenibilita' di tecnologie, edifici e citta'

per l'Italia: 346.4133337
from US: +39.346.4133337
skype: emanuelenaboni

Please consider the environment before printing this email

2010/2/27 Pedro Peixeiro <pedro_peixeiro@hotmail.com>

Hello.

DB has is own unique way of naming objects during any modelation. plus, not all detailed features of E+ are included in the DB interface. I find these being the reasons why DB cant import an IDF file, in the event of the file having data wich DB cant handle. I can be wrong though.

Regards,

Pedro.

To: EnergyPlus_Support@yahoogroups.com
From: giannakis.georgios@gmail.com
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 2010 23:08:46 +0200

Subject: Re: [EnergyPlus_Support] import an idf file to designbuilder

Dear David,

I faced the same problem yesterday. That is why i didnt inform you for any new.

In fact, I tried to use openstudio to export a 3d dxf file. Then i used this file as

input to archicad (archicad is one of the softwares which create the gbxml files) and finally

I exported a gbxml file. However, the gbxml format have much more information than

dxf format and that gbxml file was not compatible to designbuilder.

The truth is that I cant believe that it is easy to import idf files from DB but not reverse.

In conclusion, I have started the description of the geometry from the beginning into DB.

Deeply Thanks,

G.

2010/2/26 L+U David <david@coolshadow.com>

The only ways I've found to do it, and it is quite problemmatic and finnicky, is to use OpenStudio to import an IDF, Demeter to translate the model to GBXML, then DBuilder can import GBXML, though it does it very badly with many bugs and I havent' figured out how to get it to recognize shading devices at all or materials correctly. The other way is to use Revit and GreenBuildingStudio to create a GBXML (and matching IDF), then import to DBuilder, with the same caveats.

BTW for the DB folks, it is the single biggest downfall and weakness of DB that there is no interoperability with IDF.

David

----- Original Message -----

From: Emanuele Naboni

To: EnergyPlus_Support@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010 2:26 AM

Subject: Re: [EnergyPlus_Support] import an idf file to designbuilder

Hi,

That is not possible.

2010/2/26 Georgios Giannakis <giannakis.georgios@gmail.com>

Hi,

I have seen that designbuilder gives the opportunity to export the respective idf file.
Does anyone know if we can import an idf file to designbuilder?

Thanks in advance,
G.

--
Emanuele Naboni - www.e3lab.org - info@xxxxxxxxx
MArch, PhD Building Science, LEED AP, EU licensed architect
sustainable design consultant - consulente per la sostenibilita' di tecnologie, edifici e citta'

per l'Italia: 346.4133337
from US: +39.346.4133337
skype: emanuelenaboni

Please consider the environment before printing this email.

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