I Used Ecotect but its export (version 2011) is not good it has many bugs
if you want to have simulation
in thermal aspect I suggest you use Sketchup.
If you want to use Ecotect take care these items
at the end of modeling:
1- push Ctrl+F9 and check the zones faces if all of them are had the flash from inside to outside. It is Ok else select them and Ctrl+R
2-take care of Objects alternative
materials they must be the same as first material because energy plus doesn't support this item.
3-take care of all of warnings that you see in Ecotect report. All of them are impotent.
4-your materials
shouldn't
have the air Gap. I suggest you at Ecotect make
temporary materials after export in energy plus changes it .
5-take care of zone occupancy
( in zone management)
all of zones that you want to have a thermal calculation
they must have at least
one people.
6- name each zone recognizable name and put them in individual
layers. For simplifying
work in the Ecotect use layer group
7-Use version 2011 it has fewer bugs also it exports to energy plus version 3.
8-after you export to energy plus edit your file (IDF) and replace "Equipment
Level" ====> "EquipmentLevel" in a text editor !! (it is a Export bug)
9- for the text editor I suggest you to use Notepade++ it is Open source software.
I Hope these are useful
REZA
Hi Reza,
I am trying to do a zone in ecotect and export it to energyplus.though some mistakes always appear andI dont know what
its wrong.What do you think that I haveto take care of?
thanx, thodoris
From: reza m <reza.energy@xxxxxxxxx>
To: EnergyPlus_Support@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sun, November 14, 2010 10:48:14 PM
Subject: Re: [EnergyPlus_Support] help
you can model in these programs and export to energy plus
Sketchup+ OpenStudio plugin free
Echotect free for students
Designbuilder trial 30days
On Sun, Nov 14, 2010 at 5:03 PM, Drury B Crawley <dbcrawley@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
The OpenStudio plugin for Sketchup will allow you to do that. Download the free version of Sketchup first (sketchup.google.com) and install. Then download OpenStudio from the EnergyPlus web site: www.energyplus.gov
On Sun, Nov 14, 2010 at 12:41 AM, Eduardo Rojas <eduardo.rojas1985@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hey, i´m new at energyplus. I was wondering if there is a software that allow´s me to create a drawing file an then import it to energyplus, one in wich i can define the thermal zones and materials and that the geometry isin´t vertex entry.
I know that this is a begginers question, and that this information may be somewhere in the manual but i havent found it so i would be very thankfull if you could help me.