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Re: [EnergyPlus_Support] Prevalence of Design Builder

To: EnergyPlus_Support@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [EnergyPlus_Support] Prevalence of Design Builder
From: Jason Kirkpatrick <jason.alan.kirkpatrick@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 7 Jul 2011 13:07:06 -0400
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Matt,

I like to use DesignBuilder to create and zone the model. The new version of DB (finally) exports the zone names as you input them in the interface.

I then trim out everything that DesignBuilder creates except for the geometry and open the model in OpenStudio. OpenStudio will then automatically fix any problems with surfaces that DB has exported (like upside down surfaces) and then can very simply redefine all of the construction assignments in the model to something more descriptive than what DB uses (simply the number 1 for floors, 5 for walls etc.)

I then build my HVAC systems from scratch / or by combining code pieces that I have already created. For instance, I have a code snippet for a VAV AHU with heat recovery that is serving a zone called f1:Office1 I can extend this to more zones by duplicating any object with f1:Office1 and replacing it with f1:Office2 (find and replace functions in a good text editor is critical... I recommend notepad++) Once Ive gotten a single floor AHU completed, I can duplicate the entire AHU and do a find/replace of AHU-1 with AHU-2 and f1: with f2: to duplicate mech systems for multiple floors. I then pull in the chilled water, condenser water and hot water plants that Ive already created and connect the demand branches of my coils to the Branchlist, Connector:Splitter, and Connector:Mixer objects in each plant loop

Now suppose you've built a working model and the geometry changes. You can modify the geometry in DB (respecting the previous zone naming conventions) and re-export. Then trim out all non-geometry objects, replace the constructions in OpenStudio and then paste back in your previous mechanical system in the text editor. If you've properly maintained your zone naming, the mech system and geometry will fit back together with a minimum of effort.

Through this method I've been able to create a 70 story building with core and perimeter zoning and floor by floor AHU's in a days worth of work.

If all of this sounds really confusing, there are two new GUI's coming out for EnergyPlus in the next few months / year?. One is a Bentley product which will incorporate a 'drag and drop' HVAC interface, and the other is the EPGUI. More info regarding the EPGUI can be found here:

http://openrevit.com/2011/03/the-holy-grail-energyplus-gui-with-bim-integration/

Hope this helps,

On Thu, Jul 7, 2011 at 12:10 PM, Matthew Anderson <matthew.sverre.anderson@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hello Everybody,

As I have gotten more accustomed to E+ I am now curious what the prevalence of use of GUI editors for HVAC systems is in E+. Open Studio seems like an excellent opensource program that allows people to edit building geometry but so editing HVAC systems seems to be very cumbersome.

Does anybody have a suggestion of a program they use? What about programs they are aware of, but do not necessarily use? I saw that DesignBuilder is coming out with v3 which has (what appears to be) a very flexible HVAC editor. Is anybody thinking about using this program?

Currently if I want to edit how a building is zoned to compare the efficacy of a model or what have you it is a grueling process and I would prefer if I could just do this quickly.

I am just really looking to see whats out there before I decide on a course of action. E+ is at its core a simulation engine and time = money so I am looking for the cheapest way to save time and ensure the flexiblity of E+ to model systems.

Thank you,
Matthew Anderson

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