Re: [EnergyPlus_Support] Re: using EnergyPro for thermal comfort analysis

Jeremiah D. Crossett

CleanTech Analytics

503-688-8951

www.cleantechanalytics.com

This document may contain valuable information proprietary to CleanTech Analytics which is private and confidential. It may not be shared, copied, stored or transmitted in any form without the prior written consent of CleanTech Analytics

On Mon, Apr 23, 2012 at 4:31 PM, Joe Huang <yjhuang@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Jeremiah,

EnergyPro is an interface that runs DOE-2.1E, so it doesn't make much sense to compare it to EnergyPlus. All the limitations that you're describing apply only to the interface, not the core program. DOE-2 has always had explicit geometry since Day 1. As for surface temperatures, that can also be extracted from 2.1E and I've used that capability to do PMV calculations more than a decade ago. These are not "work-arounds", but fully using the capabilities of DOE-2.
And if you consider text editing a "work around", then what would you call editing the IDF ?
Even the developer of eQUEST, which arguably is the most capable and integrated interface developed so far, estimates that his interface utilizes only 5-10% of the full capabilities of the root program (DOE-2.2) itself.

Joe
Joe Huang
White Box Technologies, Inc.
346 Rheem Blvd., Suite 108D
Moraga CA 94556
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On 4/23/2012 1:57 PM, CleanTech Analytics wrote:

Sorry If I seemed snappy, Good luck learning Energy plus, and also I have seen Energy Pro Files translated to Energy Plus before, if that would be helpful I can send you the contact to the person who I have seen produce Energy Pro to Energy Plus conversions, the reason Energy pro can not do PMV calcs, and also an issue in conversion is Energy Pro creates a box rather then real geometry so the surface temperature calculations needed to calculate PMV is not possible. I have heard of "work around" for eQuest, but not for Energy pro, but hey you have made it this far, so might-as well try out Energy Plus, eQuest, Energy Pro and other DOE2 tools in my opinion are deceptively simple to get started with, then when your deep into your model you run into a limitation in the software, a rarely occurring in Energy Plus.

Best regards

Jeremiah D. Crossett

CleanTech Analytics

503-688-8951

www.cleantechanalytics.com

This document may contain valuable information proprietary to CleanTech Analytics which is private and confidential. It may not be shared, copied, stored or transmitted in any form without the prior written consent of CleanTech Analytics

On Mon, Apr 23, 2012 at 11:12 AM, Jean marais <jeannieboef@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I was about to say the same as Linda. In your energyplus folder that comes when you install energyplus, there is a documents subfolder. The main document for referal is the inputoutput referance guide (io ref). search for the object called PEOPLE. This will show you which fields must be filled in to ask the program to calculate comfort factors. Look at the outputs of this object. There you will find a list of output variables that must be declared in your input file (idf) for the program to output these (you ask the program for the outputs you want, not all at once).

If you are really getting started, I would suggest doing the excersizes in the "getting started" documentation and/or downloading a trial version of Design Builder (very good user interface) to get a taste of what is all possible with the energyplus software. Use Design Builder also to export the idf file to learn the effects of your actions. And look at the many example idf files in the energyplus examples folder (also comes with the install).