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Re: [EnergyPlus_Support] thermal comfort calculation
The optimistic answers is to tell you of the example files folder that comes with the e+ installation and the two excel tables in that folder that help you find your way through 100s of examples. The pessimistic comments that follow are my opinion. I don't want to put you off...everyone has to dive into the pool at some point. I just want to give you an idea.
My first simulation project was the FIFA Football Stadium in Manaus, Brazil. It took me about 800 hours. Simulation's per ASHRAE 90.1 are hard as is, but stadiums are large complex facilities (it was also me learning ASHRAE 90.1 with no help from my German colleagues). To boot, I had to do it for a design phase submission. I was also handling all the other credits for the LEED submission. I was using DesignBuilder v2 back then. Because DesignBuilder was far more limited than it is today, I had to start learning e+ and even EMS. I used the same model to simulate natural ventilation thermal comfort and daylighting. If I had to do it today, it would take me maybe 1-3 months and the quality would be far better, but it would still be a lot of work.
You can't learn to model a house in 2 weeks and model it in 2 weeks. You could probably get some results in 2 weeks, but you'd input a lot of information without understanding the relevance thereof. Which means you'll get a lot of results, but how could you know how good the quality of the results are if you don't know what you input.
You'll need extra time to critically analyze your results, and you can trust what you get even less than I (I don't trust anything anymore).
If I were to use sketchup and e+ to make a thermal analysis of a single family house, i would need
-->1 day to consult with the client to find out exactly what he needs as results (which often differs from what he thinks he needs) and decide what I can offer based on the software I'm using,
-->1 day to build the model if only a basic model is needed.
--> Run test simulations for a day
--> and finally produce and interpret final results for a day.
--> A day to compile a report.
For a more extensive CFD model with DesignBuilder investigating several comfort criteria (thermal comfort, draft risk, asymmetric and height differential temperature discomfort) and six different HVAC scenarios as well as testing Age of Air for a simple 6 man office zone, it took me 20 days and the final report was about 50 pages.
In short I think a meaningful comfort assessment of a mechanically ventilated house is about 3 to 5 days of work for an expert.
As for window ventilated houses (especially new builds), I wouldn't trust anyone in the world right now except myself...and then only a little....but don't get me started on that topic.
So my tip to you is don't model more than 2-5 zones if you can avoid it (start with one if possible). Keep the geometry as simple as possible. Ask a lot of specific questions. Don't trust results even when they make sense at first glance. Output a lot of results, not just one.
Best of luck.
On 20 Nov 2015 9:06 pm, "
b.1architect@xxxxxxxxx [EnergyPlus_Support]" <
EnergyPlus_Support@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Â
hi everyone....
 I need urgent help about how can calculate thermal comfort for a traditional house by using SketchUp and energy plus. I'm a new user of these simulation programmes. I have just 2 weeks to conduct that.
so please I need any tutorial series or any examples to do that as soon as possible.
with regards.
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Posted by: Jean Marais <jeannieboef@xxxxxxxxx>
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