[Equest-users] Equest seminars on-line?

[Tom O'Brien]

I concur with Verena.  Unless you're in a state which independently is pushing the use of eQuest and sponsoring training (and there don't seem to be many), the online documentation and this listserv are about the only help you'll get.  We've been at it for a year and are only beginning to gain some real confidence that we understand how to use the software.  
In general we're impressed with what eQuest does ... but there is a real lack of transparency to how it works which translates into some real frustration when you see the results of your simulation.  We liken it to a vending machine in which there are a variety of healthy snacks and drinks but the front of the machine is a solid panel instead of glass so you can't see the actual products and don't know what each one costs.  Thus you enter your money and make a selection but you're not sure at all about what will drop out the slot at the bottom and sometimes the machine tells you that you haven't entered enough money for the item you selected.  Eventually you start to see some patterns that assist you but by then you've also kicked the machine at least once and have gone to the gas station across the street to get something to eat from their junk food vending machine.
The other thing to remember is what you paid for eQuest.  Given the price and learning curve other some of the software that we often use in our profession eQuest is probably a bargain even after you factor in the time you'll spend learning it.  That being said, there is a desperate need for better training opportunities.
Tom
Tom O'Brien
Northern Architects, Inc.
207 King Street Suite 3
Burlington, VT 05401
T: 802-658-1953
F: 802-658-2975
E: Tom at NorthernArchitects.com

Original message
From: "Verena Kindl" 
To: mike.diess at gmail.com; equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org
Received: 8/28/2009 2:55:08 AM
Subject: Re: [Equest-users] Equest seminars on-line?

Hello Mike,
I also just started using eQuest (I was doing CFD before). I downloaded the introductory tutorial, it is quite helpful to get an idea and then I frequently use the help->DOE 2 help / Wizard help. In the forum User Archive are also a lot of helpful questions. I do not think there are online training seminars, I guess you have to train yourself. 


Von: Mike Diess [mailto:mike.diess at gmail.com] 
Gesendet: Donnerstag, 27. August 2009 18:14
An: equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org
Betreff: [Equest-users] Equest seminars on-line?
Hello,
I am an engineer who has been asked to do the energy modeling for a new project. I just downloaded Equest 3-63 and am trying to find some training. Is anyone aware of on-line training seminars for Equest 3-63?
thanks
Mike
-- 
Mike Diess, PE, LEED AP
LNI Consulting Engineering  
mike.diess at gmail.com
cell: 720-427-7954   fax: 608-646-1063
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.onebuilding.org/pipermail/equest-users-onebuilding.org/attachments/20090828/feb26864/attachment-0001.htm>