[Equest-users] Wiki for eQuest?

[STEVE SAMENSKI]

ENTHUSIASTICALLY YES!

I have some concern that an eQuest wiki on Wikipedia wouldn't be a good fit
for what Wikipedia is trying to do.

Steve Samenski, PE, LEED AP

On 2/14/10 12:26 PM, "Jason Glazer" <jglazer at gard.com> wrote:

> I have been thinking about creating a Wiki for each of the
> simulation mailing lists on onebuilding.org, including
> eQUEST-users, for about a year.  I think it would be a great
> place for a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). If you are
> interested in contributing to a eQUEST related Wiki, please
> email me and let me know. If enough people are, I will set
> it up on onebuilding.org.
> 
> Jason
> 
> On 2/14/2010 9:15 AM, STEVE SAMENSKI wrote:
>> John ‹ thanks for your comments. I see your messages on here a lot and
>> you¹re clearly someone who knows the program, so I value your viewpoint.
>> If I get the wiki up and running (have had a few positive responses so
>> far) I hope you¹ll stop by to add the line about the martini. (I like
>> mine shaken with ice.)
>> 
>> I see increased interest in energy modeling services. In my area it¹s
>> being driven by LEED. Many engineers find their way to eQuest (possibly
>> because it¹s free) and it seems that the skills that make the best
>> design engineers don¹t always make the best energy modelers. I review
>> the energy model templates uploaded for projects on which we consult and
>> I see the same problems and frustrations from the design community. I¹d
>> like to make it a little bit easier for people to get good results out
>> of eQuest. Managing the expectations of users would go a long way toward
>> reducing frustration.
>> 
>> Some actors in the industry are ramping up to support modeling. ASHRAE
>> seems to have recognized the need: I recently sat for the BEMP exam at
>> the winter conference. (It was tough!) Other actors. . .not so much. I
>> checked with the software vendors at the conference and best I can tell
>> no one is trying to develop THE standard software for Appendix G energy
>> modeling. (AutoDesk would be a natural here, but they seem to be focused
>> on Revit. Anything they develop would be an adjunct to that.)
>> 
>> So that¹s why I thought about the wiki. If I had had a resource like
>> that when I first downloaded eQuest, I would have known what I was
>> getting in to.
>> 
>> Steve Samenski, PE, LEED AP
>> 
>> On 2/14/10 12:53 AM, "John Aulbach" <jra_sac at yahoo.com> wrote:
>> 
>>     A few comments on eQuest..
>> 
>>     1) The program is a bit like the card game bridge. You can play it
>>     straight, or you can play by the seat of your pants. I choose the
>>     latter.
>> 
>>     2) Don't expect eQuest to stir you a martini, fetch your morning
>>     paper, or be your slave. It works for 80% of whatever energy
>>     dynamics you need. Not 100%. Unless you are seeking a post doctoral
>>     thesis. Then try another program.
>> 
>>     3) We ALL have hit dead ends. The biggest nemesis seems to be USGBC.
>>     But then they seem to LOVE eQuest, as most of the assumption are
>>     easily found in the eQuest front end. Sure beats the DOE-2.1A days
>>     when we were unsure what SS-A was vs. SS-B. Explanations are much
>>     clearer now (even if we don't believe the results).
>> 
>>     4) If you want total honesty, Submeter the HELL out of an existing
>>     building for 6 months. THEN you will have ALL your answers. But WHO
>>     has the BUDGET or the TIME?
>> 
>>     Sir, keep asking your questions to BLDG-SIM. Just don't say "I am
>>     new to eQuest and I need to model the Taj Mahal to LEED Platinum,
>>     and I have a day to do it. Can you help?"
>> 
>>     Not unless you pay some of these EXCELLENT modelers for their time.
>>     Amazingly, most of us ACTUALLY work, and our bosses expect us to
>>     concentrate on THEIR needs. As we can answer, we do. But some of
>>     these questions TAKE TIME, which occassionally we do not have.
>> 
>>     So please hang in there..
>> 
>>     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>     *From:* "Sundharam, Premnath" <psundharam at DLRGROUP.com>
>>     *To:* STEVE SAMENSKI <steve at thespinnakergroupinc.com>
>>     *Cc:* equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org
>>     *Sent:* Sat, February 13, 2010 4:28:22 PM
>>     *Subject:* Re: [Equest-users] Wiki for eQuest?
>> 
>>     1. Wiki for equest is a fantastic idea
>>     2. I would def. Contribute
>>     3. Yes I will use it extensively
>>     4. As far as I know equest resources on the web is not great.
>>     Thanks for the initiative.
>>     Prem
>> 
>> 
>>     Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>>     On Feb 13, 2010, at 3:06 PM, "STEVE SAMENSKI"
>>     <steve at thespinnakergroupinc.com> wrote:
>> 
>>         I¹ve been using eQuest for over two years now and I still run
>>         into frequent dead-ends. The program is flexible but often
>>         inscrutable. Searching the mailing list archives only gets you
>>         so far.
>> 
>>         I¹ve thought about starting up a wiki for eQuest. It¹s easy
>>         enough to start a new page at Wikipedia. I¹m curious what folks
>>         here think of the idea.
>> 
>>         1) Do you see a need for an eQuest wiki? (Definition for wki: A
>>         website or similar online resource which allows users to add and
>>         edit content collectively.)
>>         2) Would you add your knowledge to an eQuest wiki?
>>         3) Would you use an eQuest wiki?
>>         4) Is there a resource for eQuest advice that I¹ve overlooked?
>>         (I¹ve taken one of the University of Wisconsin training courses,
>>         and I have all the DOE2 published dictionaries and PDF¹s.)
>> 
>>         Steve Samenski, PE, LEED AP
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>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
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