[Equest-users] Revit to eQuest Through GBStudio: Anyone Having AnySuccess???

[Jackson, Alan]

A couple things to try.

1. Create zones in addition to spaces to see if they translate the zone properly to eQuest.
2. Did you actually create the plenum space in Revit? If not verify that ceilings are non bounding and the volume extends to the level/roof above.
3. Verify the analytical model information before exporting in the proper dialog box.
4. Try going to Ecotect as a go between which offers visual feedback before the INP export.

I offered a tutorial similar for energyplus. Videos are hosted on Vimeo and Youtube. 
http://www.vimeo.com/openrevit
http://www.youtube.com/openrevit




Alan Jackson, LEED AP
KlingStubbins

From: equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org [mailto:equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org] On Behalf Of Dave Hostetter
Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2010 10:44 AM
To: equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org
Subject: [Equest-users] Revit to eQuest Through GBStudio: Anyone Having AnySuccess???

Hello all!
I have been experimenting with converting Revit files to eQuest .inp files through Green Building Studio and I have not had much luck so far.  I have read through the presentation that Glumac gave for BSUG and it seems that their process is to recreate the building in Revit by tracing over a CAD floor plan.  They and many other sources have mentioned that you should not try to just convert an Architect's Revit file directly because it is too complex.
Of course the very first thing that I tried was to do just that and convert a small school that we did directly to .inp and it did not work.  Many things were missing... it was basically just a huge mess and not would not work as a functional eQuest file.
So I have just tried following their instructions with starting from scratch and building a new model by tracing the CAD plans of a small field house that we are doing.  I do have to say that creating the model in Revit instead of eQuest was much easier, no counterclockwise tracing and if you mess up things are very easy to fix.  So after creating all the walls, ceiling, floor and roof I created the spaces in Revit (I have been told that these should transfer directly over to eQuest as Zones).  When I exported the gbxml file to GBStudio there were no problems noted with the file.
After using GBStudio to convert the file to a .inp file I opened it in eQuest.  It did not have any problems opening the file but boy was it a mess.  It created one zone for the entire building (obviously not how I zoned it in Revit).  All of the exterior walls for the plenum spaces, the roof and some of the normal walls came in as Building Shades in eQuest.  All interior walls came into eQuest labeled as exterior walls (this may be a result of the wall type that I selected in Revit which was just a generic 8" wall).  The floor did not come into eQuest at all.  Basically the overall shape of the building is there but many many things are missing.  You can see the picture below on the left is the Revit file while the one on the right is the eQuest file. 

Anyhow, if anyone has experience dealing with Revit to eQuest conversion issues or has successfully completed a conversion without problems I would love to hear from you!  Hopefully this can start a good conversation on whether or not trying to convert Revit files (even simplistic ones) to eQuest is even worth trying.  I must admit that I am still on the fence but am leaning in the direction of it not being worth the trouble unless I can figure out how to work out these issues.
Thanks in advance!  
David P. Hostetter,  E.I.T.
LEED AP
Project Engineer
Integrated Holistic Design, LLC.
C: (717) 799-0599



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