What is the best energy modeling software?
If you are asking this question, you are probably either really new to energy modeling or really experienced.
Unfortunately, nobody really has the answer to this flawed question. The problem is that best can mean a number of things. Some might think that it means, "The most powerful, flexible, modern software package". But if it takes 5 years to learn how to use it, would it still be the best?
Many would argue that EnergyPlus is the best energy modeling software package. I will say with certainty that, on it's own, EnergyPlus is not the best software package.
Why isn't EnergyPlus the best software package?
EnergyPlus is not a...
FILED UNDER:
The increasing popularity of building energy modeling (BEM) yields growing awareness of BEM to a variety of professionals. With exposure to larger audiences of various technical nature, energy modeling remains under increasing scrutiny. This scrutiny extends to all energy models, including yours.
Critics, all too often, cite discrepancies between a given BEM's projected energy cost and the reported cost of the existing building.Thus, the perceived validity of the energy-model is tied to its accuracy relative to actual utility bill data. This accuracy is most easily determined in existing building energy retrofits, where one can easily cross-reference existing utility bills with the energy...
FILED UNDER:
We are going to delve into “User Expressions”. This is a topic that scares many an eQUEST user, so let me be clear, you can very easily complete an eQUEST model without “User Expressions”. They are optional, but they can be very helpful.
What is a User Expression in eQUEST?
A User Expression, also called a User Input Expression, is an input that is dependent on another input. This is very powerful because it allows interdependence of inputs, and allows dynamic modeling. To really explain a user expression, let’s start out with a simple example.
Example 1:
Let’s say we wish to place one window on each wall in our simulation. It’s common that a band of glass...
FILED UNDER: eQUESTeQUEST Technical
Unmet Load Hours (aka “The Bane of the Completed Simulation”)
What is an unmet load hour?
Oddly, the definition of an unmet load hour is partially dependent on the software you are using, which may or may not allow you to define the throttling range (the acceptable +/- degrees where a space is deemed to be within its target setpoint).
An unmet load hour occurs when the HVAC system lacks the capacity to keep the design setpoint within the throttling range for the duration of an hour. The other caveats are that the space must be conditioned, and in operating mode (occupied).
Why do unmet load hours affect you?
Unmet hours will...
No comments:
Post a Comment