New DesignBuilder/EnergyPlus HVAC Interface and Daylighting Utility

Dr Andy Tindale of DesignBuilder U.K. recently announced that they are expecting to release their first test versions for the new EnergyPlus HVAC interface (with component HVAC) in September this year. There will follow a 6 month beta test period after which the new software will be released as V3.0 in early 2011.

Andy emphasises that this additional DesignBuilder modelling feature will provide a very powerful and flexible way to create and edit EnergyPlus HVAC systems. For the first time, the extremely advanced and up to date HVAC features in EnergyPlus will be accessible to the building simulation community in a user friendly graphical environment.

It will be possible to model both air and water sides together in full detail with a good range of component types available from the outset. Features will include:

• Graphical definition of plant, condenser and air loops through placement of components, mixers and splitters
• Definition of connecting nodes using 'universal' connection tool with drawing guide and snap tools
• Extensible library of E+ components including boilers, chillers, heating coils, heat pumps, cooling coils, pumps, fans, humidifiers, etc.
• Templates for component data (i.e. input of performance graphs etc.)
• Graphical representation of zones featuring drag and drop facilities for ADUs (air distribution units), radiant heating/cooling devices, fan coil units, etc.
• Comprehensive set of ADUs including direct air, dual duct CAV, dual duct VAV, single duct CAV reheat, single duct VAV with/without reheat, single duct VAV reheat with variable speed fan, series PIU (VAV terminal type), parallel PIU, four pipe induction.
• Air handling units with drag and drop facilities for including fans, coils, humidifiers, etc.
• Automatic network integrity and connection compatibility checks
• Fully automatic generation of IDF data ( the input file for the EnergyPlus simulation engine).

DesignBuilder developers are also making good progress on daylighting and the company expects to release the first beta versions of their integrated daylight calculations also around September 2010. This will allow illuminance and daylight factor contours and zone average data to be provided using the Radiance daylight simulation engine as well as photo-realistic images and export to DAYSIM for climate-based studies. It will be possible to display daylighting filled contour results with DesignBuilder using the same high quality OpenGL views provided for CFD. Software costs will remain competitive.

DesignBuilder also offers the most cost competitive CFD utility for the building environment. This integrates seamlessly with the basic energy modelling software.