An updated version of EnergyPlusToFMU is now available at
http://simulationresearch.lbl.gov/fmu/EnergyPlus/export/index.html
EnergyPlusToFMU is a software package written in Python which allows users
to export the building simulation program EnergyPlus version 8.0 or higher
as a Functional Mock-up Unit (FMU) for co-simulation using the Functional
Mock-up Interface (FMI) standard version 1.0. This FMU can then be imported
into
a variety of simulation programs that support the import of the Functional
Mock-up Interface for co-simulation. This capability allows for instance to
model the envelope
of a building in EnergyPlus, export the model as an FMU, import and link the
model with an HVAC system model developed in a system simulation tool such
as the Modelica environment Dymola.
For more information and download, visit
http://simulationresearch.lbl.gov/fmu/EnergyPlus/export/index.html
Anyone could explain what is the different between gbXML and Functional
Mock-up Interface (FMI) which for me it seems they are doing the same
exchange of model physical/internal information!
Regards,
Wahid H. Mohamed, LEED AP BD+C
Wahid
gbXML and the Functional Mockup Interface (FMI) standard address very
different aspects of information exchange:
gbXML (http://www.gbxml.org/), similar than IFC (
http://www.buildingsmart-tech.org/), has been developed to exchange
building parameters and simulation results between CAD systems and building
simulation programs, among other domains. The data are for example
parameters that describe building materials, dimension of constructions,
internal heat gain profiles, and outputs of simulation runs. gbXML contains
no executable code that for example computes energy use for a set of input
data, it only contains the inputs and outputs that are fed into or
retrieved from a simulator or a CAD system, using a syntax that is defined
in the standard. It addresses the problem of how to exchange data among
tools and users along the life cycle of buildings.
FMI (https://www.fmi-standard.org/) has been developed to exchange
simulators (the FMI for co-simulation standard) and models (the FMI for
model-exchange standard) in a tool independent standard. By model, I mean a
computer code that given some input, computes outputs such as room
temperatures and energy use (co-simulation) or time rate of change of
temperatures and energy (model exchange). What does this enable? With FMI,
you can develop a simulation model, or a controller or a fault detection
and diagnostics algorithm, export it in a standardized format as a
so-called Functional Mockup Unit, and then import it into a variety of
simulation tools (https://www.fmi-standard.org/tools), into a building
automation system (through an interface for Niagara AX that is currently in
development at LBNL), interface it with your own code or run it on the
cloud (http://www.xogeny.com/products/). All this is done in a tool
independent way; as long as your tool can export code as an FMU, you can
make use of this software ecosystem, that was typically developed for a
variety of application domains. There is an international project underway
(IEA EBC Annex 60, http://iea-annex60.org/) that further develops FMI
compliant applications for buildings.
All the best,
Michael