Hi Everyone,
I have been working on an energy model for a while, and now the layout of the building has changed. The second floor was initially just a shell space, and now the owner has decided to build out the second floor with offices. So the second floor, which was initially just a big empty space, now needs to be modeled as a bunch of office spaces. Is there an easy way to change the shell in eQuest detailed mode? I don't want to go back into wizard mode, because I think it will delete everything else I have already done. Everytime I try and add a space in detailed mode, all the other space polygons get very messed up and throw everything off. Is this why some people use Revit to model the building and then import it into eQuest? Thanks for any suggestions.
Brian Goldsmith, LEED(r) AP
Brian:
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Let me tell you a suggestion which can be just as dangerous, but may make more sense.
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What I do is develop the initial building in the Schematic Wizard, go to the Design Development?Wizard to do the different floors and zoning of each, then to the Detailed Edit to complete the schedules and anything else.? NOW, hopefully you have SAVED at least the DD Wizard as a separate file. Make another copy (so the the original DD Wizard file?is saved), then create what ever floor or zoning changes you need.
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THEN, cut and paste this information into your newly recopied (remember, you are saving EVERYTHING) Detail Edit file (in the .INP file) and remove the old information.
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For at least the Spaces and the geometry, you will be OK. You now need to rename the Zones to link up with your Spaces. If you changed the Shell (Floor) sizing so that you may have a roof or a floor overhang you did not have before, you can usually "patch" that.
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This takes a bit of notation to keep straight, but at least your new spaces/zones will have some reasonableness, rather than trying to keep up with the ergonomics.
?John R. Aulbach, PE, CEM
Hi Brian,
John was quicker to the punch, but I got started writing this in short spurts here and there, and have come up with a detailed step-by-step suggesting something along the same lines. For the benefit of your own sanity, let?s just avoid touching Revit with a 39-1/2ft pole for the moment? =)
Going back to wizards is indeed the easiest way to handle a complete zone/shell/geometry rearrangement, but you don?t have to lose all your work. The following list looks daunting but it?s because I?m being more descriptive than I probably need to, so anyone digging in the archives can follow along in the future:
- Save a reference copy of your project somewhere for where you?re at right now.
- Save another copy in a ?scratch work? directory.
- In this ?scratch? copy, go back to wizards.
- Delete all shells except for the floor you need to re-do. Delete any systems that don?t apply directly or indirectly.
- Ensure that shell?s location is specified using XYZ coordinates (not ?top of..? or similar).
- Proceed to modify that shell only to match your new layout
- Wrap up the wizard-level shell work, (incl. any system/zone assignments you did last time around).
- Go through the associated shells/systems and assign a unique prefix to all components (I have a tutorial to look for in the archives illustrating this explicitly if you get lost)
- Go into detailed, save, close.
- Open your scratch directory, copy the .inp and rename it to ?IMPORT.inp? (see where we?re going with this?)
- Open your ?target? original file, right-click and delete the shell to be replaced. Comb through and be sure all its zones and associated systems are deleted as well. Keep a notepad handy and make a list of what you?re removing.
- Now open your IMPORT.inp, and delete everything except those items. You should be left with a ?partial? .inp that contains everything related to your 2nd floor. Check: every component should have a unique prefix in its name ? if not go back and resolve that. Save when done.
- In your ?target? file, click File ? import ? IMPORT.inp
- QC time: You?ll want to scan through and reassign all coils and similar to the original loops/plant equipment. Delete anything redundant in the waterside tab (it?ll be obvious). Also check that your space internals are assigned to the correct schedules.
- Save, close, open, and see if any BDL errors pop up ? this is a check on what you may have missed in reassigning stuff. If you get any, resolve the errors (watch what your BDL files says), rinse and repeat until the file can open and simulate cleanly.
- Proceed to perform any post-wizard detailed edits you may have done to that 2nd floor and any unique systems. Reference your ?reference? copy back at the first step as necessary to remember what you did, if needed.
~Nick
NICK CATON, P.E.