Wiki for eQuest?

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I?ve been using eQuest for over two years now and I still run into frequent
dead-ends. The program is flexible but often inscrutable. Searching the
mailing list archives only gets you so far.

I?ve thought about starting up a wiki for eQuest. It?s easy enough to start
a new page at Wikipedia. I?m curious what folks here think of the idea.

1) Do you see a need for an eQuest wiki? (Definition for wki: A website or
similar online resource which allows users to add and edit content
collectively.)
2) Would you add your knowledge to an eQuest wiki?
3) Would you use an eQuest wiki?
4) Is there a resource for eQuest advice that I?ve overlooked? (I?ve taken
one of the University of Wisconsin training courses, and I have all the DOE2
published dictionaries and PDF?s.)

Steve Samenski, PE, LEED AP

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1. Wiki for equest is a fantastic idea
2. I would def. Contribute
3. Yes I will use it extensively
4. As far as I know equest resources on the web is not great.
Thanks for the initiative.
Prem

Sent from my iPhone

Premnath Sundharam
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A few comments on eQuest..

1) The program is a bit like the card game bridge. You can play it straight, or you can play by the seat of your pants. I choose the latter.

2) Don't expect eQuest to stir you a martini, fetch your morning paper, or be your slave. It works for 80% of whatever energy dynamics you need. Not 100%. Unless you are seeking a post doctoral thesis. Then try another program.

3) We ALL have hit dead ends. The biggest nemesis seems to be USGBC. But then they seem to LOVE eQuest, as most of the assumption are easily found in the eQuest front end. Sure beats the DOE-2.1A days when we were unsure what SS-A was vs. SS-B. Explanations are much clearer now (even if we don't believe the results).

4) If you want total honesty, Submeter the HELL out of an existing building for 6 months. THEN you will have ALL your answers. But WHO has the BUDGET or the TIME?

Sir, keep asking your questions to BLDG-SIM. Just don't say "I am new to eQuest and I need to model the Taj Mahal to LEED Platinum, and I have a day to do it. Can you help?"

Not unless you pay some of these EXCELLENT modelers for their time. Amazingly, most of us ACTUALLY work, and our bosses expect us to concentrate on THEIR needs. As we can answer, we do. But some of these questions TAKE TIME, which occassionally we do not have.

So please hang in there..

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John ? thanks for your comments. I see your messages on here a lot and
you?re clearly someone who knows the program, so I value your viewpoint. If
I get the wiki up and running (have had a few positive responses so far) I
hope you?ll stop by to add the line about the martini. (I like mine shaken
with ice.)

I see increased interest in energy modeling services. In my area it?s being
driven by LEED. Many engineers find their way to eQuest (possibly because
it?s free) and it seems that the skills that make the best design engineers
don?t always make the best energy modelers. I review the energy model
templates uploaded for projects on which we consult and I see the same
problems and frustrations from the design community. I?d like to make it a
little bit easier for people to get good results out of eQuest. Managing
the expectations of users would go a long way toward reducing frustration.

Some actors in the industry are ramping up to support modeling. ASHRAE
seems to have recognized the need: I recently sat for the BEMP exam at the
winter conference. (It was tough!) Other actors. . .not so much. I
checked with the software vendors at the conference and best I can tell no
one is trying to develop THE standard software for Appendix G energy
modeling. (AutoDesk would be a natural here, but they seem to be focused on
Revit. Anything they develop would be an adjunct to that.)

So that?s why I thought about the wiki. If I had had a resource like that
when I first downloaded eQuest, I would have known what I was getting in to.

Steve Samenski, PE, LEED AP

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I have been thinking about creating a Wiki for each of the
simulation mailing lists on onebuilding.org, including
eQUEST-users, for about a year. I think it would be a great
place for a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). If you are
interested in contributing to a eQUEST related Wiki, please
email me and let me know. If enough people are, I will set
it up on onebuilding.org.

Jason

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ENTHUSIASTICALLY YES!

I have some concern that an eQuest wiki on Wikipedia wouldn't be a good fit
for what Wikipedia is trying to do.

Steve Samenski, PE, LEED AP

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I would be very interested in an eQuest Wiki and would contribute.
This is a great idea.

I think this could be a more efficient means of communicating how to
do common things with the program. I like the idea of being able to
tie in screen shots to better communicate how to do certain things.

Regards,

James A. Hess, PE, CEM

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Eric Johnson's picture
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Thanks Eric / Jason. I've signed up and I'll start playing with it.

Steve Samenski, PE, LEED AP

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