eQuest multi-level spaces

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Hello all,

I am modeling a four floor building in which there are many multi-level
spaces. Each floor of the building has a different footprint and I have
created a shell for each. Some of the multi-level spaces are two floors
high, some three, and some four. The lowest level may start at the 1st,
2nd, or 3rd floor. When I create a multi-level space with the 1st floor
as the lowest level things work fine, the 3-D geometry shows up as it
should. When I create a similar space in which the lowest floor is not
the 1st floor then the roof and walls do not go up to the top level of
the space.

I am working in the wizard and using the zone characteristics button
(wizard screen 2 of 25 of the shell component) to modify the thermal
zones. In the first instance (when the geometry works well), I am given
the opportunity to input the conditioned height. In the second (things
don't work well), the conditioned height input box does not appear.

Can this be fixed within the wizard or do I have to fix it in detailed
mode? If this were just one space I wouldn't bother to ask. But it is
many, many spaces.

Sincerely,

Daniel T. O'Carroll, EI

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Daniel,

The way I have always done this is by making that specific zone the same
up through all the shells, so if there was a 3 story atrium the "atrium
zone" on the lowest floor would define the height of the atrium, the
"atrium zone" in the second and third shells I would specify open to
below. I am not completely certain that this is the correct way of
doing this, does anyone know if this is the best way to model multi
story spaces?

Franc J. Sever

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Franc,

Thanks for the reply. I have done exactly what you are suggesting and
it works for me if the lowest level of the multi-level space corresponds
to the lowest shell. However, if the lowest level of the multi-level
space does not correspond to the lowest shell then it does not work for
me.

Have you had success using this feature when the multi-level space does
not sit on the ground floor?

Thanks,

Dan

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I am in need of some help and guidance on using E-Quest to qualify for
LEED credits. I am working on a California project with water source
heat pumps, that was initially analyzed using Energy Pro and showed
barely passing Title-24 requirements. The majority of high usage was
in the cooling tower fans, which appeared to be modeled as running
whenever a cooling load was present. We were then asked to try for
LEED certification and knowing that the Energy Pro run was barely
passing, we needed a better modeling tool and probably a more efficient
system. In order to model this better, we decided to use E-Quest so we
could put individual cooling tower cells into the model and also use
some add-ons provided by Climate Master for their higher efficiency
units . The first run of E-Quest failed to pass the Title-24
requirements.

I admit to being inexperienced on E-Quest, but I did read everything I
could find and followed every guidance I could find, but I could fine
nothing about using E-Quest to compare with ASHRAE 90.1 (which I believe
is an option for LEED certification). I also believe that when the
Title-24 compliance run is done, some default values are used that may
make our project seem less efficient, so I am trying to work around that
as well.

I would appreciate hearing any ideas that anyone has, but I would most
appreciate finding some written guidance regarding using E-Quest to
qualify for LEED certification. Alternatively, any written guidance
that is available regarding using E-Quest for comparison with ASHRAE
90.1 (which I do believe would allow for LEED certification) would be
helpful. I have found nothing on these topics in any of the published
E-Quest documentation that I have found. One guide says that comparison
with 90.1 is "planned for the future" but that is about it. That guide
was published in 2003, so I hope that we are in the future, but I do not
know for sure.

Lastly, if anyone has any written or anecdotal guidance regarding using
E-Quest to show compliance with Title-24, I'd really like to see that
too. Is there something that prevents E-Quest from using the actual
model set (not the defaults) that can be defeated to show compliance?
Again, I am not asking for somebody to show me how to do it, just for
somebody to show me an FAQ or a publication of some sort that I can use
in this situation.

Lastly, if I fail to figure this out, if there is someone who would be
willing to work as a consultant on the project, please contact me
off-list at 916 966 9060 or via robert at wichert.org . E-Mail is probably
best.

Thanks for your time in reading this and for any advice that you might
provide.

Sincerely,

Robert Wichert, P. Eng

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Robert,

You are correct in that presently eQuest does not have a built-in 90.1
compliance module. You will have to create two buildings using Appendix
G (Performance Rating Method) as a guide: one will be the ASHRAE
reference building, and the other will be your actual design, which has
to comply with the mandatory provisions of 90.1 (sections 5.4, 6.4, 7.4,
8.4, 9.4 and 1.4).

Personally I can't wait for the compliance module.

Hope that helps.

Luka Matutinovic, B.A.Sc., LEED AP

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You can check the .CAL file to find _some_ information on why the building didn't pass T24. Check for spaces that are outside the throttling range in the SIM files. Verify that your constructions in the compliance section are from the Joint Appendices.

Also, if you brought the model into eQuest by opening the INP and making a new eQuest PD2 file, verify that the weather file is correct.

-Eric

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