Does any one know whether or not eQuest BDL can be trascribed into
Energy Pro software? I ask because I don't want to duplicate the efforts
already exerted in eQuest to be able to model a VRF system in Energy Pro.
On that same note, is Energy Pro all that different than eQuest? (In
terms of the capabilities/inputs/interface/learning-curve/etc.)
Matthew Higgins, LEED AP
I looked into doing this a month ago or so. I didn't find a way for EnergyPro to read in BDL files.
My experience is that EnergyPro is really easy to use, as long as you keep track of your surface areas and spaces. That's simply because there's no 3D representation, so if you make a mistake with record-keeping, you won't see it right away. It's got copy/cut/paste for entire zones, and is built for Title 24 compliance (faster, more reliable, and better libraries than eQuest for this app).
But for overall capabilities, it is missing a share of the capabilities that eQuest offers, so in my case, I had to create an EnergyPro model for Title 24, and eQuest model for parametric analysis. Just as an example, I think in one case I couldn't put a VFD on a hot water pump.
-Eric
Send Bldg-sim mailing list submissions to
bldg-sim at lists.onebuilding.org
To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
http://lists.onebuilding.org/listinfo.cgi/bldg-sim-onebuilding.org
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
bldg-sim-request at lists.onebuilding.org
You can reach the person managing the list at
bldg-sim-owner at lists.onebuilding.org
When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of Bldg-sim digest..."
Today's Topics:
1. Energy Cost for Miscelleneous Equpiment Load (eric wang)
2. eQUEST Weather Data File (Routh Consulting Engineers)
3. Re: eQUEST Weather Data File (Aulbach, John)
4. Sources for Actual Weather Data (Jeff Buscher)
5. Re: Sources for Actual Weather Data (Howe, Timothy)
6. Sources for Actual Weather Data - Clarification (David S Eldridge)
7. eQuest to Energy Pro: VRF (Matthew Higgins)
8. DesignBuilder Workshop at SimBuild 2008 (Mahabir Bhandari)
9. Custom window layout duplication (Daniel Wilkerson)
10. Shell vs. Floor Multipliers (Daniel Wilkerson)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Sun, 6 Jul 2008 21:58:58 -0700 (PDT)
Matthew:
After Eric Shadd's comments, I suddenly realize you were asking about
EnergyPro, not Energy Plus.
I have also used Energy Pro to some extent, as well as eQuest for 3 - 4
years (and DOE-2 for 25 years).
EnergyPro is a DOE-2.1E based program, whereas eQuest is a DOE-2.2
engine. Slightly differently animals. DOE-2.1E has LOADS, SYSTEM, PLANT,
and ECONOMICS. DOE-2.2 has LOADS, HVAC, and ECONOMICS.
You cannot straight away go from 2.2 back to 2.1E. With GREAT
EXCRUCIATION, you could copy some of 2.1E to 2.2. But I advise against
it.
Energy Pro's main purpose in life (with a nod to it's co-creator and my
friend, Martyn Dodd) is to develop California Title-24 compliance. It
has the Title-24 fixed inputs for schedules, building types, and other
such parameters. You put in the Proposed Building you wish, and Energy
Pro will generate the Base Case building, and tell you how much better
(or worse) your proposed building is to Title-24.
eQuest has a similar "building the proposed, and we will build the base"
approach to California Title-24 compliance.
SOMEWHERE in the Nether world of Energy Pro lies the DOE-2.1E engine.
The RAW (DOS) version. You can probably extract the main 2.1E engine and
run whatever you wish. I am unsure as to what features can actually be
run under this version (primary/secondary pumping, possibly not).
But if you run eQuest, you can either run a California Compliance Run
(and an Oregon Energy Trust compliance with a special version), or you
can run your building with YOUR schedules, YOUR HVAC component EERs and
COPs, YOUR operating parameters, and YOUR utility rates. Anywhere in the
world you can get a TMY type weather year.
Plus features like Primary/secondary pumping, photovoltaic arrays, and
easily developed parametric Runs from the "front end" of eQuest. Other
than the CA compliance software, I am unaware that Energy Pro's raw DOE2
has a front end.
Hope this clarifies a bit more.
John R. Aulbach, PE, CEM