Is there a Way to Convert eQuest output files to EnergyPlus input files and vice-versa?

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Everyone, it occurs to me that we all could have the best of both worlds
if we could start our projects in eQuest, move them over to EnergyPlus
if we have complicated HVAC features, and then maybe move the EnergyPlus
results back into eQuest for print-out and examination? Now that I think
about it, only the first part probably needs to happen if EnergyPlus has
energy consumption graphic outputs similar to eQuest? Has anybody ever
tried this? It seems a simple solution so I am sure there is something
wrong with it.

Kathryn Kerns

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Wouldn't that be nice..

I may be able to have it coded up, but would need funding.

CleanTech Analytics's picture
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CleanTech Analytics's picture
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Huh. Good for you. What prompted you to start down this path and why did you stop? So you built a Fortran program that mostly converted the eQuest geometry files to an input file that EnergyPlus would understand? I wonder if it is similar to the free Google Sketch-up Legacy Add-in I read about.

Does anybody know if the free Google Sketch-up Legacy Add-in can somehow import eQuest files to EnergyPlus files kind of like Jason's program?

Kathryn Kerns

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Thanks Jason,
The geometry would be nice, but the full model with HVAC and the rest would
be even better.

Kathrin, ---No it can not...

eQuest to Energy Plus would be in the best interest of the Energy Plus
team, and all eQuest & Energy Plus users.
Since Jeff Hirsch developed the 2OE2 code with USDOE funds, then privatised
it, and now the USDOE funds Energy Plus, could there be money from the
USDOE to pay Gard Analytics to create a fully functional conversion tool?
Jason- you are the foremost expert, so could you look into it?

Thanks

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Karhryn

When EnergyPlus was first being developed, we assumed that
many people using DOE-2.1e (the predecessor to eQUEST) would
want to convert their existing files so I was funded to
develop a translator. I do not believe it was used much so
we stopped updating it. It is not a graphical program like
Sketch-up but something used on a DOS command line. If you
or someone else has an interest in updating the source code
so that it supports the latest version of EnergyPlus and
eQUEST, please let me know.

Jason

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Jason,
Yes please do !

Thank you

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Shouldn't the question be ? When will these programs be able to import/export XML?

Kevin

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I agree with you Kevin, that is the question. Currently, OpenStudio can import gbXML files to create EnergyPlus models. If the software could be expanded to export gbXML we would be living in a different world. Even if the tool only did geometry for the time being.

Neil Bulger

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