DesignBuilder Software

🔧 Modelling AHU’s with Precision in DesignBuilder Air handling units (AHUs) are composite assemblies that typically include fans, heating and cooling coils, humidifiers, and outdoor air systems. There are a range of AHU types available in DesignBuilder to accommodate the many design choices available. The ‘autosize’ option in DesignBuilder enables you to determine the AHU design specifications based on user-defined inputs and design weather conditions. Here are the main AHU components, and links to relevant articles are provided in the comments below: 🔹Fans: Constant or Variable Air Volume, with part-load fan performance curves, and autosized design flow rates. 🔹Heating and Cooling Coils: Choose from Water, Direct Expansion, Electric or combustible fuel sources and view coil sizing data directly from EnergyPlus outputs. 🔹Humidification: Add an electric steam Humidifier or use a Cooling Coil for dehumidification. 🔹Outdoor Air Systems: This sub-system controls and manages recirculation, the mixing of return and outdoor air, demand-controlled ventilation, and economiser operation for free cooling. It also providing optional pre-cooling, pre-heating, and a range of heat recovery devices. 🔹Setpoint Managers: Control the supply air temperature and humidity ratio using Setpoint Managers. More guidance on modelling AHUs as part of air loops in DesignBuilder can be found in our free tutorials or on-demand training. Links to these, and other useful resources are provided in the comments below. #BuildingSimulation #HVAC #DesignBuilder #EnergyModelling

🔄 Top Tip: Fast and Flexible Demand Controlled Ventilation Modelling  Demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) is an energy-saving strategy that adjusts outdoor air volumes to meet occupancy demands in variable-occupancy spaces such as classrooms, theatres, conference rooms, and lobbies. DCV saves energy through reduced fan operation and less heating/cooling of excess fresh air during periods of lower occupancy. DesignBuilder’s DCV tools have been improved in v7.3 to provide simpler controls and more flexible options for managing minimum fresh air flow based on inside CO2 levels. To showcase this, we have prepared step-by-step examples with two common types of Indoor Air Quality Procedure (IAQP) systems: 🔹AHU IAQP, where the amount of fresh air supplied to zones is controlled by varying the recirculation within the AHU. 🔹Zone IAQP, a common approach for 100% fresh air units with outdoor air supplied from an AHU, with no recirculation, and the supply air flow rates are controlled within the zone terminal units. You can find more detailed information and our step-by-step tutorial in our help article. The link is provided in the comments below. #DesignBuilder #HVAC #BuildingPerformance #Simulation       

⬅️ Drag Face Tutorial for Learning Easy Block Modifications   DesignBuilder is widely regarded as having the best geometry creation and editing capabilities of all the mainstream building performance and certification simulation software. Several of our free tutorials show you how to use these tools in short, easily digestible videos.   Our “Stretch, drag face and rotate tools” tutorial shows you how to use the ‘Drag Face’ geometry editing tool effectively, to quickly edit block topology by dragging, pushing or pulling an entire surface outward or inward.   The tutorial can be accessed on our website: Training > Tutorials > # 107 or see the comments below for links. We will explore the 'Add surface' tool in a future post. It is similar to the 'Drag Face' tool, but allows you to modify parts of surfaces for greater modelling flexibility.   #DesignBuilder #Geometry #Learning

💡Sharpen Up Your DesignBuilder Skills Our free "Get Started" tutorials provide a strong foundation for DesignBuilder beginners to learn the software, while offering more experienced modellers an easy way to refresh their knowledge of the core features, including recent improvements. Delivered in short, focused sessions, they are designed to help you quickly learn the essentials of specific topics and tools. For the best learning experience, follow along in DesignBuilder by pausing the videos and actively practising anything that is new to you. Since DesignBuilder is so rich in features, occasionally revisiting the fundamentals covered in tutorials helps keep your skills fresh and can reveal new tools and capabilities, even for seasoned users! You can find a link to our tutorials page, covering key topics across the wide range of DesignBuilder's market-leading functionality, in the comments below. After mastering the basics by working through the Tutorials, you can dive deeper into simulation details and gain insights from our experienced support engineers by accessing free detailed Help articles, or enrolling in our cost-effective On-Demand Training for pro tips and advanced examples. #DesignBuilder #Tutorials #Training #LearningResources

📢 Free Webinar: Streamline Your ASHRAE 90.1 and LEED Workflow Register here: https://lnkd.in/dxEchwZy (Wed, Nov 20th, 2024)   DesignBuilder is a leading building performance simulation tool for ASHRAE 90.1 / LEED energy modelling. This free webinar will demonstrate DesignBuilder’s industry-leading workflow automation in a live session, showing why it is the preferred choice for efficient and accurate compliance modelling.   DesignBuilder's LEED module provides access to ASHRAE 90.1 Appendix G PRM modelling inputs, plus baseline HVAC systems preconfigured for use. DesignBuilder streamlines LEED documentation by extracting key data directly from your model and automatically generating pre-populated MEPC spreadsheets for v4/v4.1. This saves you significant time and reduces the risk of input errors. Our latest LEED daylighting tools generate reports detailing eligibility for LEED Option 1& 2 credits, including Spatial Daylight Autonomy (sDA) and Annual Sunlight Exposure (ASE) performance results. You can also rapidly generate LEED Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) credits by linking directly to One Click LCA from your DesignBuilder model.   Using a typical office building as an example, the webinar will cover: 🔹ASHRAE 90.1 and LEED modelling workflow (energy, daylight, carbon) 🔹Proposed building configuration and simulation 🔹Automated baseline building generation 🔹Guided setup and adjustment of preconfigured baseline HVAC systems 🔹Automated simulation of four rotated baseline buildings with results averaging 🔹Comparison of proposed and baseline building simulation results for energy and cost 🔹Automated MEPC spreadsheet generation for LEED submission 🔹LEED daylighting credit calculation options (sDA, ASE, illuminance) and reporting 🔹Embodied carbon calculations and One Click LCA integration for LEED LCA credits   This webinar will illustrate why DesignBuilder’s industry-leading automation makes it the go-to tool for LEED modelling. With real-time modelling and analysis, we don’t believe you could do what we do, live in this webinar, in the same timescales with any other software! 🗓️ You can register here: https://lnkd.in/dxEchwZy to attend the live webinar on Wednesday, November 20th, or to receive a recording after the event. #DesignBuilder #Webinar #LEED #ASHRAE

⚙️ Follow the Simulation Setup Tutorial to Enhance Modelling Efficiency The 'Setting up Simulations' tutorial guides you through optimising your simulation setup parameters for maximum effectiveness. Learn the basics behind trading simulation time with accuracy, while avoiding unnecessary calculations and streamlining your data reporting. This should help you save valuable time and deliver the reliable results you need. The tutorial explains how adjust your simulation settings, including: 🔹setting the simulation period 🔹choosing output intervals from monthly down to sub-hourly 🔹refining time steps for accuracy (typically 4-6) 🔹configuring temperature control (normally air vs operative temperature) 🔹adjusting solar calculations including reflection, shadowing, and distribution 🔹advanced calculation options 🔹select which outputs to report (use only what you need) These settings and more, are shown and discussed in the ‘Setting up Simulations’ tutorial available on our website: Training > Tutorials > # 304 or from the links provided in the comments below. #DesignBuilder #BuildingSimulation #Tutorial #Learn

🔊 Free Webinar: Streamline Your ASHRAE 90.1 and LEED Workflow Register here: https://lnkd.in/dxEchwZy (Wed, Nov 20th, 2024)   The upcoming webinar will demonstrate our high-productivity workflow automation in a live session so you can see for yourself why it is the preferred choice for efficient and accurate LEED modelling. We will show you how DesignBuilder's ASHRAE 90.1 and LEED tools simplify the building certification process by automating key workflow steps. After you set up your proposed building model, the software automatically creates the baseline model and guides you in selecting pre-configured ASHRAE 90.1 baseline HVAC systems tailored to your project.   DesignBuilder also streamlines your LEED documentation by extracting key data directly from your model and automatically generating pre-populated MEPC spreadsheets for LEED v4/v4.1. This saves you significant time and reduces the risk of input errors. You can ⬇️download our MEPC User Guide for best-practice guidance on DesignBuilder's LEED v4/4.1 MEPC reporting tool.   In addition to demonstrating the automation features for MEPC reporting, baseline building and HVAC systems, the webinar will introduce the LEED daylighting and LEED LCA workflows using DesignBuilder.   🗓️ Register here https://lnkd.in/dxEchwZy to attend the live webinar or to receive a recording after the event. #DesignBuilder #BuildingPerformance #LEED #ASHRAE #Webinar #Reporting

👏 CIBSE Building Simulation Award Finalists 2024 DesignBuilder are once again delighted to be sponsoring this year’s CIBSE Building Simulation Awards. Congratulations to this year's finalists, which include Divyanshu Sood and James O'Donnell from University College Dublin. Being shortlisted for this award is particularly impressive given Divyanshu was recognised as the CIBSE Young Modeller of 2023.   A special thanks to the CIBSE Building Simulation Group for promoting innovation in our industry. Best of luck to all finalists!   See the comments below for links.   #BuildingSimulation #CIBSE #Build2Perform #DesignBuilder #Sustainability #BuildingPerformance

DesignBuilder is pleased to have supported Inform Design's facade optimisation workflow, now shortlisted for the SFE 2024 Awards Digital Innovation category 🏢✨ Best of luck to all involved!

📢 Free Webinar: Streamline Your ASHRAE 90.1 and LEED Workflow Register here: https://lnkd.in/dxEchwZy (Wed, Nov 20th, 2024)   DesignBuilder's LEED module provides access to ASHRAE 90.1 Appendix G PRM modelling inputs, plus baseline HVAC systems preconfigured for use. The baseline building and HVAC systems can be easily updated as your design evolves. DesignBuilder streamlines LEED documentation by extracting key data directly from your model and automatically generating pre-populated MEPC spreadsheets for LEED v4/v4.1. This saves you significant time and reduces the risk of input errors in your LEED submission. Our latest LEED daylighting tools generate reports detailing eligibility for LEED Option 1 & 2 credits, including Spatial Daylight Autonomy (sDA) and Annual Sunlight Exposure (ASE) performance results. You can also rapidly generate LEED Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) credits by linking directly to One Click LCA from your DesignBuilder model. Our webinar will showcase these features, demonstrating why DesignBuilder, with its industry-leading automated baseline building and HVAC system generation, is the go-to tool for LEED modelling. With real-time modelling and analysis, we don’t believe you could do what we will do, live in this webinar, in the same timescales with any other software! 🗓️ Register here: https://lnkd.in/dxEchwZy to attend the live webinar on Wednesday, November 20th, or to receive a recording after the event. #DesignBuilder #LEED #ASHRAE #Webinar