EnergyPlus interoperability

[Anonymous]

EnergyPlus is an energy analysis program that we use for green building design.

We have read on their website that "Graphisoft is developing a direct link to EnergyPlus", back in 2008. True or hype ? If true, does someone know wheter there is real progress in that direction.

We used to play with Ecotect to get the data into E+ (ArchiCAD -> gbXML + 3DS export -> import in Ecotect -> fill in missing data -> export to E+), but the latest Ecotect version is still 3 relases away from the current E+.

IFC was used in the past, through BSPro and a custom client module between it and E+ with success, but BSPro currently seems not to deliver anymore.

Did anyone investigate this issue ? Does someone from the Graphisoft team knows about add-ons or interoperability solutions ?

I guess this issue will becomme hotter everyday since a lot of engineers start to trust E+ and want to incorporate it into their BIM process.

Thanks for your reply and/or ideas

[Anonymous]

After a quick chat with the EnergyPlus developers, it appears that two tracks are open:
- a new IFC conversion program, using a new version of the BSPro middleware as in the past, and
- a promised direct link from Graphisoft, called GST (Geometry Simplification Tool) is supposed to be in development.

Can someone from marketing or development provide more information about this development: is it still in the pipeline ? Any (informal) release date ?

Thanks in advance ...

[Ralph Wessel]

Serge wrote:
Did anyone investigate this issue ? Does someone from the Graphisoft team knows about add-ons or interoperability solutions ?

I guess this issue will becomme hotter everyday since a lot of engineers start to trust E+ and want to incorporate it into their BIM process.

Thanks for your reply and/or ideas

Take a look at DesignBuilder. This is able to import gbXML, run simulations with EnergyPlus, and export IDF input files.