Ecodesigner - materials and customization

[Arcadia]

I am using and learning ecodesigner after having just taken delivery of it. My biggest frustration with it is that the materials catalogue does not seem to have much that matches the materials used in Australia or at least the names are different. Therefore its hard to know that what I am picking is the right type. Also allthough with windows I can just overwrite the U-value in the main "openings" tab (which is just as well as there is no option for single glazed windows in the materials catalogue) I don't have this option with the structures tab - ie I have to select the R-value calculator then assign materials to each of the skins in my walls. Lastly as far as I can tell I can't add in my own custom materials to the catalogue for materials that are not available in the list.

I can see the benefits of this software if only I can figure out how to get the accurate R or U values for the materials I am using.

Any help/tips/comments?

[Karl Ottenstein]

Hi,

I started to respond here, and realize that the answer is a big one, so wrote a Wiki article explaining how to customize EcoDesigner:

http://www.archicadwiki.com/EcoDesigner/EcoDesigner%20Customization

You're correct about the lack of single-glazed windows. I imagine they assumed that nobody would use single-glazing in an energy efficient building. The article that I wrote above shows you how to add new windows to the database if you know the properties for them.

Hope that helps,
Karl