Modeling
About Archicad's design tools, element connections, modeling concepts, etc.

HVAC calculations

Anonymous
Not applicable
Is there a function of AC that allows the user to calculate the loads for an HVAC unit and figure the tonage needed for the AC unit to carry? Also i need this function to be capable of defining this information due to the direction of the house (N,S,E,W, etc.). Is this poosible and if not is there an ADD-On for AC that will do this?
9 REPLIES 9
Aaron Bourgoin
Virtuoso
see IESVE.com
Think Like a Spec Writer
AC4.55 through 27 / USA AC27-6000 USA
Rhino 8 Mac
MacOS 14.6.1
Anonymous
Not applicable
Does this directly integrate with AC?
Aaron Bourgoin
Virtuoso
At present IESve has its own modeler and can read data from a gbXML file.

Request a demo from the IESve site or call the office in Cambridge, Mass. On closer examination, the modeling done for IESve and the process of design and analysis may have you doing more of the preliminary work in the IESve model - it will be used for doing simulation, but not the kind of simulation done in most of the North American DOE based simulators which are so cumbersome that you use them to test ideas that approximate a final design because the input steps are so onerous.

Remember that ArchiCAD and even Revit are design and documentation tools. They can serve as tools to visually assess design ideas, but not much more. Once decisions are made, they are well suited to articulate the details and to coordinate the integration of the assemblies.

IESve is much more a design lab - try ideas, weigh constraints and establish which are the most important to the design. Better yet, its a design lab that brings the whole design team together in an age when we have to stop thinking that a good mechanical system is necessarily one that fits inside the architect's beautiful box. IESve is a view to the next generation of BIM tools and a tool for the currently emerging trend toward integrated design.

Tools for the preliminaries in the BIM process - at least as far as North America is concerned - are only now starting to emerge. Glasgow's IESve is one, Houston's Trelligence Affinity which does functional programming and space planning is another.

Keep looking up!
Think Like a Spec Writer
AC4.55 through 27 / USA AC27-6000 USA
Rhino 8 Mac
MacOS 14.6.1
Anonymous
Not applicable
Is there a piece of software out there that codes can be entered into and it can check what size AC/Heat Pump unit is needed. This is the actual number I am needing. We have a situation where there is a controversy over whether a unit is large enough for a residence that was designed and built. Now we are paying fee's and having third party sub contractors come in and we would like to be able to fill in the blanks from now on before all the erruption starts. It is usually up the the sub to figure this info but we are trying to cover our A**. So is there anything out there that will pull info from AC to help out in this area if concern?
Aaron Bourgoin
Virtuoso
its handheld and its called a ductulator....

All the major vendors - Trane, Carrier, etc. offer this sort of product. It's tied to their product.

The ductulator is probably still in use and could likely be obtained as well. Your mechanical engineer might be reluctant to part with hers though....

Think Like a Spec Writer
AC4.55 through 27 / USA AC27-6000 USA
Rhino 8 Mac
MacOS 14.6.1
Anonymous
Not applicable
generally speaking, 1 ton of a/c for every 400 sq. ft of conditioned space.

A 5,000 sq. ft house would need roughly 12.5 tons, round up to 15 tons or (3) 5 ton units and for planning purposes this should work fine.

Grant
Anonymous
Not applicable
Our gbXML add-on, available for free to registered users of the GBS web service, enables you to use any load tool that imports gbXML. All the leading load tools (HAP, TRACE 700, Carmel software, Cymap, etc. see www.gbxml.org for current list) support gbXML import.

John
jcude wrote:
Is there a function of AC that allows the user to calculate the loads for an HVAC unit and figure the tonage needed for the AC unit to carry? Also i need this function to be capable of defining this information due to the direction of the house (N,S,E,W, etc.). Is this poosible and if not is there an ADD-On for AC that will do this?
Aaron wrote:
its handheld and its called a ductulator....
The Ductulator (and I'm looking at one as I type this) only gives you a duct size based on air flow requirements. No system sizing.
Richard
--------------------------
Richard Morrison, Architect-Interior Designer
AC26 (since AC6.0), Win10
Anonymous
Not applicable
Sounds like you're looking for software that can run a Manual J calculation for you. I know there's software for it (prolly not on a MAC), mechanical contractors use it, and that I have no idea if it can use ArchiCAD model data.

Try a google search for "Manual J calculation software" and you'll probably get a few hits.