EcoDesigner Comments

[Anonymous]

Have been using this for about two weeks. Very impressed with speed of computation but would like to know what assumptions are built in to the function settings and also the assumed power and lighting consumptions. Some of the evaluation configurations give wildly inaccurate energy consumption figures when compared to real buildings. I am using this for several small community buildings so building and usage not complicated.

Also wonder whether altering 3d model has any effect upon solar shading given that you enter data on shading in drop down menus, Evaluations dont seem to relate to changes in roof overhangs etc. Anyone have any experience comments? This is a great design tool but be careful of the results.

[Anonymous]

laszlonagy wrote:

upintheclouds wrote:
The fact that ED doesn't calculate shading from the model is for me a big let down. Anyone wanting to do any serious "eco design" will be seriously handicapped especially if trying anything involving passive design ideas.

I have the impression that ED is in fact VIP Energy Lite and that in order to do a proper energy analysis one needs to buy a copy of VIP Energy.

As usual with Graphisoft, they don't communicate what their intentions are with ED, so we don't know if it a product that will continue to be developed to include shading, passive house design in the future. This is VERY frustrating!

As far as I remember GS has communicated here on this Forum that they intend to further develop EcoDesigner.
But normally software developers do not give promises as to what will be included in future releases.
This is the original thread about ED's release:
http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=28266

Here is where I summarize the info I got from GS about ED:
http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?p=146287#146287

Thank you very much for the info laszlonagy,

However....

I found your remark passed on from GS "Continuity of ED development: I was told that GS is fully committed to continue the ED product. As a first step free compatibility update of ED will be released parallel with AC13."

Is that it? Is that How GS comunicates its intention to develope a product? I spent a long time looking all over the GS site to see what they say about future developement and I found nothing. So far your quote is the only thing I can see. While I fully appreciate that GS cannot promise anything in case it doesnt work out, I am only looking to hear something about the direction in which the product will be taken. That way I can work out if ED is something that will develope along the lines that are useful to my particular needs or if I need to find something else before investing too much time and money.

[Laszlo Nagy]

My private opinion:

As an ArchiCAD user in general, I would make my decision based on what is available now and would not make any assumptions about future features.

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I'm trying to determine the energy demand from heating and cooling a residential building only. I have a few questions relating to this.

1.) I have gone into the xml file for InternalUsages and created a new category where the hot water feature is at 0 so that energy consumption is neglected. Are there any other options that I should consider turning off?

2.) I'm wondering whether EcoDesigner is outputting heating and cooling demand or actual energy consumption for heating and cooling the building. If it is the latter, where can we see or mess with the assumptions for the HVAC system efficiency? Or is it just assuming 100% efficiency?

Thanks!

[Andy Thomson]

but it would require that someone from GS or StruSoft explain the thermal bridge coefficient very precisely I think?

Karl - my best guess is that this is just a reduction coefficient for framing members. In the old days, we used to use percentages to adjust for framing vs. insulation values. That's what most analysis software does, when you select 16" or 24" framing - it is just adjusting that coefficient - it isn't really modelling heatflow through actual wood - unless you are using something far out like TRYNSYS, etc. So R22 Roxul is really more like R18 at the end of the day... bust a simple page of 'assumptions' like this would make it much clearer to the user.