EnergyPlus Tools
TDG is developing several support tools for EnergyPlus.
EnergyPlus Online Simulations: one set of tools is online and is imbedded in the EcoAdvisor set of online training modules on sustainable buildings. These tools can be used by anyone and require no special knowledge of EnergyPlus. For more detail, click here.
EnergyPlus Interface Support Tools: This is a set of stand-alone Windows-based tools intended to make the text-based use of EnergyPlus faster, easier, and more accurate. The tools assume that the user is somewhat familiarity with typical text-based interfaces for energy simulations. So far we have developed 2 proof-of-concept tools.
EzPlus-Parm: To download click here.
EzPlus-Parm is a standalone Windows tool intended primarily for EnergyPlus parametric analysis. It was designed primary to simplify the running of multiple parametric EnergyPlus simulations. EzPlus helps a user to organize and edit all needed files.
DrawEzPlus Version 1.1: To download click here.
This is a a 3-D geometry rendering tool that uses a series of OpenGL commands to generate displays of the 3-D geometry imbedded in an EnergyPlus file. The underlying text of the EnergyPlus file is also presented in a separate window within DrawEZPlus 1.1.
Version 1.1 is now available and allows the user to:
- Toggle between orthogonal and perspective views.
- toggle between line and surface (fill) presentation modes
- select to draw any mix of key building objects -- floor, walls, roof, windows, and attached and detached shading
The user can access the DrawEZPlus Control Panel from the menu bar by clicking: View > Draw E+ Control Panel. Buildings are presented first in orthogonal view. In surface (fill) presentation mode, hidden lines are automatically removed.
Plans for Version 1.2 include a permanent control panel at the left side of the DrawEZPlus window, much like the menu structure in EzPlus-Parm itself.
You may download and use these interface support tools at no cost.
Comments on the Interface Support Tools
We are not trying to develop a completely closed front end, like VisualDOE, PowerDOE or eQuest. Users of our interface support tools will still face text-based E+ input files and results files. In our experience, many DOE-2 users still do their primary input generation and file editing using the text-based DOE-2 input files, and should thus find it easy to make this type of transition to EnergyPlus. We suspect that users of our EnergyPlus support tools might include simulation consultants, simulation engineers, researchers, building physicists, and building industry professionals with reasonable energy analysis experience.
Possible Future Enhancements to EzPlus
We are currently exploring the possibility of adding several additional utilities intended to make EnergyPlus easier to use. Please check back in the near future.
Last updated on 20 November 2003
EcoAdvisor
Radiance Generation
Online Multimedia
EnergyPlus Tools
DOE-2 Param
