Dab 330 Ecotect-tutorial s12010

DAB330: Thermal Analysis Semester 01 - 2010

The aim of this exercise is to help you learn, understand and analysis the issues of sun paths and thermal analysis, while exposing you to the Autodesk Ecotect Analysis 2010 software. The sun paths exercises will explore the implications of location and time of year on sunlight and shadows.

The thermal analysis exercises will explore the implications of alternative roofing materials on thermal performance of a small structure and also conduct a series of analysis to determine the thermal balance equation for the same building at a particular day of the year.

If you would like to get a copy of Autodesk Ecotect Analysis 2010, you can download a copy from the Autodesk Architecture and Design Education Community Web site.

http://students.autodesk.com/

Once you sign-up with your QUT email address you will be able to download and register a range of different Autodesk applications. You also have access to a series of Autodesk Ecotect training packages, which can help you learn Ecotect.

The training packages contain demonstrations, movies, power points lectures and example models. (Modified versions of these model files have been used for these tutorial exercises.) If you are interested in really learning how to use Ecotect, then the Autodesk Ecotect Training Packages are essential.

Due to time constraints we will only be scratching the surface of Ecotect’s capabilities in the tutorial.

DE40 BachElor of DEsign (architEctural stuDiEs)school of DEsign

QuEEnslanD univErsity of tEchnology

DaB 330 intEgratED tEchnologiEs 1 sEMEstEr 1 2009

aiM:

DownloaDing EcotEct:

figurE 1. autoDEsk - architEcturE & DEsign - EDucation coMMunity wEB sitE

figurE 2. autoDEsk - architEcturE & DEsign - EDucation coMMunity wEB sitE

http://students.autodesk.com/


thE EcotEct usEr intErfacE

STEP ONE: Please download the DAB330_MODEL_01.eco Ecotect file from Blackboard as instructed by you tutor, or from the following external link; (933kb)

http://education.heise.com.au/DAB330/ECOTECT/DAB330_MODEL_01.eco

The Ecotect user interface consists of four main areas, the ‘menu and tool bar’, the ‘control panel’, the ‘pages tab’ and the ‘working panel’.

Menu and Tool bar -Located at the top of the screen, the Menu and Tool bar is where you will control many of the command in Ecotect. Of particular important to our tutorial is that the date and time control is located on this menu bar.

Control Panel-Located on the right hand side of the screen, the control panel is where you will control many different aspects of the model. The control panel is how you would, select new model components to create, adjust the materials used in the model and manipulate the view of the model.

Pages Tabs -Located on the left side of the screen, the pages tabs are used to switch between the different pages which appear in the ‘working panel’ of the user interface. Several different pages can be selected, ‘project’, ‘3d editor’, ‘visualise’ ‘analysis’ and ‘report’, for the purpose of our tutorial we will mainly be using the ‘project’, ‘visualise’ and ‘analysis’ pages.

Working Panel -The working panel display the contents of the selected page. Notice the saved view tabs located at the bottom of the panel.

PAGES TABS MENU AND TOOL BAR

figurE 3. EcotEct usEr intErfacE - thE visualisE pagE

CONTROL PANEL

WORKING PANEL



Project Page - The ‘project page’ allows you to store information about the project itself. This is also where you set the location, by choosing a weather file and the solar orientation (North point). The terrain type can be set to control the local environmental effects as can the height above sea level.

3D Editor -The 3D Editor is where you would build a model as a 3D shell. The amount of detail used should be appropriate for the current stage in the design process. At early stages you may just model the spaces in the building as aggregated zones. For a house this may just consist of the living and sleeping zones. Within Ecotect there is normally also a roof zone and there is always an outside zone. Due to time constraints you are not be expected to do any model creation or editing.

figurE 4. thE ‘projEct’ pagE.

‘PROJECT PAGE’

CHANGE THE LOCATION

CHANGE WEATHER FILE

figurE 5. a vEry coMplEx MoDEl shown in thE 3D EDitor

‘3D EDITOR PAGE’


figurE 6. thE analysis pagE - with no analysis.

figurE 7. Moving thE sun along its path, in thE visualisE pagE.

Analysis Page -The Analysis page allows you to select the various types of analysis and the parameters within the selected analysis. We will only be considering Thermal Analysis.

OPTIONAL HOMEWORK: Please download the DEMO002.ppsx power point file for a more detailed explanation of the Ecotect user interface from the following external link; (2374kb)

Download the DEM002.ppsx Powerpoint file here.

STEP TWO -Switch to the “Visualise” tab and then select the “Shadow Settings” tab on the control console, check the “Daily Sun Path” box. Make sure the “Display Shadows” button is on. Click and hold the left mouse button on the sun and move it around its sun path. Notice how the time of day changes when you move the sun along the sun path. Press and hold the shift key to move the sun path to different days and months.

thE sun paths anD location ExErcisE

‘ANALYSIS PAGE’

CONTROL THE ANALYSIS AND THE TEXT INFORMATION

THE DIFFERENT ANALYSIS WHICH ECOTECT CAN COMPUTE

http://education.heise.com.au/DAB330/ECOTECT/DEMO002.ppsx


QUESTION ONE:What effect does changing the day to winter have on the shadows cast on the building? Watch the effect on walls and also through windows onto the floor. Enter the information below:

STEP THREE -Select the ‘PlanSectionShadow’ saved view in the ‘Working Panel’ then check the ‘Daily Sun Path‘ box, you should now be able to the lights entering the building much clearer.

STEP FOUR -We are now going to compare the path of the sun on the hottest and coldest days of the year. Select the ‘Analysis Page’, select the ‘Search Data For’ button and select the ‘Coldest Day (Average)’ and notice how Ecotect automatically changed the date. Record the sun position and the light amount of light entering the building at morning, midday and afternoon. (Export an image or screenshot.)

figurE 8. Moving thE sun along its path, in thE visualisE pagE.

figurE 9. finDing thE colDEst Day (avEragE) figurE 10. thE changing DatE

STEP FIVE -Repeat the same process, but for the ‘Hottest Day (Average)’ and make sure you record the information for the same time as previously.


STEP SIX -We are now going to repeat the exercise, but move our model to Melbourne. Change to the ‘Project’ page and double click on the weather file. This should open up a dialogue box in which you can select the Melbourne weather file. When prompted to update the global position, click ‘yes’.

STEP SEVEN -Complete the ‘Coldest Day (Average) Sun path analysis for the Melbourne location. Record the information as previously.

STEP EIGHT -Complete the ‘Hottest Day (Average) Sun path analysis for the Melbourne location. Record the information as previously.

figurE 11. changing thE wEathEr filE - Moving to MElBournE

QUESTION TWO:What effect does changing the local to Melbourne have on the path of the sun? What are the differences during the different times of year? Enter the information below:


thErMal analysis

STEP NINE: Please download the DAB330_MODEL_02.eco Ecotect file from Blackboard as instructed by you tutor, or from the following external link; (142kb)

Download the DAB330_MODEL_02.eco FILE HERE.

STEP TEN -Go to the “Project” tab and check that “North Offset” is set to -180.

Go to the “Analysis” tab, set the day back to “Hottest Day (Average)” and set the “Thermal Calculation” to “Hourly Temperature Profile”. Set the “Highlight Zone” to “LivingRoom”.

Hit the “Calculate” button. The line for the “LivingRoom” zone will be drawn in the same colour as in the 3D Editor tab. Make sure you record the ‘Average Temperature’ for the LivingRoom Zone, which you can find in the Analysis text report box at the bottom of the screen. Copy and paste the ‘Hour Temperature Profile’ numbers into an excel spreadsheet, and record the model name and orientation. Don’t forget to save your excel file!

figurE 12. north offsEt

figurE 13. your first thErMal analysis!

figurE 14. thE inforMation to copy. ‘right click’ anD sElEct ‘copy to clipBoarD figurE 15. ExcEl

THE TEMPERATURE INFORMATION FOR THE SELECTED ZONE IS THE BOLD LINE

SELECTING THE ZONE THE ANALYSIS



STEP ELEVEN -Go to the “Project” tab and set the “North Offset” to 0 and repeat the Calculation from Step Ten. Make sure you record the same information and copy into you excel file. Copy the information into the same excel worksheet one above the other, as we will be comparing information between two different models.

STEP TWELVE -Go to the “Project” tab and set the “North Offset” to different 90 degree intervals and repeat the Calculation from Step Ten until you have recorded all of the different orientations of the model. Make sure you record the information and copy into you excel file, noting the orientation each time. Copy the information into the same excel worksheet one above the other, as we will be comparing information between two different models.

STEP FOURTEEN -Repeat STEP TEN for the new Model and record the results in your excel file.

STEP FIFTEEN -Go to the “Project” tab and set the “North Offset” to 0 and repeat the Calculation from Step Ten. Make sure you record the same information and copy into you excel file. Repeat for each of the different orientations as in STEP TWELVE.

STEP THIRTEEN: The model we just tested had a simply corrugated iron roof with no insulation. We will now test the impact of changing the roof material to a ‘ Concrete Roof Asphalt’. (These two different materials are extreme alternatives to ensure we will get different results.) When you open the new file you will notice that the roof has changed colour.

Please download the DAB330_MODEL_03.eco Ecotect file from Blackboard as instructed by you tutor, or from the following external link; (142kb)


QUESTION THREE:Compare the results from the four different sets of data you’ve collected. Compare the difference in temperature between the different orientations and the different roofing materials.

-Which orientation would you prefer for the dwelling?-What had a greater influence on the temperature in the dwelling, the orientation or the roofing mater? Explain why, with data examples?-Which orientation and roof material would you choose for the building? Explain Why, with data examples?

Enter the information below and continue onto the next page:



STEP SIXTEEN -Go to the “Project” tab and set the “North Offset” to -180 again. We will now perform a series of different Analysis to balance a thermal equation.


figurE 16. thErMal BalancE EQuation froM your lEcturE.

figurE 17. DEtErMining thE intErnal gains Qi for 12pM During january. (Monthly avEragE)

figurE 18. thE DiffErEnt typEs of thErMal analysis which EcotEct can coMplEtE.

STEP SIXTEEN -From the lecture we have been introduced to the Thermal Balance equation by Szokolay. For the next part of this exercise we will be demonstrating the Thermal Balance Equation for 12 pm in January.

Referring to the figure on the right, notice that ecotect can determine the different elements of the Thermal Balance Equation. Complete and record the values for , Qi, Qc, Qs & Qv for 12 pm in January. Record this information in your excel file.

CRICOS No. 00213Ja university for the worldreal R

Thermal System

• Qi – internal heat gain• Qc – conduction heat gain• Qs – solar heat gain• Qv – ventilation heat gain• Qe – evaporative heat loss• Thermal balance

– Qi + Qc + Qs + Qv + Qe = 0Szokolay, 1980


QUESTION FOUR:Using the information you’ve analysed balance the Thermal Equation and enter it below. You will have to determine what one of the criteria is in order for the equation to balance.

- If you did not balance the equation would the temperature in our room be raising or falling? Explain why?

Enter the information below.

NAME:

DATE COMPLETED:

PLEASE FILL IN THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION, AND SAVE THIS PDF FILE WITH BOTH OF YOUR LAST NAMES IN THE FILE NAME.

NAME:

STUDENT NUMBER: STUDENT NUMBER:


THE FOLLOWING IMAGES ARE FROM THE OLD SQUARE ONE WEBSITE AND ARE COPYRIGHT DR ANDREW MARSH. THEY HAVE BEEN INCLUDED HERE TO HELP YOU BETTER UNDERSTAND THE THERMAL BALANCE EQUATION AND BECAUSE THE SQUARE ONE WEBSITE IS NO LONGER ONLINE.

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Dab 330 Ecotect-tutorial s12010