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How do I model Different window materials in Openstudio?

asked 2025-05-18 16:09:03 -0500

Shalini_K's avatar

I am trying to simulate different window types for the same model (Ground floor only residential model, with ASHRAE 90.1, with ideal thermal load conditions in Warm-Humid climate).

The results for all materials are coming out to be the same. I have tried the following approaches till now:

  1. To manually make a construction by adding material properties for the window using the following process: Construction tab > Materials > Simple Glazing materials > Added new material and modified the U-Factor, SHGC and Visible transmittance ( As per material properties listed in BCLs on NREL BCL library).

  2. Used the "Replace Exterior Window Construction with a Different Construction from the Model" measure from the BCL library, and added manually made Window construction to run the simulation for Single clear glass Vs. Double, Glazed Low-E glass, where both materials showed the Net site energy as 117.99GJ. (Is it that there is very low effect of the windows on the energy consumption, therefore there is no change in energy demand)?

  3. Download Window components from the BCL Library, and copying the folder after extraction the Measures folder on my PC, but when I try to load the component in my .osm file, the BCLs are not visible in the library. When trying to download the BCL directly to the .osm file, I keep getting the message to enter BCL auth key, and when I copy and paste the placeholder key, it shows as invalid. The BCL components downloaded from BCL Library do not have a "tests' folder with the pre-made .osm files, which is available in other BCLs that I have previously downloaded and used.

Please guide me if there is any other method or if I am doing any process wrong. Unable to attach any images here due to low points, but adding a google drive link with the photos with errors (https://drive.google.com/drive/folder...)

Any help will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

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answered 2025-05-20 08:18:52 -0500

updated 2025-05-27 07:12:27 -0500

@Shalini_K : There's a slight disconnect between your title (i.e. "how to change fenestration technology in OpenStudio") and the multi-step procedure you're describing in the post itself. I'm inferring from the latter that you're likely more interested in troubleshooting that specific measure, rather than simply replacing fenestration technology (e.g. materials, constructions) in OpenStudio - I could be wrong. If measure troubleshooting is indeed what you're after, then maybe consider changing the title ...


Otherwise, changing fenestration technology in OpenStudio is pretty straightforward. Essentially what you're describing in STEP 1 - adding a new SimpleGlazingMaterial. Of course, that new material has to be added to a new, single-layer "Simple Glazing" construction.

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Then you either need to:

  • drag-n-drop the new construction onto each subsurface (Spaces tab, Subsurfaces sub-tab), one-by-one ... or
  • drag-n-drop the new construction over to an applicable default construction set - usually much quicker

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Just to be sure, I tested both approaches using OpenStudio v3.9 ... no issues.

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And so that's it - you don't need a measure (STEP 2) to substitute fenestration technology using OpenStudio ...


Hard to pinpoint where the issue(s) may lie in STEP 2 (measure vs your model) without having your OSM on hand. The measure itself has interesting features (e.g. LCC), yet some limitations (e.g. no skylights, no glass doors). If you're not planning on using these features or are possibly hindered by these limitations, then using the measure seems a tad overkill.


STEP 3 is a bit confusing, and holds in fact 3 separate questions:

  • You're having BCL issues, possibly similar to this one - a separate UMH post IMO.
  • You're noting that a BCL-downloaded component doesn't have a "/test" folder, like a measure would - what's the issue?
  • The window component you're referring to is not a Simple Glazing material/construction (as in STEP 1). It's a complete, multi-layer construction with an accompanying frame & divider entry. I haven't tested this, but I don't see how the frame & divider stuff would be picked up by the measure in STEP 2. And comparing modelling approaches (e.g. STEP 1 vs STEP 3) wouldn't necessarily be a great idea - apples vs oranges - but that's none of my beeswax.

Again, without knowing more or having access to the OSM, hard to pinpoint issues/fixes. Hope this helps, though.


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Asked: 2025-05-18 16:09:03 -0500

Seen: 243 times

Last updated: May 27