Question-and-Answer Resource for the Building Energy Modeling Community
Get started with the Help page
Ask Your Question
1

Availability Schedule Name for zonehvac:baseboard

asked 2026-02-25 09:33:50 -0500

YLi's avatar

updated 2026-02-26 08:50:38 -0500

I have a question about how to interpret the Availability Schedule Name field for zoneHVAC component, e.g., ZoneHVAC:Baseboard:RadiantConvective:Water.

From the Input Output Reference is that this schedule indicates “whether the hot water baseboard heater unit can run during a given time period", however, I am not sure does it represent the existance of the unit or the availability of hot water/energy supply to the unit?

For example, I am modeling a simple boiler + hot-water baseboard (radiator) system and the boiler has its own on/off schedule (e.g., nighttime off). For the baseboard, I am unsure whether Availability Schedule Name should follow the same schedule as the boiler, or ON 24/7. Since when I compare the two setting, the zone air temperature results during boiler “off” periods are very different(the follow schedule has much lower temp than on 24/7). This surprised me because I checked the heat transfer output and confirmed that during the boiler-off period there is no heat delivered to the zone (no convective/radiant heat gain from the baseboard).

So what is the intended/actual algorithmic meaning of Availability Schedule Name for this object? what is the correct way to set the schedule?

edit retag flag offensive close merge delete

1 Answer

Sort by » oldest newest most voted
2

answered 2026-04-09 12:13:37 -0500

When I model baseboards I put the schedule as "Always On", this means that the baseboard can always receive hot water (i.e. the valve is always open). If the boiler has its own schedule then if the boiler is off there is no flow to the baseboard and even though the schedule says "always on" there is no flow of hot water and so the baseboard is essentially off. So in short, I'd use your on 24/7 schedule and check in the ESO viewer that the water flow and delta T over the radiator is as you would expect and then check your zone temperature to check that that is what you would expect. Water systems are delicate in energy+ and it is worth checking it is doing what you would expect and stick with those schedules.

edit flag offensive delete link more

Your Answer

Please start posting anonymously - your entry will be published after you log in or create a new account.

Add Answer

Sponsor

Training Workshops

Question Tools

1 follower

Stats

Asked: 2026-02-25 09:33:50 -0500

Seen: 115 times

Last updated: Apr 09