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Software Limitations-EnergyPlus or OpenStudio

asked 2015-10-13 08:26:59 -0500

Are there any hard/set limits on the number of spaces, zones, systems, or etc for either OpenStudio [both the Sketchup Plug In and the OS Application] or for EnergyPlus? Or is this more limited by the computing power of the machine you are using? Is there any straightforward way [if necessary] to allocate more resources for larger models? I haven't come across a solid answer and was interested to see what was known by others. Thanks in advance.

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answered 2015-10-13 10:50:06 -0500

OpenStudio does not have any hard limits on number of spaces, zones, surfaces, etc. However, there are performance issues that we are aware of as the number of objects grows. We are working to reduce these issues, getting user feedback on where the performance hits are helps us to address them.

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Currently the OpenStudio Application is not multi-threaded so extra cores won't help there, extra cores and a good GPU might help in SketchUp. Extra memory will help with both OpenStudio and EnergyPlus. Model simplification is probably the best way to get OpenStudio to scale to very large buildings right now (e.g. combine adjacent spaces with similar space types and on the same zone, etc).

macumber's avatar macumber  ( 2015-10-13 10:52:46 -0500 )edit

Thanks for the information. If needed: I've got an i7 3.4GHz with 16 GB ram, 64bit Windows 7 Enterprise. Monitoring my resources, I'm rarely exceeding 25% on any core and about the same on the memory use. Occasionally Sketchup-OS will get on a roll and be 'normal', but otherwise it is completely locked down or just responding VERY slow if at all... The facility I'm working on has been simplified and has no repeating floor plates, so I am out of avenues there. It is a massive building. I was hoping there was some other secret to unlocking/forcing OS-Sketchup to hog resources.....

dradair's avatar dradair  ( 2015-10-13 11:01:24 -0500 )edit
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A breakthrough of sorts - I think a primary issue to my troubles was that the Sketchup-OS file was on a remote server and not my local machine. Placing a 'working' copy on the local machine and only backing -up to the serve appears to have made things work MUCH better.

dradair's avatar dradair  ( 2015-10-13 12:38:00 -0500 )edit

@dradair FYI accessing files across a network also drastically impacts E+ runtime as well.

aparker's avatar aparker  ( 2015-10-15 18:44:14 -0500 )edit
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answered 2015-10-13 09:02:37 -0500

EnergyPlus was engineered from the start to not have hard limits on the number of objects.

This is similar to the question:

https://unmethours.com/question/11555...

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JasonGlazer - thanks for the info on the EnergyPlus side. Now to see who might have the Sketchyp/&OS Application info....primarily because I am having massive issues with a large model that is not fully built yet, but it creeping along in OS-Sketchup. Model is 400+spaces currently, file is only 4meg, so its not maxing out sketchup, and my computer's resources aren't maxed either...any help appreciated.

dradair's avatar dradair  ( 2015-10-13 09:22:25 -0500 )edit

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Asked: 2015-10-13 08:26:59 -0500

Seen: 791 times

Last updated: Oct 13 '15