Using EPMacro with JEplus

asked 2016-06-10 09:00:12 -0600

andrea.botti
415 ●7

updated 2016-06-10 10:28:46 -0600

__AmirRoth__

4446 ●5 ●17 http://bleedinggreenna...

Hi, I have been attempting to combine EP-macro funcionalities with jEPlus, following Ivan's video guidance.

Specifically, I would like to include in the parametric simulations the possibility of changing building fabric. This would mean combining a choice of constructions to form a build-up (WALL1 + FLOOR2 + WINDOW1 etc.) with a choice of materials (layers) to form on construction element.

I guess my question could be framed as: can I divide

!-   ===========  ALL OBJECTS IN CLASS: CONSTRUCTION ===========
Construction,
    WALL1,              !- Name
    BRICK,                !- Outside Layer
    INS1,                  !- Layer 2
    BLOCK;               !- Layer 3

Construction,
    WALL2,              !- Name
    BRICK,                !- Outside Layer
    INS2,                  !- Layer 2
    BLOCK;               !- Layer 3

into two or more chunks to be added separately through EP macro?

!-   ===========  ALL OBJECTS IN CLASS: CONSTRUCTION ===========
Construction,
    WALL1,              !- Name
    BRICK,                !- Outside Layer
    INS1,                  !- Layer 2
    BLOCK;               !- Layer 3

!-   ===========  ALL OBJECTS IN CLASS: CONSTRUCTION ===========
Construction,
    WALL2,              !- Name
    BRICK,                !- Outside Layer
    INS2,                  !- Layer 2
    BLOCK;               !- Layer 3 

etc.

With regards to materials, it this is limited to, say, changing the insulation thickness, I suppose I could swap the parameter 'thickness' with a @@label@@. However, would there be a system to perform a sort of a 'recursive' ##include, that is an ##include within another ##include?

Thanks

Comments

I suspect the challenge derives from the fact that in the IDF file, the definition of a construction element (as an assembly of different materials) is made together with the definition of the build-up (as a combination of different constructions - wall, floor etc.) all under the CLASS: CONSTRUCTION.

andrea.botti ( 2016-06-10 09:33:10 -0600 )edit

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answered 2016-06-13 12:16:00 -0600

Yi Zhang
1250 ●11 ●6

Hi Andrea, you don't even need Macro (##include) to deal with construction/material or insulation thickness. All construction and material definitions can be put in the IDF model, as long as you name them differently. In the model, you assign a construction to a surface by referencing its name; so these assignments can be controlled with jEPlus parameters.

By the way, ##include within an included file will not work. However, you can put jEPlus parameters in the included files, and jEPlus will see them.

Regards,

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Comments

Yi, thanks for your answer. Surely changing insulation thickness can be easily done with jeplus parameters, but when it comes to constructions, wouldn't it be better to have separate IDF 'excerpts' with names that can be recalled with the ##include command? (e.g. wall01.idf would contain a cavity wall whereas wall02.idf a blockwall with external insulation and render).

Can you please advise on my query re: the division of

!-   ===========  ALL OBJECTS IN CLASS: CONSTRUCTION ===========

from one class to few (one for external walls, one for floors etc.)?

Thanks, Andrea

andrea.botti ( 2016-06-13 12:48:11 -0600 )edit

Andrea, I don't quite get your question. Could you explain further what do you mean by "division of CONSTRUCTION from one class to a few"? Anyway you can use ##include, of course. Just put the relevant segments in separate IDFs and then include the required pieces... I am just saying that you don't need to do this with constructions as all different types can exist happily in the same IDF, as long as you give them different names.

Yi Zhang ( 2016-06-13 18:16:20 -0600 )edit

Ah, I see what you mean, now... "!- " is a comment line. You can put as many as you wish in the IDF and the file should remain valid. Did your second code example give you errors?

Yi Zhang ( 2016-06-13 18:19:07 -0600 )edit

Yi, of course it is!!!!! I can't believe I had been so stupid...perhaps I need a break!

andrea.botti ( 2016-06-14 05:44:16 -0600 )edit

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