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How do you convert an imported skp into an OpenStudio Space?

asked 2017-03-18 22:53:37 -0600

RCulham's avatar

updated 2017-03-20 10:12:34 -0600

I have a number of spaces that were created in Sketchup that I now want to convert to an OpenStudio Space. What is the easy way to do this?

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answered 2017-03-20 07:56:37 -0600

Adam Hilton's avatar

You can create a new OpenStudio Space and copy/paste the relevant geometry into it. Other than that I'm not sure there is an 'easy' way. There might be some way to script it, but it would be hard to disaggregate the individual spaces from the SketchUp geometry. I'd watch the tutorial videos if you haven't already. It's easiest to create spaces from a 2d outline in SketchUp or drawing the geometry directly into an OpenStudio Space group.

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Thank you for the answer Adam. That method worked. I am working with an Architect who renders buildings in Sketchup so being able to import their model into Sketchup with the OpenStudio plugin is a valuable methodology.

RCulham's avatar RCulham  ( 2017-03-20 17:11:02 -0600 )edit
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answered 2017-03-22 10:38:50 -0600

RCulham's avatar

A more detailed explanation of my method follows:

I took the original Sketchup file and created individual files for each thermal zone by deleting the surfaces and subsurfaces not part of the zone space. Then I loaded each zone into Sketchup with the OpenStudio plug in and copied the space elements into a new OpenStudio space as per your instructions then saved it as a unique OpenStudio file. Then using the method shown in the NREL Merge Zones video, I was able to congregate the thermal zones (spaces) to create an model of the entire building into one Openstudio file. What I discovered was that I had to have a unique name for each space, otherwise the Merge file method would replace the existing OpenStudio space.

The method is someone tedious, but the original Sketchup building model, though not large, it had some complex surface elements. So this saved the effort in creating a new model in the OpenStudio plugin from scratch. For simple buildings in the past, I have created the zones using a text editor for the EnergyPlus idf input file.

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answered 2017-03-21 19:49:47 -0600

Ricardo GAllegos's avatar

updated 2017-03-21 19:52:44 -0600

For simple buildings and Legacy Open Studio plugin, I have done this: In the sketchup file, I creat a new energy plus zone, and simply copy the whole building to the new zone. Once I am sure everything is in the new zone, I delete the original drawing and save as... new name.idf Hope it helps

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That's going to leave you with one space and the potential for only one thermal zone, is that really what you want?

Adam Hilton's avatar Adam Hilton  ( 2017-03-22 07:42:59 -0600 )edit

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Asked: 2017-03-18 22:53:37 -0600

Seen: 2,116 times

Last updated: Mar 22 '17