Legacy OpenStudio vs. EnergyPlus vs. OpenStudio Suite

edit

gbXML is a file format that allows disparate 3D Building Information Model (BIM) tools, like Revit, and architectural/engineering analysis software, like SketchUp and EnergyPlus, to share information with each other. After importing a gbXML file into SketchUp, you can then alter the file's geometry in a few ways:

• SketchUp is an architectural software to draw surfaces of buildings, and works with files using the .skp file extension. Editing the .skp file will ONLY change the geometry for architectural renderings and not impact energy simulations.
• Euclid is an extension or plug-in that creates and edits geometry for EnergyPlus input files using the .idf file extension while working in SketchUp. This tool was previously known as Legacy OpenStudio. Any other facets of the EnergyPlus input file besides geometry (material layers, construction assemblies, schedules, internal gains, HVAC, etc.) must be added to the .idf file outside of SketchUp.
• OpenStudio is an interface for creating EnergyPlus input files, and it uses the .osm file extension. There is a separate extension or plug-in that creates and edits geometry for OpenStudio .osm files while working in SketchUp. This extension also allows you to define space types, thermal zones, and other information while viewing the geometry in SketchUp. If you need to create schedules, constructions, internal gains, HVAC, etc. then you must add those to the .osm file outside of SketchUp.

To perform an analysis, or run a simulation, it should not matter whether you do that in SketchUp or outside of SketchUp directly in EnergyPlus or OpenStudio. Again, SketchUp is a tool that allows you to edit geometry for building energy models.

For more information, you can read @__AmirRoth__ 's article about the history of the Euclid extension for SketchUp HERE.