Foundation Kiva inputs

asked 2017-12-20 05:28:32 -0600

Avi
4320 ●2 ●11

updated 2017-12-20 05:32:52 -0600

I am trying to simulate walkout basement with Foundation Kiva. Reading both the Engineering reference and the Input output reference left me a bit confused about two things:

Is the foundation floor segment along the walkout opening should be count as exposed in the SurfaceProperty:ExposedFoundationPerimeter or only segments which does not have walls above them?

One other thing is in the SurfaceProperty:ExposedFoundationPerimeter does the first field , Surface Name, refers to the Foundation:Kiva object or to the original BuildingSurface:Detailed as it might refer to its vertices if BySegment is selected for the Exposed Perimeter Calculation Method field.

One last thing, I could not find any example IDF files in E+ examples for the foundation Kiva. Are there any good examples?

answered 2017-12-20 11:56:56 -0600

Aaron Boranian

14250 ●86 ●24 http://bigladdersoftware.com/

The SurfaceProperty:ExposedFoundationPerimeter object is used to define the floor edges that are exposed to outdoor air and/or soil and NOT a conditioned zone -- that's what is meant by "exposed to the exterior environment through the floor". This will include perimeter segments that have walls above them. For example, the walkout basement with variable grade shown in the Input-Output Reference section for the Foundation:Kiva object would have all basement floor perimeter segments exposed, because there are no conditioned zones adjacent to the basement looking at a floor plan view from above.

The "Surface Name" input field of the SurfaceProperty:ExposedFoundationPerimeter object should be set to the name of a surface object that is placed on the floor of a zone (BuildingSurface:Detailed, Floor:GroundContact, etc.).

The following example files for EnergyPlus v8.8 show how to apply the Foundation:Kiva, Foundation:Kiva:Settings, and SurfaceProperty:ExposedFoundationPerimeter objects:

ZoneCoupledKivaBasement.idf
ZoneCoupledKivaRefBldgMediumOffice.idf
ZoneCoupledKivaSlab.idf
ZoneCoupledKivaWalkoutBasement.idf (the one you are most likely to be interested in)