How to Model Asymmetric Wall

asked 2023-06-16 10:27:19 -0600

IanVG's avatar

updated 2023-06-16 12:34:23 -0600

In OpenStudio, if I wanted to model a surface separating two spaces that has an asymmetric construction of the following type:

  1. 1/2" Sheet Rock/Gyspum
  2. 4" Stud Wall with insulation
  3. 8" Light Concrete Block Wall

Is there only one way to model this in EnergyPlus? Would I have to create one construction type and assign it to one surface and leave the matching surface blank in OpenStudio? Or could I make two construction types, for example:

Construction Type 1(reversed so stud wall is exterior and sheet rock is interior): 1. 4" Stud Wall with insulation 2. 1/2" Sheet Rock/Gyspum

Construction Type 2: 1. 8" Light Concrete Block Wall

And assign Construction Type 1 to one surface and the other Construction Type to the other? Would this result in a valid simulation? This situation is very common/default in the buildings I work with.

I see value with both approaches, but I would like to make sure they are both valid.

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Comments

In addition, when I am modeling a whole floor of a building, I am not sure what the workflow should look like for many rooms with asymmetric walls adjacent to other spaces. I noticed that when I created an asymmetric wall construction and applied to both walls, one wall received the REVERSED attribute, and other didn't. This did not affect the U-Value, but did affect the Reflectance value. I am not too concerned with the reflectance value, but I would like to create a good/correct model. Any feedback?

IanVG's avatar IanVG  ( 2023-06-16 10:56:42 -0600 )edit

It seems that the data inheritance for construction sets doesn't account for specifying which space will contain which exterior/interior wall. So unless, I am missing something, I will have to manually go through each space and leave one of the wall construction types blank, so that that surface's wall receives the REVERSED wall construction.

IanVG's avatar IanVG  ( 2023-06-16 10:58:41 -0600 )edit