Question-and-Answer Resource for the Building Energy Modeling Community
Get started with the Help page
Ask Your Question

Revision history [back]

click to hide/show revision 1
initial version

Error while trying to output Zone People Occupant Count from energyplus

Hi, i am trying to extract the information about the number of occupants in a zone from the energyPlus simulation via BCVTB, However the following error is found in the .err file:

** Severe  ** ExternalInterface: Simulation model has no variable "ZONE PEOPLE OCCUPANT COUNT" with key "WEST ZONE".
   **  Fatal  ** Error in ExternalInterface: Check EnergyPlus *.err file.
   ...Summary of Errors that led to program termination:
   ..... Reference severe error count=1
   ..... Last severe error=ExternalInterface: Simulation model has no variable "ZONE PEOPLE OCCUPANT COUNT" with key "WEST ZONE".
   ************* EnergyPlus Warmup Error Summary. During Warmup: 0 Warning; 1 Severe Errors.
   ************* EnergyPlus Sizing Error Summary. During Sizing: 0 Warning; 0 Severe Errors.
   ************* EnergyPlus Terminated--Fatal Error Detected. 4 Warning; 1 Severe Errors; Elapsed Time=00hr 00min  0.90sec

I am using EnergyPlusV8-5-0 for the simulation of a building. Then using the bcvtb software i am trying to feed the number of occupants in a zone to a python program as input vai command line arguments.

The lines related to the Zone People Occupant Count in the .idf file is:

Output:Variable,*,Zone People Occupant Count,timestep;

and those in the variables.cfg file are:

<variable source="EnergyPlus">
    <EnergyPlus name="WEST ZONE" type="Zone People Occupant Count"/>
</variable>

On starting the simulation in bcvtb an error occurs. The error logged in the .err file is mentioned above. Note that here "WEST ZONE" is the name of one of the zones.

Can someone please tell me about the mistake i am making and also the correct procedure to extract the information about the number of people in a zone at a time step.

Thanks in advance

Error while trying to output Zone People Occupant Count from energyplus

Hi, i am trying to extract the information about the number of occupants in a zone from the energyPlus simulation via BCVTB, However the following error is found in the .err file:

** Severe  ** ExternalInterface: Simulation model has no variable "ZONE PEOPLE OCCUPANT COUNT" with key "WEST ZONE".
   **  Fatal  ** Error in ExternalInterface: Check EnergyPlus *.err file.
   ...Summary of Errors that led to program termination:
   ..... Reference severe error count=1
   ..... Last severe error=ExternalInterface: Simulation model has no variable "ZONE PEOPLE OCCUPANT COUNT" with key "WEST ZONE".
   ************* EnergyPlus Warmup Error Summary. During Warmup: 0 Warning; 1 Severe Errors.
   ************* EnergyPlus Sizing Error Summary. During Sizing: 0 Warning; 0 Severe Errors.
   ************* EnergyPlus Terminated--Fatal Error Detected. 4 Warning; 1 Severe Errors; Elapsed Time=00hr 00min  0.90sec

I am using EnergyPlusV8-5-0 for the simulation of a building. Then using the bcvtb software i am trying to feed the number of occupants in a zone to a python program as input vai command line arguments.

The lines related to the Zone People Occupant Count in the .idf file is:

Output:Variable,*,Zone People Occupant Count,timestep;

and those in the variables.cfg file are:

<variable source="EnergyPlus">
    <EnergyPlus name="WEST ZONE" type="Zone People Occupant Count"/>
</variable>

On starting the simulation in bcvtb an error occurs. The error logged in the .err file is mentioned above. Note that here "WEST ZONE" is the name of one of the zones.

Can someone please tell me about the mistake i am making and also the correct procedure to extract the information about the number of people in a zone at a time step.

Thanks in advance

Edit: The complete eplusProgram.err file is as follows:

Program Version,EnergyPlus, Version 8.5.0-c87e61b44b, YMD=2018.01.18 18:34,IDD_Version 8.5.0
   ** Warning ** Weather file location will be used rather than entered (IDF) Location object.
   **   ~~~   ** ..Location object=CHICAGO_IL_USA TMY2-94846
   **   ~~~   ** ..Weather File Location=New Delhi Delhi IND ISHRAE WMO#=421820
   **   ~~~   ** ..due to location differences, Latitude difference=[13.20] degrees, Longitude difference=[164.95] degrees.
   **   ~~~   ** ..Time Zone difference=[11.5] hour(s), Elevation difference=[13.68] percent, [26.00] meters.
   ** Warning ** The Standard Ratings is calculated for Coil:Cooling:DX:SingleSpeed = ACDXCOIL 1 but not at the AHRI test condition due to curve out of bound.
   **   ~~~   **  Review the Standard Ratings calculations in the Engineering Reference for this coil type. Also, use Output:Diagnostics, DisplayExtraWarnings for further guidance.
   ** Warning ** The Standard Ratings is calculated for Coil:Cooling:DX:SingleSpeed = ACDXCOIL 2 but not at the AHRI test condition due to curve out of bound.
   **   ~~~   **  Review the Standard Ratings calculations in the Engineering Reference for this coil type. Also, use Output:Diagnostics, DisplayExtraWarnings for further guidance.
   ** Warning ** The Standard Ratings is calculated for Coil:Cooling:DX:SingleSpeed = ACDXCOIL 3 but not at the AHRI test condition due to curve out of bound.
   **   ~~~   **  Review the Standard Ratings calculations in the Engineering Reference for this coil type. Also, use Output:Diagnostics, DisplayExtraWarnings for further guidance.
   ************* Testing Individual Branch Integrity
   ************* All Branches passed integrity testing
   ************* Testing Individual Supply Air Path Integrity
   ************* All Supply Air Paths passed integrity testing
   ************* Testing Individual Return Air Path Integrity
   ************* All Return Air Paths passed integrity testing
   ************* No node connection errors were found.
   ************* Beginning Simulation
   ** Severe  ** ExternalInterface: Simulation model has no variable "ZONE PEOPLE OCCUPANT COUNT" with key "WEST ZONE".
   **  Fatal  ** Error in ExternalInterface: Check EnergyPlus *.err file.
   ...Summary of Errors that led to program termination:
   ..... Reference severe error count=1
   ..... Last severe error=ExternalInterface: Simulation model has no variable "ZONE PEOPLE OCCUPANT COUNT" with key "WEST ZONE".
   ************* EnergyPlus Warmup Error Summary. During Warmup: 0 Warning; 1 Severe Errors.
   ************* EnergyPlus Sizing Error Summary. During Sizing: 0 Warning; 0 Severe Errors.
   ************* EnergyPlus Terminated--Fatal Error Detected. 4 Warning; 1 Severe Errors; Elapsed Time=00hr 00min  0.79sec