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

Revision history [back]

Simultaneous modelling of external and internal shading for windows in DesignBuilder

Hi all,

I'm wondering what is the best way to take into consideration both the external shading devices (aluminium C-shaped slats) and internal shading (blackout curtains) in DesignBuilder (v7.0.2.006) at the same time.

In the Openings tab under Shading, I can either choose: 1-Inside 2-Mid-pane 3-Outside

I double checked, and in Ladybug Tools, if I were to use the HB Window Construction Shade, it has these 3 options as well, and I cannot apply two nodes next to each other - although the Construction object looks like this (dummy), the position only changes the order of the glazing vs. shading material (layer 1 and 2):

Construction,
Aperture: Aperture_8a4c452e, !- name
U 0.36 SHGC 0.38 Simple Glazing, !- layer 1
ShadeMaterial_04f2673e;   !- layer 2

I thought applying more than 1 Shade materials is permitted in the construction object, but now I'm confused. Here is the WindowMaterial:Blind object:

https://bigladdersoftware.com/epx/docs/8-4/input-output-reference/group-surface-construction-elements.html#windowmaterialblind

This is the Window Construction Shade description for Honeybee:

https://docs.ladybug.tools/hb-energy-primer/components/1_constructions/window_construction_shade

Can someone point me to the referring section in the Engineering Reference - I am lost here?

What is a good way to model both at the same time? Should I use WINDOW for this purpose?

(I would expect the exterior shading to have significant effect and the interior to contribute much less.)

Thanks!