Free Software, Bèta vers.: Designbuilder

Dear Peter

DesignBuilder version 0.6 beta was released October 22 and can be downloaded
at no cost from:

http://www.designbuilder.co.uk/downloads

This new beta release is a significant improvement on previous publicly
available versions (0.3.x and 0.4.10) and is much closer in functionality
and appearance to the first production release which will be ready towards
the end of the year or early next year.

We would appreciate your help in testing DesignBuilder. In particular we
need to know:

- Does it meet your modelling needs (now and with proposed improvements)
- Are there any errors?
- What can we do to make it better/easier to use?

Further information

DesignBuilder 0.6 provides an easy-to-use yet powerful interface to most of
the EnergyPlus envelope, solar, ventilation and daylighting capabilities as
well as heating and cooling load modelling. It uses the latest EnergyPlus
version 1.2.1 simulation engine to generate its data. The software comes
with summer and winter design data for over 1400 locations and access to
over 500 hourly simulation weather files.

New Features in version 0.6:

* Based on EnergyPlus version 1.2.1 and provides faster simulations because:
- Surfaces with more than 4 sides are modelled without triangulation
- Faster solar initialisation
- Faster COMIS solution
* External and internal surface editing - user definable windows, doors,
vents and holes
* Undo/redo for geometric operations
* Sloping walls
* More control options for COMIS natural ventilation modelling
* Save components to library
* Improved stability

A full list of features can be found at:

http://www.designbuilder.co.uk/products/Features.htm

To be included before version 1:

* Tools for block geometry editing
* Undo/redo of model attributes
* Design bookmarks to allow comparison of design options
* Report generation and printing
* Online Help
* UK Part L2 building regulations compliance checking

Features in the pipeline (probably for version 1.1)...

* More HVAC systems
* CAD interface (DXF import,...)
* Visualisation walk-through and animated output

And looking further ahead, major features planned (probably for version
2.0)...

* CFD simulation
* Interface to a wider range of EnergyPlus HVAC systems
* Admittance calculation method
* High speed simulation

I will keep you updated with information on any significant new
developments/releases and in the meantime hope that you find DesignBuilder
useful and that you can find time to help us improve it.

Thanks
Andy Tindale
DesignBuilder Support

PS The DesignBuilder version 1 EnergyPlus module will cost approximately 800
USD for a single seat license. This includes e-mail support and software
updates for versions 1.x.

Please send your questions/comments to support@designbuilder.co.uk

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thanks Peter, just downloaded it, will have a go later :)

Hi guys,

Came across this web site :eek:

http://www.arch.hku.hk/research/BEER...et%20Resources

If you guys think it has value, can you post it in the appropriate area?:confused:


Cheers fellas
:eek:



dogma:eek: