Room
Overview
Adjust room-specific values for heat load and heat gain calculations to optimize building energy performance. Access these settings through Floor Plan Mode or the Heat Load Settings section.
Room Settings
Configure essential room properties, such as dimensions and ventilation rates. You can access room properties in Floor Plan Mode or through Heat Load Settings.
Room Dimensions
In Floor Plan mode, find the room's width and length to calculate the area. The room's area is calculated as width multiplied by length.
The room's volume is calculated as area multiplied by height. View or adjust the default height in Heat Load > Settings. You may override this value for individual rooms within their properties in Floor Plan Mode.
Ventilation Rates
Adjust the hourly ventilation and heating air change rates on the Ventilation tab within each room's properties. These rates are initially derived from the Vent and Heating Air Changes Rate Standards, respectively, found in Methods.
Thermal Properties
Configure thermal properties, such as thermal bridging and spare capacity, to refine heat loss/gain calculations.
Thermal Bridging Coefficient
The thermal bridging coefficient accounts for additional heat transfer through thermal bridges. You can find this setting in Methods > General > Common. Adjust the project-wide setting in Heat Load > General, or override this value for individual rooms in Floor Plan Mode.
Increasing the thermal bridging coefficient increases the calculated heat loss. This allows for a more conservative estimate and can help account for unforeseen thermal bridges in the building's construction.
Spare Capacity
Add a spare capacity percentage to account for unforeseen factors or to create a more conservative design. Set the project-wide spare capacity in Heat Load > General or adjust it individually for each room in Floor Plan Mode. Increasing this percentage will increase the calculated heating/cooling loads, providing a safety margin in the design.
Heat Load/Gain Calculations
Heat loss and heat gain calculations consider factors such as materials, ventilation, internal sources, solar gain, and spare capacity.
Heat Loss
Total heat loss is calculated based on the room's material properties, ventilation rate, thermal bridging coefficient, and spare capacity. The calculations occur in the following order: material heat loss, then ventilation loss, thermal bridging loss (as a percentage of material heat loss), and finally, spare loss (as a percentage of the total calculated loss).
Heat loss through ventilation depends on the room volume, air change rate, internal temperature, and external winter temperature. Verify the room volume and air change rate in the room's Ventilation tab. Confirm the internal room temperature and external winter temperature in Heat Load > General.
Heat loss through thermal bridging is calculated as a percentage of the material heat loss, as determined by the thermal bridging coefficient. For instance, a coefficient of 0.1 represents 10% added heat loss. Edit this coefficient in Heat Load > General or within individual room properties.
Heat loss through spare capacity is calculated as a percentage of the total heat loss after material, ventilation, and thermal bridging calculations. Adjust the spare capacity percentage in Heat Load > General or within individual room properties.
Heat Gain
Heat gain considers multiple factors, including internal sources (such as equipment and occupants), solar gain through windows, and ventilation.
Internal heat gain accounts for contributions from equipment, lighting, and occupants within the room. Review and adjust these values within individual room properties.
Solar gain represents the heat added by sunlight entering the room. This is influenced by window size, orientation, and shading devices. Configure these parameters within Floor Plan Mode to accurately calculate solar heat gain.
General Heat Load Settings
In Heat Load > General, set the External Summer Temperature, External Winter Temperature, and Ground Temperature. These values are used for heat gain and heat loss calculations throughout your project and may be auto-filled based on the project address.
Set the thermal bridging coefficient and spare gain percentage in Heat Load > General. These values can be overridden for individual rooms as needed.
Room-Specific Overrides
You can override the general settings for thermal bridging and spare gain for individual rooms. Open the room's properties in Floor Plan Mode to set specific values.
Walls
Check the wall area in Floor Plan Mode. In the wall's properties, adjust the U-value. This value affects both heat gain and heat loss calculations.
Doors
Check the door area in Floor Plan Mode. In the door's properties, adjust the U-value. This value affects both heat gain and heat loss calculations.
Floors
Check the floor area in Floor Plan Mode. In the floor's properties, adjust the U-value. This value affects both heat gain and heat loss calculations. For ground levels, the Ground Temperature set in Heat Load > General will be used in heat loss calculations.
Roofs/Ceilings
Check the roof/ceiling area in Floor Plan Mode. In its properties, adjust the U-value. This value affects both heat gain and heat loss calculations.
Ventilation
In the room's Ventilation tab, verify the room volume and air change rate. These values are crucial for calculating heat gain due to ventilation.
Internal Heat Sources
Define internal heat sources in Heat Load > Internal Heat Sources. You can also review and edit specific sources in the room's Internal Heat Sources tab in Floor Plan Mode.
Solar Gain
In Methods > Solar Gain, check the solar gain coefficient. In Floor Plan Mode, verify the orientation of windows in their properties. Window orientation significantly impacts solar gain calculations.
Spare Gain
Configure the spare gain percentage in Heat Load > General, or override it in the room's properties.
Underfloor Heating (UFH) Loop Properties
Property | Description | How to Review |
|---|---|---|
Floor Temperature | Output based on floor type, pipe size, delta T (supply vs. return water temperature), and loop spacing. | Verify inputs in System Settings and Room properties. |
Loop Mean Water Temperature | Average of flow and return water temperatures. | Check the 'Technical' tab of manifold properties under 'UFH Flow Temperature' and 'UFH Return Temperature'. |
Loop Spacing | Spacing between pipes. | Verify floor type, pipe size, and delta T in System Settings and Room properties. |
Loop Heat Output | Heat output of the loop. | Verify floor type, pipe size, and delta T in System Settings and Room properties. |
Loop ID | Auto-generated unique identifier. | View in schedules and reports. |
Loop Pressure Drop | Friction loss in the loop. | Verify pipe spacings, internal diameter, and water properties in System Settings and Room properties. |
Loop Length | Total pipe length, including vertical height. | Review the loop’s path, spacings, and height above floor in the 'Inlets' and 'Outlets' tabs of the manifold properties. |
Loop Volume | Total water volume in the loop. | Check pipe internal diameter and length in System Settings and Room properties. |
Ventilation Heat Gain
To review ventilation heat gain, verify the room volume and air change rate in the room's Ventilation tab. Check the Room Temperature and Outdoor Temperature for summer conditions in Heat Load > General.
Thermal Bridging Heat Gain
The thermal bridging coefficient represents a percentage added to the material heat gain. Adjust this coefficient in Heat Load > General or override it in the room’s properties.
Internal Sources Heat Gain
Define internal heat sources, such as equipment and occupants, in Heat Load > Internal Heat Sources. Review and edit specific sources in the room's Internal Heat Sources tab in Floor Plan Mode.
Solar Gain Heat Gain
Check the solar gain coefficient in Methods > Solar Gain. Verify and adjust window orientation in window properties in Floor Plan Mode. Window orientation significantly impacts solar gain calculations.
Spare Gain Heat Gain
Spare gain is an additional heat gain calculated as a percentage of the total. Configure this percentage in Heat Load > General or override it in the room’s properties.
Walls
Review the wall area and U-value in the wall's properties.
Check the Outdoor Temperature value used for summer and winter conditions in Heat Load > General. You can override the pre-filled Outdoor Temperature and Room Temperature values in room properties (Floor Plan Mode). Export the Heat Load Report for a detailed overview.
Doors
Review the door area and U-value in the door's properties.
Verify the Outdoor Temperature for summer and winter conditions in Heat Load > General. Override pre-filled Outdoor Temperature and Room Temperature values as needed in room properties (Floor Plan Mode). Export the Heat Load Report for a comprehensive overview.
Floors
In Floor Plan Mode, review the floor area. Check the U-value in the floor's properties.
Verify the Ground Temperature and Room Temperature in Heat Load > General. For ground levels, you can override these pre-filled values in room properties (Floor Plan Mode). Export the Heat Load Report for a detailed overview.
Roof/Ceiling
Review the roof/ceiling area in Floor Plan Mode. Access the roof/ceiling's properties to check the U-value.
Check the Outdoor Temperature for both summer and winter conditions in Heat Load > General. You can override the pre-filled Outdoor Temperature and Room Temperature values in room properties (Floor Plan Mode). Export the Heat Load Report for a comprehensive overview.