With the end of fiscal year 2015 approaching, DOE is releasing updates to its flagship building energy modeling software products, EnergyPlus and OpenStudio.
September 30, 2015
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With the end of fiscal year 2015 approaching, DOE is releasing updates to its flagship building energy modeling software products.
EnergyPlus 8.4.0 is the second update released this year; updates are released in March and September. Major new features in this release include:
- A new more physically-based model for variable-refrigerant flow (VRF) heat pump systems
- CO2-based demand-controlled ventilation based on design occupancy
- Closed gaps in HVAC component configuration options, improving compatibility between coil types
- Linkage between zone infiltration and HVAC operation and return air flow
- Improved ground temperature modeling
OpenStudio 1.9.0 is the fourth update of 2015; updates are released quarterly. Major new features in this release include:
- Support for availability managers to allow detailed control over air system operating periods and support features like night cycling, night ventilation, and optimal start
- Expanded radiance integration for daylighting analysis with shading and redirection devices
- Enhancements to the example OpenStudio application for faster data entry and editing
- An expanded standard report for simulation results
Both releases also contain numerous miscellaneous bug fixes and small enhancements.
Download the new packages and learn more about their new features at http://energyplus.net/ and http://openstudio.net/ respectively. To suggest and help refine and prioritize features for future versions of EnergyPlus and OpenStudio, click on the Feedback links on the respective sites.
Dr. Amir Roth
Dr. Amir Roth is the technology manager for BTO’s Building Energy Modeling (BEM) subprogram and has served in that role since 2010. From 2001 to 2010 he was first an assistant and then an associate professor with tenure of Computer and Information Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in physics from Yale University and holds a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Wisconsin—Madison where he won a dissertation award in 2001. He is a member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), and the International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA).
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