openRevit

This topic was brought up a few days ago from @MikeSealander. He was looking for some verification that the process of going from a Revit model to the DOE’s EnergyPlus analysis software was possible using Ecotect as a go between. While I have had some success with this process it was always using Green Building Studio as the intermediate tool.

Seeing as EnergyPlus is the most sophisticated energy analysis tool available and Revit is now become some what of a standard for the AEC industry it seemed like a natural fit. So I went ahead and gave it a try.

The long short if you have no interest in watching the videos is that I was impressed with the amount of detail and the level at which the geometric and construction information was brought across into EnergyPlus. While I ultimately  believe that analytical energy models should be kept separate from Architectural models, if you prefer to have some sort of link, dynamic or not, this is definitely a workable method.

The 7 Easy Steps to Success are:

1. Create Analytical Spaces in Revit
2. Modify Room Bounding Objects
3. Verify Analytical Volumes
4. Export GBXML
5. Import GBXML to Ecotect
6. Export IDF to Energyplus
7. Verify in Geometry and Constructions in OpenStudio/IDF Editor

If you want to follow along with me here are the requirements:

• Revit 2010 RAC or RME
• Ecotect 2010
• EnergyPlus v3.0 or higher (I am using v4.0)
• Energyplus Transition Program (under download section)
• OpenStudio Sketchup plugin for EnergyPlus
• Textpad

If you have additional questions feel free to email me or reach me on twitter @openRevit.

I can also be found hanging around the following:

Help forums for Revit

- AUGI

- Autodesk Discussions

Help forums for EnergyPlus

- http://energyplus.helpserve.com/

- http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/EnergyPlus_Support/