IES <Virtual Environment>
Tutorial
Apache Sim (Version 6.0)
Introduction
This tutorial will begin by showing you how to use the Building Template Manager (BTM) to create
thermal and construction data for a project.
You will then be shown how to apply and modify thermal and construction data for a simple building
model created using the ModelIT tutorial, set fuel carbon emission data and set site and location
data.
You will then see how to run dynamic thermal simulations using ApacheSim.
You can then review the results using the Vista results analysis tool (see the Vista tutorial).
For more detailed help you can use the Help menu within the specific IES application, and also you
can refer to the product manuals installed with the IES software.
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Opening a previously created <Virtual Environment> project
First you must open a previously created project using the File option from the main <Virtual
Environment> menu.
Open the project folder and select and open the MIT file within this folder.
The project will then open.
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Building Template Manager
To create templates, select the Building Template Manager (BTM) from the Templates option from
the main <VE> menu.
The BTM controls building template information for a number of aspects of the project. In this tutorial,
we will be concerned with Thermal Conditions templates and Construction templates. By default, the
BTM will start with Thermal Conditions templates.
Thermal Templates
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Creating Profiles
To set up thermal templates for the project, we will first create profiles, using the APpro (Apache
Profiles Database) utility.
Profiles describe the time variation of thermal input parameters. Examples of their use include
scheduling plant equipment, modulating casual gains and ventilation rates, specifying the timing and
degree of window opening and defining time-varying set-points and supply temperatures.
Profiles are of two types:
Modulating profiles are used to modulate inputs such as gains, ventilation rates and window opening,
and to schedule plant. They take the form of a time series of values in the range 0 - 1.
Absolute profiles are used to specify the time variation of variables such as setpoints and supply
temperatures. They take the form of a time series of a physical variable (most commonly
temperature).
Profiles should be created for daily, weekly and annual usages patterns.
To start APpro, click the Apache Profiles Database button.
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Profiles should be created for weekly and (optionally) annual usage patterns.
There are pre-built (system) weekly profiles for you to choose from. Click the button as shown below:
The system weekly profiles database window will open:
If you want to review a particular weekly group, double-click it and you will see the daily profiles for
each day of the week. The example below shows a Modulating weekly profile.
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If you want to review a particular daily profile, double-click the required day of the week and you will
see the daily profile graph:
To use system weekly profiles in your project, select the profiles shown below using your mouse and
the <Ctrl> key, then click the Import button. They will be copied to the Project Profiles window.
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Let’s look at an Absolute system weekly profile such as the one selected below:
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Double-click it, then double click one of the days to view the graph. You will see that the absolute
daily profile is 15 for all 24 hours of the day.
Click on Import to import the ‘Constant 15’ weekly group selected above to your project.
Save what you have done in APpro by clicking the Save button, then exit from APpro using the
File>Exit menu option.
In the Template Manager Window, click on Add Template to create another template and change the
name of this template to ‘Offices’.
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We will now enter thermal data for this selected template by entering data in the various tabbed
pages.
The Building Regulations tab is relevant to IES’s Part L software (not covered in this tutorial), so we
will start with the Room Conditions tab.
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Room Conditions tab
This tab is used to define heating and cooling plant operation times and setpoints.
Heating Profile
Here you can set the modulating profile group that defines the operation of the heating system for
thermal simulations using ApacheSim and heating load calculations using ApacheCalc. Note that
for heating to operate, the profile must exceed 0.5. From the drop-down list, choose the ‘8 - 6
weekday working’ weekly group.
Simulation Heating Setpoint
This is the setpoint for heating control for thermal simulations using ApacheSim and heating load
calculations using ApacheCalc. Enter a constant setpoint of 19 deg C
Simulation Cooling Setpoint
Here you can set the modulating profile group that defines the operation of the cooling system for
thermal simulations using ApacheSim and cooling load calculations using ApacheCalc. Note that for
cooling to operate, the profile must exceed 0.5. From the drop-down list, choose the ‘8 - 6 weekday
working’ weekly group.
Simulation Cooling Setpoint
This is the setpoint for cooling control for thermal simulations using ApacheSim and cooling load
calculations using ApacheCalc. Enter a constant setpoint of 23 deg C
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The Room Conditions page should now look like that below:
System tab
Here we create the HVAC system data for the template.
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Before creating the HVAC system data for the selected template we need to set up a database of
HVAC systems for the entire project. To do this, click on the View Apache Systems button to open
the Apache Systems window:
Here you create a database of one or more HVAC systems for subsequent use in your project. You
can use the Add button to create additional HVAC systems in the list, for example ‘System 2’. To
enter the name of this second system, type the name in the ‘name’ box:
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For each HVAC system you can enter the heating and cooling fuels and efficiencies and the
Auxiliary energy (energy consumed by fans, pumps and controls to deliver heating and cooling to the
room).
Rather than entering the values in the boxes you could use the UK NCM system data wizard to
choose a pre-defined HVAC system, but in this tutorial you can just use the default settings already
shown for the Main System.
To set the HVAC supply condition for the Main System, open the drop down list as shown and select
‘Temperature from profile’:
Next, select the ‘constant 15’ absolute weekly group from the adjacent list.
You have now defined the HVAC supply air as being supplied at 15 deg C.
Click on OK to close the Apache Systems window and to return you to the Template Manager.
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In the System tab, you can then select the required HVAC system for the selected template. Choose
‘Main system’.
Enter heating and cooling radiant fractions and humidity limits.
For the HVAC air supply rate, chose ach (air changes per hr) from the drop down list and enter a
value of 3.
Choose the ‘8-6 weekday working weekly profile group which will vary the rate of 3 ac/hr.
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The data in the System tab is now complete and should look like that below:
Internal Gains Tab
This tab is used to define internal gains for the selected template.
Click on the Add/Edit button and the Internal Gains list for the entire project will appear.
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Select the first line in the list (Fluorescent Lighting) to enable you to edit its properties in the boxes at
the bottom of the window. From the ‘Units’ drop-down list, select the option of W/m2. Enter a
maximum sensible gain of 15 W/m2, a power consumption of 17 W/m2 and select the ‘7 -7 no lunch’
weekly variation profile. Leave the Dimming Profile set to ‘On Continuously’
The values should now be as below:
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Select the second line in the list (People) to enable you to edit its properties. Leave the gains and
occupancy density in m2/person at their default values but select the ‘9-5 no lunch’ weekly profile.
To add a new internal gain to the list, click the Add Internal Gain button and a third line will appear.
To change the gain type for this line, select ‘Computers’ from the ‘Type’ drop down list.
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Enter a maximum sensible gain of 10 W/m2, a power consumption of 10 W/m2 and select the ‘9-5 no
lunch’ weekly profile. You should then have three lines as shown below:
Click in the three boxes in the last column to tick them and then click OK, to add these three gain
types to the selected template.
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Air exchanges Tab
This tab is used to define air exchange mechanisms for the selected template.
Click on the Add/Edit button and the air exchanges list for the entire project will appear.
Select the first line in the list (Infiltration) to enable you to edit its properties in the boxes at the bottom
of the window. Enter a maximum air change rate of 0.25 ach, and select the ‘on continuously’ weekly
variation profile.
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The values should now be as below:
It is possible to add other categories of air exchanges to the list (by clicking the Add Air Exchange
button and changing the Type) but they are not required for this tutorial.
Click in the box in the last column to tick it and then click OK, to add this air exchange type to the
selected template.
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You have now entered all the data for the ‘Offices thermal template. Making sure that the ‘Offices’
template is selected, click the ‘Add Template’ button and another template called ‘Offices’ will be
added to the list.
Change the name of this template to ‘Server Rooms’. This template will be an exact copy of all the
information in the ‘Offices’ template. If you wished you could then change the information in the tabs
in the Server Rooms template to be suitable for server rooms in the building.
In reality you would make more templates but these are sufficient for this tutorial. Click on the Save
button and OK the confirming message.
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To close the Template manager, click the OK button shown below.
Constructions Templates
To create constructions templates for the project, click on ‘Constructions’ on the lefthand side of the
Template Manager as shown below.
The template manager will now change to allow you to create constructions templates.
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The Apache Constructions Database
Constructional information can be found in the Apache Constructions Database utility. To access
this, click on the Apache Constructions Database button.
The Apache Constructions Database will then open to show the Project Constructions window.
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Constructions are split up into multiple categories for both opaque and glazed constructions. You can
either use constructions from a pre-built system database or you can create your own. We will start
with the system database.
Choosing Constructions from the System Database
To access the system database, select the menu item below.
The system constructions window will then open.
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To review a construction in the system database, select the category of interest and double-click the
construction of interest. For this tutorial, select the second construction in the External Walls category
in the system database and double-click it.
A window will appear showing you the data for this construction, including the construction material
layers and their properties.
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When you have finished reviewing the construction, click on OK to close the window. If you want to
use the selected construction in your project, click on the Copy Construction to Project button.
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You will see that the construction is copied into the External Walls category in the Project
Constructions window.
Select three more constructions from the System Constructions and copy them to the Project
Constructions.
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In practice, you would follow the same procedure to copy system constructions from other opaque
categories into the project constructions database.
Click on the Glazed tab in the System Constructions window and select the External Windows
category.
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Select the window construction shown below in the system database and double-click it to review it.
A window will appear showing you the data for this construction, including the construction material
layers and their properties.
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When you have finished reviewing the construction, click on OK to close the window. If you want to
use the selected construction in your project, click the Copy Construction to Project button.
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You will see that the construction is copied into the External Windows category in the Project
Constructions window.
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Select three more constructions from the System Constructions and copy them to the Project
Constructions.
In practice, you would follow the same procedure to copy system constructions from other glazed
categories into the project constructions database.
To close the System Constructions window, click the Close Button in the System Constructions
window (not the Project Constructions Window).
Creating your own constructions
If there is nothing suitable in the system constructions database you can make your own
construction. We will make an External Wall and an External Window as an example.
Creating your own opaque construction
Make sure that you are in the External Wall category in the Opaque tab in the Project Constructions
window, then click the Add Default Construction button.
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A new construction called ‘External Wall’ will be added to the list in the External Walls category.
Double click this new construction to edit it. The Project Construction window (the editing window for
this construction) will appear. By default, this construction will initially have one material layer of
brickwork.
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Enter a more recognizable description in the Description box (‘Tutorial External Wall’).
Click on the System Materials button to open a list of available materials and from the Material
Category list, select Insulating Materials. The list will then display a database of insulating materials.
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Highlight the material that you wish to use in the construction that you are creating. Let’s select
Polyurethane Board. Next, click the Copy Material button.
Return to the Project Construction window (you don’t need to close the System Materials window)
and click the Add button.
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The copied material will be added to the construction layers.
Repeat the process by returning to the System Materials window, select Lightweight Concrete Block
from the Concretes material category and click the Copy Material button. Click the Add button in the
Project Construction window to add the concrete block to the Project Construction layers.
Repeat the process again by selecting Gypsum Plasterboard from the Plasters category and add it to
the construction.
You should now have four layers as shown:
Note: As well as using the Add button you can use the Insert or Delete buttons in the Project
construction window as appropriate.
To place a cavity layer in the construction, select the Concrete block layer in the construction then
click the Cavity button. A cavity layer will be inserted above the concrete block layer.
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Finally you need to enter the appropriate thicknesses in the thickness boxes for each layer as shown
below (tip: do not press enter after typing each thickness – just click in the next box). As you click in
another box the construction U-values are automatically calculated and updated.
To finish the construction, click the OK button.
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The updated construction will appear in the Project Constructions window. If you wish to edit it again,
double-click it.
The same creation process applies to other opaque construction categories (internal ceilings/floors,
roofs, etc.
Creating your own glazed construction
Next, we will create our own External Window construction.
Make sure that you are in the External Window category in the Glazed tab in the Project
Constructions window, then click the Add Default Construction button.
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A new construction called ‘External Window’ will be added to the list in the External Walls category.
Double click this new construction to edit it. The Project Construction window (the editing window for
this construction) will appear. By default, this construction will initially have one material layer of clear
float glass.
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Enter a more recognizable description in the Description box (‘Tutorial External Window’).
Click on the System Materials button to open a list of available materials and from the Material
Category list, select Glass. The list will then display a database of glass materials.
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Highlight the material that you wish to use in the construction that you are creating. Let’s select
Kappafloat 6mm. Next, click the Copy Material button.
Return to the Project Construction window (you don’t need to close the System Materials window)
and click the Paste button.
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The copied material will be pasted over the existing construction layer. Next, click on the Add button
again. The copied material will be added to the construction layers and a cavity will automatically be
added between the two layers
Note that if required, you could change the appropriate thicknesses in the thickness boxes for each
layer.
To finish the construction, click the OK button.
The updated construction will appear in the Project Constructions window. If you wish to edit it again,
double-click it.
The same creation process applies to other glazed construction categories (internal windows and
rooflights).
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Close the System Materials window by clicking its Close button.
Save the Project Constructions window by clicking the Save button.
To exit from the Apache Constructions Database utility, select the File>Exit menu option.
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Back in the Template Manager Window, click on Add Template to create another constructions
template and change the name of this template to ‘Constructions template 1’.
Make sure the Constructions Template 1 is selected. In the element category drop-down lists, select
the wall and window constructions you created earlier in the External Wall and External Glazing
categories. The constructions in each category shown below are now the ‘active’ constructions for
this template.
In reality you would make more templates but these are sufficient for this tutorial. Click on the Save
button and OK the confirming message.
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To close the template manager, click the OK button as shown below.
If required, when drawing rooms in ModelIT, you could then select the required thermal and
construction templates to apply to subsequently drawn rooms. To do this, in the room Shape Settings
window in ModelIT, click on the Room Templates button to expand the list of template types. From
the drop down lists for the Constructions templates and the Thermal Conditions templates, select the
required template names. These are then the ‘active’ templates which will apply to any rooms
subsequently drawn.
However we will see next how to apply thermal templates and constructions to rooms that have
already been created.
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Switching to the Apache view to assign templates and construction data to the building model
Save the project by clicking on the Save Project button in the main VE menu.
Open the navigator and select apache from the list of modules under the energy heading.
The view will now switch to the Apache view. In the Apache view you can apply thermal and
construction data to the building model and run dynamic thermal simulations using ApacheSim.
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Assigning thermal templates to selected rooms
Select the two upper floor rooms, then click the Assign Room Thermal Template to Selection Set
button.
The Assign Template window will open.
From the Thermal Template drop down list, select the Offices template and then click on OK to
assign the information in this template to the selected rooms. Repeat the process by applying the
Server Rooms template to the three ground floor rooms.
Editing the thermal information for one selected room
If you wish to change the thermal information for a selected room, you can do this by first selecting
the required room. Let’s select the Studio. Next, click the Query button. Note that the Query facility
will only be available if one room only is selected.
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The Room Data window will appear showing you the thermal data for the Studio which you can see is
taken from the Offices template.
To change an item of data, you must first break the link to the template by unchecking the Template
check box. You can then enter or select your own setting. In this example we will disable the heating
and cooling in this room. To do this, select the System tab, uncheck the Template check box next to
the “HVAC System” setting and choose ‘None’ from the drop-down list.
Also make sure that the setting for the “Auxiliary Vent system” is set to anything except ‘None’.
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We will also reduce the lighting gain and power consumption to 12 W/m2. Select the Internal Gains
tab and select the Fluorescent Lighting option.
Uncheck the Template check box shown below and enter the appropriate values.
To apply these modified settings in the Room Data window, click on the OK button at the bottom of
the Room Data Window and the window will close.
The Studio is now without any heating or cooling so when we perform a dynamic thermal simulation
using ApacheSim, the temperatures in this room will ‘free float’
Modifying constructions for selected rooms.
For this example we will select all the rooms in the building. Make sure you are in an Axonometric
View, then select all the rooms. Next, click the Assign Constructions button.
The Assign Constructions window will appear showing a graphic of the selected rooms in an
Axonometric view.
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If more than one element category is represented in the selected rooms it is first necessary to select
one of these categories from the list headed ‘Select Category’. Any edits will be applied only to
elements in the selected category. Select the External Wall category.
Under the heading ‘Construction Type’ you will see a list of the construction types currently assigned
to the selected elements. By clicking on each construction type in turn you will be able to identify the
elements where the construction is used. These elements are highlighted on the graphic. In the
Construction Type’ list, select the ‘standard Wall Construction (2002 regs)’ construction, which is the
current construction being used.
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We will replace all the highlighted instances of the selected construction type with another
construction type. To do this, click on the ‘Tutorial External Wall’ construction type in the list headed
‘Possible replacement construction types’, and then click on Replace.
In the Construction Type’ list, select the ‘Tutorial External Wall’ construction type. You will see on the
graphic that all external walls are highlighted, confirming that they are now of the ‘Tutorial External
Wall’ construction.
Perform the same operation for the External Glazing category. Change all external glazing from the
‘low-e double glazing (6mm+6mm) (2002 regs)’ construction type to the ‘Tutorial External Window’
construction type.
Click on the Close button to close the Assign Constructions window.
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If required, you can use the Assign Constructions feature to change the construction for one selected
wall by first selecting a room in the Apache view, moving down a level to the Space Level (middle
level) of decomposition, selecting the required surface, then clicking the Assign Constructions button.
In the Assign Constructions window you would then see a graphic of the selected surface, and you
could perform a construction change for the wall or glazing as described above.
The Assign Constructions feature is also available at the Surface Level (bottom level) of
decomposition, allowing you to change constructions for selected windows
Setting fuel Carbon emission factors
To set the carbon dioxide emission factors for HVAC system and equipment fuels, click on the Fuels
Data button. The Fuels Data window will open.
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To change the emission factors for a fuel, uncheck the appropriate ‘Default ‘check box and enter your
required value in the Carbon Emission Factor box. For this tutorial we will leave the values as they
are. Click on OK to close the Fuels Data window.
Renewable energy
If required you can define renewable energy options in Apache. To do this, click the Renewables
button.
The Renewables window will open. You can define energy from a PVS generator (photovoltaic), a
wind generator or a CHP (Combined Heat and Power) generator. To do this, click on the relevant tab
in the Renewables window.
PVS generator tab
To use PV technology, you must use the Add Panel button to define PV panels and enter the relevant
data. PV generated energy will then be included in the Apache simulation.
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Wind generator tab
To use wind generated energy, you must check the Wind Generator check box and enter the relevant
data. Wind generated energy will then be included in the Apache simulation.
CHP generator tab
To use a CHP generator, you must check the CHP Generator check box and enter the relevant data.
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Note: If you have defined a CHP generator in the Renewables window, to use it you must also
enable the CHP option in the Apache Systems window which lists the HVAC systems for the entire
project (described earlier).
You can access the Apache Systems window by clicking the View Apache Systems button from the
System tab in a thermal template in the Building Template Manager as described earlier.
Alternatively you can access the Apache Systems window from the Apache view, by clicking the
Apache Systems button.
The Apache Systems window will open.
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To enable CHP for a selected system, check the CHP check box and enter the boiler ranking
number.
However, for the purposes of this tutorial we will not enable CHP in the Renewables window or the
Apache Systems window.
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Setting the Site and Weather Data
To set the location and weather data for Apache, we use the APlocate utility. Click on the ‘Apache
weather/location database manager’ button to start APlocate.
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There are three tabs on the APlocate window, one for location and site data, one for design weather
data (used by ApacheCalc and ApacheLoads only) and the other for simulation weather data (used
by ApacheSim only). APlocate has a selection wizard that assists the user in selecting weather
data.
From the Location and Site Data tab, click the Selection Wizard button.
Page 1 of the wizard will appear.
You could enter your own values in the boxes. However, click on the Select button to open the Select
Site Location window. Select Europe from the Region list, then select United Kingdom from the
Country list, then select London/Heathrow from the City list. Click on the OK button in this window to
apply these choices
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Click on the Next button to proceed to page 2 of the wizard.
On page 2 you can select the source of design data to be used by ApacheCalc or ApacheLoads for
heating and cooling loads calculations. For this example, select the ASHRAE database, then click on
the Next button to proceed to page 3 of the wizard.
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On Page 3 you acquire the design data for heating and cooling loads calculations. You could click the
Select button to choose a different set of weather data, but for this tutorial we will leave the settings
as they are. Click on the Acquire Design Weather button to acquire the design data, then click the OK
message which appears.
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The Next button will then be enabled. Click on the Next button to proceed to page 4 of the wizard.
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On page 4 you can select annual climate data files for use by IES’s ApacheSim dynamic simulation
tool and, if applicable to you, by IES’s Part L UK Building Regulations compliance tool.
Click the Select button in the ‘ApacheSim’ area to display a list of annual climate files installed on
your system. For this tutorial select the Hrow9697 file (Heathrow airport in the UK) and click on the
OK button to close this list.
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If you are performing UK Part L compliance checks, click the select button in the ‘UK Building
Regulations Part L’ area to display a list of annual climate files installed on your system.
Select the appropriate location and click on the OK button to close this list.
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Click on the Finish button in the wizard.
You have now completed the data entry for APlocate. If you wish, you can click on any of three tabs
in APlocate and change the data. Click on the Save button in APlocate and click on OK in the
confirming message.
Exit from APlocate by using the File>Exit menu option.
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Save the project by clicking on the Save Project button in the main VE menu.
Running ApacheSim
You are now ready to perform a dynamic thermal simulation using the ApacheSim thermal
simulation software.
Performing a dynamic thermal simulation using ApacheSim
Make sure you are in the Apache view in the Thermal group of applications. At the bottom of the
Apache View, click the ApacheSim (Dynamic Simulation) button. The Apache Simulation window will
appear.
The results file will hold all the results from the simulation. Vista, the results analysis tool, will open
this file when the simulation is complete and you can view the results in different ways.
The default results file name will be <project name>.aps. We will use the default name for this
tutorial.
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Check the SunCast link box (the SunCast link will only be available if you have previously performed
calculations using SunCast). Uncheck the other boxes. Set the simulation dates to run from 1
January to 31 December. Set the time step to 10 mins, the reporting interval to 30 mins and the
preconditioning period to 20 days. The ApacheSim window should now be as below.
Click on the save button in this window to save the simulation settings for next time.
You are now ready to perform a dynamic thermal simulation. Press the Simulate button to begin the
simulation process.
You will see the simulation progressing as shown below.
Once the simulation is complete the Virtual Environment view will automatically switch from the
Apache View to the Vista view. In Vista you will be able to review the results from the simulation
(please see the Vista tutorial).
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