Suncast Errors in Notional Building

[PCully]

Hi,

There were problems with the Notional SunCast in <VE> 6.2.0 but to my knowledge these were all resolved by version 6.2.0.1 (can you check you are running on the latest version please, if not you can grab the patch from our download centre).

If you are running the latest version then this could be related to problems in the geometry (start by running a geometry check in ModelIT on your Real/Actual building and try to resolve any issues flagged up here, especially intersections of non-planar surfaces).

One other trick I find sometimes helps when you are having trouble with the notional SunCast shading file is to delete the existing shading file from the project prior to running the simulation (you'll find it in the project SunCast folder and it will be named projectname_Not.shd). If you delete it then next time you run the simulation it will be re-calculated (hopefully without error).

If you want to test it out before you leave the full sim then in Compliance ensure Building and System data >> Simulation settings has the SunCast link ticked, change the Building dropdown to Notional then run a CO2 Emissions test run and this will start by calculating the Notional SunCast shading file so you can immediately check it is valid.

Hope this helps you to get passed this problem, I do appreciate there is nothing more infuriating than coming in in the morning to find the simulation still waiting to run the Notional building.

Phil

[PCully]

yeah, sounds like it may be related to the geometry then. 6.2 has a few issues related to this fixed but I appreciate you're tied to 6.1.1 at the moment.

The only other thing to try is a recent FAQ added to the knowledge base http://www.iesve.com/Support/FAQs/FAQ-answer/?qId=483. Check your rooms browser order in ModelIT and if necessary follow the guidance here to correct this then try running again.

Phil

[PCully]

one last tip if it is geometry related, after a Compliance run go back to ModelIT and in the key-in enter "dumpnm", you'll be prompted to save a .gem file. This is the notional building geometry so you can import this to ModelIT and run the usual check and possibly identify areas where this is being generated with flaws.

You would still have to try to find a way to modify the actual building so the issues are removed the next time the notional is generated but at least this gives an idea of what to target.

Phil