assign constructions to 100% glazed surface

[Giovanni]

Hallo everyone,

I have noted that even if one surface is 100% glazed, when I assign constructions the software still gives the possibility to assign "external wall" or "internal partition" kind of constructions (a part from external glazing and internal glazing).

It looks like that the software always considers the most general case in which the window doesn't occupy the whole wall surface.

Is it like this? Shall I be confident that the definition of opaque construction will not affect the simulation (the software will just consider the glazed window)?

In general do you suggest not to have 100% glazed surface, to simplify sketchUP models import?

And also do you think that not using 100% glazed surface can avoid simulation errors due to low inertia of the model constructions. I ask this because I get often the error:

"Error: Surface temperature instability in room x. Possible remedies: add thermal capacity to construction STD_WAL1; reduce time step..."

Thanks for any help,
Giovanni

[PCully]

HI Giovanni,

In the SketchUp plug-in interface as well as within VE the model is considered as a window hosted on a wall surface, even when the glazing is 100% the VE model still considers it as being an opaque wall with an opening on it (which in this case happens to be the size of the whole wall).

Thinking of it this way explains why you would still be prompted to define the Construction properties of the wall itself but in for simulations and analysis I can assure you the wall is properly considered as glazed in terms of its thermal and lighting properties so you don't have to worry about this.

I don't know if that will help you with thermal instability or not http://www.iesve.com/support/knowledgebase/faq/2111

Phil