[Bldg-sim] Looking for advise on forcing an EnergyPlus model to run without any environmental controls - issue sorted

[Jon Hand]

Regarding my recent query about free-floating. One suggestion was that there was a mis-match between
the version of the IDF file and the IDD version file.  I had done a fresh compile from source on a 64bit
ARM computer and I had not checked the build-package tick mark and there were some files left over
from a previous 8.5 build.  When I went back and ticked that option in the ccmake screen it duly
updated all those other files and folders.

I just re-ran the model in question and that error no longer shows up.  Goes to show that
just re-building executables is not quite the same as the fat lady singing.

Another person suggested that I look at the 1zoneuncontrolled.idf which seems to
have a block of instructions that more explicitly tell EnergyPlus not to bother with
controls.  I will also try that.

Thanks a lot for the quick help - Jon

BTW - if anyone would like a compressed tar file of a 32bit ARM EPP 8.8 to unpack in /usr/local
or a 64bit ARM compressed tar file I am happy to share.
 
________________________________________
From: Jon Hand
Sent: 20 October 2017 16:36
To: bldg-sim at lists.onebuilding.org
Cc: Jon Hand
Subject: Looking for advise on forcing an EnergyPlus model to run without any environmental controls

I want to make a variant of a EPP 8.8 model which runs with free floating temperatures to see how
the building works in its natural state without ANY intervention from ANY environmental controls.

When I invoke the simulation I see the following severe message in the error file:

Program Version,EnergyPlus, Version 8.8.0-Unknown, YMD=2017.10.20 07:06,IDD_Version 8.5.0
   ** Warning ** Requested Object not found in Definitions: DesignSpecification:AirTerminal:Sizing
   ** Severe  ** GetObjectDefMaxArgs: Did not find object="DesignSpecification:AirTerminal:Sizing" in list of objects.

There are no thermostats, plant or system components or purchased heat/cool etc in the IDF file.
I don't want to select my system until I can see how the building works in its natural state.

The simulation control section of the file is:
  SimulationControl,
    No,                      !- Do Zone Sizing Calculation
    No,                      !- Do System Sizing Calculation
    No,                      !- Do Plant Sizing Calculation
    No,                      !- Run Simulation for Sizing Periods
    Yes;                     !- Run Simulation for Weather File Run Periods

How do I tell EnergyPlus that there are no environmental controls or air terminals in the building?

If there is one of the standard EPP example models which demonstrates a generic approach to take
or a block of text from an IDF file that forces free floating assessments that it would help greatly.

Regards, Jon Hand, ESRU, University of Strathclyde is not-very-sunny-at-the-moment-Glasgow