<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv=Content-Type>
<META content="MSHTML 5.00.2919.6307" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff><SPAN class=718322318-27012000>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=718322318-27012000>Let me
offer my opinion on this 'controversy'. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><FONT size=2><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT face=Arial>
<DIV>I personally disagree with contentions in this posting that "The history of
DOE and the national labs in creating and releasing such software is not very
good" and that "the DOE is spending our money to create new code and have
arguably abandoned the multi-million dollar investment in previous DOE2.x
development". First let me state that from all available evidence, the
whole DOE (and here DOE is the name of the program - what a strange choice for
program name, BTW) effort is one of the most successful undertakings in a brief
history of computer program development and represent well spent government
dollars by any standard. The multitude of published studies and successful
use of the program in commercial world, including numerous PC implementations
and user friendly implementations (including PowerDOE) clearly proves this
point. Not only was it useful in U.S., but it is widely used world wide
helping achieve b<SPAN class=718322318-27012000>et</SPAN>ter energy efficiency
of buildings in the process.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=718322318-27012000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=718322318-27012000>As far
as I know neither DOE nor EnergyPlus have any planned user interface (other than
arcane input file format). That is left to commercial world, including
Jeff Hirsch, to put into PowerDOE. It seems to me that there is a quite a
bit of confusion about PowerDOE, which is in my opinion, very good
program. PowerDOE is nothing more than good pre and post processor, which
can have DOE 2.2 or EnergyPlus as underlying engine. Also, EnergyPlus
doesn't mean abandonment of DOE 2 program, it rather builds on strengths of
BLAST and DOE2 programs, and basically streamlines government money, which was
to some extent wasted on the parallel effort to develop two different programs
for the same purpose.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=718322318-27012000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=718322318-27012000>EnergyPlus is an open source program, and alpha version
is just being released. For measly $100 (I think) anybody can get license
agreement and build commercial strength pre and post-processor to it. I
believe that many current developers will use this opportunity and by the time
the program is released (planned for beginning of next year), we will likely
have number of commercial programs that will incorporate user friendly
interface.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=718322318-27012000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=718322318-27012000>This
is not the first time that government is accused of "wasting tax payer dollars"
by funding these kind of projects. Being in the field of fenestration
research, sponsored also by DOE, I heard this kind of argument all too often
from various people. However, whenever I look back I see literally tens of
billions of dollars saved by having government "push" the envelope and
industry, by spending, oh... maybe $100 million over the past 20 years.
What a return on investment! I don't have data on the impact that DOE 2
had in the past 20 years, but I bet that they are not far off. I have
no doubt in my mind that EnergyPlus is going to continue this path of
excellence. And I am talking only about dollar savings. How about
improved quality of lives by having more comfortable homes, and by having less
pollution?</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=718322318-27012000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=718322318-27012000>For
those who would like to learn more about EnergyPlus (and other simulation
programs) there is going to be IBPSA meeting and software demonstration in
Dallas in conjunction with ASHRAE meeting on Saturday, February 5 from 4 to 7
p.m. in Pullman A Room at Hyatt Regency Dallas. It is open to
anyone.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=718322318-27012000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=718322318-27012000>Regards,</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=718322318-27012000>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dragan Curcija,</FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial
size=2>Senior Research Scientist</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>University of Massachusetts</FONT> <BR><I><FONT
face=Arial size=2>Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy</FONT></I>
<BR><FONT face=Arial size=2>Engineering Lab Building</FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial
size=2>Amherst, MA 01003-2210</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>TEL: (413) 545-4454</FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial
size=2>FAX: (413) 545-1027</FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial size=2>email:
curcija@ceere.org</FONT> <BR><FONT face=Arial size=2>www: <A
href="http://www.ceere.org/faculty/curcija.html"
target=_blank>http://www.ceere.org/faculty/curcija.html</A>
</FONT></P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV align=left class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Postman@gard.com
[mailto:Postman@gard.com]<B>On Behalf Of </B>Mark Case<BR><B>Sent:</B>
Wednesday, January 26, 2000 4:09 PM<BR><B>To:</B>
BLDG-SIM@gard.com<BR><B>Subject:</B> [BLDG-SIM] hornets
nest?<BR><BR></DIV></FONT>
<DIV><SPAN class=590333521-26012000><FONT color=#000000 face=Arial size=2>Most
of you are undoubtedly aware of the recent controversy over DOE2.2 PowerDoe
and EnergyPlus. I know that many people on this list are actively involved in
one or more of these programs. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=590333521-26012000><FONT color=#000000 face=Arial size=2>I
think this list is as good a place as any to start a serious discussion about
where things are going, why, and how we (users of the tools) feel about these
things. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=590333521-26012000><FONT color=#000000 face=Arial
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=590333521-26012000><FONT color=#000000 face=Arial size=2>I'll
start by boldly stating that I don't believe EnergyPlus will provide a truly
useful (on-the-ground useful) tool for many years to come. The history of DOE
and the national labs in creating and releasing such software is not very
good. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=590333521-26012000><FONT color=#000000 face=Arial size=2>Are
the labs and developers trying to create a product useable in a competitive
design consulting world? The last thing we need is another arcane simulation
package with no front end or post processor - been there, done that. Perhaps
new algorithyms and advanced coding are needed but without the interface they
won't help me at all. I'd rather use the `older' ones and keep the ability to
show designers what I'm doing. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=590333521-26012000><FONT color=#000000 face=Arial
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=590333521-26012000><FONT color=#000000 face=Arial size=2>One
more comment and question - the DOE is spending our money to create new code
and have arguably abandoned the multi-million dollar investment in previous
DOE2.x developent. Is this the best use of taxpayer money?</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=590333521-26012000><FONT color=#000000 face=Arial size=2>Come
on everybody - don't be afraid to weigh-in on this - let's hear your
thoughts!</FONT></SPAN></DIV><PRE>
==================
You received this e-mail because you are subscribed
to the BLDG-SIM@GARD.COM mailing list. To unsubscribe
from this mailing list send a blank message to
BLDG-SIM-UNSUBSCRIBE@GARD.COM
</PRE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>