[Equest-users] [EXTERNAL] eQuest 7175 DOE2.3 Simulation Speed

Thu Dec 10 15:01:07 PST 2020

Hi Christina!

Thank you for your sustained viewership, and welcome to the conversation!

You aren’t seeing things: doe2.3 operated through the eQuest interface definitely feels more “weighted” than prior versions or operating with the doe2.2 engine.  I think design-day definitions are the only “universal” action I’ve discovered that can improve simulation run times specific to eQuest v1765, with doe2.3.

There may be other general efficiency fixes/potential specific to your model, of course.  As with any simulation platform/version, sometimes the inputs need to adapt to the tool.  A couple hours invested into stripping unused components, and pulling back on the resolution (simplifying) for very detailed schedules, geometries, and on occasion “heavy” expressions can yield meaningful gains in simulation time.  Sometimes breaking a very complex model into two or more smaller chunks is a smart call.  With any efficiency/optimization efforts, remember to consider and occasionally re-evaluate the potential benefits of simulation savings time against the extra hours invested into polish/streamlining…

Energy simulation is one of those neat skillsets where human and machine strengths come together to accomplish something neither could do alone.  As you pursue optimization of the machine, don’t forget the human that runs the machine.  After some degree of hammering away at a long simulation runtime, it becomes more efficient/healthy (for man and machine together) to just take a coffee break, stare out the window, and introspect for a bit during the workday!

Okay so off of my soapbox, I have one more thought which is probably a little more constructive… If you are in a real pinch and the simulation load is heavy (this is not universal advice):  Command line doe2 is (as it has always been in my career) substantially faster than loading a model, simulating, and reloading in between each simulation through the eQuest interface.  I don’t leverage that option often myself, but if you ever have some situation with the need to crunch tens/hundreds/thousands of simulations, then I strongly-to-emphatically encourage exploring the command line option!

If scripting command line simulations is new territory for you or anyone else, here is a potentially helpful reference on unmethours where I shared a developed/working Python 2.7 script specific to eQuest/doe2.  Check out the original prompt ,and contributions by others to pick up a few ways to tackle this sort scripting effort: https://unmethours.com/question/4668/script-for-multiple-simulations/?answer=13310#post-id-13310

~Nick

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Nick Caton, P.E. (US), BEMP
ニック ケートン, P.E. (US), BEMP
Senior Energy Engineer
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Email
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From: Equest-users <equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org> On Behalf Of Christina LaPerle via Equest-users
Sent: Friday, December 11, 2020 12:13 AM
To: equest-users at onebuilding.org
Subject: Re: [Equest-users] [EXTERNAL] eQuest 7175 DOE2.3 Simulation Speed

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Thanks Cole but already doing that and still experiencing slow run times.

Christina LaPerle PE, BEMP, CEM, CBCP
Senior Energy Engineer
________________
Karpman Consulting
Phone 860.266.6220<tel:860.266.6220>

On Thu, Dec 10, 2020 at 10:11 AM Jennings, Coles <Coles.Jennings at masonandhanger.com<mailto:Coles.Jennings at masonandhanger.com>> wrote:
Christina,

One quick fix we have found is to make sure to specify Design Days for both cooling and heating. On the “Project & Site” tab, right click the project name at the very top of the component tree and then select “Create Design Day” and enter the design temperature information. You’ll need to do this twice to cover cooling and heating design conditions. This reduces simulation time by a fair amount as it seems to cut down on the repeat load calculations that run in 7175 without design day conditions specified. We have still observed longer run times in general, but this helps.

Thanks,

Coles Jennings PE, BEMP, LEED AP BD+C
Sr. Energy and Sustainability Engineer | Mason & Hanger
A Day & Zimmermann Company
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From: Equest-users <equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org<mailto:equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org>> On Behalf Of Christina LaPerle via Equest-users
Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2020 9:26 AM
To: equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org<mailto:equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org>
Subject: [EXTERNAL] [Equest-users] eQuest 7175 DOE2.3 Simulation Speed

Hi All,

I always read everyone's posts but have never posted. Thank you for all of the informative exchanges over the years.

I have been using the 7175 DOE2.3 version of eQuest since it was released and have found the simulation times to be significantly greater than the 7173 DOE2.2 build (even with creating the heating and cooling design days in detailed mode). I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this, and, if so, if you have found a way to speed up simulation times. In smaller models (~50,000 sf) it is not a big deal but with larger models (~350,000 sf+) I find that it impacts productivity greatly.

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Christina

Christina LaPerle PE, BEMP, CEM, CBCP
Senior Energy Engineer
________________
Karpman Consulting
Phone 860.266.6220<tel:860.266.6220>

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