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Energy-10 Software
Energy-10 Software Review A Useful Design Software
There was a time when solar designers had to established their work based on a combination of theories, suspicions, general principles, personal experiences and some illusions. The result however included poor efficiency, overheating, uncomfortable to the highest degree and in some cases, did not supply much heat as expected.
Later, experts created a design software called the Energy-10. It is a powerful solar software design tool that is able to analyze and illustrate the cost and energy savings that can be attained with the aid of sustainable design strategies.
Energy can be simulated on the hourly basis and the results will eventually help you to assess, quantify and clearly describe the benefits and advantages of day lighting, natural ventilation, passive solar heating, better windows, properly insulated envelopes, lighting systems and mechanical equipment.
Energy-10 software is widely available and was formulated by the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council in Washington, D.C. This computer program makes it possible for the designers to anticipate and predict the energy operation and performance of a building at an early stage of the development, before the expensive blueprints have been produced. The amount of passive cooling and solar gain are predicted in a specific location that a house design will generate.
The program is to some extent sub optimal and will run very slowly. It can operate on an IBM compatible PC unit 486DX2 with 16MB RAM memory and Windows 95 operating system. Moreover, the software gives more emphasis on numeric simulations and running it with later versions of Windows operating system such as the Windows 98, 2000 or XP will be more satisfying.
Energy-10 is equipped with these key innovative features
Auto build This is a pre-designed tool wizard in creating a Reference Case Building. The inputs needed are the building use category, location, HVAC, size and utility rates. The software will do the rest of evaluating and defining a Reference case Building throughout this pre-design phase. The concise and clear graphic output will allow you to assess systematically in which major savings will be gained in the cooling, heating and lighting energy.
Apply This feature is used to select from the menu of EESs or Energy Efficient Strategies that will allow you to make your own Low-Energy Maintenance Case Building. The Reference Case mentioned above will be used as the basis in the comparison.
Rank This feature consecutively applies and prioritizes the energy efficient strategies then later evaluates the outcome and suggests the best and optimum choices for the building. The software also allows you to arrive at your own recommendations and selections basing on the most desirable and favorable returns about the first-cost investments.
Defaults Energy-10 has many default values using the reference of national averages of different building types. These are the values that will allow the user to speedily analyze the building even during the pre-design phase, although limited information on the final outcome of the building. The values can be edited as you continue through the design development.
Why use the Energy-10 software?
Obviously, with this software, your clients will be grateful and be expectant on the high performance of the building by designing it to be energy-efficient. Energy-10 aids you to deliver it well farther beyond the client's expectations. Utilizing climate data that is site-specific, the software will then be responsible in the combination of system, materials and site location that will yield greater and sustainable result with the reference on the energy result, reduced emissions and comparative costs.
Indeed, this powerful software tools will aid in creating informed decisions regarding energy performance throughout the crucial early stages of the design. Energy-10 helps to make estimates bases on little information out of integrated building design.
