The EnergyPlus install includes a sample of example input
files. For the most part, the developers create these files to
illustrate and test a specific feature in EnergyPlus. Then, we
pass them along to you for illustrative purposes. The install
contains two spreadsheet files related to the example
files:
- ExampleFiles.xls - lists all the files
available - whether through the install or through an external
site.
- ExampleFiles-ObjectLink.xls - illustrates
the first 3 occurances in the example files of an object.
Following convention, each example file should have at the
top a set of comments that tell what the purpose of the file
is and the key features.
For example, the file titled “5ZoneAirCooled.idf” has:
! 5ZoneAirCooled.idf
! Basic file description: 1 story building divided into 4 exterior and one interior conditioned zones and return plenum.
!
! Highlights: Electric chiller with air cooled condenser; autosized preheating and precooling water coils in the
! outside air stream controlled to preheat and precool setpoints.
!
! Simulation Location/Run: CHICAGO_IL_USA TMY2-94846, 2 design days, 2 run periods,
! Run Control executes the run periods using the weather file
!
! Location: Chicago, IL
!
! Design Days: CHICAGO_IL_USA Annual Heating 99% Design Conditions DB, MaxDB= -17.3°C
! CHICAGO_IL_USA Annual Cooling 1% Design Conditions, MaxDB= 31.5°C MCWB= 23.0°C
!
! Run Period (Weather File): Winter 1/14, Summer 7/7, CHICAGO_IL_USA TMY2-94846
!
! Run Control: Zone and System sizing with weather file run control (no design days run)
!
! Building: Single floor rectangular building 100 ft x 50 ft. 5 zones - 4 exterior, 1 interior, zone height 8 feet.
! Exterior zone depth is 12 feet. There is a 2 foot high return plenum: the overall building height is
! 10 feet. There are windows on all 4 facades; the south and north facades have glass doors.
! The south facing glass is shaded by overhangs. The walls are woodshingle over plywood, R11 insulation,
! and gypboard. The roof is a gravel built up roof with R-3 mineral board insulation and plywood sheathing.
! The windows are of various single and double pane construction with 3mm and 6mm glass and either 6mm or
! 13mm argon or air gap. The window to wall ratio is approxomately 0.29.
! The south wall and door have overhangs.
!
! The building is oriented 30 degrees east of north.
!
! Floor Area: 463.6 m2 (5000 ft2)
! Number of Stories: 1
!
! Zone Description Details:
!
! (0,15.2,0) (30.5,15.2,0)
! _____ ________ ____
! |\ *** **************** /|
! | \ / |
! | \ (26.8,11.6,0) / |
! * \_____________________________/ *
! * |(3.7,11.6,0) | *
! * | | *
! * | | *
! * | (26.8,3.7,0)| *
! * |___________________________| *
! * / (3.7,3.7,0) \ *
! | / \ |
! | / \ |
! |/___******************___***________\|
! | Overhang | |
! |_______________________| | window/door = *
! |___|
!
! (0,0,0) (30.5,0,0)
!
! Internal gains description: lighting is 1.5 watts/ft2, office equip is 1.0 watts/ft2. There is 1 occupant
! per 100 ft2 of floor area. The infiltration is 0.25 air changes per hour.
!
! Interzone Surfaces: 6 interzone surfaces (see diagram)
! Internal Mass: None
! People: 50
! Lights: 7500 W
! Windows: 4 ea.: 1) Double pane clear, 3mm glass, 13mm air gap
! 2) Double pane clear, 3mm glass, 13mm argon gap
! 3) Double pane clear, 6mm glass, 6mm air gap
! 4) Double pane lowE, 6mm lowE glass outside, 6mm air gap, 6mm clear glass
!
! Doors: 2 ea.: Single pane grey, 3mm glass
!
! Detached Shading: None
! Daylight: None
! Natural Ventilation: None
! Compact Schedules: Yes
!
! HVAC: Standard VAV system with outside air, hot water reheat coils,
! central chilled water cooling coil. Central Plant is single hot water
! boiler, electric compression chiller with air cooled condenser.
! All equipment is autosized. HW and ChW coils are used in the outside air
! stream to precondition the outside air.
!
! Zonal Equipment: AirTerminal:SingleDuct:VAV:Reheat
! Central Air Handling Equipment: Yes
! System Equipment Autosize: Yes
! Purchased Cooling: None
! Purchased Heating: None
! Coils: Coil:Cooling:Water, Coil:Heating:Water
! Pumps: Pump:VariableSpeed
! Boilers: Boiler:HotWater
! Chillers: Chiller:Electric
!
! Results:
! Standard Reports: None
! Timestep or Hourly Variables: Hourly
! Time bins Report: None
! HTML Report: None
! Environmental Emissions: None
! Utility Tariffs: None
In addition to the idf files, usually an .rvi and perhaps a
.mvi of the same file set is included. As discussed
previously, the .rvi is used with the ReadVarsESO
post-processing program and the .eso file to create a .csv
file which can be read easily into Excel™. Like the .rvi, the
.mvi file can be used with the .mtr file to create a similar
version for “metered” outputs.
Example Input Files[LINK]
The EnergyPlus install includes a sample of example input files. For the most part, the developers create these files to illustrate and test a specific feature in EnergyPlus. Then, we pass them along to you for illustrative purposes. The install contains two spreadsheet files related to the example files:
Following convention, each example file should have at the top a set of comments that tell what the purpose of the file is and the key features.
For example, the file titled “5ZoneAirCooled.idf” has:
In addition to the idf files, usually an .rvi and perhaps a .mvi of the same file set is included. As discussed previously, the .rvi is used with the ReadVarsESO post-processing program and the .eso file to create a .csv file which can be read easily into Excel™. Like the .rvi, the .mvi file can be used with the .mtr file to create a similar version for “metered” outputs.
Documentation content copyright © 1996-2026 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois and the Regents of the University of California through the Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. All rights reserved. EnergyPlus is a trademark of the US Department of Energy.
This documentation is made available under the EnergyPlus Open Source License v1.0.