Appendix E. Test File Documentation[LINK]

Each test file, whether released to the public or not, should be a best practice model and documented (comments at the top of the file) following the guidelines below. The document template file is also included with each installation in the “ExampleFiles” folder – ExampleFilesDoc.txt

! <name of file>

! Basic file description: <specify number of zones, stories in building, etc>

! Highlights: <Purpose of this example file>

! Simulation Location/Run: <location information, design days, run periods>

! Location:

! Design Days (should have SummerDesignDay,WinterDesignDay designations):

! Run Period (Weather File):

! Run Control (should include this):

!

! Building: <more details about building. metric units, if also english enclose in []{} or ()>

! Floor Area:

! Number of Stories:

!

! Zone Description Details:

! Internal gains description: <lighting level, equipment, number of occupants, infiltration, daylighting, etc>

! Interzone Surfaces:

! Internal Mass:

! People:

! Lights:

! Windows:

! Detached Shading:

! Daylight:

! Natural Ventilation :

! Compact Schedules (preferred):

! Solar Distribution:

!

! HVAC: <HVAC description and plant supply, as appropriate>

! Purchased Air:

! Zonal Equipment:

! Central Air Handling Equipment:

! System Equipment Autosize:

! Purchased Cooling:

! Purchased Heating:

! Coils:

! Pumps:

! Boilers:

! Chillers:

! Towers:

!

! Results: <how are results reported>

! Standard Reports:

! Timestep or Hourly Variables:

! Time bins Report:

! HTML Report:

! Environmental Emissions:

! Utility Tariffs:

Most of the example files have completed their documentation requirements and include plan views of the building. Our naming convention uses an underscore (_) as the first character of an input file “not for publication”.