Adding new features[LINK]

The process for adding new features or significantly changing some features goes through a development team discussion period where the new feature is outlined, discussed and (hopefully) approved for inclusion.

The team has a New Feature Proposal template document that is available to anyone wishing to add a new feature to EnergyPlus (or to auxiliary programs around EnergyPlus). The full New Feature Proposal format is shown in Appendix F.

The sections of the New Feature Proposal are summarized in the following table:

Sections of a New Feature Proposal

Section	Description
Justification	Why is the feature important. Impact on energy use. What energy aspects the feature is using.
Conference Call Conclusions	Conclusions from the discussions (email or conference call)
Other Conference Call topics	Items outside the scope of the feature might be brought up but not able to be accomplished.
Overview	Description of the feature and references
Approach	What approach will be used.
Testing/Validation data Sources	Required
IORef/Draft	IDD Objects (new or revised) as well as full IOReference text
Proposed Report Variables	What outputs will come out of this feature.
Proposed additions to meters	How the outputs will affect the meter output
Engineering Reference Draft	Draft text for the Engineering Reference document
Example File	What/how many example files will be included or used to support this feature
Transition changes	What will be the required changes for current input files for this feature
Other documents	Other references.

Then, of course, the document in Appendix G must be filled out and given to the proper people as well – to show that rights to the intellectual property of the new feature are owned by the developer.