After performing an initial energy analysis, you can use the Advanced Energy Settings dialog to specify parameters that affect energy consumption for the building model.
To open the Advanced Energy Settings dialog
- Click Analyze tab
Energy Optimization panel
(Energy Settings).
- In the Energy Settings dialog, for Other Options, click Edit.
The Advanced Energy Settings dialog displays.
Detailed Model
Some settings in the dialog relate only to the legacy mode Use Conceptual Masses. These settings are not available when using the default mode Use Conceptual Masses and Building Elements.
Target Percentage Glazing
This setting applies only to conceptual masses with mass floors enabled. It specifies the percentage of exterior walls to be glazed openings (windows). It is also known as the window-to-wall ratio (WWR).
The default is 0%. For curtain walls, the maximum is 95%, which takes into account the framing area.
Energy Optimization for Revit simulates a range of Target Percentage Glazing on each major elevation of a building.
Target Sill Height (legacy conceptual mass only mode)
This setting applies only to conceptual masses with mass floors enabled. It specifies the distance from the floor to the bottom of the window. Window areas below task height (typically 0.75 meters or 2.5 feet) contribute to heat gain and heat loss without contributing to effective daylighting.
The Target Percentage Glazing and Target Sill Height settings work together. If you specify a larger Target Percentage Glazing, Revit may use a sill height that is lower than specified to meet the requirement.
Glazing Is Shaded (legacy conceptual mass mode only)
This option applies only to conceptual masses with mass floors enabled. Select this option if you want light shelves to shade windows and other glazing for conceptual energy analysis. Proper shading greatly reduces cooling energy spent on a space with large areas of unprotected glazing.
In a conceptual model, automatic exterior shades are external only, and they cannot be manipulated separately from their windows. However, you can manually create exterior shades or other types of shades (such as awnings) for the conceptual model by using mass surfaces.
Shade Depth (legacy conceptual mass mode only)
When you select Glazing is Shaded, use the Shade Depth setting to specify the width of exterior shades on the model.
This setting applies only to conceptual masses with mass floors enabled.
Target Percentage Skylights
This setting applies only to conceptual masses with mass floors enabled. It specifies the percentage of roofs that should be skylights. This value is also known as the skylight-to-roof ratio (SRR). The default is 0%.
Skylight Width & Depth (legacy conceptual mass mode only)
When you specify a value for Target Percentage Skylights, use this setting to specify the size of the skylights.
Enter a dimension defining the width and depth of the skylights. For example, enter 4’ to specify skylights that are 4 feet wide by 4 feet deep.
This setting applies only to conceptual masses with mass floors enabled.
Building Data
Energy Optimization for Revit simulates the impact of all of the following parameters across a range. These values affect the BIM setting shown in the Energy Range Factors of Autodesk Insight. Change these parameters only after performing an initial energy analysis.
Building Type
Select the building type that most closely reflects the planned usage of the model. This setting is a default for the entire project.
The building type includes assumptions about the typical schedule of the building based on usage. For instance, a retail store is assumed to be open more hours per year than an office building, and so it uses more energy.
To override the default schedule for the selected building type, use the Building Operating Schedule setting. You can also override the space types for specific spaces.
For assumptions about each building type, see Building Type Data.
Building Operating Schedule
Specify the operating schedule for the building. This setting overrides the default operating schedule, which is based on the selected building type.
This schedule can have a significant impact on the energy results. Choose a schedule that most closely matches the building’s assumed hours of operation.
For assumptions about each building operating schedule, see Building Operating Schedules.
HVAC System
Specify an HVAC system for the project.
For assumptions about each HVAC system type, see HVAC Systems.
Outdoor Air Information
Click Edit to specify the outdoor air per person, outdoor air per area, and infiltration for the whole building.
Room/Space Data
You do not need to add room elements or space elements to the architectural model in order to create an energy model. However, if the architectural model contains rooms or spaces that reside within analytical spaces of the energy model, the Export Category setting determines whether room information or space information is used in the analysis.
Export Category
When this parameter is set to Rooms, Revit passes the Room object name and number to the corresponding Analytical Space name.
When it is set to Spaces, Revit passes the following information for use in the analysis: Space object name and number, Occupancy, Lighting, Equipment, and Zone.
For details, see Space Type Data and Occupancy Schedules.
Material Thermal Properties
Revit offers 3 ways to specify material thermal properties of building elements for energy analysis. These methods can be used in combination with one another to suit different stages in the design process, levels of detail, and user preference.
When you use multiple methods to specify material thermal properties, they are applied in the following order:
- Conceptual types are the default.
- Schematic types, where enabled, override conceptual types.
- Detailed elements, where enabled and where material thermal properties are specified for building elements, override both conceptual types and schematic types.