Hi,
we're experiencing lots of difficulties to correctly assess this credit. Some notes:
- we're trying to guarantee compliance following option 1 (sDA and ASE simulations);
- we're using IESve for our simulations, since we already use it for energy simulations for a long time.
The majority of the buildings we need to assess, include large open-spaces (>1000 m2). When we try to simulate these spaces, we're getting lots of errors in the software and in fact we can't get any results for sDA parameter. We already cleared with the software provider that this is not an hardware issue, apparently is related with the algorithms used by the program. Given this, I ask:
- Has anyone suffered this issue with IES and solved it?
- Which alternative softwares would you recommend us to use to assess this requirement in large spaces?
Regards,
Haytham Mohamed
Project Architect & LEED AP BD+C, ID+C, O+M, Homes, NDArchitects Crang & Boak Inc
3 thumbs up
January 16, 2018 - 8:49 am
The best software for LEED V4 daylighting is Revit Elumtools with Licaso.
TODD REED
Energy Program SpecialistPA DMVA
LEEDuser Expert
889 thumbs up
January 16, 2018 - 9:11 am
I've been using SPOT (Sensor Placement Optimization Tool) and Light Stanza for my LEEDv4 stuff. If i have to choose between the two, it would be Light Stanza.
Ricardo Sá
Director of SustainabilityEdifícios Saudáveis Consultores (503 910 767)
85 thumbs up
January 16, 2018 - 9:43 am
Can you confirm that for spaces larges than 1000 m2, you can have reasonable results? What are the typical simulation periods for that kind of spaces?
TODD REED
Energy Program SpecialistPA DMVA
LEEDuser Expert
889 thumbs up
January 16, 2018 - 10:29 am
The largest space i have done is 5500 square foot floor plate of an office building and the results in my professional opinion were reasonable. In honesty, if you build the model right and set the parameters correctly you will have viable results. I would say that a LEEDv4 option 1 run in Light Stanza would be a few hours for an open space that big. The floor plat i did took about 3.5-4 hours and had alot of interior surfaces.
Dane Sanders
PrincipalClanton Associates
68 thumbs up
January 16, 2018 - 10:48 am
I would second Todd's recommendation for LightStanza. We have done very large floor plates, above 10,000 SF and even with whole building models over 100,000 SF with multiple floors. Although I still prefer the smaller models. LightStanza is one of the few programs that calculates true sDA, using proper blind controls, wall thicknesses and detailed models to abide by the IES LM-83 modeling requirements for sDA. Any program that does not have blind controls or has simplified modeling (like planar surfaces with no wall thickness) are not following IES LM-83, and therefore will not comply with the LEED v4 Daylighting Credit, option 1.