Conditioning status of activities

This article explains which activity types should generally have an HVAC System assigned and which should not. It also suggests how to QA check that you have made the right settings.

EPC Conventions and Survey rules dictate rules for assigning default HVAC Systems and No HVAC System. These are largely based on the Conditioning Type defined in the SBEM Activity database. The available categories are

• CONDITIONED (must be heated only or heated and cooled)
• EITHER (these activities may or may not have HVAC assigned: the survey setting can generally be used)
• UNCONDITIONED (must not have a HVAC System assigned)

Note that conventions for assigning HVAC may consider other factors so you need to check these settings apply to the specific circumstance.

The vast majority of activities are classified as Conditioned and so you may have to assign an HVAC System to them even if there is no evidence of one in your survey. There are some differences depending on the Building Type or the SBEM (or SBEMie) version (v5 & v6 only considered here). Thus the following list only considers activities that are NOT classified as Conditioned and you should assume the Activity is classified as Conditioned if not listed here 

Checking your model

The best way to QA check data in your model is to use Model Data Grid View (MDGV)

There are learning resources on this tool

• Tutorial https://designbuilder.co.uk/tutorial-videos/573-301-model-data-grid-view-qa-checking
• DesignBuilder Help DesignBuilder Help - Model Data Grid View (MDGV)

There are layouts for Activity and HVAC but none that include both, so you will have to create a New Layout:

Save and open the layout (should be stored for future use with other models).

The following instructions only consider assignment based on Activity Type. Check the conventions you are required to follow as there may be other settings that take priority over this.

For large models you will be best to sort on Activity Template. Check the Has HVAC system column for

1. Ticked boxes for activities listed in the Activity - Building Sector - Conditioning Type Table classes as UNCONDITIONED

•    Untick the Has HVAC system box

2. Unticked boxes for activities not listed in the Activity - Building Sector - Conditioning Type Table (ie activity types classed as CONDITIONED)

• Tick the Has HVAC system box
• If this was a mistake and the zone has a HVAC system operating in that zone, assign the correct HVAC System.
• Else 
  1. untick Known HVAC System
  2. tick Default HVAC System
  3. select the correct Default HVAC system according to the relevant conventions

Click Apply

Check the settings have been applied: