The U.S. Department of Energy, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have released the initial version of the Spawn of EnergyPlus software.
The government entities collaborated with Modelon and Objexx Engineering on the new tool. Spawn is not a replacement for EnergyPlus and won’t be in the foreseeable future.
Like its progenitor, the new tool performs whole-building energy simulation, but it also targets new use cases in advanced controls, district systems, and grid integration. Spawn supports these new use cases by making fundamental use of coupled simulation via the Functional Mockup Interface standard.
It reuses the weather, envelope, lighting, and loads models from EnergyPlus and packages them as a single model. But it replaces EnergyPlus’ traditional, imperative, implicit, load-based HVAC and controls models with explicit declarative state-based models from the Modelica Buildings Library that are translated and automatically linked with the EnergyPlus model.
By combining models in different configurations, Spawn simulates either a single building or a collection of buildings linked by shared thermal, electrical, and control systems.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Jun 19, 2018
Structural engineered wood products exempt from new EPA formaldehyde ruling
Exempt products include structural plywood, oriented strand board (OSB).
Codes and Standards | Jun 18, 2018
Seattle City Council repeals controversial new per-worker tax on large employers
Measure was aimed at raising $50 million for homeless services, affordable housing.
Codes and Standards | Jun 14, 2018
Hardscape from development makes ‘1,000-year’ flood in Maryland worse
Impermeable concrete made it easier for water to overwhelm drainage system.
Codes and Standards | Jun 13, 2018
United States Resiliency Council announces support for Calif. earthquake resiliency bill
Measure would help cities identify structures that could fail in major quake.
Codes and Standards | Jun 12, 2018
Congestion pricing for cars is effective in reducing traffic, but a difficult sell
After three years, traffic congestion declined by 30% in London.
Codes and Standards | Jun 11, 2018
First RFP requiring modular construction on New York City housing project issued
Part of Housing 2.0 modular construction initiative.
Codes and Standards | Jun 6, 2018
Buffalo, N.Y., contractor exec pleads guilty to fraud for bid rigging on $750 million contract
LPCiminelli stops functioning as GC in fallout from the case.
Codes and Standards | Jun 6, 2018
LEED should be updated to combat climate change
Hasn’t kept pace with urgency of problem, says clean energy investor.
Codes and Standards | Jun 5, 2018
Sports stadiums and arenas showcase sustainability features
Green venues save owners money, gain positive publicity.
Codes and Standards | Jun 4, 2018
L.A. must transition to cleaner energy, boost transit to reach sustainability goals
City aims to reduce GHGs 60% by 2035 and 80% by 2050.