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 | Sep 20, 2019
OSHA has a new chief for its construction directorate
Former Army medical staffer Scott Ketcham has extensive OSHA experience.
Codes and Standards | Sep 20, 2019
American Wood Council updates free Connection Calculator
Tool includes cross-laminated timber connection provisions and post-frame ring shank nails.
Codes and Standards | Sep 19, 2019
Virtual reconnaissance of Bahamas finds some structures performed well during Dorian
Amid devastation, lives likely saved by resilient buildings.
Codes and Standards | Sep 19, 2019
Obama-era Waters of the U.S. rule revoked
New rule expected to define protected waterways more narrowly.
Codes and Standards | Sep 17, 2019
California will enact rent cap bill limiting rent increases to 5% plus inflation
Applies to apartments built at least 15 years ago.
Codes and Standards | Sep 17, 2019
Zero energy buildings can be constructed with no added upfront cost
ROI can be realized in as little as one year.
Codes and Standards | Sep 13, 2019
Researchers use U. of Arkansas buildings as testbed for CLT panels
Investigation could influence future use of the materials.
Codes and Standards | Sep 13, 2019
At least 30 U.S. cities have adopted stricter building energy codes since 2017
Some followed their states in implementing more robust standards.
Codes and Standards | Sep 12, 2019
Illinois law sets maximum retainage on private projects
The change is expected to give contractors bigger checks earlier in project timeline.
Codes and Standards | Sep 10, 2019
Retreat may be the best option for some coastal communities in face of sea level rise
A new study makes the case for relocating in a "strategic, managed" manner.