New versions of DOE’s EnergyPlus engine and the OpenStudio software development kit released

The U.S. Department of Energy and the national labs have released updated versions of their open-source, whole-building energy modeling tools: the EnergyPlus engine and the OpenStudio software development kit (SDK) and Application.

EnergyPlus 9.0.1 is a traditional update that resolves over 70 bugs and issues, while adding new features. The new features include:

· WinCalc engine integration

· ASHRAE Fan Energy Index (FEI) calculations

· Inclusion of fan heat in cooling coil sizing calculations

· AirflowNetwork enhancements to allow multiple primary air loops

OpenStudio 2.7.0 supports EnergyPlus version, 9.0.1. The new release includes improvements to the Application Programming Interface (API), Command Line Interface (CLI), and the OpenStudio Standards gem. New features include:

· API access to multiple HVAC air-loops per zone

· API access to ExternalFile and ScheduleFile objects

· CLI access to custom Ruby gems

· OpenStudio Server enhancements for Resque job-queuing environments

· Miscellaneous OpenStudio Standards fixes and new feature for commercial prototype building models

Both EnergyPlus and OpenStudio are available for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux Ubuntu platforms.