Modelkit for EnergyPlus

Live Webinars
18-25 July
Collaboration with PG&E

What's Included?

  • 3 Live Webinars (~ Hours Total)
  • 2 Lecture Slide PDFs (4 Lectures Total)
  • 4 Reference Handout PDFs
  • 3 Hands-On "Homework" Exercises
  • 2 Practice Quizzes
  • 2 Graded Exams
  • Certificate of Completion
This workshop should be a prerequisite for anyone planning to work with EnergyPlus DEER prototypes.

This one-day workshop teaches you to use the Modelkit framework developed by Big Ladder Software for generating EnergyPlus input files. We cover the basics of how Modelkit uses the Ruby programming language in combination with a library of templates to highlight the benefits of these features. We then describe the process of templates being combined together in order to compose the EnergyPlus input file, and how parametric values can be set in one template and passed to another.

For example, changing an HVAC system type from “CAV” to “VAV” would require changing a single parameter – the templates are pre-configured to update EnergyPlus object types, inlet/outlet node connections, and other details accordingly.

Next, we cover Big Ladder Software’s Modelkit Flannel framework that simplifies parametric analysis by allowing users to set parametric values in multiple CSV files and use Modelkit to automatically compose and simulate EnergyPlus input files, as well as compare user-specified results between simulations.

By the end of the workshop, you should be comfortable with creating and simulating EnergyPlus input files using Modelkit. Demonstrations and hands-on exercises will be used extensively throughout to generate models with a range of energy-efficiency measures and HVAC system configurations.

Previous experience with EnergyPlus is recommended but not required. You are welcome to register for this workshop separately from our other EnergyPlus workshops.
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Workshop Format

All of our workshops are designed for in-person training and are split almost 50/50 between time in lectures and demonstrations vs time in exercises. The training format will use multiple webinar sessions via Zoom, each lasting 2.5-3 hours to cover the lectures and demonstrations. All webinar sessions will be live only -- webinar recordings will not be available for re-viewing.

In between webinar sessions, we will assign hands-on exercises as "homework" to practice the topics covered in webinars. We will provide input files and instructions for these homework exercises, and attendees are welcome to ask as many questions as they like related to all training material.
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Live Webinar Schedule

Webinar 1 2
Date Thursday, 18 July Thursday, 25 July
Time
(Pacific, UTC-08:00)
8:30 - 11:30 AM
8:30 - 11 AM
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Software Requirements

The workshop is most effective if each participant has their own laptop computer to perform the hands-on exercises.
This workshop was designed for Windows users because some features covered are not available for Mac users. Mac users can still complete the workshop, but should have access to a Windows operating system through Boot Camp or a virtual machine to access all features discussed.
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Meet the instructor

Aaron Boranian

Aaron Boranian is the lead instructor at Big Ladder Software. He has been developing our training material and delivering workshops for over 7 years. In that time, he has taught more than 750 students across over 75 workshops on building energy modeling in the US and internationally.
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Elevate your energy models!

Explore all workshops available!

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Questions?

Read our FAQs or contact us.
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