eQuest Training

Jan2021
Procedure Outlines
- AutoCAD Preparation
0. Outline Layout Plan

- Background Setting
1. Create Building Wizard
2. Adopt Hong Kong’s Weather Data
3. Input Hong Kong’s Public Holidays
4. Input Operation Schedule (Occupancy, Lighting, Equipment, Cooling, Fan On/Off, etc.)
5. Change Zone Name

For Design Model:

- Building Envelope
6. Add/ Delete/ Adjust Window Location/ Height/ Width
7. Create Material Layer of each External Wall/ Roof Type with U-value
8. Create Material Layer of each Glass Type with U-value and SC
9. Assign each External Wall/ Roof/ Glass Type at Correct Location

- Internal Load
10. Assign Occupancy/ Lighting/ Equipment Operation Schedule
11. Input Occupancy Density/ People Sensible Heat/ People Latent Heat/ Lighting Power Density/ Equipment
Load of each Zone
Procedure Outlines-Continued
- Water Side HVAC
12. Input Current Design Parameter (No. of Chiller, Type of Chiller, Chilled Water Supply Temp., Chiller Water
Return Temp., COP, Type of Heat Rejection, etc.)

- Air Side HVAC

13. Create Air Side System (AHU, PAU, FCU, VAV, Ventilation Fans, CRAC, VRV, etc.)
14. Input Fan Power/ Fan Schedule/ Fan Control of each Air Side System
15. Assign each zone under Correct Air Side System
16. Input Thermostat Schedule/ Indoor Design Temp./ OA Flow Rate/ Min. Flow Ratio

- Other Equipment
17. Calculate the Power Consumption of Lift/ Escalator/ Walkway with 8760hrs breakdown
18. Calculate the Power Consumption of Hot Water with 8760hrs breakdown
19. Any Others (such as PV) with 8760hrs breakdown

For Baseline Model:

20. Repeat Step 6 to 19 to build the Baseline Model (Please noted the input parameters of baseline model which
should follow BEAM Plus Standard/ BEAM Circular Letter/ BEC/ ASHRAE 90.1)
AutoCAD Preparation
0. Outline Layout Plan
0.1 To start with, prepare a set of base plans of each level on different layer in AutoCAD.
0.2 Use different color polylines for different area usage with ColorForm
ColorForm is a tool for plotting multi-leaders within AutoCAD, for easy distinguishing of rooms with various usage. To use that, you have to install
Autocad VBA module -> ColorForm Usage please refer to next slide
ColorForm Setting
a. Modify Multileader Style under Antonation (Picture 1)
b. Go to properties to change the settings as follow (Picture 2-4)

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ColorForm Usage
a. Create every level on a new layer in AutoCAD, e.g. name as L1_Energy, and pick the correct layer BEFORE you start using the ColorForm
for plotting (Picture 1)
b. Click the big box in ColorForm before plotting, remember to draw the line in anticlockwise direction (Picture 2)
c. After drawing a section of line with 2 ends, click spacebar to continue to choose the next point
d. After drawing the whole contour, click the small box of the color
e. Repeat the above steps to drawing another line of sane or different color
f. Use a red polyline to surround the whole floor area after every layer is finished (Picture 3)
** Please be reminded to create a new layer for each level before plotting.

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Click to End
Click to Start
0. Outline Layout Plan
0.5 Upon completion of outlining, pick a common reference point from GBP (identical point in all floors) and align all the layers together by aiming
the point. Hint: Staircase or lift lobby is usually identical in the plan among all levels.
0. Outline Layout Plan
0.6 Copy the joint outlines by selecting all and open a new AutoCAD file and paste on it. “Save as” 2000 version.

Copy and
Paste to a new CAD
Background Setting
1. Create Building Wizard
1.1 Choose Design Development Wizard
1.2 Input the AutoCAD drawing in Wizard Screen 3 of 43: choose “custom” for “Footprint Shape” and “Zoning Pattern” I
1.3 Input the CAD File

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1. Create Building Wizard
1.4 Select every point along the outline on the dotted background in anticlockwise direction
1.5 Click “Create new zone” to draw different zones as per the drawing.
1.6 Pick the correct layer of each floor and do the same for “Footprint Shape” and “Zoning Pattern”

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Tail
Head
1. Create Building Wizard
1.7 Enter all known parameters such as building area, Flr-to-Flr height, Flr- to-ceiling height (assume F2F minus 1m), etc.
*pay attention that unit is in feet in eQuest
1.8 Deselect the default door by selecting -select another- for the door type (6 of 43)
1.9 Deselect the second type of Window, input window height (=Flr-to-ceiling), set sill hight =0, and input 65 for all %Window (direction) (7 of 43)
1.10 Then keep clicking “next screen” and finally click “finish”
Check the model after creating building wizard. You may click “3D-geometry” under “Building Shell” to check if the model is what you expect.
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2. Adopt Hong Kong’s Weather Data
2.1You should be given a weather data file, save it under the path shown below.
2.2 Select this weather file in eQuest at Project under “Project & Site” by copy and paste the weather file name.

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3. Input Hong Kong’s Public Holidays
3.1 Select “Detailed Data Edit” under the Mode
3.2 Input HK’s Public Holiday by clicking “Standard US Holidays” under “Project & Site”
3.3 Input every single holiday, clicking “add” to open up a new row to input another date
3.4 Click Entire Year under the Simulation Options as shown to verify the year is aligned (Year 2019 shown in picture is an example)

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 4. Input Operation Schedule (Occupancy, Lighting, Equipment, Cooling, Fan On/Off...)
Typically input daily, weekly, and annual schedules for the 5 types of operation (Occupancy, Lighting, Equipment, Cooling, Fan On/Off)
4.1 Go to “Building Shell”, roll down to “Daily Schedule” (at the bottom), right click, “create another day schedule”, do similar for weekly and annual
4.2 Regarding the “Schedule Type” input, pick “fraction” for Occupancy, Equipment and Light; “temperature” for Cooling, “on/off” for Fan
** For temperature, input 75.2 F (24C)for on and 98.6 F(37C) for off (typical values)
4.3 Input the schedule based on your project. Reference can be taken on the opening hours of the building.
The system will automatically copy the value for the following (green) until changes are input (red)

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 4. Input Operation Schedule (Occupancy, Lighting, Equipment, Cooling, Fan On/Off...)
4.4 Similarly, input weekly schedule.
4.5 Similarly, input annual schedule
There may be different schedules for various operations on different days (e.g. weekday, holiday, etc., need to refer to the operation pattern)
Right hand side shows an example of schedules input

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5. Change Zone Name
5.1 Click “Internal loads” then click “spreadsheet”, simply click any zone on left hand side. Now you can see and edit the “Activity Desc”.
5.2 Input the correct usage for every zone with blanket specifying their AC condition
VAV, VEN and SUM stand for AC provided, ventilation fan and no HVAC system. There are also other short form, if needed, e.g. VRV, ACU, VEF…
For Design Model:
Building Envelope
6. Add/ Delete/ Adjust Window Location/ Height/ Width
6.1 Go to “Building Shell” and choose the 3-D Geometry to edit the window assigned by the software. (Picture 1)
6.2 All windows on ceiling and that do not exist as per the architectural plan shall be deleted. Delete by clicking the window in the 3D model and
right clicking the selected window item on the left bar to delete. (Picture 2-4)

**In 3-D Geometry, by clicking ctrl and left clicking the mouse, you can rotate the model; while clicking ctrl and right clicking the mouse, you can
zoom in/out
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No window here
6. Add/ Delete/ Adjust Window Location/ Height/ Width
6.3 Adjust some dimension of existing windows as per the architectural plan by following the pictures below. (Picture 1-2)
For usual practice, the frame of window is assumed to be 0.11 ft
** Once again, pay attention that the unit is in feet.
Two pictures at the bottom show the design picture and model in eQuest
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7. Create Material Layer of each External Wall/ Roof Type with U-value
Input the material used and apply on the model (Required to create for design case model)
7.1 Under “Building Shell”, on the left bar, roll down and look for folders called “Materials”, “Layers” and “Constructions”
7.2 Right click any material and choose “Create another material”
7.3 Choose “Properties” for material type and input information **pay attention to unit again**
7.4 Do the same for other materials and give each of them a unique material name

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 7. Create Material Layer of each External Wall/ Roof Type with U-value
Also create “Layer” and “Construction”
7.5 Add the materials to the layer
7.6 Add the layer to construction. In the properties setting of “construction”, U-value is typically input, and it shall be calculated with information
provided.
For some projects, the building may be an extension of another existing building. For those walls located back-to-back with the existing building,
they should not be composed the same way as other external walls. In this case, a construction with U-value of 0.0001 shall be created and
applied to these walls.
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8. Create Material Layer of each Glass Type with U-value and SC
8.1 Similarly add the correct glass type.
8.2 “Glass types” is right below the “Material”
8.3 Pick “Simplified” for Glass type, then input Shading Coefficient
For shading coefficient, reference value is 0.65
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 9. Assign each External Wall/ Roof/ Glass Type at Correct Location
9.1 Under Building Shell, click spreadsheet. On the left bar, click any wall (Picture 1)
9.2 Scroll to right and you can find a column called “Construction”. Choose the corresponding type of construction for each wall and roof surface.
(Picture 2)
9.3 Similarly, choose the corresponding “glass type” for each window. (Picture 3)

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Internal Load
 10. Assign Occupancy/ Lighting/ Equipment Operation Schedule
10.1 Under Building Shell, click spreadsheet. On the left bar, click any zone
10.2 On the spreadsheet, you can pick Occupancy/ Lighting/ Equipment
10.3 Assign the right schedule to each operation for each zone

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11. Input Occupancy Density/ People Sensible Heat/ People Latent Heat/ Lighting
Power Density/ Equipment Load of each Zone
11.1 These parameters are also in the Occupancy/ Lighting/ Equipment spreadsheets
11.2 Occupancy Spreadsheet: Occupancy Density/ People Sensible Heat/ People Latent Heat
11.3 Lighting Spreadsheet: Lighting Power Density
11.4 Equipment Spreadsheet: Equipment Load
* Pay attention to Unit
Below is some typical value input in case these info is not provided:
people sens: 255btu/h, people lat 188btu/h;
normally occ Area/person: 54 ft2 (5m2); non normally occ area/person:100000 ft2
LPD reference value please look at BEC 2018 Table 5.4 Void area LPD=0
Equipment load reference please look at BEAM Plus NB2.0 p.357 “Receptacle and Other Load (Process Load) ”
Water Side HVAC
12. Input Current Design Parameter (No. of Chiller, Type of Chiller, Chilled Water
Supply Temp., Chiller Water Return Temp., COP, Type of Heat Rejection, etc.)
12.1 Click Water Side HVAC, right click “project” to create the proposed HVAC system and input known parameter.
12.2 Create all loops first, then inside the loop properties, add the loop pump there. Then, add an equipment e.g. a chiller.
12.3 Cooling Tower can be created by clicking “Create Heat Rejection”

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12. Input Current Design Parameter (No. of Chiller, Type of Chiller, Chilled Water
Supply Temp., Chiller Water Return Temp., COP, Type of Heat Rejection, etc.)
12.4 Pictures below show the properties input for chiller and cooling tower (heat rejection in system)
Input reciprocal of COP in the Elec Input Ratio (Left Picture)
Reference for chiller water and condenser water temperature are 44.6F (7C) and 98.6F (37C) Cooling Tower
Air Side HVAC
13. Create Air Side System (AHU, PAU, FCU, VAV, Ventilation Fans, CRAC, VRV...)
13.1 Click Air Side HVAC
13.2 On the left bar, right click any system and choose “Create another HVAC system” as shown
13.3 Create needed systems, if applicable (AHU, PAU, FCU, VAV, Ventilation Fans, CRAC, VRV...) Details please refer to next slide
13. Create Air Side System (AHU, PAU, FCU, VAV, Ventilation Fans, CRAC, VRV...)
13.3 Create needed systems, if applicable (AHU, PAU, FCU, VAV, Ventilation Fans, CRAC, VRV...) Please refer to this and next slide for ref. only
AHU VAV/VRV

FCU
13. Create Air Side System (AHU, PAU, FCU, VAV, Ventilation Fans, CRAC, VRV...)
13.3 Create needed systems, if applicable (AHU, PAU, FCU, VAV, Ventilation Fans, CRAC, VRV...) For ref. only
PAU Ventilation Fan

SUM
 13. Create Air Side System (AHU, PAU, FCU, VAV, Ventilation Fans, CRAC, VRV...)
13.4 For Ventilation fan, create a meter for measuring its energy consumption. (Picture1-3)
13.5 Assign the newly added meter to EAF in Air Side HVAC by double clicking the EAF system and set in “meter” tab. (Picture4)
13.6 Next, go to “Project and Site” and click hourly report, tick the meter added. (Picture 5-6 )
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14. Input Fan Power/ Fan Schedule/ Fan Control of each Air Side System
14.1 After creating the system, double click into the system and choose the “Fan” tab to input the parameters
14.2 If you are referring to a list of fans of same type, what you input for the design supply are as circled below, is by taking average of the fans
* Pay attention to the unit: in eQuest Portal, the supply air design is in kW/cfm, what you have to do is to divide Power consumption (kW) by cfm,
this cfm is a unit of flow rate, so you change the flow rate from m3/s to cfm
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15. Assign each zone under Correct Air Side System
15.1 Upon completion, click spreadsheet to assign Air Side System to each zone at the column “Parent System” one by one.
15.2 Afterwards, delete those default system serving zones that ends with “Pl Zn”, which are ceiling.
16. Input Thermostat Schedule/ Indoor Design Temp./ OA Flow Rate/ Min. Flow
Ratio
16.1 Input these parameters of zones by either double clicking the zone or using the spreadsheet
Reference Value for OA Flow: 21.2 cfm (10L/s) or 16.95 cfm (8L/s)
* Pay attention to Unit
Other Equipment
17. Calculate the Power Consumption of Lift/ Escalator/ Walkway with 8760hrs
breakdown
17.1 Step 17-19 cannot be simulated in the eQuest software. They should be done in Excel to get an hourly breakdown.
17.2 Together with the eQuest results, peak electricity consumption hour can be found.
17.3 The calculation method of power consumption of lift/ escalator/ walkway takes reference to the CIBSE Guide D (section13.5.1).
Below shows some screenshots of some calculation equations and default parameters.
17. Calculate the Power Consumption of Lift/ Escalator/ Walkway with 8760hrs
breakdown
17.4 The annual consumption is calculated, as shown in below pictures.
17. Calculate the Power Consumption of Lift/ Escalator/ Walkway with 8760hrs
breakdown
17.5 Input the operation schedule of lift/ escalator/ walkway in excel by every single hour in a year (8760 hours) (Squared in red)
The operation schedule shall be in accordance with the actual schedule given by the lift / escalator/ walkway.
17.6 Divide the annual consumption by the total operation hours to get the hourly energy consumption. (Squared in green)
18. Calculate the Power Consumption of Hot Water with 8760hrs breakdown
18.1 The idea is similar to previous slide.
18.2 A breakdown of hot water system power consumption (if any) is required to determine the peak energy usage.
To determine the hot water generation by solar panel, you need to check the hourly solar radiation (Btu/hr-ft2) in the weather file
Regarding Temperature input for calculation, reference can be taken from EMSD HK RE Net Solar Water Heating website
19. Any Others (such as PV) with 8760hrs breakdown
19.1 Similarly, find the annual energy saving from solar PV from the simulation report.
19.2 Based on hourly solar radiation in the weather file, breakdown the hourly saving. (Divide the total energy saving by total solar radiation to get
the specific (hourly) energy saving given by one solar radiation unit, then multiply the hourly solar radiation to this specific value to get the hour
saving breakdown)

Below is a simple example showing how to achieve the breakdown of saving generated by PV panels.

Given the project will use 246 PVT panels and the annual saving are as follow:
- Annual electricity saving: 81,620 kWh
- Annual energy savings for solar thermal: 130,942 kWh
For Baseline Model:
20. Repeat Step 6 to 19 to build the Baseline Model (Please noted the input
parameters of baseline model which should follow BEAM Plus Standard/ BEAM
Circular Letter/ BEC/ ASHRAE 90.1)
After building the design model successfully, save the model as a new model with name changed to “baseline model”. It is because some parts
between the baseline model and design model like the geometry and room usage are identical. Baseline model will be amended on top of the
design model.

The differences between baseline and design include but not limited to the window setting, water-side and air-side HVAC input.

Below is an extract of reference for baseline model

General (including window setting): BEAM Plus Standard (NB vers1.2) Appendix 8.1 or BEAM Plus Standard (NB vers2.0) Appendix – EU2
Performance Approach
Operation schedule: ASHRAE 90.1
Lighting (LPD) : BEC 2018 Table 5.4
HVAC : BEAM Circular Letter 2019.153
Lift & Escalator : CIBSE Guide D
BDL Error
After building the model, when you try to run the simulation, you may encounter BDL Errors as below
For warnings, you can neglect them and keep going
But for BDL errors, you have to settle all of them in order to run the model
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Simulation Result
Follow the left hand side to run the simulation and see the results.
Follow the right hand side if you close the result and want to open it again without any change of input.