Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting)

Transcription

1 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) User Guide IES Virtual Environment Copyright 2015 Integrated Environmental Solutions Limited. All rights reserved. No part of the manual is to be copied or reproduced in any form without the express agreement of Integrated Environmental Solutions Limited.

2 Contents FlucsDL User Guide Introduction to FlucsDL What s new in recent versions Calculations Menus File Menu Save Project, Save Project As All other options Exit Edit menu Undo Redo Selection Set Assign surface types Query Model Add Working Plane Delete Working Plane Add Task Area Delete Task Area Analysis Clear Analysis Results View Menu Navigator, Browser, Status Bar Toolbars Rotation Zoom Tabular Room Data Tabular BTM Tabular air exchanges and internal gains Flucs Bar Viewports Colour Refresh VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 2

3 Illuminance Luminance What data to display How to display data Threshold Table Include Select colour set Results Save Results Tools Menu FlucsDL Menu Save Attach DXF File, Detach DXF File, Active DXF Layers Print Highlight vertices Copy Bitmap Save Bitmap Recent File Settings Menu Grid Locks Preferences Location Contour levels Help Menu Help Topics All other options Toolbars Model Toolbar View Toolbar Dialogue Boxes Preferences Dialogue Box Analysis Dialogue Box Back Button Next Button VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 3

4 4.2.3 Finish Button Cancel Button Illuminance Page Margin Page Calculation Quality Page Day Lighting Page Advanced quality settings Dialogue Box Surfaces page Reflections Page Progress Dialogue Box Progress Caption Progress Status Progress Bar Progress Percent Cancel Button Daylight Threshold Dialogue Box Value Invert Button Apply Button Polyline Button Close Button Analysis Results Viewer Calculation Cleanup Dialogue Box Surface Browser Flucs Dialogue Bar General Page Lighting Page Create working Plane Dialogue Box Name Height Elevation Rotation Create Task Area Dialogue Box Name Close Button VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 4

5 Cancel Button Custom Attributes Dialogue Box Assign Template Dialogue Box Select Template List Box Surface Properties Dialogue Box Orientation Tilt Area Opening Properties Dialogue Box Assign surface properties dialogue box Picture Copy button Save button Colours button Select category list box Model surfaces of the following type list box Inside and Outside Reflectances Transmittance Replace button Clean button Close button Surface display colours dialogue box Threshold Table Dialogue Box Select Colour Set Dialogue Box IES HTML Viewer Model Viewer Model dialogue bar Key-in Prompt area Worked Example Analysing Daylight Using the Analysis Command VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 5

6 1 Introduction to FlucsDL FlucsDL is a module available in <VE> for performing day lighting analysis calculations. The menus and toolbars for this view provide tools for performing FlucsDL calculations. 1.1 What s new in recent versions Parallel processing during analysis False ceiling data is now in template manager and room attributes Sky view has been added to the results available for illuminated surfaces Numeric grid values have been added to the display options for illuminated surfaces A crash now no longer occurs if you change the selection of rooms while the calculation is proceeding Various minor fixes see release notes. Multi-room calculations have been speeded up and use much less memory, by rooms sharing the results they have to calculate for other rooms in the higher quality calculations. Warning: if you have a model with many rooms, and these rooms have many surfaces (which is increasingly likely with models imported from BIM software), then the calculations at higher quality settings and/or smaller grid sizes can still take very large amounts of time. Please do your initial runs at lower quality. 1.2 Calculations The program can perform day lighting analysis using the point-by-point method. Analysis can be performed in single-room mode or in multi-room mode (useful if you have many similar rooms). VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 6

7 2 Menus 2.1 File Menu The File menu handles file operations. Note that there are no options for opening FlucsDL project files - this is because the FlucsDL project file always has the same name as the ModelIT file but with a *.flp extension. All you need to do is open the correct ModelIT file, and the FlucsDL project file is opened automatically Save Project, Save Project As... These options are the same as in ModelIT, but note that whenever ModelIT saves a model file, it also saves the FlucsDL project file and any other application s project file All other options These options are the same as in ModelIT Exit Exit the program. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 7

8 2.2 Edit menu The edit menu handles some of the space properties and the FlucsDL calculations Undo This icon will undo the last change made Redo This icon will redo the last change made Selection Set This is only available when one or more rooms are selected. Displays a sub-menu allowing operations on the selected rooms in the model: Custom Attributes Displays the Custom attributes dialog box, allowing you to edit the attributes for all the selected rooms Assign Template Displays the Assign template dialog box, allowing you to assign the attributes for all the selected rooms to the values held in a template. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 8

9 2.2.4 Assign surface types Allows you to assign surface reflectances and transmittances for the selected surfaces Query Model This is only available when a surface or opening is selected. Shows the property sheet for the selected item in the model. This may be a Surface properties dialog box, or an Opening properties dialogue box, depending on what item was selected Add Working Plane This is only available at body level and Illumination mode in plan view. You will be prompted to enter a point in the plane to be created. When you have done this, the Create working plane dialogue box will be displayed, allowing you to create a named working plane, with an elevation and azimuth, and bounded by the room s inner surface. This working plane will then be used in subsequent analysis calculations Delete Working Plane This is only available when one or more working planes are selected. Deletes the currently selected working plane Add Task Area This is only available at surface level. You will be prompted to enter all the points defining the task area, and to right-click to finish entering points. When you have done this, the Create task area dialogue box will be displayed, allowing you to create a named task area within the currently selected room surface or working plane. This task area will then be used in subsequent analysis calculations Delete Task Area This is only available when one or more task areas are selected. Deletes the currently selected task area Analysis This is only available when one or more rooms are selected. Displays the Analysis dialogue box to perform the point-by-point analysis calculation. The calculation has two modes: Single-room mode only one room is selected. Multi-room mode more than one room is selected Clear Analysis Results This will clear all the analysis results for the selected rooms. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 9

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11 2.3 View Menu The View menu handles display control operations Navigator, Browser, Status Bar These options are the same as in ModelIT Toolbars The Toolbars sub-menu allows you to select which toolbars are displayed. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 11

12 2.3.3 Rotation The Rotation sub-menu allows you to switch the selected view port between the standard views. All these options are the same as in ModelIT Zoom The Zoom sub-menu allows you to set the zoom level of the selected view port. All these options are the same as in ModelIT Tabular Room Data Inactive in this version Tabular BTM Opens the new tabular edit BTM feature Tabular air exchanges and internal gains Inactive in this version Flucs Bar Display or hide the Flucs dialog bar along the bottom of the application. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 12

13 2.3.9 Viewports The Viewports sub-menu handles the division of the view area into one, two or four viewports. All these options are the same as in ModelIT Colour The Colour sub-menu handles colour settings. All these options are the same as in ModelIT Refresh As in ModelIT. (Tip: Use the Esc key to abort a slow refresh, e.g. when filled contours are being displayed) Illuminance This is available unless in surface mode at body level. Displays the calculated illuminance (lux or fc) on the surfaces Luminance This is available unless in surface mode at body level. Displays luminance (cd/m 2 or cd/ft 2 ) derived from the calculated illuminance and the surface reflectances (this option is disabled if daylight factors are being displayed) What data to display No Lighting This is available unless in surface mode at body level. Turns off all the displays of calculated surface lighting levels Day Lighting This is available unless in surface mode at body level. Displays calculated surface day lighting levels. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 13

14 Daylight Factor This is available unless in surface mode at body level. Displays calculated surface daylight factors Sky view This is available unless in surface mode at body level. Displays sky view. Sky view is true for any point, when the sky can be seen from that point through any windows and around any obstructions How to display data Contour Levels This is available unless in surface mode at body level. Displays surface lighting levels using a false colour contour plot Filled Contour Levels This is available unless in surface mode at body level. Displays surface lighting levels using a filled false colour contour plot Grey Shading This is available unless in surface mode at body level. Toggles on or off the display of luminaires Filled Threshold Contour This is available when illuminance (rather than luminance) is being displayed. It displays the Daylight Threshold dialogue box, which allows you to set a threshold contour for daylight factor above (or below) which the area will be filled and calculated Numeric grid point values This displays the numeric values at each grid point on the surface Coloured numeric grid point values This displays the numeric values at each grid point on the surface, coloured according to contour level Threshold Table This displays a table of threshold values and the area of the room where the threshold is achieved, for each room Include 0 This is available unless in surface mode at body level. Toggles on or off whether the scale starts at zero or at the minimum value for all the selected surfaces. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 14

15 Select colour set Displays the Select colour set dialogue box, allowing you to choose from a number of different false colour schemes for the contour levels Results Opens the IES HTML Viewer to display the most recently calculated results (Analysis) for the selected room (when below model level) or for all rooms (when at model level) Save Results Opens a standard Save As dialogue box to save the results. The results are stored in HTML format and may be viewed in any web browser. However, only the results for all rooms are stored permanently. Results for individual rooms are only stored temporarily so that they may be displayed during a session. So you may need to use this option if you wish to save the results for all rooms but with a different name or path, or to save the results for an individual room. 2.4 Tools Menu All these options are the same as in ModelIT. 2.5 FlucsDL Menu VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 15

16 2.5.1 Save This allows you to save the calculation results to file. Results are saved in any case at the end of a session Attach DXF File, Detach DXF File, Active DXF Layers These options are the same as in ModelIT Print... This option is the same as in ModelIT Highlight vertices Normally all selected rooms will be shown in the view with highlighted vertices, as in other views. If you require vertices to be unhighlighted, to make it easier to view contour levels, remove the tick here Copy Bitmap This copies the current view as a bitmap to the Windows clipboard so that you may paste it into another application, e.g. Paint or Word Save Bitmap This allows you to save the current view as a bitmap (*.BMP) file Recent File This is inactive. 2.6 Settings Menu The Settings menu handles grid and lock settings, and user preferences Grid This option is the same as in ModelIT. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 16

17 2.6.2 Locks This option is the same as in ModelIT Preferences This displays the Preferences dialogue box that allows you to change your preference for the style of the Analysis dialogue box and the amount of detail in the results Location This tool displays the APLocate dialogue box where you can set the building location. The only items of importance for the lighting calculations are the latitude, longitude (required if you will be using the CIE Clear Sky daylight model) and ground reflectance (required if you set a ground plane) Contour levels... This displays the Contour levels dialogue box that allows you to override the automatic allocation of contour levels. This is useful if you wish to get screen dumps for absolute comparisons of contour levels. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 17

18 2.7 Help Menu The Help menu gives access to the help information and all the standard licence handling, troubleshooting etc Help Topics Displays this help file All other options All other options are as in ModelIT. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 18

19 3 Toolbars 3.1 Model Toolbar This toolbar appears at the top of the view. All of the buttons have equivalent menu options. Save see File Save Project Undo see Edit Undo Redo see Edit Redo Locks see Settings Locks Select - Allows you to use the mouse to select a space (at model level), a surface (at body level in surface mode) or an opening (at surface level). Custom attributes see Edit Selection Set Custom Attributes Assign Template see Edit Selection Set Assign Template Assign surface types see Edit Assign surface types Query model see Edit Query model Add working plane see Edit Add working plane Delete working plane see Edit Delete working plane Add task area see Edit Add task area Delete task area see Edit Delete task area Analysis see Edit Analysis Clear analysis results see Edit Clear analysis results Illuminance see View Illuminance VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 19

20 Luminance see View Luminance No lighting see View No lighting Day lighting see View Day lighting Daylight factor see View Daylight factor Sky view see View Sky view Contour levels see View Contour levels Filled contour levels see View Filled contour levels Grey shading see View Grey shading Filled threshold contour see View Filled threshold contour Numeric grid point values see View Numeric grid point values Threshold table see View Threshold table Include 0 see View Include 0 Select colour set see View Select colour set Copy Bitmap see File Copy Bitmap Save Bitmap see File Save Bitmap Results see View Results Save results see View Save results Refresh see View Refresh Help see Help Help Topics VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 20

21 3.2 View Toolbar This toolbar appears at the bottom of the view. All the buttons and controls are the same as in ModelIT. Note that there are two modes at body level, Surface and Illumination. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 21

22 4 Dialogue Boxes 4.1 Preferences Dialogue Box This dialogue box is displayed when you select Preferences on the Settings menu. Analysis dialogue box - select a style for the Analysis dialogue box this may be displayed in one of 3 styles a dialogue box with all the items on one page, a property sheet with 4 pages, or a wizard with 4 pages (equivalent to those on the property sheet). The wizard may be simpler to use for beginners but requires more mouse clicks. The dialogue box is quicker for experienced users. Results display - select the sections you want in the analysis results. Visible light reflectances and transmittances Constructions Database now has new fields for visible light data you may wish to use instead of data you enter in the Assign constructions dialog. However, if you choose this option, you must make sure that suitable data has been entered in these fields in Constructions Database. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 22

23 4.2 Analysis Dialogue Box The Analysis dialogue box allows you to run an analysis calculation. It may take one of two styles, depending on the preference you have set using the Settings > Analysis option. The first style (default) is a single-page dialogue box as shown here: The second style is a property sheet that has 4 pages: The third style is a wizard with exactly the same pages as the property sheet. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 23

24 We shall only discuss the third style here. The items on the single page dialogue box and the property sheet are exactly the same, apart from the buttons at the bottom. You may specify various calculation settings, including the sizes of the calculation grids, whether to check for obstructions, whether to include component surfaces as reflecting or obstructing components, and inter-reflection calculation method. Note be careful how much detail you request - the calculations can be very slow if you select a fine grid, especially if you are checking for obstructions or performing a full inter-reflection calculation. When you enter data an estimate is made of memory and time required. A warning is given if either of these gets large. As a rule of thumb, perform your initial calculations with fairly coarse grids, e.g. 0.25m for working surfaces and 0.5m for all others, being the maximum coarseness allowed for CIBSE uniformity and diversity calculation purposes. The program allows you to create working surfaces or task areas. However, a default horizontal working surface is always automatically created at the specified working surface height, and bounded by a boundary polygon inset 0.5m from the cross section of the room when cut by the plane. A task area is created at the geometric centre of this default working plane. (A later version may allow you, after the calculations, to examine any sub-area of a working plane as if it were a task area.) Back Button Press this to go back to the previous page in the Wizard Next Button Press this to go forward to the next page in the Wizard Finish Button Press this to start the calculations. The Progress dialogue box will now display, where the calculation may be monitored (in multi-room mode, the Progress dialogue box is displayed for each room in turn). VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 24

25 4.2.4 Cancel Button Press this to abandon the calculations. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 25

26 4.2.5 Illuminance Page Illuminance Type Specify the type of illuminance to calculate for working planes and task areas. Note all other surfaces always use Planar illuminance: Planar ( horizontal ). This is the simple illuminance on the receiving plane. Usually this is a horizontal plane, hence the term horizontal. Perpendicular ( vertical ). This is the illuminance on a plane passing through the point and perpendicular to the receiving plane. Typically the latter is a horizontal plane, hence the term vertical. It is used mainly for environments where there are many vertical surfaces to be illuminated, mostly facing in the same direction, e.g. a control room with many display terminals. Cylindrical. This is the average illuminance over the surface of a cylinder whose axis passes through the point and is perpendicular to the receiving plane. Effectively this means that only the component of the incidence angle parallel to the cylinder axis is taken into account. Semi-cylindrical. Similar to cylindrical illuminance, but the cylinder is cut in half by a plane parallel to its axis. This means it is treated in the same way as cylindrical illuminance, except that there is a cut-off when the component of the incidence angle perpendicular to the cylinder axis exceeds +/- 90 degrees. Scalar. This is the average illuminance over the surface of a sphere. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 26

27 4.2.6 Margin Page Working Surface Margin Enter the margin to be left uncalculated at the edges of working surfaces. Because the grid size is constant, the calculations will be inaccurate when the working surface is close to a room surface. The CIBSE-recommended margin is 0.5m Calculation Quality Page Quality slider Use this to select from a number of predetermined quality settings. The text below will change as you move the slider to give you more detail about the quality setting. Please use this to confirm whether the quality you have chosen will be adequate for the purpose. If in doubt, use the Advanced button to set the quality at a higher level of detail. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 27

28 Advanced button This will show the Advanced Quality Settings dialogue box, where you can set the calculation quality at a higher level of detail Include room components toggle button Select this if you have placed components in the room, and you need these to be taken into account in the lighting calculations Include a ground plane toggle button Select this if you wish a ground plane to be included in the calculation. This is a notional ground plane created at z=0 around the building. Include it if you wish to determine whether any extra light may be available due to reflections off the ground. NB the reflectance is assumed to be 10%. Also this is only meaningful if you are using full inter-reflection calculations Day Lighting Page This page is only available when the room contains windows or a multi-room calculation is being performed Calculate Day Lighting Toggle Button Select this to calculate day lighting from all the external openings within the room. External reflections, including ground reflectance, or external obstructions, may be included if you select the correct quality settings Sky model Select the sky model to use - the CIE Overcast sky, the Uniform overcast sky, the CIE Clear sky, or the CIE Overcast sky with Lz obtained from date/time. The first two are defined as functions of the value of Zenith Luminance, Lz, entered below. The last two do not need these values instead it is a function of latitude, longitude, date and time. The latitude and longitude may be set in the Settings->Location menu option. The date and time must be selected below. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 28

29 Zenith Luminance Enter the zenith luminance Lz of the sky model. The luminance Lγ,a at elevation γ and azimuth a is given by: For the CIE Standard Overcast Sky: Lγ,a = Lz (1 + 2 sin(γ))/3 For the Uniform Overcast Sky: Lγ,a = Lz The next field will be calculated automatically if you enter a value here Equivalent Illuminance on the Horizontal Plane Enter the equivalent unobstructed illuminance that is required on the horizontal plane. The previous field will be calculated automatically if you enter a value here. You may use this option, for example, if you wish to do a direct comparison with a Radiance calculation using the 10k CIE Standard Overcast Sky Date and time This is needed if you select the CIE Clear sky or CIE Overcast sky with Lz obtained from date/time. Select the date either by selecting the day or month text and entering the text or using the spin buttons. This allows you to select a day of the month or scroll to other months using the arrows. Select the time by selecting the hour or minute text and entering the text or using the spin buttons. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 29

30 4.3 Advanced quality settings Dialogue Box This has two pages, the Surfaces page and the Reflections page Surfaces page Receive and reflect light Toggle Buttons Select the surfaces that you wish to be included in the calculation as surfaces that receive light and can therefore also be included in the inter-reflection calculations Obstruct light Toggle Buttons Select the surfaces that you wish to be included in the calculation as surfaces that obstruct light and can therefore contribute to shading Internal room surfaces These are the internal surfaces of the room being calculated. They always receive light (so the Receive light button is always on and disabled). For a room where the internal surfaces are concave, e.g. inner partitions or parts of an L-shaped room, it may also be important to turn on the Obstruct light button. In the room for which the calculation is being carried out (the subject room), daylight only enters via windows and holes, whether or not this check box is set. This is mainly for efficiency reasons, but effectively it means that the wall containing the window or hole is always treated as an obstructing surface for day light entering via that window or hole. So, unless other rooms are to be included in the calculation, the only reason for setting this check box would be to take account of extra obstructing surfaces, e.g. in an L-shaped room. However, in other rooms, if they are included in the calculation, internal room surfaces are treated as obstructing surfaces only if this check box is set. So, if other rooms are included in the calculation, and there is a chance that light from internal surfaces of those rooms may contribute by inter-reflection to the subject room, this check box should be set. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 30

31 Component surfaces These are the surfaces of components that have been placed within the room. Note that it is possible to place components within a room and then move them outside. Turn the relevant buttons on if room component surfaces are to be included as sources of reflected light or as obstructions to light. Both these buttons will increase the calculation times. If the Reflect light button is turned on, the surfaces will also be included in the illumination calculations, and the illumination levels can therefore be viewed after the calculation. NB only components with less than 10 constituent bodies will be used External room surfaces These are the external surfaces of the room being calculated. One reason for turning on the Obstruct light button may be to take into account the extra obstruction due to deep window recesses Surfaces from other rooms These are the internal and external surfaces of other rooms, apart from the room being calculated. One reason for turning on the buttons may be to take into account reflections or shading due to nearby rooms Surfaces from obstructions file These are the internal and external surfaces of rooms in any attached obstructions file. One reason for turning on the buttons may be to take into account shading due to nearby buildings, e.g. in a right-to-light analysis Ground plane This is a notional ground plane created at z=0 around the building. Include it if you wish to determine whether any extra light may be available due to reflections off the ground. There is no Obstruct light button. NB the reflectance is assumed to be 10%. Also this is only meaningful if you are using full inter-reflection calculations Grid Size 1 for Working Planes, Task Areas and Luminaires Enter the grid size in metres for the working surfaces and task areas. This will also be applied to luminaires if they are to be divided up into smaller light sources. NB a smaller grid size will be used if necessary for small surface areas Grid Size 2 for Internal Room Surfaces and Component Surfaces Enter the grid size in metres for all other surfaces within the room apart from working surfaces and task areas. This would normally be larger than the first grid size. NB a smaller grid size will be used if necessary for small surface areas Grid Size 3 for External Surfaces Enter the grid size in metres for all surfaces outside the room. This would normally be larger than the other two grid sizes. NB a smaller grid size will be used if necessary for small surface areas. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 31

32 4.3.2 Reflections Page Calculation Method Combo Select the type of inter-reflectance calculation required: No inter-reflections no inter-reflection calculation will be performed. Average inter-reflections the average illuminance on all the surfaces in the room is reflected infinitely using the average area-weighted surface reflectance and this reflected light is assumed to be reflected evenly to all the surfaces in the room. If the average surface reflectance is R and the average initial illuminance on the surfaces is I, the infinite series of reflections of I is given by I (R + R 2 + R3 +...) which simplifies to I R/(1-R). Full inter-reflections (progressive radiosity). This option progressively takes the surface patch, whose as-yet unreflected flux is largest, reflects this flux to all the other room surfaces, notes it as now having been reflected, and repeats this process until there are no patches with unreflected flux above a minimum value or until the maximum number of reflections has been performed. The value of the largest remaining unreflected flux, and the number of shoots, are displayed in the progress dialogue box so that you can monitor the convergence of the calculation. The display of illuminance levels in the view is updated after every 50 reflections. You may interrupt or cancel the calculation at any stage, e.g. when you feel the calculation has begun to converge. If this option is selected, you must enter values in the next two boxes also Minimum Patch Flux for Reflection Enter the minimum value of unreflected flux for a surface patch to be used as a source of reflections in the progressive radiosity calculation. The calculation will be limited by this minimum flux, by the maximum number of reflections entered below, and by any interruption you make using the Cancel button on the Progress dialogue box Maximum Number of Reflections Enter the maximum number of reflections to be used in the progressive radiosity calculation. The calculation will be limited by this maximum number of reflections, by the minimum flux VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 32

33 entered above, and by any interruption you make using the Cancel button on the Progress dialogue box. 4.4 Progress Dialogue Box This dialogue box shows you the progress of the analysis calculations. The text displays information about the current calculation phase, while the progress bar and the text below display the percentage progress. You may press the Cancel button at any time - if so you will be asked if you really wish to cancel. The screen will be updated periodically to show the latest results. This can be useful when you are performing the full progressive radiosity interreflection calculation Progress Caption This text tells you what phase of the calculations is currently being performed Progress Status This gives extra information about the part of the calculations currently being performed Progress Bar This gives a visual indication of progress during the calculations Progress Percent This gives the percentage progress during the calculations Cancel Button Press this to abandon the calculations. When the calculation finishes, the results are shown in the Analysis results viewer. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 33

34 4.5 Daylight Threshold Dialogue Box This is not available when you are displaying luminance. It allows you to set a threshold (for daylight factor or illuminance, depending on the display setting), which will then be displayed as a contour. The region where the daylight factor is above or below the contour will be shaded, depending on whether you wish to invert the shading. The threshold value and the area of the shaded region are also reported in the analysis results and in the viewport when at surface level only Value Enter the value of the daylight factor threshold in percent, or illuminance Invert Button Turn this on to shade the area where the daylight factor is below the threshold, or off to shade the area where it is above the threshold. The following diagram shows the effect of turning this button on: VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 34

35 4.5.3 Apply Button Press this to update the display with the current dialogue box settings Polyline Button Press this to create a DXF export of the threshold contour line. Not available at present Close Button Press this to close the dialogue box. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 35

36 4.6 Analysis Results Viewer This uses the IES HTML Viewer to show you a summary of the FlucsDL analysis calculations. Once again the results are displayed differently depending on the calculation mode and the results preferences: In single-room mode, the summary results look like this: Depending on the results preferences, a brief illumination data summary is given, just for each working plane and floor in the room. Then the input data is given, with the analysis requirements. The day lighting and inter-reflection calculations are summarised. Then an illumination data summary is given for all the illuminated room surfaces, component surfaces and working planes, and finally the detailed point-by-point results for each working plane and task area. In multi-room mode, the results show all selected rooms and give an extra room summary table at the top so that you can see which rooms succeeded: VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 36

37 After the calculations, the levels for the selected surfaces (room surfaces, component surfaces, working planes and task areas) are shown in the view. At body level the Surface browser allows you to select different surfaces using the tick boxes. Surfaces may also be selected by clicking within their borders and if you use the Ctrl key when clicking the existing selected surfaces are retained and surfaces whose borders enclose the point are selected cyclically. Use the various options for changing the display. The following pictures show the effect of selecting different surfaces and changing contour styles: VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 37

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39 4.7 Calculation Cleanup Dialogue Box This is displayed when you cancel an analysis calculation. It gives you the option of retaining the results calculated so far, reverting to the previous results (default), or clearing the results completely. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 39

40 4.8 Surface Browser At body level and in Illumination mode, the normal model browser is replaced by this Surface browser. It is also displayed but disabled at Surface level. It shows all the illuminated surfaces after a successful Analysis calculation. This includes the default working plane and task area, any other working planes and task areas that you have added, all the internal room surfaces, and other surfaces if the relevant options for reflections were used (component surfaces, external room surfaces, other rooms, obstructions file rooms, ground plane). You may select any one or more of the illuminated surfaces using the tick boxes. This is sometimes easier than trying to select the surfaces using the mouse, because where surfaces are overlapped in the view it is sometimes necessary to use the Ctrl button and a sequence of mouse clicks to cycle through the surfaces until the ones you wanted are selected. Tick boxes may be turned on and off by clicking individual boxes or by clicking the boxes for the parent categories such as Internal surfaces. The selected item may also be ticked on or off by pressing the space-bar on the keyboard. When only one surface is selected you may go down to surface level and view the individual surface. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 40

41 4.9 Flucs Dialogue Bar This may be displayed at the bottom of the screen if it has been turned on using the View menu. It contains general settings for the selected room, used mainly for the design calculations. It has two pages: General Page This displays read-only information derived from the selected room, a key-in box, and a prompt area Room Name Displays the name that was assigned to this room Room ID Displays the unique ID that was automatically generated for this room Floor Area Displays the floor area of this room, calculated by the program Volume Displays the volume of this room, calculated by the program Room Lighting Template Displays the name of the lighting template that is currently assigned to this room. Templates are edited in the Template Manager and may be assigned when placing a room and reassigned using the Edit > Selection set > Assign Template tool Lighting Page This allows you to examine or over-ride the default values taken from the template for this room. These values are mainly used in the Design calculation Default Check Boxes VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 41

42 These check boxes apply to the associated item (to the right of the check box). Toggle these on to set the associated item to the default value from the template assigned to this room. Turn off to override the default value the associated item will now be enabled allowing you to change the value Working Surface Height Enter the height of the working surface in metres. This is an imaginary horizontal plane used in the analysis calculation when creating the default working plane Room Surface Maintenance Factor The room-surface maintenance factor is the proportion of the illuminance provided by the lighting installation in a room after a set time compared with that which occurred when the room was clean. Typical room surface maintenance factors are shown in the CIBSE Code for Interior Lighting, 1994, Table 4.7. It is used in the analysis calculations (during the average or full inter-reflection calculations) False ceiling active This is used to decide whether to model an extra false ceiling in a FlucsPro/DL analysis. If you require a false ceiling to be modelled, and it is not already part of your VE model, tick this box False ceiling height If an extra false ceiling is to be modeled, enter its required height above the floor False ceiling reflectance (%) If an extra false ceiling is to be modeled, enter its required reflectance value Create working Plane Dialogue Box This is displayed when you use the tool to create a working plane, and you have specified the point that the plane passes through Name Enter a name for this working plane. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 42

43 Height Enter the height of the point you have just specified Elevation Enter the angle between this plane and the horizontal, in degrees Rotation Enter the angle between this plane and the XZ plane, in degrees Create Task Area Dialogue Box This is displayed when you use the tool to create a task area in a room surface or in a working plane at surface level. Enter a name for the task area and start specifying points by clicking in the viewport or using key-ins. When you have specified at least three points defining the task area, you may press the Close button or type C to close the shape and finish. You may cancel at any time by pressing the Esc key or right-clicking with the mouse Name Enter a name for this task area Close Button This will be enabled when at least three points have been specified. Press it to close the shape and finish Cancel Button Press it to cancel creating a task area. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 43

44 4.12 Custom Attributes Dialogue Box This is displayed when you use the tool to modify the attributes for the selected rooms. It uses the same Lighting page as is used on the FlucsDL dialogue bar. Use it in the same way to override the default attributes of all the selected rooms Assign Template Dialogue Box This is displayed when you use the tool to assign a template to the selected rooms Select Template List Box Select the template you wish to assign to the selected rooms Surface Properties Dialogue Box This is displayed when you use the use the tool to query a selected surface (at body level and surface mode, or at surface level with no openings selected) Orientation Shows the orientation of the surface Tilt Shows the tilt of the surface Area Shows the area of the surface. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 44

45 4.15 Opening Properties Dialogue Box This is displayed when you use the use the tool to query a selected opening (at surface level with an opening selected). The appearance of the dialogue box depends on whether the opening was a door, window or just a hole: The items are the same as for the Surface properties dialogue box. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 45

46 4.16 Assign surface properties dialogue box This allows you to assign surface properties of reflectance and transmittance to surfaces within the selected room or surface Picture Shows the selected room or surface. The surfaces that match the category from the Select category list box and also match the surface type from the Model surfaces of the following type list box are highlighted in the chosen highlight colour. These are the surfaces on which the Replace button will operate Copy button Copies the picture to the Windows clipboard Save button Saves the picture to a file Colours button Opens the Surface display colours dialogue box, allowing you to set the colours for displaying the selected/not selected surfaces in the picture. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 46

47 Select category list box Shows the different categories into which the selected surfaces are organized. Select a category from this list box, and then select a surface type from the Model surfaces of the following type list box below. The matching surfaces will be shown in the picture Model surfaces of the following type list box Shows the different categories into which the selected surfaces are organized. Select a category from the Select category list box, and then select a surface type from this list box. The matching surfaces will be shown in the picture Inside and Outside Reflectances Enter the required reflectance or select it from the typical surface types list box and press the Replace button Transmittance Only enabled for glazed elements. Enter the required transmittance or select it from the typical surface types list box and press the Replace button Replace button Applies the new properties to the selected surface Clean button Removes any surface type definitions from the model that were previously assigned to at least one surface but are not now (because these surfaces have now been assigned other surface types using this dialogue box). Use this after any large scale editing to retrieve any wasted space in the model Close button Closes this dialogue Surface display colours dialogue box VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 47

48 This allows you to change the colours displayed in the Assign surface properties dialogue box. Clicking either colour displays a standard Windows colour picker dialogue box where you can select a different colour. Pressing the Default button restores the default colours. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 48

49 4.18 Threshold Table Dialogue Box This is displayed when you select the Threshold table menu option or button. The values displayed depend on whether you are currently displaying illuminances or daylight factors, and also on the threshold value in the Daylight Threshold dialogue box. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 49

50 4.19 Select Colour Set Dialogue Box This allows you to select a different false colour scheme for the contour plots. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 50

51 4.20 IES HTML Viewer This is IES general-purpose version of the Internet Explorer browser, used to show the calculation results. It is displayed when calculations have finished or when you use the Show Results option. Using the File menu or the Print button, you may print the current data, or save to file. Using the Edit menu, all or selected parts of the HTML may be copied to the clipboard ready to be pasted into a document. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 51

52 4.21 Model Viewer This is displayed when you use the use the Model Viewer option. The tools are the same as when called from elsewhere in <VE> Model dialogue bar Key-in Used for entering key-in commands, which are mainly concerned with the accurate positioning of coordinates instead of using the mouse, e.g. DX=1.1,3.7. See the <VE> documentation for details of the available commands Prompt area Used for various prompts to the user while performing commands, but also to give you feedback when moving the mouse over the room surfaces after the analysis calculations. When expected to enter a point to start creating a working plane, it prompts you to enter the point: VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 52

53 When no lighting calculations have been performed on the current room, it tells you this: When lighting calculations have been performed on the current room, and the mouse is moved over a selected surface at body level and illumination mode, or at surface level, it shows the surface name and the illumination at the nearest point on the surface: VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 53

54 5 Worked Example This example shows analysing daylight using the Analysis command. 5.1 Analysing Daylight Using the Analysis Command Make sure the same room is selected and that contour levels are toggled on (for faster display update). Invoke the Analysis command. This brings up the Analysis dialogue box: VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 54

55 Step through the Wizard, entering values as shown on the diagrams. If you wish you may turn on Full inter-reflections in the Advanced quality settings dialogue, Reflections tab. Press VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 55

56 Finish. The calculations then proceed. At each phase the Progress dialogue box will show the progress. For example, while creating the surfaces and grid points for the calculation: While calculating day lighting on the internal surfaces from the external openings (for efficiency this only looks at patches of sky that can be seen through openings from the internal surfaces): While calculating daylight on external surfaces (this is treated differently in daylight calculations each patch of sky is treated as a source of light): NB Daylight calculations may take quite a while if you have large windows. While performing the full inter-reflection calculations using progressive radiosity (this also may take a long while): NB The full inter-reflection calculation may not converge very quickly if there are a large number of small patches in a room. You may press the Cancel button at any time - if so you will be asked if you really wish to cancel. The screen will be updated periodically to show the latest results. This can be useful when you are performing the full progressive radiosity inter-reflection calculation. If screen refresh is VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 56

57 taking too long on large models, try turning this off by pressing the Hide lighting levels button on the toolbar. When the calculations are finished the Analysis Results dialogue box is displayed. The first page is shown below (but not the whole results as there are quite a lot). When this is closed you can use the commands to change the way the data is displayed. Select some surfaces using the mouse or the Surface browser. Then use the various buttons to see the effect they have on the display. VE 2015 Lighting: FlucsDL (daylighting) 57