Berkeley Lab WINDOW 5 Input File for EnergyPlus

Last Updated: 

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Software/Versions Affected:

• WINDOW›6

Creating an EnergyPlus Input File for One Window

In the WINDOW Window Library, which defines a complete window including frames and glazing systems (accessed from the Libraries menu, Window option), click on the Report button.

For Report Type, select "EnergyPlus" from the pulldown list, make sure the "Preview" checkbox is checked, and click OK.

A file will be displayed that has the title "Window 5 Data File for EnergyPlus" and contains the window characteristics in a format that EnergyPlus can interpret. Click the Save button, and save the file as a text file (the filename and location are up to you).

This file can then be used with EnergyPlus or other programs that have EnergyPlus as their simulation engine and allow referencing/importing the WINDOW 5 files. EnergyPlus uses the "Window Name" as the reference for the window characteristics.

Multiple Windows in One File

It is possible to generate a WINDOW 5 input file for EnergyPlus that contains multiple windows. Go to the Window Library List View, select the entries that you want to have in the EnergyPlus file (use the standard MS Windows convention for selecting contiguous records using Shift-left-mouse-click, or non-contiguous records using Ctrl-left-mouse-click).

When the appropriate records are selected, click on the Report button, select Report Type = EnergyPlus as before, and either select "Selected Records" or "All records" as appropriate, with the Preview checkbox checked, and the file will be displayed.

The file will contain separate definitions for each window that was selected.

Click the Save button, and save the file as a text file (the filename and location are up to you).