BSDF Files for Radiance Renderings

Last Updated:

Monday, September 11, 2017

Software/Versions Affected:

COMFEN›4
COMFEN›5
WINDOW›6

The Radiance renderings that are generated under the Comparison / Glare tab need to have WINDOW 6 BSDF files for all the glazing systems and glazing system + shading system combinations.

The program installation includes a set of BSDF files for all the sample projects. These are found in the following directory:

Microsoft XP Operating System

c:\Documents and Settings\<username>\LBNL\COMFEN3_1\bsdf

Microsoft Vista or Microsoft Windows 7 Operating System

c:\Users\<username>\AppData\LBNL\COMFEN3_1\bsdf

In order to generate Radiance renderings for a Glazing System + Shading System that doesn't exist in the BSDF directory, you must create that BSDF file in WINDOW 6. (In future versions of COMFEN, the program will make these BSDF files automatically, but in the meantime, this step must be done "by hand").

For a Glazing System Only

In WINDOW 6:

In WINDOW 6, In File/Preferences, select the Optical Calcs tab, and check the first box, "Use matrix method for specular systems".

In the Glazing System Library, make the glazing system and calculate it — a box will appear as the calculation proceeds

The BSDF will be saved in the WINDOW 6 User directory.

Microsoft XP Operating System:

c:\Documents and Settings\<username>\LBNL\WINDOW6

Microsoft Vista or Microsoft Windows 7 Operating System:

c:\Users\Public\LBNL\WINDOW6

Copy this file into the COMFEN user directory / subdirectory BSDF

In COMFEN:

Make the same glazing system in COMFEN either directly in the Glazing System Library or by importing the record from the W6 database.

COMFEN will assign the Glazing System an ID #.

Rename the BSDF file based on the Glazing System ID in COMFEN, ie, in this case glzsys_39_bsdf.xml.

You are now ready to generate the Radiance renderings.

For a Glazing System + Shading System

In WINDOW 6:

(Reference the WINDOW 6 Complex Glazing User Manual for detailed instructions about how to make a shading system.)

Make the Shading System if it does not already exist.
In the Glazing System Library, make a glazing system with the shading system in the correct location (interior, between glass or exterior).
Follow the steps above for the Glazing System Only to make the BSDF file, including copying the BSDF file to the COMFEN BSDF directory.

In COMFEN:

Make the Shading System (to match the Shading System in WINDOW 6), note the ID number
Make the Glazing System (if it does not already exist), note the ID number
Rename the BSDF file from window to match the ID numbers of the glazing system and shading system

glzsys_<glzsysID#>_shdsys_<shdsysID#>_bsdf.xml

You are now ready to generate the Radiance renderings.