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Zone templates

Zone templates greatly speed up the process of creating a simulation model. They allow the user to pre-define information associated with a zone ‘type’, instead of separately for every zone. All information in a zone template needs to be area-related.

Note: Zone templates are not handled as typical IDA resources. The information is only used during the creation of a zone. Subsequent changes to a zone template do not affect zones which have been attributed earlier (using this template).

But zone templates contain references to a set of IDA resources (e.g. control setpoints, internal load schedules etc.). If these resources are edited, e.g. from within the zone template dialog, the changes will affect all objects that also reference the same resource.

Go to the Floor plan tab

 Open the zone template menu

 Select ‘Show/Edit zone template …’

 Open controller setpoints for editing

 Define control setpoints for zone template. All setpoints are given in a single place. All different devices, such as for example room units, use these setpoints.

👉  Temperature setpoints can optionally be given by schedules.

 Finalize setpoint definition

👉  Define whether zones will (initially) have local heating and/or cooling units.

👉  Thermal mass from furniture (e.g. store room shelves, furniture, plants, etc.)

 Define default room height.

👉  In cases where several air handling units have been specified, you can specify which unit delivers air to this zone.

👉  Define the air volume flow control strategy as CAV

👉  Define supply and exhaust air for constant air volume flow (CAV).

Note: For VAV (Variable Air Volume) systems, minimal and maximal supply and exhaust air volume rate is taken from the controller setpoints as well as the setpoints for the selected control strategy (humidity, CO₂ and/or temperature).

 In the zone template form, go to the Internal gains tab

 Select ‘© Office worker with light dress’ from database (resource for occupant type)

 Select ‘© 08-17 weekdays’ from database (resource for occupancy schedule)

 Open occupancy schedule

 Insert lunch break

 Finalize schedule modification

 You will be asked to confirm creation of the new resource. Since the schedule is from the database, it will be protected against modification, i.e. make a new copy.

 Give name for the new resource

 Finalize creation of new resource

 For equipment and lighting, choose a schedule from the database and an energy meter account.

👉  In the Advanced tab, you can define specific default constructions for this zone type as well as maximum heating and cooling power for room units. The latter is only important for deliberate undersizing of room units.

 Save the zone template as new

 Name the zone template

 Finalize zone template saving

 Finalize zone template modification

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