Model Creation tab

Setting	Description
Geometry	Contains tools and settings used to create a mass model of your proposed building using common solid modeling tools. Trace Room opens the Trace space which is used to define the overall building shape (floor plan) when creating a Conceptual Design. Place Cone opens the Cone Solid tool which is used to place a solid cone. Place Slab opens the Slab Solid tool which is used to place an extruded solid with a rectangular cross-section. Place Cylinder opens the Cylinder Solid tool which is used to place a solid cylinder. Modify Solid opens the Modify Solid Entity tool which is used to manipulate faces, edges, or vertices of a solid by pushing or pulling them interactively. Unite Solid opens the Unite Solids tool which is used to unite two or more overlapping solids. Number of edges for cylinder sets the number of edges to be used for creating zones (Rooms) that follow the cone's curved surface. Show solid - When on, displays the solids used to design the proposed building along with the energy model. When off, only the energy model is displayed. Create Building creates the energy model Building object. The Project Tree is populated with the Building object.
Floor Data	Contains settings used to define floors and specify the number of floors in the building and the individual floor heights. Number of building floors defines the number of floors in the building. The building height is divided by the number of floors to determine the floor heights. Floor details displays the floor name (defaults to Floor0, Floor1, Floor2,etc) in editable fields. Floor height displays the floor height for each floor in editable fields.
Ext. Shade	Contains settings used to select and apply external shading or fin definitions to your proposed building. Fin Type - When on, fins are added to the building. When off, no fins are added to the building and fin settings are disabled. Fins - Used to select a fin type for placement. The Fins drop-down list contains all the fin assembly definitions available to the project. Fin Manager opens the Fin Manager which is used to manage fin data contained within your project or at the application level. Overhang projection (% window height) defines the amount of recess shading on the glazing as a percentage of the overall height of the glazing band. Pick facade - Click to manually select the building facades to apply the fins to. Global - Click to apply the fins to all the building facades.
Glazing	Contains settings used to apply glazing to the proposed building by entering a percentage or ratio for the entire building or a specific facade. Glazing percentage defines the amount of glazing (windows) area as a percentage of the total outside surface area of each building floor. A band of glazing will be created around the outside walls of each floor. Pick facade - Click to manually select the building facades to apply the glazing to. Global - Click to apply the glazing to all the building facades.
Skylights	Contains settings used to add a skylight to your proposed building by entering a size or percentage. Include skylights - When on, a skylights are included with the building. When off, no skylights are included with the building and skylights settings are disabled. Skylights size (W x L) - Enter the skylight width and length values in the two adjacent fields. The value field uses active units but can be changed with the units drop down options. Target % area - Enter an overall percentage to define skylights.
Zoning	Contains controls used to define the thermal zones in your proposed building. No zoning is used when no additional zoning work is needed to conceptualize the building. When selected, sets up the conceptual model with the default zones created whenever a floor is added, essentially one zone per floor. Manual zoning is used to create a single zone on each floor, to which additional zoning work can be done with virtual walls. Auto zoning is used to create both outer zones and one inner zone for each floor. Each outer zone is in contact with the exterior surfaces of the building, and its depth is defined with a setback distance. The shape of the building determines how many outer zones are created. There is always only one inner zone. Perimeter zone depth (enabled for Auto zoning) determines the depth of the inner zone boundary by defining a setback distance from the outer surfaces of the building. A default value is provided that is proportional to the size of the traced building shape, but it can be changed.
Update model	Applies all changes to the energy model, and populates the Project Tree.

Geometry

Contains tools and settings used to create a mass model of your proposed building using common solid modeling tools.

Trace Room opens the Trace space which is used to define the overall building shape (floor plan) when creating a Conceptual Design.
Place Cone opens the Cone Solid tool which is used to place a solid cone.
Place Slab opens the Slab Solid tool which is used to place an extruded solid with a rectangular cross-section.
Place Cylinder opens the Cylinder Solid tool which is used to place a solid cylinder.
Modify Solid opens the Modify Solid Entity tool which is used to manipulate faces, edges, or vertices of a solid by pushing or pulling them interactively.
Unite Solid opens the Unite Solids tool which is used to unite two or more overlapping solids.
Number of edges for cylinder sets the number of edges to be used for creating zones (Rooms) that follow the cone's curved surface.
Show solid - When on, displays the solids used to design the proposed building along with the energy model. When off, only the energy model is displayed.
Create Building creates the energy model Building object. The Project Tree is populated with the Building object.

Floor Data

Contains settings used to define floors and specify the number of floors in the building and the individual floor heights.

Number of building floors defines the number of floors in the building. The building height is divided by the number of floors to determine the floor heights.
Floor details displays the floor name (defaults to Floor0, Floor1, Floor2,etc) in editable fields.
Floor height displays the floor height for each floor in editable fields.

Ext. Shade

Contains settings used to select and apply external shading or fin definitions to your proposed building.

Fin Type - When on, fins are added to the building. When off, no fins are added to the building and fin settings are disabled.
- Fins - Used to select a fin type for placement. The Fins drop-down list contains all the fin assembly definitions available to the project.
Fin Manager opens the Fin Manager which is used to manage fin data contained within your project or at the application level.
Overhang projection (% window height) defines the amount of recess shading on the glazing as a percentage of the overall height of the glazing band.
Pick facade - Click to manually select the building facades to apply the fins to.
Global - Click to apply the fins to all the building facades.

Glazing

Contains settings used to apply glazing to the proposed building by entering a percentage or ratio for the entire building or a specific facade.

Glazing percentage defines the amount of glazing (windows) area as a percentage of the total outside surface area of each building floor. A band of glazing will be created around the outside walls of each floor.
Pick facade - Click to manually select the building facades to apply the glazing to.
Global - Click to apply the glazing to all the building facades.

Skylights

Contains settings used to add a skylight to your proposed building by entering a size or percentage.

Include skylights - When on, a skylights are included with the building. When off, no skylights are included with the building and skylights settings are disabled.
Skylights size (W x L) - Enter the skylight width and length values in the two adjacent fields. The value field uses active units but can be changed with the units drop down options.
Target % area - Enter an overall percentage to define skylights.

Zoning

Contains controls used to define the thermal zones in your proposed building.

No zoning is used when no additional zoning work is needed to conceptualize the building. When selected, sets up the conceptual model with the default zones created whenever a floor is added, essentially one zone per floor.
Manual zoning is used to create a single zone on each floor, to which additional zoning work can be done with virtual walls.
Auto zoning is used to create both outer zones and one inner zone for each floor. Each outer zone is in contact with the exterior surfaces of the building, and its depth is defined with a setback distance. The shape of the building determines how many outer zones are created. There is always only one inner zone.
Perimeter zone depth (enabled for Auto zoning) determines the depth of the inner zone boundary by defining a setback distance from the outer surfaces of the building. A default value is provided that is proportional to the size of the traced building shape, but it can be changed.

Update model

Applies all changes to the energy model, and populates the Project Tree.