Components range from individual pieces of equipment to self contained HVAC systems. Also components may include special objects used to comply with specific project requirements such as ASHRAE 90.1 Prescriptive Objects.

• Search field — Located at to top of the Component drop-down list, the search field provides the ability to reduce the number of components listed making it easier to find specific components by entering the desired component name or a part of it. The components list is then filtered to display the search matches. Search includes sub folders.
• Add — Used to Add the selected Component to the system being designed. Selecting the Add button inserts a new property panel below the Components drop-down list in the main panel of the Data tab. The newly added component’s full compliment of properties are displayed in the data panel, and are ready to be edited to suit the current project.
  
  
  

• Description — Used to enter a description for the HVAC system or HVAC subsystem.
• Comments — Used to enter comments related to the HVAC system or HVAC subsystem. All predefined HVAC systems and components are provided with detailed comments that are intended to assist with applying them to projects.
• Zone — Used to select a zone for the HVAC system or sub system to be associated with. Zones are selected from the available drop-down list. Zones must exist before using the HVAC Manager. Use the Zone Manager dialog box to create zones.

• Rooms available to component (n) — Displays all the rooms in the selected zone. You can select individual rooms to move into the Rooms using this component list box.
• Rooms using this component (n) — Displays all the rooms in the selected zone that are selected for the room component to be created. You can select individual rooms to move out of the Rooms using this component list box.
• Move all — Use the double arrow buttons located between the Rooms available to component and Rooms using this component list boxes to move all rooms back and forth.
• Move one — Use the single arrow buttons located between the Rooms available to component and Rooms using this component list boxes to move rooms back and forth one at a time.
• Set as default — Used to render the selected room as the default room for adding the room components to.

• Component properties list — Displays the properties of all the base HVAC components that make up the HVAC system or HVAC subsystem in an ordered list. Property information is displayed in two columns:
  • Name – Displays the visible property name.
  • Property – Displays the full EnergyPlus object property name.
• Up/Down arrows — The Up arrow moves the selected property up one position in the list each time it is clicked. Properties at the top of the list are displayed first in the compound HVAC component properties panel/dialog.The Down arrow moves the selected property down one position in the list each time it is clicked. Properties at the bottom of the list are displayed first in the compound HVAC component properties panel/dialog.
  
  
  

  The compound HVAC component properties panel. Properties are listed in the same order as in the Component properties list.

• Select — Used to add or remove properties to the Component properties list. Clicking Select expands the property panels below the Component properties list for all the components that make up the new compound HVAC component. Properties already selected for display (listed in the Component properties list) are highlighted. Unselected properties are not highlighted. Selecting them highlights them and adds them to the bottom of the Components list. Conversely, selecting already highlighted properties removed them from the Component list.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Edit — Opens the Component Designer. Component Designer is used to create graphics for displaying the compound HVAC components in HVAC Manager Designer mode including the positions of connection nodes. Typically, schematic views are used to represent compound HVAC components, but any representation can be used, including images of actual pieces of equipment.
• Icon — Displays the graphical representation (schematic) created in Component Designer.

The objects selected from the Component drop-down list vary greatly in their properties. EnergyPlus, where the components originate, provides a comprehensive listing of all EnergyPlus HVAC objects and their properties. Properties number in the thousands. Detailed descriptions can be found on the EnergyPlus Input/Output Reference guide.

• Add item — Located at the lower left corner of the HVAC component properties panel, the Add item button is used to add another instance of the component. In the example illustrated above, this is an additional controller for the HVAC component Main Zone Thermostat. Selecting Add item creates the Control 2 item (illustrated above) with an Unspecified value set for the zone control property drop-down list. The drop-down list is predefined with the zone controls available in the project.
  • X (remove item) – Used to delete the additional item added using the Add item button.
• Predefined Data Values — HVAC component properties by default, are enabled with predefined values taken from data recorded for those components during tests and other data collection activities performed by standards organizations such as ASHRAE and CIBSE.
• Required Properties — A subset of component properties are required for the HVAC system to simulate successfully. That is, they must be defined if they are set to Undefined. These properties are denoted with a colored background and/or a red asterisk character.