Analytical Space Model Explorer

Used to investigate the quality of the proposed Analytical Space Model (ASM). Helps identify problems in the proposed ASM and provides a workflow for fixing them in the building model prior to exporting the ASM.

For instance, your building model's wall, floor, ceiling and roof components may not precisely enclose the modeled 3D spaces. Gaps and voids are inevitable errors that should be corrected before sending the ASM to OpenBuildings Energy Simulator for energy analysis.

Several options available in the Analytical Space Model Explorer dialog (via right-click menus), allow you to find where corrections are necessary to the spaces in your building model.

Analytical Space Model Explorer provides these error messages to assist you with correcting the building model:

Space has missing boundaries
This space is not completely bounded
Empty volume in building
Multiple elements occupying the same space
Uncontained space

Accessed from:

Ribbon: Building Design > Analysis > Energy > Energy Analysis
Backstage: File > Export > Analysis File Types > OpenBuilding Energy Simulator

Note: Prior to exporting the ASM, the Building model's programmed spaces are scanned along with their contents and bounding building components such as walls, doors, and floors to prepare an analysis of the ASM on a component by component basis. The analysis is displayed as alerts and warnings in a hierarchical list on the object panel. Use Spatial Explorer's viewing controls and the object list's error descriptions and right click menu options to repair and optimize the ASM.

Setting	Description
Preview toolbar	Contains tools for navigating the Preview panel. (Zoom In) - Used to zoom in on the preview by entering data points. Each data point zooms in using a predetermined magnification factor. (Zoom Out) - Used to zoom out on the preview by entering data points. Each data point zooms out using a predetermined magnification factor. (Window Area) - Used to select an area of magnification by drawing a rectangular "window". (Fit View) - Used to zoom out to the full extents of the model. (Pan View) - Used to pan the preview by clicking and dragging.
Preview	Displays the Building model, highlights selected ASM objects and is navigable via the preview panel view control tools.
(Preview show/hide)	Shows or hides the preview panel.
View:	Used to select a view in which to apply the selected object viewing options.
Refresh	Used to refresh the object list by re-analyzing the model. When clicked reloads the export analysis. Tip: The analysis incorporates any changes you made to the model to optimize the ASM. You can repeat the repair - refresh cycle until the analysis results contain no findings.
Highlight	Used to identify the selected object in the specified view. When pressed, the Highlight button appears depressed. The "On" state means any object selected will be highlighted automatically. Press Highlight again to turn it "Off".
Zoom	Used to zoom in on and fit the selected object in the specified view. When pressed, the Zoom button appears depressed. The "On" state means any object selected will be zoomed in on and fit to the view automatically. Press Zoom again to turn it "Off".
Isolate	Used to zoom in on and fit the selected object in the specified view, and to clip other model components from the view. There are two isolate options available in the drop down: Isolate with Members - Isolates the selected object with bounding elements included in the clip. Isolate without Members - Isolates the selected object only with bounding elements excluded in the clip. When pressed, the Isolate button appears depressed. The "On" state means any object selected will be zoomed in on and fit to the view automatically. Press Zoom again to turn it "Off".
Select	Used to select the selected object selected in the model for manipulation.
Settings	Used to set display preferences in preview window in Analytical Space Model Explorer dialog, and the export, and analysis options for ASM Export: Export Settings - Opens the Export Options dialog which contains ASM export output settings. Display Settings - Opens the Preview Display Option dialog which contains object display preferences. Analysis Settings - Opens the Analysis Options dialog which contains analysis settings to ASM export output.
Object list	The object list is a hierarchical list of the model elements contained in the proposed ASM. The hierarchy from top to bottom is constructed as follows: Building > Floor > Space > Wall > Wall leaf\|Window\|Door Building > Floor > Voids > Void 1\|Void 2\|Void 3\|... Building > Floor > Clashes > Overlap 1\|Overlap 2\|Overlap 3\|... Building > Floor > Potential Plenum Spaces > Plenum for Space: [space name]\|...
Object filter	Clicking on the Object column header opens the Object filter controls. Here you can create simple filters by checking/un-checking the listed objects. Or you can create complex filters using the available filters.
Object right click menu	Isolate floor - Available when floor objects are selected. Creates a display set of all those elements within the active Floor range allowing easier navigation and investigation of complex models. Even elements that extend through this range are included in the selected view's display set. The Object list heading turns green and reads Object (Floor isolated). To revert the Isolate Floor mode, select the Floor object and uncheck in the right-click > Isolate Floor menu option or while cursor on the Object column heading, uncheck in the right-click > Reset Floor Isolation menu option. Show all boundaries - Available when space objects are selected. Displays the extents of the space in the model using different colors to represent boundaries. Walls and partitions (bounding surfaces) - Green Openings and windows - Cyan Doors - Yellow Missing bounding surfaces - Red Show missing boundaries - Available when space objects are selected. Displays undefined boundaries. Adding a plenum space. Activate Model - Activates the DGN model containing the selected object for in-place editing. Note: It is important to use Activate Model when creating plenum and void spaces in Analytical Space Model Explorer. If Activate Model is not selected, then new spaces created with Analytical Space Model Explorer are modeled in the active model which is typically a master file containing multiple references including the parent model of the space object being analyzed. Create Plenum - Available when plenum for space objects are selected. Creates a new plenum space definition (DataGroup Catalog Name _Plenum) above the space definition associated with the selected plenum for space object. Tip: The new plenum space is always created in the active model. Typically, you will select Activate Model to make active the target model for modeling the new plenum space. Typical Create Plenum workflow: Typically you will select Activate Model to make active the referenced model where the space for the suggested plenum space is modeled. This ensures the new plenum space is modeled in the appropriate model. The active model is displayed with active symbology while the other references are displayed in grey. After Create Plenum is selected, the addition of the new plenum resolves the errors with the space the suggested plenum space was created for. The new plenum space is listed in the space the suggested plenum space was created for hierarchy. Create Void Space - Available when an individual Void object is selected from the expanded Voids list. Creates a new void space definition (DataGroup Catalog Name _Void) to fill the void. The new void space is added to the active model.
Error Description	Provides a brief or detailed description of the ASM error. Error descriptions suggest resolutions to the errors. You can optionally set the error descriptions to be verbose by checking the Detailed error messages option in the Export Options dialog (off by default).
Error Description filter	Clicking on the Error Description column header opens the Error Description filter controls. Here you can create simple filters by checking/un-checking the listed objects. Or you can create complex filters using the available filters.
Export...	Used to generate the ASM. Click Export after you have fixed all the errors in the spatial model. Note: Clicking Export opens the `Save As` dialog prompting you to save the ASM as a DGN. The destination folder for the ASM DGN file is very important. For instance, \\ProgramData\Bentley\OpenBuildings CONNECT Edition\Configuration\WorkSpaces\...\Worksets\ASM_Building\EnergySim where ASM_Building is the active workset. The ASM DGN file must be saved in the active workset folders for it to be a valid OpenBuildings Energy Simulator project DGN. Once saved, you are provided an option to open the ASM. Clicking Yes, opens the ASM in OpenBuildings Energy Simulator, after computing, and No will allow you to continue working in OpenBuildings Station Designer.
Close	Closes the dialog without exporting the ASM.

Key-in: MDL LOAD BENTLEY.BUILDING.ASMUI.DLL