Dr. Craig Wheatley, chief technical officer at IES, said, “Enabling customers to get this kind of detailed manufacturer’s data within the VE has been a big driver, especially as technologies become more integrated. By partnering with Daikin we’ve been able to do the hard work for customers, which will help them understand and use such innovative solutions to the full.”

The software allows designers and engineers to accurately predict an entire system’s efficiency from the outset of a project, helping to ensure that systems meet today’s energy efficiency requirements, while reducing the risk of over-specification and helping to control project costs.

The IES plug-in covers the Daikin VRV-III and VRV-IV outdoor and related indoor models. IES said it is able to make hundreds of thousands of individual calculations during analysis and can be used throughout projects, from planning through concept, schematic and detailed design, through to commissioning and operation.

Full thermal dynamic simulations give annual loads, power input and efficiencies, which can then be used to demonstrate system efficiencies. Alternative configurations can also be assessed to give system designers more flexibility and allow them to easily evaluate the best option to maximize energy efficiency and lower building energy use.

Users also benefit from automatic sizing of the VRV system and selection of the correct indoor and outdoor units based on the building’s heating and cooling loads.

The Daikin plug-in is free, requiring IES VE 2015 modules ModelIT, ApacheSim, and ApacheLoads. Comprehensive training and a modeling guide will be provided by Daikin North America to help users utilize the tool and ensure a successful VRV system design.

For more information and to download the new Daikin VRV plug-in, visit www.daikinac.com/content/resources/software-tools/#ies-ve.

Publication date: 8/31/2015

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