IESVE 2017 includes 25 major new features and many other smaller enhancements. Some of these additions have been added in response to customer requests, while others are a result of the latest technology to be developed through the IES R&D division. VE 2017 has been designed to improve productivity and to help you optimise your building design. Use this page to take a tour of all the latest features.
VE Compliance has added Section 63 to the Section 6 2015 building regulation options for Scotland. When a Scottish EPC has been generated, the same model can be used for Section 63, allowing different scenario models to be simulated within the project to assess the Prescribed Measures and compare performance of Alternative Scenarios. This enables the Assessor to recommend the best options for the building and generate the corresponding Action Plan.
Independent tool to investigate the trade-offs between different design parameters and automatically converge on the optimal design quickly and accurately.
Say goodbye to manual parameter changes and automate the simulation of multiple scenarios and combinations of building design inputs.
The Elements tool links the VE to both optimisation Hone and Parametric tools. Elements allows the setting of target parameters (model inputs) and results variables (Vista outputs) for parameteric analysis. The tool works using rules, where it gathers common parameters from the VE, allows the range of the parameter to be set and then defines whether the variable is to be used in the same way for all instances or whether the variable is to be altered independently.
The new Interoperability Navigator provides a step-by-step process for importing your model from whichever drawing tool you are using into the IESVE for analysis. All the import settings, modelling guidance and new functionality has been brought together within this single navigator to enhance the model import workflow.
Python Scripting (PS) is the new API for the VE replacing the older API approach (APSFILE.DLL).
This unique, innovative approach allows users to create their own customised scripts, some automation and reportage, which can be easily shared through your own navigator. The PS API consists of two main features, the Python Console or Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and the Python Navigator. The Console IDE allows users to create their own scripts and promote them to their own Navigator. The Python Navigator allows access to the resultant ‘program’.
ModelIT now offers the ability to place geometric free-standing panels that are exclusively for estimating PV potential and allows the assessment of PV potential to take the physical location into account. In ApacheSystems Parabolic Solar Collectors adds to the renewables capabilities within the VE and can be used as DHW pre-heater or as a space or process pre-heater.
Radiance capabilities have now been extended to allow for dynamic daylighting calculation methods. You can now use RadianceIES climate based daylight modelling (CBDM) technology to model Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI), Spatial Daylight Autonomy (SDA) and Annual Sunlight Exposure (ASE) calculations, providing you with a complete overview on how the daylight performance varies throughout the year.
This new feature provides streamlined generation and improved user control over a significantly expanded set of reports for buildings, system, zone, and room loads, sizing, and ventilation.
New Features Videos
Parallel simulation manager (PSM) is intended to allow you to manage simulations within the Virtual Environment.
This new feature provides a fundamental change to the way that the VE ApacheSim calculations aggregate resource & fuel usage. At any logical point in the software, a Meter can now be assigned that will be used to aggregate the use of that fuel. There is no limit to the number of Meters that are created.
Other IESVE 2017 updates include:
IESVE 2017 is great example of how IES is committed to the continuous improvement of its products. IES actively listens to and responds to the needs of its customers. Our mainstream design teams have given much deeper commitment to the use of the VE – the VE is not just for our one-of-a-kind high performance “jewel box” projects. We are taking advantage of the much more user-friendly load reports on our everyday work. The graphics and visualization tools built into the VE are making it much easier for our teams to understand and optimize system performance and sizing.
Kim E Shinn
Principal/Senior Sustainability Wizard at TLC Engineering for Architecture
We are excited at Pick Everard with the new features that the 2017 version of IES Virtual Environment brings. We expect this will also allow thermal modelling specialists to have earlier input into design, greater interaction with architects, and extend the use of models into buildings in operation. This will also lead to changes to design workflows, improving efficiencies and allowing more time to be spent on proactive design rather than reactive and reiterative ‘design for compliance.
Dr Jose Hernandez
Director - Sustainability and Energy at Pick Everard
For us, IESVE is our all in one tool for doing loads, energy, daylighting, etc. Doing loads analysis is simple to run especially with the parametric tool in VE2017. This tool allows us to test ideas and get results quickly efficiently, and the results are accurate. We now use the VE for all of our projects. On a recent office project, using the VE, we were able to improve glazing, reduce mechanical system size, and save the owner money all through the results of our analysis.
Miles Dake
Mechanical Engineer at ME Group
Contact our team to find out more about IESVE.
