is a sophisticated, yet
easy to use building energy use analysis tool which provides
professional-level results with an affordable level of effort.
This
freeware tool was designed to allow you to perform detailed analysis of
today's state-of-the-art building design technologies using today's
most sophisticated building energy use simulation techniques but
without requiring extensive experience in the "art" of building
performance modeling. This is accomplished by combining a building
creation wizard, an energy efficiency measure (EEM) wizard and a
graphical results display module with an enhanced DOE-2-derived
building energy use simulation program.
the QU ick E nergy S imulation T ool
Something for everyone...
Imagine
a building energy simulation tool comprehensive enough to be useful to
ALL design team members, yet so intuitive ANY design team member could
use it, in ANY or ALL design phases, including schematic design.
eQUEST is well named because it provides something the you've been
looking for, but have been unable to find a sophisticated, yet
easy-to-use building energy analysis tool. With eQUEST, you'll be able
to provide professional-level results in an affordable level of effort.
Evaluate today's building technologies at the speed of today's design process
eQUEST
was designed to allow you to perform detailed analysis of today's
state-of-the-art building design technologies using today's most
sophisticated building energy use simulation techniques but without
requiring extensive experience in the "art" of building performance
modeling.
eQUEST = enhanced DOE-2 + Wizards + Graphics
This
is accomplished by combining a building creation wizard, an energy
efficiency measure (EEM) wizard, and graphical reporting with a
simulation "engine" derived from the latest version of DOE-2. Reliable
detailed simulation has never been easier!
eQUEST
features a building creation "wizard" that walks you through the
process of creating an effective building energy model. This involves
following a series of steps that help you describe the features of your
design that would impact energy use, such as:
- architectural design
- HVAC equipment
- building type and size
- floor plan layout
- construction materials
- area usage and occupancy
- lighting system
Building Creation Wizard
The
eQUEST building creation wizard first requests the most general
information about your building design, and then delves into
progressively deeper detail. In all, the building description process
comprises 23 data-entry steps – each represented by a "wizard" screen.
At
each step of describing your building design, the wizard provides
easy-to-understand choices of component and system options. It also
offers advice in the form of "intelligent defaults" for each choice.
(These defaults are based on more information gathered early in the
description process). In addition, eQUEST automatically skips steps
that do not apply to your design.
Although the
building description process can get quite detailed, it isn’t necessary
to complete every single step in the wizard. If you choose, you can
"bail out" of the description process once you are satisfied with the
level of detail. At that point, the wizard fills in any missing
information using the eQUEST "intelligent default" process.
After
compiling a building description, eQUEST produces a detailed
simulation of your building, as well as an estimate of how much energy
it would use. Although these results are generated quickly, they are
quite accurate because this software utilizes the full capabilities of
DOE-2 (the latest version of a well-respected and popular building
energy simulation program developed over the last 20 years by the U.S.
DOE).
Within eQUEST, DOE-2 performs an hourly simulation of
your building design for a one-year period. It calculates heating or
cooling loads for each hour of the year, based on the factors such as:
- walls
- windows
- glass
- people
- plug loads
- ventilation
DOE-2 also simulates the performance of:
- fans
- pumps
- chillers
- boilers
- other energy-consuming devices
During the simulation, DOE-2 also tabulates your building’s projected energy use for various end uses such as:
- lighting
- plug loads (computers, appliances, copiers, etc.)
- heating
- cooling
- ventilation
- pumping
Viewing eQUEST Results
eQUEST
offers several graphical formats for viewing simulation results. For
instance, you can display graphs of estimated overall building energy
on an annual or monthly basis. (See Figure 1.) You also can compare the
performance of alternative building designs. (See Figure 2.)
In
addition, eQUEST allows you to perform multiple simulations and view
the alternative results in side-by-side graphics. It offers:
- Energy cost estimating
- Daylighting and lighting system control
- Automatic implementation of common energy efficiency measures (by selecting preferred measures from a list)
The current version of eQUEST provides even more comprehensive analysis capability. It
allows the advanced user to input additional building details to
analyze complex buildings. A three-dimensional view of the building
geometry is available in this version, as well as HVAC system diagrams.
In addition, rate schedules for PG&E, SCE, and SDG&E are
embedded in the program.
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(Click for larger image)
Figure 1: A building’s projected monthly energy consumption, with consumption attributed to various end-use categories.
| 
(Click for larger image)
Figure 2: Comparison
of monthly energy use for base building design and four alternatives
which incorporate Energy Efficiency Measures (EEMs) |
Training
We encourage beginning eQUEST users to
read the tutorials for a solid background in program fundamentals.
For more information about training options, visit the
eQUEST home page.
Community Support
The best way to get support for eQUEST is to join the equest-users mailing list, where energy professionals from around the globe discuss tips, tricks, and best practices. A companion list, bldg-sim, discusses building energy simulation topics more generally and is not specifically focused on eQUEST.
Please note that Energy Design Resources is not the developer of eQUEST and is not able to provide direct training and support.
Download eQUEST