Carrying Out a Domestic Overheating (TM59) Assessment Using Tas.

In 2017, CIBSE released a new technical memorandum, TM59, which provides a method of assessing overheating in homes. While other overheating criteria exist, i.e. TM52 for non-domestic buildings, TM59 differs from the rest by requiring more work from the assessor to complete the assessment. To help speed up the process of carrying out a TM59 assessment, Tas has introduced a TM59 wizard in V9.4.2. The first feature of the TM59 wizard is the ability to create the internal conditions for a TM59 assessment. The TM59 guide dictates the internal gains to be used during the assessment for most room types. Due to this, the wizard allows you to assign the gains to the spaces by setting the room type.

A Screenshot of the Gains Setup page, showing the Room Type being set for a double bedroom.

For most assessments, the gains specified in the TM59 guide must be used, but there are cases when some freedom is allowed and the wizard supports this via custom values. The second feature of the TM59 Wizard is the ability to make multiple scenarios and run them simultaneously. This is useful as while the minimum that needs to be done to pass a TM59 assessment is to pass all criteria while using a CIBSE DSY1 2020, high emissions, 50% percentile scenario weather file; TM59 strongly recommends the assessments to be run with multiple different future weather files, however these assessments do not need to pass. To help aid the creation and simulation of multiple different scenarios, the wizard allows the creation of multiple scenarios using different weather data, or with any blinds included in the model removed. Not only are these scenarios created by the wizard, they will also be simulated automatically by the wizard after creation.

A screenshot of the Options page, where multiple weather files selected.

The final feature of the TM59 Wizard is the ability to produce reports for each simulated scenario, detailing if they pass or fail. For TM59, the compliance criteria differs if the home is predominantly naturally ventilated or mechanically ventilated. If the home is naturally ventilated, it will need to pass both of the following criteria:
  • For Living Rooms, Kitchens and Bedrooms – These spaces must meet Criterion 1 of TM52, i.e. the number of hours where ΔT is greater than or equal to 1K during the summer period cannot be more than 3% of the summer occupied hours.
  • For Bedrooms only – The operative temperature cannot exceed 26 °C between the hours of 10pm and 7am for no more than 32 hours.
While if the home is mechanically ventilated, the home will need to pass the following criteria:
  • Occupied rooms should not exceed an operative temperature of 26 °C for no more than 3% of the annual occupied hours.
For each simulated scenario, a report will be generated detailing if the spaces in the model have passed or failed. These reports can be exported to PDF, Excel or Word at a click of a button.

A screenshot of the Reports page, showing the report produced by the wizard.

If you are interested, more information about TM59 including how to purchase the guide can be found here.

Update (June 2022)

The TM59 wizard has been updated in Tas to assist with demonstrating complaince with Approved Document O. There is a new aperture function available in the software which allows you to easily setup windows that stay open all night if the internal temperature exceeds 23°C at 11pm.

For more details, please see the TM59 documentation.

Importing gbXML data into Tas

The Solution for Reusing gbXML Geometry

Tas has a quick, robust, and versatile gbXML import capability which allows files to be imported quickly, inconsistent geometry automatically identified and repaired, and further edits to be made.

Modified geometry can be exported from Revit and merged into the Tas 3D file, retaining any changes made by the user.

Imported gbXML geometry can be used as the basis for any Tas calculation type, including daylighting and CBDM, UK Building Regulations, detailed HVAC analysis, and more!

EDSL can provide extensive guidance on the subject of gbXML re-use, including videos, example files, and documentation.

More information can be found here.

AIRAH Building Simulation Conference 2017

EDSL at AIRAH Building Simulation Conference November 2017

EDSL were sponsors of the AIRAH Building Simulation Conference in Melbourne, Australia.

EDSL’s delegates met academics and engineers from Australia and elsewhere and demonstrated the advantages of using Tas for building thermal analysis, daylighting, and advanced plant modelling.

EDSL were pleased to offer promotional free trials of Tas to conference attendees.

IBPSA Building Simulation 2017 Conference

EDSL at IBPSA Building Simulation Conference August 2017

EDSL were silver sponsors of the IBPSA Building Simulation Conference in San Francisco, USA. Over the three days of the conference our delegates took part in many interesting discussions with academics and engineers from around the world who wanted to learn about the advantages of using Tas for building thermal analysis, daylighting, complex plant modelling, and Ashrae 90.1 projects.

Michael Sawford, Vice President of EDSL USA, was co-presenter of two sessions on building performance metrics and energy modelling outputs.

EDSL were pleased to offer promotional free trials of Tas to conference attendees.

Interoperability with EnergyPlus

In the latest version of Tas (v9.4.2) the software’s capability to import and export IDF files has expanded again.

  • Exported IDF files will now include an IdealLoadsAirSystem object for each zone, allowing immediate simulation of room loads in EnergyPlus.
  • Surface shading data can now be imported from EnergyPlus CSV files

Tas can import or export data between the TBD and IDF formats, transferring the following data types:

  • Building geometry
  • Internal conditions (gains, schedules, thermostats, humidistats)
  • Construction data (building fabric)

EPW weather data can also be imported.

This capability allows cooperation on projects between Tas and EnergyPlus users, and provides a way for EnergyPlus users to become familiar with Tas using one of their existing projects.