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ModelIT
IESVE Trial Support Material | Version Mar2020 ModelIT 01

ModelIT: Geometry in the IESVE

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When you open or create a project, the IESVE will always open to the ModelIT application.
1. VE Toolbar 4. The Model Browser on the bottom left:
a. The top blue toolbar contains the Open/New/Save options a. This lists the spaces, shading devices, adjacent buildings
b. It displays shortcuts for displaying the model and components in the model
(zoom tools, views) b. It enables room information management, grouping
c. It lets you set the North orientation quickly – and template creation. You can view it according to the
in IES you do not rotate the model. groups and zone groups you have created or applied
in your model, and sort by various criteria.
d. You can open Model Viewer for 3D views
c. You can toggle visibility of rooms; voids; return air plenums;
2. The white toolbars below contain the geometry tools and supply air plenums
for drawing and editing
5. A row of icons representing the different Building Space
a. There are icons to set the model grid and locks for
sub-types (Room, Void, Return Air Plenum and Supply Air
improved accuracy, and to set Location/Weather files
Plenum) is displayed below the browser. The browser displays
b. The Key-In Field is used to manually enter co-ordinates, only spaces of the sub-types that are selected. Find out more
or to enter shortcut key-ins listed here about Space Groups here.
c. You can also measure within the model,
6. Beneath this is a filter that can, for example, be used to find
or import other files.
space names in large models.
d. There are many icons for creating and editing the
geometry, including ones to quickly create a simple 7. The Drawing Window displays the model geometry in plan,
model for early stage analysis. elevation or axonometric views.

3. You can toggle between the Applications list and the 8. The Object Bar is displayed beneath the model window,
Navigators list by clicking on the relevant tab on the top left. and will change depending on the level of composition.
Applications are used to build or edit the model geometry This gives a quick summary of model data.
(ModelIt) and then perform different calculations or 9. The Status Bar, at the very bottom, displays the current
simulations as required, such as thermal simulations location, co-ordinates in the active model space and
(Apache); solar shading (SunCast) or ventilation (MacroFlo). the alert notifications.
Navigators offer a systematic step-by-step approach to
perform a certain task, with the ability to add notes
for team members and audit purposes.
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Open and Save

When you save your new project, a project folder will be created. It will have sub-folders for the various applications within IES.
The easiest way to open a project is through the start page. If you choose to open your project from a folder, you will need
to select the file of type “VE Document” within the model folder.
You can set your project to auto-save by going to Tools -> Auto-Save and choosing a suitable frequency.
You can also auto-archive your project. This creates an archive folder which will compress the project for back-up purposes
and also allows a model to be sent via email to colleagues or clients.
https://help.iesve.com/ve2019/activating___archiving_projects.htm#

Models for Simulation

ModelIT enables you to build a 3D analysis model, with or without data from other BIM packages. It is the principal modelling tool within
the IESVE, used for modifying or importing building geometry, and for dynamic visualisation, with both pre-set and custom views. The
level of detail can suit any stage of the design process; from simple to fully developed detail.
It creates a single, central, 3D model that is at the heart of the VE, providing geometry and data that is easily shared and manipulated
across all IESVE applications. The model incorporates all geometry: the building itself, shading devices and adjacent buildings or
significant topography.

Model Accuracy

The correct choice of settings can improve the accuracy of your model. This will speed up your work flow by reducing errors due to
misaligned surface or spaces within the model.
When you run a simulation, the IESVE will identify any surface that does not have an immediately adjacent space as being an external
surface. This means that if you have small gaps between spaces, the simulation will treat their interface as 2 external walls, both exposed
to exterior conditions, rather than as adjacent internal spaces.
To avoid this, we recommend that you always create geometry that is aligned to the grid within the VE, by using the tools shown above.
Use the grid settings to fix the size of your grid. This can be changed constantly, to suit what you are editing. By always using the
grid, you are less likely to get slivers between spaces – remember to zoom in when picking points on a small grid. Slivers are tiny gaps
that occur between spaces, usually due to unmatched adjacent surface. They are too small to see, and should be avoided as they can
cause errors.
Use the locks dialog to set which locks you will snap to while creating geometry. We recommend using grid, axis, and model endpoint
at all times. You can also set the angular lock, and the drag dimension, which determines the steps by which you can drag a selected face.
We would not suggest you use DXF endpoint, as what appears as a single line in a DXF file, could be a series of line segments, so you
could be locking to a point that is slightly to the side of, or not quite at the end of, the visible line.
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Views and Levels of Decomposition

When you are working on your model, notice how the options which are available for editing the geometry change
dependant on your view.
Some commands are only available in plan or elevation view, and not in axonometric view.
Other commands change based on the level of decomposition of your model. You can move between the levels of model, surface and
opening, either by using the arrows next to this drop-down box, or by selecting spaces from the model within the drawing window,
or within the model tree.
– The top level, shows as MODEL: this is where you can see the whole model. Most things can be done at this level.
Glazing can be applied on a percentage basis. The Model drop-down also has options to edit Openings while viewing the whole
model, or to create HVAC Zones within the model. The Space name can be changed, space ID checked and areas checked
in the object bar. Layer details can be quickly changed to edit appearance
– The middle level, shows as SURFACE, and is where you can see a single space within the model. At this level you can drag
a single surface of the space to modify it. You can also assign thermal constructions or textures, if they vary across the space.
You can add openings as on the top level. The Surface drop-down also has options to Edit a surface, or place a component in all
views except axonometric. The object bar can be used to check the surface area, tilt and orientation.
– The bottom level, shows as OPENING, and here you can see a single surface within a space. The object bar can be used to
check the opening area of individual windows. At this level you can add openings that are not rectilinear, or switch to
Adjacency mode to check the conditions adjacent to your selected surface.

Model Viewer

The ModelViewer is used to view the geometry in a 3D solid form.

This is useful for visual checks: i.e. there are no spaces between zones or floating rooms.
Images can also be saved or videos created and shown to clients.
The output will be determined by which controls are toggled on/off, including
– turning the ground plane on/off
– toggling a grid on/off
– showing data such as room names or components
– choosing a view such as x-ray, hidden line, shaded or textures
– choosing a suitable sky as a backdrop
– real-time shadows can be turned on and off and the time set
– solar arcs can be turned on and off and their size changed
– And views can be switched between top, sides and your choice of perspective
Scenes can be saved and named by right-clicking on the scene tab at the bottom of the ModelVewer window to help you
create consistency in reports.

Site Rotation

This tool lets you change the rotation of the site by altering which direction the North arrow is pointing in,
rather than by editing the geometry. The default cardinal directions have North to the top of the screen,
South to the bottom, East is right and West is left.
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Creating Geometry
Geometry is easily started by choosing a suitable option on the start page,
but if you choose the quick-create option, geometry can also be quickly built within ModelIT.

IESVE works only with 3-D spaces with enclosed volumes: To create a volume in IES, you choose its basic shape
and draw an outline with an assigned height – the depth is not added later to a 2D object.
Start by choosing what shape you would like to create: click on that icon, then input the shape settings.

– The object type can be a building space, adjacent building,

topographical shade or local shade.
– More info here https://help.iesve.com/ve2019/drawing_shapes.htm?ms
– The sub-type is either a room (conditioned space), a void (non-conditioned space),
or a return/supply air plenum.
– The plane is the x-value at the bottom of a shape drawn in plan view,
or the y-value for one drawn in elevation.
– The height/depth is the distance from the plane to the top of the shape.
– It is optional to create an inner volume, which will show the wall thickness
based on the constructions used.
You will see this change if you change your construction thickness.

Having created some spaces, you can quickly generate roofs for selected spaces, by first selecting the spaces,
then clicking on this icon and setting the slope, or pitch, of the roof, its overhang, and whether or not it is a hipped roof.

If you want to draw a space with a sloping ceiling, switch to an elevation view and draw the section of the room where
you can see the slope, with the room extruding along the x or y-axis.
The Spaces area on the bottom left of the screen, is used for room information management, grouping and template creation,
linked to the properties you have just defined. As you draw, space names will be listed here.
Other than these basic shapes, you can also add landscaping objects, such as planes, trees, free-standing PV panels,
translucent shades or labels.
Translucent shades are used to model any glazed shades or to represent semi-opaque shading devices such as mesh structures
which are not necessarily connected to the building. They can be used in conjunction with dynamic shading for blind/shutter
control to simulate the dynamic behaviour of the shading device.
The solar algorithm will have to be switched on / chosen (via User Preferences Simulation Engine Preference) if you want
to include the effect of solar transfer between non-connected spaces
You can also extrude along a path to create more complex geometry:
find out more at https://help.iesve.com/ve2019/create_slice__scale___extrude_.htm#

Adding openings to the model is covered in the section on adding windows, doors and holes here.
Select and assign is covered in the document on MacroFlo.
If you do not wish to create geometry from scratch, or use the starter geometry or import a BIM file options when you start,
you also have the option to import a .dxf file as an underlay to create your geometry on.
To do this, go to:
ModelIT -> DXF file(s) -> Attach DXF File
Your file will then be attached as an underlay in IESVE which you can then “trace” over in 3D shapes.
When you are done, use the same method to detach the underlay
ModelIT -> DXF file(s) -> Detach DXF File
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Editing Geometry
Once you have geometry, it is also easy to make changes to assess different design options.

From left to right, once you have selected a space within your model, you can then choose to copy, move, scale, rotate,
mirror or extrude it. Extrusion lets you drag a single face: you can improve accuracy by locking this action to the increments
set in the adjacent menu box.
You can also partition, connect/merge 2 existing spaces, or separate previously connected spaces
(but not previously merged spaces).
Or you can:
– Edit attributes of the colour and layer for a selected space
– Edit the selection set inner volume representation to switch the representation of inner volumes on/off
– Edit element heights for selected spaces as a quick way to alter the height of selected spaces
You can also:
– Add voids/split spaces vertically, to create ceiling/floor voids/plenums or spaces for modelling thermal stratification
– Create Storeys (2 to 250) by specifying how to replicate the currently selected space(s) to create a multi-storey building
– Create perimeter zones of a specified depth, with or without partitions, labelled relative to the selected space
Or you can:
– Assign thermal constructions before progressing to Apache
– Assign landscaping constructions to modelled elements
– Assign textures to building surfaces for enhanced rendering in Model Viewer II

An alternative approach to building up your geometry using

multiple blocks, is to start by drawing the footprint of the
building, then breaking it into its component parts.
When in plan view, use the draw partitions tool to draw
complex partitions across any space, and choose whether
they generate sub spaces or new separate spaces, and
whether or not you want partitions drawn along these
divisions. When drawing these partitions, the line drawn
must touch or extend past 2 outer edges. Note that they do
not have to cut the space in a single line: they can zig-zag
through it in any pattern.

Partition drawn through a T-shaped space

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Adding Windows, Doors and Holes

Windows are drawn in a few different ways, for different levels of detail.
They can also be edited, depending on the chosen view and level of composition within IESVE.

Add Windows or Doors on a Percentage Basis: Edit Glazing

This is the simplest way to add windows for an early-stage analysis.
Choose to add either glazing, or doors/louvres, which are opaque openings.
Select one of 3 methods for adding the windows, either
– Add by Percentage Area
– Add by Percentage Area/Height
– Add by Height/Width/Spacing
Or you can choose to remove any existing windows.
Find out more at https://help.iesve.com/ve2019/edit_glazing__doors_louvres#
Each option can be analysed, to determine the daylight and energy impact of each, both visually and in tabular format.
The size and shape of the glazing can later be easily adjusted in the 3-dimensional model.
To revise the amount of glazing use the same “Edit Glazing” tool in ModelIT.

Adding Windows or Doors in Plan or Axonometric View

When you click on this icon, choose from the drop-down to add doors, windows, or holes. Enter the size of the opening and its height
above floor level then drag to position and click to drop. In plan view this lets you quickly place windows as per a .dxf underlay,
and in axonometric view you can easily see their position in the model.
Only windows and doors can be used on the building exterior – holes are used to permit air exchange between spaces.
Windows are any opening that will allow light to pass through, while doors are opaque constructions.
A window is shown in green, a door in magenta, and a hole in cyan.
This is the default colour coding scheme for the VE, which can be changed in the preferences.

Adding Windows or Doors in Elevation

This can only be done in the bottom level of composition. Openings of any shape can be created.
A .dxf file of the elevation can be brought in and traced over (clicking to the grid) to draw a group of openings,
but remember that it will need to be the mirror image of an architectural elevation, as the view is from inside the building.
When the window is selected in elevation, two additional icons become available to edit it, by dragging the selected
vertices, or by dividing the window (if rectangular) horizontally and/or vertically into more panes.
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Model Checking
You can also undertake a number of model checks and archive functions within ModelIT.
These are useful to ensure clean geometry before you start assigning data to your model.

Running a Model Check Running a Model Report

A model check allows you to check the geometry, identifying This gives a more comprehensive report and can be accessed
any issues, for example, intersecting zones, external holes or by clicking the link in the dialogue box above, or by clicking on
unmatched adjacencies. ModelIT >> Model Report
Go to Settings -> Model to open the dialog. Select what you would like to check, and the report lists all
areas that pass, and gives descriptions of errors, noting the
space ID so that you can find and repair any problems.
The report also lists useful information such as the window
to wall ratio on all four orientations.
It is a good trouble-shooting tool to ensure clean geometry
before progressing the project.
It is also a good check list to bear in mind when creating
geometry to avoid these errors.

Model Report

Go to Space
If an error is listed for a particular space in the model, you can find that space quickly by right-clicking anywhere
on the model browser and choosing Go To Space, then typing in the full space ID.

The Tidy Command

The tidy command can quickly repair small geometry errors in a single space.
Select the space you need to repair, then type “tidy” into the key-in space.