BERS Pro
FAQ
134 I am using dual monitors. When I open the program and select Project Details it freezes. I have to use task manager to shut BERS down
You have to experiment with the settings of screen1 and screen2. The new window, Project Details, is being displayed behind the main screen and until it is closed you can not operate the rest of the program. After opening the program reduce the size from the initial maximized to something a lot smaller and you should see the open window below.
133 Do you have advice on how best to model an Urbanform wall? It is comprised of the following layers (from external to internal):
5mm Fibre Cement sheet
75mm thick, 18/Kg/cu.m polystyrene
5mm Fibre Cement sheet
125mm reinforced concrete
5mm Fibre Cement sheet.
Model it as a 140 mm thick concrete wall externally insulated with whatever the R value of 75 mm of EPS works out to be. Use the “Simple R and C Calculation” tool.
132 Why is there a difference in the assessment when a wall or ceiling vent is substituted for an unflued gas heater. As I see it they are both the same – venting the room. What am I missing?
A wall vent is smaller than a vent for an unflued heater so the infiltration rate is less.
131 Do you have any modelling suggestions for internal ducts and service voids or do we just include them in an adjacent zone?
If small, ignore, if large treat them as unconditioned zones if they go the full height.
130 Is there a work around for coffer ceilings that is an extra 300mm raised section in the middle of a flat ceiling.
Work out the ceiling area and change the slope of the ceiling to match. If the vertical sides are uninsulated then you must work out the equivalent R value using the tool provided.
129 I found scaling the drawings a little difficult – will there be an advanced scaling function?
I don’t think you are using the scaling of the background correctly.
Click on measure
Click on one end of a known distance interval,
Click on the other end,
Enter the distance (in mm)
Click on scale.
If you don’t have the Measure and Scale buttons on the background picture you have an old version which you should update by downloading the current version from the Solar Logic website.
128 I’m doing some fine-tuning on my house design with the trial version of BERS Pro, and am running into a problem in that each time I click ‘simulate’, it changes the location info from Currumbin (climat10.txt) to Forrest (climat51.txt). I’ve tried several different datafiles, to the same effect. I’ve also tried uninstalling and reinstalling, to the same effect.
That’s the limitation of the trial version, it’s for Forrest only, otherwise there would be no incentive for you to buy the software.
127 How do I find out my logging name and password - I am a new user
You don't need one. Only trainers require a password to get to their section.
126 Is it possible to extract a wind profile for a particular town or climate location from Bers?
No, you can't. The issue of how to deal with local effects on windspeed and direction has still to be dealt with in the NatHERS scheme.
125 How can I use WERS ratings for windows not in the BERS selection box.
You can't unless the AWA has sent the window manufacturers files to the CSIRO to process and distribute to me.
You could approximate the windows by selecting a substitute with simular U value and SHGC.
124 I have a rating to do with the product "quik n' tuff" exterior wall system. There is no system in BERS for this product. Could you please advise re a proxy or material update asap.
Model it as a cavity panel external wall wider than 70 mm.
For a 37 mm panel add R0.5 to the value of the bulk insulation, or for the 51 mm panel add R0.7.
123 How do I model night time air flushing?
You cannot currently model mechanical ventilation.
You cannot currently model permanent openings to the outside or between zones.
Natural ventilation through the building is calculated internally from the size and positioning of windows and doors using pressure coefficients wind speed and direction data. Infiltration is calculated in a similar way. Infiltration is usually capped so it won't go below 0.5 air changes per hour.
122 When starting the program, an error box appears reading -
Network initialization failure.
Permission denied.
File: C:\PDOXUSRS.NET
Directory: C:\.
You appear to be running in Vista but don't have full administrative rights to the target file. Under properties of cadtry.exe select run in administrator mode.
121 If the two rooms on either side of the wall have different ceiling heights, which do we use or do we average these?
Internal walls affect heat transfer between zones and are therefore not as important as external walls in terms of heat transfer in and out of the building. The height of all the walls is used to calculate the volume of the zone, and the volume is used to calculate the ventilation air changes. If you average the height of the wall between zones having different ceiling heights you will not be introducing any significant errors.
120 The zone width is measured to the inside of the external wall and to the centre point of the internal walls. When drawing a 600mm eave, can we trace this directly from the background (600mm + wall thickness from zone drawn) or do we need to reduce it to be 600mm from where the edge of the zone has been drawn?
The program calculates the eaves width as the distance between where the wall is drawn and the roof outline. So you should draw the roof outline so that the distance between the outside of the glass and the outside of the roof gutter is accurate. The glass is usually somewhere within the thickness of the wall, so it's outside the inside of the external wall. So in most cases the roof outline should be drawn inside the roof outline given on the plan.
119 How do I mirror image a plan?
There is no simple way of providing a mirror image at the moment although this is on the "to do" list having been requested by several assessors in the past. By saving your default values from one project you can import these values into another project. This saves some time, but at the moment you will still have to draw the zones and insert doors and windows.
118 Can you please send me a new CD with all updates?
Licence renewals are done via email and updates are downloaded from the website by users. There is an administrative charge of $55 including GST to send out a new CD.
117 How do I model walls and windows that are not an extension of an external wall? I have a raised wall height and ceiling over the living dining area, with highlight windows running around the perimeter of this zone.
Inserting a clerestory window allows you to create external walls and windows that cannot be modelled by simply drawing a zone wall.
You can model external walls and windows by inserting a skylight into a zone, selecting the clerestory option and entering the wall dimensions, orientation, eaves and offsets and window dimensions and type.
116 How do I model a wall that has a cavity brick bottom half and stud frame top strip?
Make the wall cavity brick, add a node and adjust it so that the horizontal strip now becomes a vertical strip having the same area. Make the other part of the divided wall stud frame.
115 I’ve been conducting a rating and have added a lower floor (cellar & store rooms). When I went back to the ground floor, the background image was displayed as the new lower floor. I cannot delete this image. As soon as I scroll back up or down the page it “repaints” the image. Have you seen this before? And can you help?
Yes, this display problem that can occur when you add a level below the current level. I thought I had fixed this before but it has been pointed out that there are still issues. Sometimes the eaves outline will disappear as well. This is only a display problem that does not affect the results of the simulation. I will get back to trying to sort this out when I have time. For now I suggest that you start with the lowest level first and add levels above.
114 My clerestory window input box looks different to the one shown in the manual, I assume this is due to an update can you please tell me what to enter in the following area Wall H Wall W Eaves O and Eaves W.
Wall H = wall height
Wall W = wall width
Eaves O = eaves offset
Eaves W =Eaves width
Wall H x Wall W = Gross wall area
Net Wall A = Gross Wall A - Window A.
New help files will be provided once the water and other energy inputs are activated.
113 The energy and water consumption functions seem to be disabled in the demo version. Is this a function that is enabled in the full version or is it still a work in progress?
We are not sure what will be required for water and energy so these functions are not connected yet in the full version either. The structure has been included to give assessors an idea where this is all heading.
112 How do I model glass blocks? I have the NFRC values for "glass block technologies" but am unsure as how to make BERS Pro reflect these values.
Just model them as BERS Generic double glazed windows in whatever type of frame they come with.
111 Are there any issues with dual core processors running under Vista? I have to buy a new laptop.
I develop BERS Pro on a dual core processor under Vista Home so you should be OK.
110 Can you please explain how to enter a void. I have used the stair option even though there are no stairs because I was thinking this would cut a hole through to the area below. Is this correct?
Yes, use the stairwell option and make the zone of the upper part an unconditioned corridor zone.
109 Have you made available a check-list that assessors can give clients to complete, so the assessment can be completed without requesting more information?
Sorry, I haven't.
108 When I did a printout of your sample report, it did not fill an A4 page and does not have margins. All is placed in the top left-hand corner of the page, filling about two-thirds of the page only. Is there a way of adjusting this to fit an A4 page please?
It's still a bit primitive because ABSA hasn't decided yet what should go into the report. Once the new ABSA certificate manager format is confirmed I will combine this and the detailed report so it can be printed more easily, but I didn't want to have to change it again if ABSA wanted additional information.
For now the easiest way of dealing with the report is to press "Print Screen" on your keyboard, (this puts the screen image onto the clipboard as a bitmap), drop it into paintbrush, clip the area you want to capture and drop it into WORD and scale it to the size you want, then print it. Usually assessors have a document template with letterhead etc already prepared so it's easy to do.
107 I have to model Double Hopper Windows where the lower half is frosted opaque glazing, with the upper lite being clear glazing. How do I do this?
Opaque doesn't mean frosted, it means that light cannot pass through it. If it's just frosted the same amount of light is transmitted and you model the whole window the same as single glazed clear.
106 When I click on a node and move it the node will not release from the curser in the new position and continues to drag around the screen. I then have to drag the curser to the delete zone icon to delete the zone and release the curser.
That's because there is a problem with overlapping with another zone or something else that the program doesn't like. The status bar will tell you what the problem is. Hitting the escape key or clicking on the "release tie with node" button will release the node and allow you to fix the problem.
105 I have examined the temperature profile charts. Several downward spikes occur which are too sharp (up & down) to indicate actions or building response. What does this mean, and how do I explain these to the client?
Fluctuations can be due to heating and cooling cutting in and ventilation being opened and closed. Internal heating by appliances can also produce spikes.
104 I am using a polystyrene insulation product that has foil on both sides. The claimed R values are much higher than what appears reasonable. How do I model this?
Many manufactures of foil products claim air spaces in their quoted R values. You should never include the R value of air spaces. BERS does this, so if it's added again the system transmittance is understated. All you need is the R value of the bulk component. Assessors should never model foil products the way the manufacturer suggest unless this has been checked out with ABSA, CSIRO or Solar Logic.
What you can do is to use the "Simple R and C Values" tool. Use the thickness and material type provided by the manufacturer, but never use his claimed total R values.
103 Is there an assumption within BERS Pro about the location of Low E coatings in single glazing, eg laminated in the middle?
Low E means low emittance. The radiative component of heat transfer from a surface is proportional to its emittance. There is no radiative transfer within a laminate, so you can't make a glass low e by using a laminate, only by having a pyrolytic hard coating on single glazing or a softer sputtered vacuum coating in double glazed units.
It makes no difference which side of the glass the coating is applied to as long as there is air or vacuum next to the coating.
102 Where does BERS Pro save the files that describe the house?
When you "save" a file it is saved in the BERS41/house directory. You can save to any other location using the "save as" function. You can't just change the file name.
When you "open" a file it defaults to the BERS41/house directory but you can change the directory and open a house file that has been put in any directory.
101 The status bar and scroll bars don’t show up on my screen. Some of the windows get cut off.
At some stage your settings for icon size have been changed from their default values.
Right click on your desktop.
Select Properties>Settings>Advance>General
Change DPI Settings to normal size (96 DPI).
100 Can we model slab edge insulation in BERS Pro?
No. This will only be possible if the CSIRO engine is given the capabilities some time in the future,
99 When I do ratings with BERS Pro ratings for Dubbo, the results always point to a house that requires more heating than cooling. Using Nathers it was always the other way around. If the same house is rated using both programs, the end result is usually about the same, just one says it’s a little hot and the other a little cold.
NatHERS is a nation wide scheme that BERS Pro and ACCURATE belong to. It was unfortunate that the AGO supported software was also given the name NatHERS.
First and second generation software of the NatHERS scheme operate under different conditions and do give different results.
98 Is there a right and a wrong way to delete zones once they have been modelled? For the incorrect zone I selected the zone by holding the Ctrl key and then picking the delete button. When I went to simulate I got an error.
Highlight a node then press the “delete zone”, not the “delete” button. The way you tried with the control key produces an error that can only be cleared by leaving and restarting BERS Pro.
97 Just looking at some data regarding “thermilate” additive to paint to improve its performance. One of our clients has been convinced of its merits and wants us to make an allowance for its ability to increase R values. The claim is that it’s a product developed by NASA and used in the tiles on the space shuttle. Is this just another sales pitch or is there some merit to this product.
Please send me any technical data you may have. Without knowing anything about the product I would say that it wouldn't add more than R0.1 to the total R value. Usually what you see is what you get and if it's thin then the R value will be very small. There have been lots of extravagant claims for magic paints in the past and all have been rubbish.
96 I have often been cautious about using the defaults to change existing elements in a building.
Which properties are included as 'main properties'?
The main properties are usually just the type, ie the frame and glass in the case of windows.
When in doubt, just try it on a simple plan.
95 A window product that is used widely here is not mentioned in custom windows and was wondering why?
Windows are only included if they have been characterised using THERM and WINDOW by the AWA, and then passed on to the CSIRO for inclusion into 2nd generation software. Simulations require more data than what is provided in product listings by WERS, and if this hasn’t been provided you won’t be able to model it directly. You can search the BERS Pro custom window database for a window with a similar U value and SHGC and substitute it for the unlisted window.
94 When you have a double cavity wall with concrete infill 90mm brick leaf / 120 concrete cavity infill / 90 mm brick leaf all together, would you model that as a single brick leaf 300mm thick?
Yes, that would work.
93 Is the cooling load given by BERS sensible or latent?
The cooling load is not broken down to latent and sensible but combines the two. No one uses the components of the cooling load, only the sum.
92 According to ABSA we must use Holland Blinds in the Bers Pro Rating for NSW dwellings. What is the specification in Queensland?
This is a regulatory matter that rests with BCQ. The BCQ have not stated that any restriction apply to how anything is modelled in BERS Pro.
91 I notice that from looking in the detailed report for BERS Pro that when you draw the eave it appears to measure from the face of the zone drawn as opposed to the face of the outside wall. A 600mm eave traced indicates 850mm in the detailed report. Am I correct in my assumption?
Yes that's correct. When modelling zones you go to the inside of the outside wall. The eaves width is calculated internally from this boundary. Most walls have the window within the thickness of the wall, so the roofline should generally be drawn inside the roof line shown in the plan to reflect the actual width measured from the glass to the outside edge of the gutter.
90 If I choose cavity panel wider than 70mm with weather board that is 40mm wide, then I presume that the thickness I would enter would be 40mm, the thickness of the external weatherboard panel, not the width of the stud frame e.g. 90mm?
That's right.
89 With a skillion roof I have the low side pitching height set as my wall height, do I have to put the wall height in to the high side wall or does the program work this out?( What about the side walls?)
The average height of each wall is required to be entered.
88 How are balconies modelled?
They are modelled as eaves to the level below.
87 What is the best way to enter a generic French door?
Anything with glass in it has the glass fraction modelled as a window.
86 What do the “nudge” buttons do?
The "nudge" buttons are the up-down-left-right buttons that can be used to move nodes, zones or the whole plan. You can also use the up-down-left-right keys on your keyboard. The distance moved is determined by your “snap to” setting.
85 I need to model an alfresco where the roof space is part of the main house. Do I not include the alfresco as a zone and simply extend the eave, or do I zone the alfresco as living, unconditioned with openings for walls and shared roof space?
Don't include any spaces that have large permanent openings to the outside as zones. Model the roof over this space as eaves.
84 I notice that new download has a few new items, water source, energy source, water consumption etc. but I could not get any information on how to use these items.
They are included to give you an idea as to where all this is going. They are not yet activated. When they are they will have help files and be documented in the manual.
83 Currently our office runs all our programs via a network server and I would like to know if the BERS Pro software can also run on a network server as we generally avoid using software on a stand alone computer.
The software may only be use be used by one person, ie the person whose name is on the licence. No other person is permitted to use the software. As such it installs on a stand alone computer. The files that are created can be stored anywhere on the network. This enables other licenced assessors to access the files that are created.
82 What is the difference between the old ANAC and the new NFRC parameters associated with windows?
The ANAC values are for Australian standard conditions. NFRC values apply to US external temperatures of -20 degrees and are totally inappropriate for Australian conditions. We are supposed to use them as part of the "US free trade" agreement the Howard government signed us up for. The use of NFRC values within ACCURATE and BERS is restricted to display purposes. They are not used for the simulations (the actual values at the operating temperatures are calculated instead).
81 Why is there a difference between the ACCURATE and the BERS Pro NFRC values for the same window?
The discrepancy between the NFRC U values and SHGC displayed in BERS Pro and those displayed in ACCURATE has arisen because of the frame fractions chosen. The standard window size that is used to calculate NFRC values is 1500x1800 mm. This window size usually has a divider. I have calculated the frame fraction assuming a divider. The ACCURATE values have been calculated without a divider. This results in the current BERS Pro U values being larger and the SHGC being smaller than in ACCURATE. Even though I think that the way I have done this is more correct, I have now changed my algorithms to give the same values as ACCURATE.
80 How many kitchen and living zones can I model?
The algorithms in ACCURATE and BERS Pro that are used to calculate internally generated heating from people and appliances are flawed leading to very large heat gains if more than one kitchen area and more than 2 living areas are modelled. So one and only one kitchen area should be modelled. Not more than 2 living zones should be modelled. All other living zones should be modelled as “other” day time conditioned zones.
79 How do I model a permanent opening between a living and kitchen open plan area?
Permanent vertical openings should not be modelled with the current engine, but appear to be behaving themselves in a prototype version. Open plan areas should be modelled as a single zone.
78 Why have two new zone types been added?
I have added two more zone types, other day time conditioned and other night time conditioned. This brings BERS Pro in line with ACCURATE and the procedures relating to how zones are to classified will be exactly the same for both pieces of software.
77 I am having trouble getting a house with a traditional stone fireplace to pass. Once I put it into the rating as an unsealed chimney the rating drops from 5 stars to 3.5. Any suggestions? This fireplace is a must have.
No, apart from make the rest of the design a lot better. Open fireplaces are inefficient and the draft they create makes the infiltration rate very high.
76 If I have two or more different eaves heights on the same house, what is the best approach to deal with this?
Each window should be given the offset as measured from the plan. You should choose the most common offset as the default and change from that default if a specific window has a different offset.
75 I do not get the brand drop down list in custom windows, is this something I have to load & if so how and where?
The speed button with the magnifying glass will get you into the screen with the brand drop down list.
74 Would you be able to add the 250 snap back into the program? I am used to using 500 snaps generally and then fine-tuning if necessary with 250 snaps, as you had previously advised, I think. Having a 200 and a 500 snap is very frustrating, particularly when using older files (which I do frequently because I use Bers throughout design, not just at the end). When I make adjustments, I have to change down to a 100 or even a 50 snap to join corners of old and new.
It's because of requests for more snaps, and smaller snaps, that I have changed the set. I thought that some would be displeased but you are the only one so far to tell me. I may consider what you have asked for if I get enough similar requests.
73 I have downloaded the cadtry.exe update but it will not run on this version as the license information is now not current. Any thoughts?
The name of the licence file is BERSPRo.lic and is in the BERS41 directory, as is the cadtry.exe file. Replacing cadtry.exe does not change the licence files. If you are running cadtry.exe from the BERS41 directory the program must use the correct licence files. You are running the program from the wrong directory, have replaced the wrong file or are using an incorrect shortcut.
72 I have attached a data sheet from a manufacturer of polystyrene with foil glued to both sides. How do I model it as underfloor insulation?
This is just bulk insulation with foil on both sides so select the 9th insulation option for floors.
The polystyrene is 15 mm thick so using the R calculator in the tools menu gives it a bulk R value of 0.4. So its the same as double sided draped foil plus R0.4
Never believe a manufacture's claims about the thermal properties of products that use foil surfaces. In this case the emittance they claim is much too low, and they are pretending that a thermal laboratory has tested the claims rather than simply having a tame "consultant" do some calculations as they have actually done.
71 I want to use a specific window that is listed in the WERS database. Why can’t I find it in BERS or simply enter the U value and SHGC?
Just because a window is on the WERS NFRC database doesn't mean that AWA has actually got someone to run things through the LBL software to produce the absorption and reflectance curves and the other parameters that the thermal simulation engine requires, and then made that data available to the CSIRO, or that it has been passed on to me. The simulation engine uses a more sophisticated approach than simply applying a SHGF and U value.
A better approach is to get the simulation results you are after using the generic combination of glass and frame and then do a search to find proprietary windows that have similar SHGC and U values. How this is done is explained in the manual and help screen.
70 Why does my BERS Pro program flash and refresh very slowly.
If the program flashes as you move elements it's generally because the graphics card is too slow, probably not enough memory on board.
It might also be caused by overlapping zones that have not been corrected. If you look at the LHS of the status bar at the bottom of the screen it will tell you if zones are overlapping. You will also get a beep if your speaker is connected.
69 I am modelling a house with an enclosed patio having a Vergola roof. How do I do this?
Model the Vergola as a variable shading device that is open during the cooler months and closed during the hotter months. All windows that look onto the patio should be dealt with in this way.
68 How do I model a dual occupancy? Do I model units using separate files or side by side?
Good question, but I don't know the answer. I guess it depends on how much is shared and how much is separate. If the kitchen is common I would model it as a single dwelling. If there is a clear separation between units I would model them separately.
However this is more of a regulatory rather than an operational issue so I suggest that you contact ABSA.
I suspect that there is no answer, as is the case with many regulatory issues that have not yet been thought through by the bureaucrats.
67 How should I use the zone star ratings?
In the analysis screen each zone has the total energy MJ, and the % of the total.
Work on the zones that represent the largest percentage contribution first.
To see if the changes make much difference compare the total energy, of each zone, not just the total energy/m².
66 Why is it that adding a ceiling fan can make a room’s star rating different by anywhere between ½ star - up to 2.5stars.
If the cooling requirement is small then there is not much to be gained with fans. Conversely large cooling loads can be reduced by using ceiling fans. The degree of impact also depends on the number and size of fans.
65 I intend on upgrading my computer in a month or so; so I was wondering if I am able to install Bers Pro on my laptop, and then later on install it on my upgraded computer?
Your licence entitles you to install the software on as many computers as you like as long as you are the only person able to access the BERS Pro software.
64 How should I model a lift well in a two-storey dwelling?
Model it as an unconditioned space (corridor) on each level if the well is normally closed when the lift is stationary. Alternatively, if it's open normally just treat it as part of the zone it adjoins and model a stairwell between the levels.
63 When we set an external wall as having a neighbour, what does the program do? Does it load up the wall with insulation?
The "neighbour" is now modelled directly by the engine in a more sophisticated way than how we used to do it by using the front end to add lots of insulation.
62 I would really like to be able to change the number of air changes per hour (due only to mechanical ventilation) in different zones to size the mechanical ventilation requirements.
The CSIRO engine is not handling mechanical ventilation at the moment due to an error they have discovered, so only natural ventilation can be modelled until this is fixed. The number of AC/h depend on the pressure coefficient of a particular opening determined internally by the engine, the openable area, the wind speed, the wind direction and the pressure coefficients of all the other openings that affect the air flow through the specific opening, including the doors between zones. You can't over-ride this complex ventilation model.
61 Where do you adjust the air-conditioning upper and lower thermostat settings?
You can't. The star rating is based on standard conditions that are preset for each climate zone. I have a version where this can be changed but I am not releasing it yet.
60 My house is not simulating. There are 28 rooms but I have split them in some instances as there are different construction types across them. It has a monster zone that I split up into separate zones kitchen /living /dining /entry /scullery /cloakroom. What are limitations I should work within?
I suspect that you have run into a limit imposed by me on the number of building elements.
Here are some of the limitations you can check against your design. I can lift the restrictions as they are arbitrary.
Number of zones 100.
Number of walls (nodes) per zone 50. (This may affect the monster zone)
Number of roof zones 50.
Number of underfloor zones 50.
Number of windows per wall 10.
Number of doors per wall 10.
Number of internal walls per zone 10.
Number of skylights + clerestory windows per zone 6.
Number of stairwells per zone 6.
You shouldn't split up the monster zone if there are no closeable portions within it.
59 We run a few computers with Dual Screens. Will Bers Pro work when dual screens are used?
BERS Pro will work with dual screens but you need to experiment with which one is screen 1 and screen 2. If the order is incorrect then when another window is displayed it may be behind the existing window. Try not maximizing the main screen so that you can access what is displayed behind until you have it sorted.
58 When downloading do I open or save? I opened the cadtry.zip and tried to run it but it said “Your Licence File is missing. Press the information button”, which I did, and it said “Cannot find the C:\Documents and Settings\Dane Design\Local Settings\Temp\Temporary Directory 1 for cadtry[1].zip\DATA\berspro1.hlp Help file. Check to see that the file exists on your disk. If it doesn’t, you need to reinstall it.” So I reinstalled BERS Pro from the disc and it doesn’t seem to have worked because all the same errors etc are coming up.
Save it and follow the instructions on the website to the letter.
57 Can you send some info on how to use and when to use the TOOLS program. The help section for it doesn't appear to work.
There is no help screen yet. The waffle pod floor is an example of how you can create an equivalent R value for insulation over the whole area if only part of it is insulated or it is insulated to 2 different values.
56 I have started drawing a plan but get the following message when I try to get the Bers report.
"You must re-simulate after visiting a screen where it is possible to make changes"
Can you please advise how I can get rid of this pop-up and get a report.
You can't get a BERS report until you simulate. The report contains the simulation results. Have you simulated?
55 I need to model an external door that is half glass. Do I model the external door as half the size it actually is and use fixed glass as the other half?
Yes but model the glass half as 90% openable by selecting one of the first 2 style options.
54 I have a house to model with no ceiling. Slab on ground, metal roof with "anticon" under, exposed trusses and no ceiling.
Model it as having a plaster ceiling, "above the ceiling" - roof no cavity, and subtract 0.06 (the resistance of the ceiling) from the added R value of the roof.
53 I’m unsure how to model the windows and wall on the upper skillion roof. I can’t put an external wall on top of the internal partition wall below.
Insert a skylight into the zone and open the clerestory window screen.
52 When should we combine zones in the external floor screen?
Any zones that sit on a continuous concrete slab should be combined. Any zones that share the same underfloor space should be combined. Do not combine slabs and elevated floors.
51 When should we combine zones in the ceiling screen to form a roof space?
Combine any zones if their ceilings form the floor of the same roof space. How you combine them makes a difference to roof space volume and roof area.
50 What does it mean to model an underfloor space as "very open"?
Until recently there were some restrictions in how underfloor spaces could be modelled, (See Q46). These restrictions have been lifted so that "very open" at any level means that the underfloor space is considered to be at ambient air temperature. "Open" assumes a high air flow rate but models convective and radiative transfer between the ground and the floor. "Enclosed" assumes walls around the underfloor space reduce airflow to that allowed by the vent size nominated.
49 How do I use the Rvalue calculator to model waffle pod floors?
Download the pdf file here: WafflePod.pdf
48 How do I model ceiling/roof metal sheeted sandwich panels?
Ceiling sandwich panels can be best modelled by choosing the "Roof, no Cavity" of the "Above the Ceiling" options, plasterboard for the ceiling, iron for the roof and adjusting the Rvalue of the added insulation. The R value displayed for the plasterboard is 0.06, but the steel sided sandwich panel has Rvalue close to zero. So subtract 0.1 from the Rvalue of the EPS or urethane foam added between the sheets.
47 How do I use the new scaling tool for imported pdfs?
You need to click on the two ends of a dimension displayed on the pdf or bmp, and also enter the true distance between those 2 points in mm. This is the process:
- Click the measure button.
- Click on one end of a known distance of the pdf.
- Click the other end of the known distance.
- Enter the distance in mm in the edit box.
- Click the scale button.
46 The upper floor has an enclosed sub floor area but BERS Pro only allows the selection of "slab on ground", or the "very open" option for suspended floors. How do I model the space under the upper floor if it's enclosed?
Any upper floor that cantilevers beyond a lower floor is assumed to have an air temperature immediately below it equal to ambient air temperature. If the space is enclosed then it should be modelled as a "garage zone" on the lower floor, (with a slab on ground floor).
45 There is some confusion in the NSW DoP requirements relating to zoning. How should I divide the house into zones?
Houses or units are modelled as being made up of zones, usually determined by walls enclosing a space that is separated from another space by a door that can be closed. Generally rooms determine zones. The ventilation is determined by the external and internal openings to those zones. Currently permanent openings cannot be considered as boundaries between zones.
Areas that are attached to the house that have permanent openings, like verandahs, are not considered as zones. They affect the zones they are adjacent to by shading walls and windows and are modelled as such.
The zone “type” determines if and when heating and cooling is available to that zone. It also determines the amount of internal heating from people and the operation of appliances and devices.
Zones of type “Living” and “Living/Kitchen” have heating and cooling available when needed from 7 am to 12 pm. In zones of type “Sleeping”, heating and cooling is available from 4 pm to 9 am. All other zones are not conditioned in the default mode, but can be conditioned by selecting this option. If they are selected as being conditioned then they will have heating and cooling available when needed from 7 am to 12 am, ie the same as zones of type Living and Living/Kitchen.
Zones of type “Corridor” and “Wet area” are equivalent. The “Garage zone” is treated slightly differently if it has a slab floor but is assumed to have no internal heat generated and to not require heating or cooling.
Open plan living areas should be modelled as a single “Living” zone or as “Living/kitchen” zone if it includes a food preparation area.
Rumpus, family, living, games, dining rooms, library etc should be modelled as “Living” zones.
Ensuite bathrooms and walk in wardrobes should be included as being part of a sleeping zone that is primarily a bedroom. Pantries, wardrobes and cupboards should be modelled as part of the zone they open on to.
Toilets, bathrooms, laundries, corridors, hallways, storerooms and other rooms not occupied for very long periods during the day or at night should be modelled as a “Corridor” or “Wet area” which will ensure they are not considered as being heated or cooled.
Stairs should not be modelled separately unless they have doors that isolate them from the two levels they connect. If they are isolated in this way then the rooms on each level should be modelled as a “Corridor” or “Wet area” to ensure that neither room is conditioned. A stairwell should be modelled between the levels.
A room that extends to the height of two levels should be modelled as a separate zone on each level, with the top level being modelled as a “Corridor” or “Wet area” to ensure it is not conditioned. A stair well should be modelled between the two zones. The area of the stairwell should be the same as the floor area.
Below floor and above ceiling zones are automatically dealt with by the program and do not have a “type” assigned to them by the user.
44 How would you go about modelling a house that is using 40mm / 60mm / 75mm etc. Expanded Polystyrene as the external cladding?
Select the Cavity Panel and Bulk Insulation options in the External wall Default window.
The R value of the Bulk Insulation is calculated using the Tools button to reach the R Calculations button. Select the Material, enter the Thickness and the R Value is calculated. In this case select expanded polystyrene with thickness 40/60/75 mm.
43 Please explain the difference between the star rating and the adjusted star rating.
For the purposes of the PROTOCOL FOR HOUSE ENERGY RATING SOFTWARE, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING CODES BOARD, the thermal performance must be presented in terms of energy loads per m² of conditioned floor area of the building, which must be adjusted for house size. The adjustment increases the energy load for buildings larger than 200 m² conditioned floor area and reduces the energy load for buildings smaller than 200 m² conditioned floor area. This arbitrary adjustment is a regulatory construct to encourage people to live in smaller houses and has no scientific meaning in terms of thermal performance. In BERS Pro the simulated heating and cooling requirements and the associated star rating are displayed the way they are calculated without any regulatory adjustment being applied. The regulatory Area Adjustment factor is multiplied by the total energy requirement to produce the Adjusted Star Rating. It is this Adjusted Star Rating which should be quoted when demonstrating compliance with the BCA 2007.
42 I have a problem with a project that comprises a lower floor and an upper floor that extends up in two separate blocks. Once I have inserted the eaves on one of those upper floor blocks it will not allow me to add an eave to the second block.
You can draw the eaves for each block but you must do it in a single polygon ie the two roofs are drawn to be joined by an infinitely thin bit of eaves. At the moment the internally calculated eaves width is to the eaves furthest from the centre of the window, door or wall. You can over-ride this however by using the second eaves width field to specify the width to the closest eaves.
41 How do I model waffle pod floors?
You should model this as an insulated slab. Once you know the thickness of the polystyrene you can work out the R value from the calculator I have provided under the tools icon.
40 I keep getting exactly the same result when I simulate even though I am changing things.
If the MJ results don't change at all then the program hasn't simulated. The black screen with the monthly simulation progress should always be visible and go through the full cycle.
You may not have the minimum 512 MB Ram + 720 MB of virtual memory available.
You may have a window or door that won't fit in a wall.
You may have grouped elevated underfloor spaces with zones having slab on ground.
There may be a bug in the simulation engine or BERS Pro.
39 Can you confirm the methodology for doing units? I have assumed (rightly or wrongly) that the approach you adopt in BERS 32 will still apply to BERS Pro.
No. The engine works this out for you in BERS Pro. All you need to do is to select the "Neighbour" option.
38 Can you please explain what is meant by wall thickness?
This is explained in the help screen and User Manual. The thickness refers to the thickness of the major element or elements. In the case of BV it refers to the thickness of the brick, not the plasterboard, nor the overall thickness of the brick, air gap and plasterboard. A cavity brick wall would have the thickness referring to each of the two leaves of brick. The default values give you a clue.
37 Do we draw the zone to the inside or outside wall dimensions?
Theoretically it's the internal floor areas we require but this makes little difference in practice. To be absolutely correct draw the zones to the inside of the outside wall. Partitions between zones should be considered as being infinitely thin, ie draw to the centre of the wall.
36 I seem to be having difficulty saving changes I have made to my design.
The file name is made up of the Project Name, underscore, and Run Number.
Do not use the default project name, "Project" if you want to save the file you have created.
You must actually Save the project after making a change in order to save the change. Simply simulating the project won't save it.
When optimising the design, save each change as a new Run Number and make a note of the change in the comments box of the Project Details Screen.
The project will be automatically saved in the BERS41/House directory unless directed elsewhere by using the Save As button.
35 How accurately do the eaves have to be drawn?
The eaves widths used by the program are determined from the distance between the external wall and the roof line. The eaves width must be drawn as accurately as possible when modelling the shading of windows This is not so critical when shading walls. When you draw the roof line the eaves width should be made the distance between the outside of the window glass and the outside edge of the roof gutter.
34 I'm having trouble inserting a window into a wall that is just off vertical (with respect to the plan).
This problem, (which also occurs with doors) only occurs if the external wall is slightly off vertical. If this is deliberate, draw the wall as being vertical, insert the door or window, then move the wall node to give the required angle.
If the "off vertical" is not deliberate, use a snap greater than 100 mm, ie 250 mm. You should select to constrain the drawing movement to the horizontal and vertical and only remove the constraint when drawing walls that don't meet at right angles.
33 Why do I get an error when simulating?
When simulating the program requires 1.2 GB of memory. Most computers don't have that much RAM so they must use virtual memory, ie they use the hard drive temporarily.
BERS Pro requires 1.2 GB to run when simulating, (perhaps a bit more if other programs are running in the background).
This is the total of RAM and Paging file size required (space allocated on the hard drive for virtual memory).
The correct sequence for setting the paging file size in XP professional and for XP home is:
Start >Control panel >Performance and maintenance >System >Advanced >Performance >Settings >Advanced >Virtual memory >Change >Custom size.
32 Why do I get the error report "Latitude and Longitude is incorrect"?
This message occurs when the climate file is not selected completely. Different post codes and therefore different climate files are possible for the same location name. When you select a post code the location dot will be displayed. If no latitude and longitude display on the Location screen then the program has not been given enough information and the error message will be displayed when trying to simulate.
31 Can you clarify wall heights in relation to storeys.
The wall height is the height of the underside of the ceiling above the the top of the floor for that particular zone.
30 When starting a new project the last projects star rating and results should not be retained but cleared as they are irrelevant and threatens confusion.
They may not be irrelevant if you need to stop in the middle of a project, and restart again later. You can delete all the records with just one click when you start each time, or better still delete them when you have finished.
29 How do we allow for a partly glazed external door or sidelight?
Model the glazed part as a window.
28 How do we model a fixed glazed windows in an internal wall?
You can't. Generally not important.
27 I have noticed that the external wall frame does not mention the type of framing used eg steel, softwood or hardwood. Could you please advise what material is used and if any adjustment isrequired for the other alternatives mentioned above. If steel is used does BERS Pro still require a R0.2 thermal break to be used as per the BCA?
Thermal bridging is not considered in the current 2nd generation tools. If a thermal barrier of R0.2 is present in the design then of course it must be modelled.
26 Do we use the overall wall thickness or include the plasterboard lining as well. i.e. 90mm thick for a 70mm stud wall?
The thickness refers to the thickness of the major element or elements. In the case of BV it refers to the thickness of the brick. It does not refer to the overall thickness of the wall. This is explained in the help screen and User Manual.
25 The grid lines on the main screen are extremely faint.
The brightness control on the monitor screen should be adjusted down.
24 BERS Pro does not allow for the BERS report to be printed at a full A4 size.
I don't have that problem with the 2 Epson printers I use, but my resolution is probably higher than yours. Both printers print to the same scale, which isn't the full A4 but looks fine. The print, help and OK buttons are of course present because it is just a screen dump. If the printed page is too small, press Print Screen on your key pad, paste into a drawing program like Paintbrush, edit and then print at whatever scale you choose. I will see if I can make this work better.
23 Can BERS Pro be used for other classes of building eg. non residential?
At the moment BERS Pro is recommended for evaluation of residential detached and high rise unit developments. Even though larger commercial and industrial buildings can be evaluated the internal heat generated and the times of evaluation are geared to residential and can not be varied by the user.
Future versions will include user control of these variables.
22 If a new custom commercially available construction material was needed to be modelled, when would that update be available for use in BERS Pro?
BERS requires you to build your own construction system from a combination of building element type, insulation type, insulation placement and r-value, and in the case of walls the thickness of the material, eg brick width. What it stops you from doing is to insert your own guess as to what sort of air gaps are formed, and stops you from using materials that have not been checked by a "gatekeeper".
The gatekeeper role for new materials and construction systems for all assessment software is likely to be delegated by the AGO (the National Administrator) to a unit within ANU.
The details have not yet been sorted.
ACCURATE can not be updated any faster than BERS. The same "gatekeeper" restrictions apply.
The "approved" combinations using the BERS options are very much larger in number than the number available in the ACCURATE approved construction library. The current BERS combinations are "safe" in that all the combinations have been audited. Whenever new construction systems are developed they are added to the appropriate BERS Pro database and can then be used in combination with the insulation type database, insulation placement and r-value.
Licenced BERS Pro assessors can download new databases at no charge.
21 Can BERS Pro model stack driven ventilation?
Yes, stack effect ventilation is modelled in exactly the same way as in ACCURATE.
20 Have you thought about an interface with Acrobat in terms of using PDF documents as a layer to trace for BERS Pro?
You can display anything on the screen, including pdfs, and then capture the screen and display it in the background. I can import a pdf directly but I am still having trouble getting rid of all the Acrobat controls so I am not yet incorporating it into program.
19 My simulations are taking a long time. Do I have to combine ceiling spaces and under floor spaces?
The speed of calculation depends on the speed of the machine and the number of zones. If above ceiling zones and below floor zones are not combined (and they usually should be) then the larger number of calculation slow the speed down, (the answer will also be wrong because the roof area and roof space volumes will be wrong).
18 How do we allow for an adjoining building that is only 40mm away from the external wall?
Do not deal with the adjacent building as an obstruction, model the external wall as being next to shaded air.
17 How do we model a 60% metal shading device. How do I input the shading distance out from the window? How do I input the shading distance above the window?
Select horizontal vegetation. Alter January to 60%. Select icon to make all months the same as January.
The program assumes that the shading device will provide shading most of the time. It automatically makes the distance out from the windows 6 m, so the distance above the window isn't important.
16 Could you please advise whether BERS Pro is compatible with Windows Vista?
We can run some of BERS Pro on Vista but not the help files so we recommend XP at the moment.
15 I have noticed that the Short Simulation Report has a star rating and an adjusted star rating, what is the difference & which star rating is to be used for the BCA?
The adjusted rating has an area adjustment applied to it. The adjusted star rating should be used for the BCA compliant report.
14 Where is the offset measurement taken when a gable overhang exists above window?
From the centre of the window directly up to the underside of the gable.
13 In NatHERS and AccuRate, the obstruction is referenced from the building and a window. Why does BERS reference it from the edge of the grid sheet?
It is easier to reference each obstruction once from the origin of the grid as is done in BERS than to have to define it for each window as in ACCURATE. Many obstructions such as tall buildings or mountains are too far away to be represented on the plan.
As a general comment I would suggest that you forget about the way ACCURATE deals with modelling in a text based way and don't assume that things are done in the same way in BERS. People used to BERS also need to rid themselves of preconceived ideas if they were to use ACCURATE. Pretend that you have been driving a manual car for years and are now driving an automatic for the first time. You don't have to use the clutch or to change gear, but you do need to keep your foot on the brake to stop from moving. There is nothing like getting plenty of practice to become familiar with something new.
12 Is there a way of showing on the drawing where the stairs are located - maybe a separate zone called stairs?
Stairs can not be modelled as zones. Their function in thermal modelling is to allow for air flow between levels in a similar way to the way internal doors allow air flow between adjacent zones on the same level. I'll see what's involved in displaying an icon on the drawing. When you right click on a zone the stairs icon is displayed if stairs have been modelled.
11 Is there a way of relocating a building on the background grid?
To move all the zones you have created together at the same time, you use the ALT button when you are dragging. This is explained in the Editing section of the Manual and Help screen, ie
Holding down the Shift button allows more than one node to be selected.·
Holding down the Ctrl button allows the whole zone to be selected.·
Holding down the Alt button allows all zones on that level to be selected.
Highlighted nodes can be dragged to a new position.
If the whole building is to be moved for the first time, select a node in a zone, select a second node with the ALT key down and drag. The roof line must be dragged separately.
10 Why are the BERS3.2 and BERS Pro ratings different?
The thermostat settings and the period over which the house is evaluated is quite different for second generation software. The climate files are also different. The AGO is responsible for the changes, but they have tried to keep the star ratings within the same ball park as much as possible.
9 How is the height of the adjacent object best modelled? Take an average floor level?
From the top surface of the ground floor.
8 How is a step in floor level best modelled?
Ignore it at the moment and put the stepped bit on the floor it is closest to.
7 I assume the height of an adjacent shading object is measured from the ground floor level. Do I have to enter it again relative to the first floor?
No.
6 If a higher level overhangs a lower zone, does BERS work out the shading overhang?
No. If the overhangs are less than 1200 you should ignore these because the engine assumes infinitely long eaves. We know in fact that the end effects can be significant so assuming infinitely long eaves can lead to significant errors. If the eaves on upper stories are wide and the eaves are relatively long with respect to the height of the building you can enter the upper floor eaves width in the 2nd eaves field and enter an appropriate vertical offset.
5 If a window is shaded by adjacent house walls, does BERS work out the shading itself from the outline of zones or do I need to enter vertical fin shades for each relevant window as well?
No, BERS works it out.
4 Could the typical door sizes of 620,720,820 be added to the door width dialog box?
It's not just common door sizes, but there are many sets of "standard sizes" that would make it faster to input data for a number of things. I need feedback on standard sizes from assessors, (like yours), so that I can account for common dimensions. But I need to have confirmation/evidence that the size is indeed a standard size. It's not too difficult to make this type of programming change but backwoods compatibility of BERS files may perhaps cause problems. Too much choice crowds the screen and may slow down selection.
3 For raked ceilings should the insulation be entered as ceiling insulation or as part of the roof insulation?
It doesn't make any difference with bulk insulation because it is modelled the same.
With foil insulation model it as a roof insulation and put the bulk as part of the ceiling,
2 For a suspended timber floor building on a sloping site, is it necessary to enter a different underfloor height for each zone or is it acceptable to use an average for the whole house?
You need to select an average height for each under floor space you create when grouping zones having elevated floors.
1 During our training we were told to round dimensions off to 500mm, that was when the only snap was 500mm, now that we also have 100mm and 250mm, how accurate do we need to be? I notice when using smaller snaps that it can be more difficult to join zones without overlapping.
Do not set the snap to grid to 100 mm, set it to 250 mm. You should select to constrain the drawing movement to the horizontal and vertical and only remove the constraint when drawing walls that don't meet at right angles. Then everything is easier to draw and you won't have problems with overlapping zones.
Don't be obsessed with accuracy in drawing the zones. The performance indicator we use is MJ/m². Say the zone area is drawn a bit larger than it should be, then the calculated MJ are a bit larger also. So the ratio MJ/m² will be about the same as if you had drawn it spot on with a slightly smaller MJ and slightly smaller area. Keep the 100 mm snap to grid for eaves, which require more accuracy, and use the nudge function if you want even greater accuracy for eaves.
Training
3 Do we need to do the software training? or can we just purchase it and just start using it? (it seems fairly straight forward / similar concept to the previous BERS).
You will need to do the BERS Pro training through ABSA to be able to submit BERS Pro assessments.
You can buy the software before doing the training but only limited help can be extended until the training has been completed.
2 We’re under the assumption that since there is no more training available after the middle of this year, then our previous training should be sufficient, subject to learning the new software, is this the case?
BERS Pro training will be available continuously during the coming years. Previous BERS 3.2 training is not relevant for BERS Pro which uses different concepts.
1 Does the ‘training’ relate exclusively to BERS Pro or is it the same ‘theory information’ as per previous training with BERS 3.1
BERS 3.1 training was software training only, not theory.
