• E+: Option to set heat recovery set point temperature when no economiser is selected when using VAV and CAV systems
• E+: When a glazing system uses a user-defined window gas having category "Other", DesignBuilder now provides a warning that the U-value can't be calculated (instead of crashing)
• SBEM: Fix to ensure that parent surface area is reduced to account for sub-surface areas
• SBEM: Specific fan power data now always provided to SBEM even when a default value is selected
• CFD: Y and Z monitor values on the monitor graph were switched, now corrected and properly labelled with velocity direction
• CFD: Boundary conditions dialog now has an option to allow the flow balance to be checked for the current location in the model without the need for a CFD analysis to be previously set up
• CFD: Further improvements to the Boundary conditions dialog including ability to import (or manually set) temperature of air and surface temperature for openings, including internal openings
• CFD: Modification of solid cell identification routine
• CFD: Fix for calculated opening airflow boundaries
• CFD: Simplification of CFD boundary representation for calculated opening airflows
• All: CIBSE A Guide materials included in materials database
  
• DBSim: Log file no longer generated on desktop
  

• E+: EnergyPlus v5.0.0.035 update is default version with various bug fixes over v5.0.0.031 including allows > 50 windows per zone 
• E+: New option to enter manufacturers U-value, SHGC and visible transmittance glazing system data
• E+: Fix for error in date label in hourly output for last hour on the day in previous beta - only shows when data is exported in grid format
• E+: Fix for problem with radiant baseboard heating systems in some models
• E+: Further fixes for outputs to ensure consitenncy with output option selections
• CFD: Termination residual defaults for all variables now set to 1E-5
• All: Fix for misaligned toolbar icons when 'small' icon option is selected
• All: Displays large fonts better
• SBEM: Improved reporting of SBEM errors and crashes and avoids problem where incorrect EPC outputs can be displayed if SBEM crashes during calculations without generating error messages (can occur with very large models)

• E+: Fix for bug where opening output could be generated even when the "Store surface output" option is unchecked
• E+: Control over daylighting map output - data can be switched on/off by zone and the number of grid sub-divisions can be defined
  
• All: Fix for bug in shading plane import from gbXML
  
• All: New DBSim analysis type
• All: Fix for interface bug preventing default openings from being selected at building level using a dragged selection window 
• All: New dialog allows pressurisation (blower door) test data for the building to be entered and infiltration data for either the whole building or zones is set accordingly in the model
• CFD: fix for erroneous internal flow imbalance errors which prevent the calculations from proceeding
• CFD: Temperature and flux boundaries cannot be added to component block surfaces and other minor tidying of UI
• CFD: Fix for ACE regions dialog crash
  

• E+: Fix for bug in shading user interface on the Openings tab where the wrong data was displayed
• E+: Fix for crash when attempting simulation of model with some forms of shading plane imported from gbXML data
• PT: Minor improvements to IEE module
  

• E+: Bug fix for zone multiplier where block and building data is not always reported correctly. As part of the changes, zone data is now shown multiplied as well as block and building data.
• E+: Fix for bug where block temperatures are incorrectly reported when zones are excluded
• E+: Fix prevents crash when processing malformed component blocks prior to simulation
• E+: 3 new units for infiltration: m3/h/m2 at 4Pa, m3/h/m2 at 50Pa, ac/h at 50Pa as well as exisitng ac/h at normal operating conditions option
• DBSim and E+ weather: Results now displayed correctly with decimal places when comma is set as decimal separator
• All: New button on the selection dialog allows components and templates to be cloned when in non-learning mode
• All: Fix for EN673 glazing U-value displayed on the glazing dialog where a non-air gas type is selected
• All: Fix for bug in pitched roof generation for certain perimeter shapes
  
• All: Fix for gbXBL import ensures spurious zones are not created and resolves problem where some zones are not imported
• All: New feature allows third party developers to create and test new dialogs
• LIDER: Some corrections in the translation from CTE materials

• E+: New model option to define occupancy latent gains as a fixed fraction of total gains as an alternative to the dynamic calculation within EnergyPlus
  
• E+: Glare control of window blinds now works correctly
• E+: DesignBuilder-generated IDF data should now be compatible with the IDF Editor and compact HVAC expander (large surfaces are broken down when required to acheive this)
• E+: Radiant baseboard heaters in Compact HVAC can generate lots of warnings due to inaccurate sizing and a small change was made to reduce the number and severity of these warnings
• E+: Compact HVAC errors displayed correctly using new v5 conventions
  
• E+: in.epw weather file deleted before copying selected weather file to prevent problems where E+ seems to lock the erroneous epw file preventing new correct weather files from being used
  
• CFD: Fix for assembly attributes being set for instance rather than parent
• CFD: Fix for issue where non-orthogonal but major axis aligned vent boundary conditions were not allowed
• All: Fix for gbXML import problem where some zones were not being included
• All: Fix for courtyards/voids on top of another block where the roof of the lower block has incorrect "ceiling" adjacency - with this fix it has correct "roof" adjacency
• All: Fix for problem where some partitions are not exported correctly in Radiance and 3-D DXF formats and a gap appears at the bottom
• All: Assembly library preview panel in Display options updates correctly
• PT: Fix for visualisations showing incorrect textures when using DesignBuilder with PT-IEE analysis type
• SBEM: Fix for problem where a user recommendation overwrites an existing SBEM system recommendation, which then becomes unavailable for editing

• E+: EnergyPlus v5 is the default simulation engine
  

• All: Fix allows windows to be drawn on surfaces facing voids (courtyards) in non-plan-extrusion blocks

• E+: Fix for radiant baseboard heaters when used on computers with comma set as decimal separator
• E+: Check to prevent fraction lost + latent fraction + radiant fraction from being > 1 for miscellaneous, process and catering gains
• PT: First IEE release
• Lider: New version of Lider module allowing zone characteristics to be loaded and saved plus various other improvements and fixes

• E+: Fix for problem where shading coefficient data is prompted for instead of detailed shading data on the Openings model data tab
  
• SBEM: Fix prevents crash when attempting to edit recommendations before an SBEM calculation has been carried out
• All: Lighting controls in zones without windows check removed

• E+: Zone multiplier now applied correctly to Simple HVAC chiller fuel consumption
• E+: Surface heat transfer totals now correct at building level when zones are merged
• All: Improved Embodied CO2 output in CSV report
• All: Fix for surface resistance calculations for internal floors and ceilings in constructions dialog, SBEM (where layers are used) and CSV report
• CFD: Fix preventing duplicate boundaries from being generated for internal partitions under certain circumstances
• SBEM: Recommendations edits now retained when an edit is made to the model
• SBEM: Fix preventing some user recommendations from being repeated and others lost following an SBEM calculation

• E+: Fix relative to previous beta and v2.2.4 release for problem where the new W/m2/100lux lighting model option is not applied correctly and incorrect lighting gains can result
• E+: Fix relative to previous beta preventing a crash reading hourly weather data when a new model is created and a simulation is run
  

• All: New measure tool option to measure perimeter lengths
• All: Bug fix for texture display issues for openings on same surface having different textures
• SBEM: Fix for problem where Simple, Inference, Library options on constructions could cause U-value to be overwritten with incorrect value

• SBEM: Import data from hand-held DBSurvey survey data collection device
• All: Bug fixes in model XML export, especially for regions using "," as the decimal separator
  

• CFD: 3-D Contours work correctly
• E+: Heat recovery and free cooling economisers now work correctly together when using unitary single zone and unitary multizone compact HVAC systems
• All: Further fixes for problems drawing holes
• All: End points for surface adjacency perimeters now provided
• All: Problem related to zone merging where results are not generated for some zones now fixed
• All:Selective zone merging dialog updates correctly following changes to the model
• All: bug fix for problem where windows are lost when an adjacent component block is deleted

• All: Further bug fix for previous version where holes could not be created in internal floors correctly
• E+: Mixed mode natural ventilation works now correctly with unitary single zone and unitary multizone compact HVAC systems
• All: Incorrect diagnostics log messages referring to texture extraction prevented

• All: Bug fix for previous version where holes could not be created in internal floors correctly
  

• All: Missing surfaces bug fixed
  
• All: Offset snap now works correctly
• All: Ability to undo failed convert outline block to building block allowing the outline block to be further modified

• All: New more robust polygon clipper algorithm fixes problems with openings very close to surface edges being lost
• All: Now allows blocks of height down to 0.1m when "," is decimal separator
• All: Bug fix for problem where construction layers incorrectly reported as having thickness > 0.5m when Windows decimal separator is ","
• All: Navigator is now refreshed automatically following a block union operation
• All: Glazing U-value calculated according to EN 673 (in addition to existing EnergyPlus U-value calculation)

• All: Prevent crash when do Tools > Rebuild at site level
• All: Bug fix for zone geometry when adiabatic component blocks included in the model
• All: Boolean geometry block union bug fix
  

• CFD: Fix for bug where incorrect temperatures are reported when using auto-update comfort results option - this option has now been removed
• All: Bug fixed where some older dsb files could not be read in

• SBEM: Design lighting levels now work correctly - previous version had no control over W/m2, showing instead an unused W/m2-100 lux control
  
• All: Correct re-zoning after deleting a block adjacent to a non-plan extrusion block
• All: Move and clip openings (where necessary) after cloning blocks upwards. 
• All: Fix for disappearing blocks following block wall thickness change in model options dialog
  
• All: Fix for triangulation problem with malformed partition
• All: Fix for construction thickness check when using IP units and decimal separator is ','
  

• E+: Allows negative process gains (fix for bug introduced in recent versions)
• E+: Fix for bug introduced in recent versions where other buildings modelled as shading surfaces generates error messages
• CFD: Bug fixes for errors in scale and display options text when using IP units
  

• All: Fix for evaluation license generation and for use on computers that have never had DesignBuilder installation before
  
• All: Further fix for modeller provides more accurate tolerances when calculating adjacencies
• All: Fix for bug where errors in zone name can occur when copying building with nested zones

• Fix for modeller provides more accurate tolerances when calculating adjacencies

• Approved for SBEM EPCs

• SBEM: v3.5.a implemented but not yet approved
• All: Bug fix in rebuild function fixes problem in previous betas where multiple surfaces can be incorrectly generated
• E+: Frit glass data now simulates correctly due to removal of data for wavelengths > 2.5 micons allowing EnergyPlus to accept large spectral data set

• E+: Generates more optimal building and shading surfaces in cases where there are a large number of vertices
  
• All: Fixes for boolean geometry
• All: Bug fix for incorrect roof-wall transition angle introduced in recent beta
• All: Spanish language automatically set by default for Aurea customers
• All: link to diagnostics folder provided
• Radiance: Small wall segments now included in export
• All: First XML model export (early test)
  
• LIDER: Updated translation utility will work on Spanish Windows XP computers

• SBEM: Fix for bug in recent betas preventing EPC generation with message about IEE module
• All: CSG now works at block level

• All: New "Boolean geometry" CSG modelling tool that allows blocks to be unioned and differences and intersections to be generated
• All: New "Zone merge" dialog allows zones to be merged without need for use of connecting holes or same activity
• All: Option to add user-defined textures to a project - custom textures are stored in the dsb file
• All: 'Save without output results' menu option now provides a dialog with options to control which output data is removed from the file before saving
• All: Images maintained in the report document after DesignBuilder closes down
• All: Surface sub-adjacencies correctly displayed when at zone level
• All: CSV report now contains a section with mapping of integer zone ids used in simulation input files against zone names provided by the user
  
• E+: Thermal mass value, Km, reported on the Constructions dialog and also in the CSV report output allowing surface, zone and building thermal mass to be reported using the prEN 13790 standard metric
• E+: Sensible zone heat balance gains for negative loads with a latent component now correctly reported - other simulation results are not affected by this change
• E+: New model option allows lighting gains to be defined as W/m2/100 lux providing a more resiliant approach, avoiding modelling errors that can occur with the other W/m2 lighting option when illuminance requirement is changed
• E+:Fix for bug where changing results graph "Visual style" data in non-English versions causes error message - this data is now internationalised
• E+: Fix for bug in results graphs where display options are lost when custom data is selected for display
• E+: Typical workday timing option no longer supported in combination with compact HVAC - use the Schedule option instead
• E+: Fix for bug where the mixed mode setting is accessed for single zone unitary systems and erroneous IDF is generated
  
• CFD: Age of air CFD Display options correctly loaded after LMA calculations
• CFD: Occupants in assembly library now have convective gain of 45W, correcting previous default value of 90W
• Daylighting: Initial Radiance export

• E+: Fix for crash that could occur when importing ESO files when there are multiple buildings on the site
• E+: Fix for internal horizontal holes when used with calculated natural ventilation and without 'merge zones connected by holes' model option
• E+: Fix for bug where results are not correctly stored for openings on 'wall (with hole)' surfaces
• E+: Simple HVAC fans and pumps can now be modelled separately, fans using the E+ fan model and pumps using a W/m2 + schedule mechanism
• E+: EnergyPlus severe error messages should now always be displayed correctly
• E+: Calculated natural ventilation airflow convergence tolererances on Simulation tab of Model options dialog now connect to model correctly
• All: Fix for crash that can occur when changing component block type to adiabatic and navigator is out of synch
• CFD: Toolbar correctly refreshed when navigating to a block level component block surface
• CFD: Fixes and improvements to LMA/ACE calculations
• CFD: Assembly placement offset now works correctly in regions where comma is decimal separator

• CFD: Numerical CFD slice data output via CSV or XML file export
• E+: 'Roof-wall transition angle' model data now correctly controls roof data generation at block level
• E+: New option to control natural ventilation 'days per week' when using 'Typical workday' timing model option
• E+: Mechanical ventilation 'days per week' now applied correctly in calculations when using 'Typical workday' timing model option with Simple HVAC
• E+: Option to enter details of temperature reset strategies for AHU heating and cooling coils and overcoming bug in EnergyPlus compact HVAC expander which generates high off-coil heating temperature setpoints for high outdoor temperatures.
• E+: Window shading operation changed - schedule can now be applied in combination with the other shading control options
• E+: Option to enter fixed internal and external convective heat transfer coefficients for constructions and glazing systems

• E+: Exterior lighting option now available at building level
• E+: Bug fix for "Fan coil unit with heating switched off can fail in simulations under some circumstances" fixed 
• E+: Negative process fuel energy consumption correctly calculated when latent fraction is greater than zero
• E+: Hourly weather data customisation now works correctly for fractional temperature increments when decimal separator is ','
• E+: Heat recovery now can be controlled by a schedule
• All: Single user licenses give 3 days away from Internet - bug fix
• All: New lic license files allow working away from the Internet or a site license server
• All: Modeller bug fix for disappearing holes
• All: Modeller fix for spurious external surfaces on interblock partitions
  
• CFD: Further improvements and bug fixes to the LMA/ACE calculations (beta)
• 3TC: New fast simulation option under alpha test - not for use on projects - requires simple HVAC, scheduled nat vent, no lighting control, no shading
  

• All: Fix for "Merge zones options combined with Single zone scope options can cause crashes and unexpected behaviour"
• All: Fix for "Single zone scope options can cause crash when openings are deleted"
• All: Error list form no longer sends info to our server when user closes window
• All: Fix for "very low contrast lines making some lines almost invisible" bug on some graphics cards - line smoothing is now switched off by default to avoid this issue and a new program option allows line smoothing if your card supports it
• All: Fix for slow-down issue when drawing partitions in large buildings
• E+: Severe error messages from EnergyPlus should now be shown correctly (instead of blank window).
• E+: New calculated nat vent control options: Constant, Enthalpy, NoVent as well as existing Temperature - Constant allows vent even when inside cooler than outside
• E+: Option for older processors to use a special version of EnergyPlus that has been compiled so that it does not use SSE2 processor instructions
• E+: Option to enter airflow network convergence tolerance values
• E+: Airflow network horizontal openings implemented
• E+: New option to display EnergyPlus-calculated fan energy consumption when using Simple HVAC 
• CFD: Alpha test of ACE/LME calculations providing age of air and other fresh air-related output
• CFD: Small grid dimensions now work correctly
• CFD: Fix to prevent supply and extract boundaries from being partially obscured by partition and floor slab edges
  

• E+: Bug fix in calculation of temperatures at building level where zone merging is used and also where zone exclude and zone merging are combined
• SBEM: Bug fix preventing crash when internal windows are treated as external and SBEM shading data is not found.
• SBEM: CHP "Power to heat" ratio now inverted to "Heat to power" ratio and allows values > 1
• CFD: New option for a uniform grid in external CFD produces stable simulations, even for large complex models
• CFD: Various fixes ensure that CFD now works correctly when using IP units
• CFD: Assemblies and compoments can now be placed accurately in the z direction at block level due to new floor slab introduced
• All: Fix for bug in modeller where a crash can occur when deleting a block
• All: New drawing model option for interblock partitions to always be open (using holes)
  

• CFD: Edit grid and Edit monitor point commands before CFD calculations start no longer causes error messages related to display options
• LIDER: link now available free to all Spanish EnergyPlus license holders
  

• E+: Fix for unitary multizone compact HVAC systems where the AHU heating coil was using the zone rather than the AHU heating coil schedule
  

• CFD: Surface heat transfer boundaries with negative gains now possible
• CFD: Bug fix in surface temperature and flux boundary conditions
• SBEM: Fix for incorrect specific fan power used in calculation of system efficiencies
  

• E+: Flow rate conversion from l/s to CFM done correctly for CFD boundary conditions when using IP units
• E+: All Summer and All Winter options on the Simulation options dialog now take data from Site model data > Location tab > Time and Daylight Saving header
• E+: Fix in EnergyPlus Compact HVAC expander which should allow DesignBuilder/EnergyPlus to work correctly in Windows 7
  
• SBEM: Bug fix affecting results in cases where duct and/or AHU leakage tests have not been carried out

• E+: Building level temperature output now correctly calculated when some zones are excluded from the model
• E+: Compact HVAC radiant/baseboard heaters now adequately sized when used with unitary single zone with the 'Replace' option when significant mechanical ventilation is present
• E+: Cooling design summary data now correctly generated even when an excluded block has zero floor area
• Visualisation: voids now cut correctly through roofs blocks having very low height (e.g. plenums) in rendered images - does not affect calculations
• SBEM: Load and save assessor details from the model options dialog for use on other projects now working - bug fix
• SBEM: has CLG approval for EPC lodgement
• LIDER: export now works without a certification license (in evaluation mode)
  

• E+: Fix in EnergyPlus for Meteonorm weather files
• E+: Glazing properties re-calculated correctly on Glazing dialog (fix for E+ v.4.0)
• E+: Conduction results for sub-surfaces and doors now displayed on Heating and Cooling design and Simulation screens
• E+: Check added for SSE2 support - this will be required for running standard E+ v.4 EXE and DLL
• E+: Metabolic rates with decimals work where decimal separator is comma
• E+: Fix for DB E+ v.4 link when Compact HVAC radiant heating used
• E+: Mixed mode controls are disabled for zone systems (unitary, fan coil) as these are not yet implemented in E+
• E+: Grid data set titles now the same as those for graphs
• SBEM: Doors now placed on correct parent surface
• SBEM: Option to load stored assessor details to a project in the model options dialog
  
• CFD: File > Save As no longer causes crash when Comfort calculations subsequently run
• All: Fix for CSV report bug in previous beta where file is only partially generated
• All: Option to import gbXML zone data as outline blocks
• All: Fix for horizontally extruded block profiles slightly off vertical

• CFD: Bug in filled contour display fixed – was previously indicating low temperatures adjacent to some surfaces due to interpolation error.
  
• CFD: Bug fix for incorrect supply geometry adjustment subsequent to grid merging – could lead to flow imbalance (mass ‘flat-lining’).
  
• CFD: Bug fix for generation of supply elements for supplies with small face areas (led to excessive face velocities).
  
• CFD: Internal flow balance check preventing mass ‘flat-lining’.
• CFD: Boundary condition dialog goes to position in model when clicking on a boundary

• Minor change to support files

• E+: Supports EnergyPlus v 4.0
• E+: Defaults to the E+ v.4.0 DLL which has been tested to give the same results as the EXE for the E+ test suite of buildings
• All: First German language version
• All: First Spanish LIDER export option
• CFD: Component blocks can act as temperature and heat generation boundary conditions without need for assemblies
• CFD: Model data edit screens tidied for assemblies, component blocks and component block surfaces
• CFD: Bug fixes to the CFD  boundary conditions import dialog
• CFD: Corrections to Assembly library materials
• CFD: Various other fixes to CFD calcs
  

• All: Reseller correctly set based on licenses

• All: Embodied CO2 model for bulk materials (beta)
• All: Further fix for non-matching internal openings when generating simulation data
  
• CFD: Slice data xml output (beta)
• CFD: "Multi-way diffusers only allowed on downward facing surfaces" restriction now correctly implemented
• CFD: Online help now includes info on CFD and other new v.2 features
• CFD: Boundary Conditions dialog fixes:

• Where comma is decimal separator,  flow rate decimal places are now maintained
• Openings on surfaces having multiple adjacencies and openings are now shown and included in flow balance calculation
• Boundary type now shown correctly for surfaces on the Temperature tab

• E+: Fan coil units can have cooling coil setpoint temperature defined
• E+: Infiltration appears as a variable in parametric simulations and cooling design screens

• E+: Latent split can now be entered for Process, Catering and Miscellaneous gains
  
• CFD: Various calculation and UI bug fixes
• 'HVAC and Nat vent operates with occupancy' model option now correctly hidden when using the 'Schedules' Timing option.
• All: Fix for opening adjacency calculation which can fail under certain circumstances

• E+: Uses EXE version of EnergyPlus due to suspected bug in v.3.1 DLL compilation - more info on this will be made available when we have a report from E+ support
• CFD: boundary conditions editor tidied to prevent 'flow in' for extract grills and 'flow out' for supply diffusers
• CFD: bug fix for supply diffusers slightly off alignment
• CFD: Misc other bug fixes
• All: Fix for crash that can occur with previous beta when drawing a block
• All: Fix for bug in drawing courtyards in some models where the courtyard is not created

• All: Fix for modeller preventing geometric issues in large models

• E+: Bug fix in generation of openings on complex Wall (with hole) surfaces relative to previous beta
• E+: New option to enter air velocity used in comfort calculations
• CFD: Robust algorithm for determining solid cells within objects having sloping surfaces – particularly thin sloping partitions.
  
• All: Prevents crash when selecting surfaces with very complex adjacencies
• All: More robust algorithm for determining body intersections
  
• All: Improvement to gbXML conversion algorithm
  
• All: Bug fix in bitmap import
• All: Block perimeter thickness bug – formerly limited to 0.05m.
  

• E+: Bug fix for reading eso files in new DesignBuilder session
• All: gbXML import bug fix
• CFD: Various bug fixes

• E+: Heating design calculations now use fixed 50degC supply air temperature when calculating design heating loads to avoid using supply temperature data that can be hidden when in Compact HVAC mode
• E+: Heat recovery combined with economiser now works correctly in Compact HVAC - problem related to new EnergyPlus v.3 idf syntax now fixed
• E+: Opening level incident solar now correctly reported at daily, monthly and annual intervals
  
• E+: Bug fix in parametric analysis makes process more robust
• SBEM: Saves energy assessor details when entered in New Building dialog
• SBEM: Company number provided in XML output for RoI BERs
• All: Site licenses in beta test
• All: Important program options are saved avoiding need to re-enter each time a new version is installed
  

• All: Fix prevents crash in previous beta when navigating to surfaces

• CFD: Several important bug fixes especially for multizone CFD simulations and natural ventilation through openings
• CFD: Improved Boundary conditions manager dialog allows one click 'fix flow imbalance' option
• CFD radiant temperature results now correct near assembly surfaces
• E+: Local shading can be set at opening level
• E+: DHW templates load fuel type correctly
• E+: Ecotect WEA weather files can now be translated using hourly weather data translation utility
• E+: WEA translation bug fix
• SBEM: Generates correct XML lodgement files for BERs in RoI
• SBEM: Correctly translates v.1 DHW HW storage when monthly heat loss defined
• SBEM: Lamp ballast efficiency correctly supplied to SBEM for 'Chosen' lighting option
• SBEM: Glazing surface area ratio can be edited for individual windows
• All: Support for v.2 site license server
• All: Prevents crash when exporting 3-D DXF when window frames are too large for window
• All: Prevents a crash when deleting blocks under some circumstances
• All: Fixes for gbXML import errors
• All: Fix for "no frame" display in visualisation
• All: Fix for incorrect display of roof frames in visualisation

• SBEM: provides lamp type to SBEM for zones with Design lighting as per SBEM 3.4.a requirements - helps with getting appropriate lighting-related recommendations

• All: Bug fix for file read crash on some models 
• E+: Eliminates thin, strongly non-convex polygons associated with Wall (with hole) surfaces, helping to avoid EnergyPlus 'temperature out of bounds' errors
• All: Removed warning message when opening file on remote network

• SBEM: 3.4.a with patch01 and patch02 for BERgen and EPCgen provided by BRE to prevent crashes in some models
• SBEM: Several fixes on the DesignBuilder side to prevent crashes in SBEM 3.4.a including allow to work with files stored on remote network drives and files/folders can have commas
  
• SBEM: DHW storage system data entry changed to be inline with iSBEM (i.e. enter either storage size or monthly loss but not both)
• SBEM: Sloping roofs having slope < 10 deg are classed as flat roofs
• All: gbXML import gives option to include shading surfaces and to merge coplanar surfaces
• All: Fixes and improvements to gbXML import
• All: Activations can now be deactivated either from the computer or the website with option to cancel activation to control license misuse by ex-employees etc
• All: Stability fix in modeller to prevent possible file corruption under certain circumstances
• Improvements in CFD boundary conditions dialog - further improvement on the way!

Previous Release

• SBEM: Fix to SBEM 3.4.a engine to prevent crashes for some models
• All: Stability improvements for Vista
• All: 'Keep default openings' now works
• All: Allows license deactivation
• E+: Fix for compact HVAC systems using hot water
  

• SBEM 3.4.a
• All: gbXML import
• E+: EnergyPlus 3.1
• E+: Baseboard heaters (convective and radiant)
• Activation code licencing system
• Summary of new v.2 features

• SBEM: xml output available for BERs
• SBEM: Bug fix in adjacency definition between occupied and unoccupied zones
• SBEM: Differentiates between heated and unheated adjacent excluded zones when defining SBEM surface adjacency

• All: Fix for outline block conversion to building block - failure to set the correct block form if the outline block form was anything other than 'General'
• All: Improved algorithm for coplanar surface check. Previously, for a small number of topologies, small surfaces could be inappropriately merged into single surfaces resulting in invalid blocks
• All: Improved algorithm for handling co-linear vertices on polygons. Previously, small deviations from co-linearity could be mishandled, leading to small gaps in what should be closed manifolds
• E+: Bug fix for E+ v.3 radiant systems now control according to correct temperature control option (air, operative, radiant).
• E+: Adjustment to way radiant system surfaces generated ensures better control and 3-Wall option no longer supported

• SBEM: Correction in HVAC system parameters for some model configurations
• SBEM: RoI fixes for some HVAC system types
• SBEM: Uses SBEM 3.3.b patch

• SBEM: Orientation set to horizontal in SBEM inp data for flat roofs having slope less than 20deg.
• SBEM: Heat generator type correctly passed through to SBEM calculations
• SBEM: Orientation set correctly for semi-exopsed surfaces converted to exterior surfaces using the 'Model semi-exposed unconditioned zones as R-value' option
• SBEM: Correction to auxiliary energy passed to SBEM to account for variable speed pumps
• SBEM: Correction to the auxiliary energy calculation formula accounting for specific fan power for some HVAC system types
• SBEM: Criteria for flat roofs is now angles < 10deg
• SBEM: Check added to prevent zones of net zero floor area
• All: Minor improvements in CSV report - glazing names now provided and accented characters are passed through
• All: Improvements to navigator to highlight excluded and semi-exterior unconditioned zones

• SBEM: Heat generator type correctly passed through to SBEM calculations
• SBEM: EPCgen.dll patch from BRE fixes bug in authorising EA accreditation details
• SBEM: Option to correct ground floor U-values for guidance in BS 443:2006
• SBEM: CoP correctly displayed (once only) on the Heating tab of the HVAC dialog
• SBEM: Floors now always flagged as Horizontal in SBEM calculations
• SBEM: Fix for bug where CHP data is displayed when there is no CHP requested
• CFD: Several fixes and improvements
• All: Autosave now works when using skh file format
• All: Extra internal error checks added to help track down any file corruption problems
  

• E+: Simple HVAC chiller energy now calculated from total cooling loads instead of sensible loads used previously
• All: Navigator surfaces now labelled correctly
• SBEM: Minor patch in SBEM EPCgen to allow all Accreditation schemes to lodge EPCs
• All: Workaround for bug where slithers of large complex internal openings are not all identified causing program crash (full fix in next beta)

Previous beta

• CFD: Fixes for boundary condition definition

Previous beta

• SBEM: supports proxy servers
• E+: Several bug fixes
• CFD: Fixes for boundary condition definition
  

1.9.3.004 

Previous beta

• CFD: Boundary conditions now correctly defined
• CFD: Several bug fixes
• SBEM: EPC authorisation key now passed through to SBEM and EPCs without watermarks can be produced and lodged
• SBEM: Default construction, airtightness, glazing and lighting template settings now appropriate to calculation type set when adding building
• E+: Bug fixes in surface and opening level output

Previous beta

• E+: EnergyPlus v.3.0 is the default simulation engine
• E+: Data can be generated and viewed for surfaces and openings (surface temperature, heat gain, heat transfer coefficients, solar shading, solar transmission, airflow)
• E+: New function to save simulation result set templates to allow the results to be easily tailored to user requirements
• SBEM: Uses SBEM v.3.3.b, allowing BERs in RoI, EPCs in NI to be lodged, domestic activities in predominantly non-domestic buildings (e.g.pubs) etc
• All: Data can be edited at opening level allowing different glazing types on a single surface
• CFD: Boundary conditions can now be edited once created
• All: Volume subtraction for floor constructions now carried out correctly for regional settings using comma as decimal separator
• Many other improvements and fixes

• SBEM: CHP efficiency error limits fixed
• E+: Total and Sensible cooling system energy reports now generated when using Simple HVAC
• CFD: Fix for bug in which problems occur when grid edits are made then user switches to edit screen before running CFD calc
• CFD: Several minor bug fixes
• Downward facing block connection surfaces now included in floor area when 'fully enclosed zone' option selected

• SBEM: Allows Laudrette activities
• CFD: Assembly library now copied correctly during installation
• E+: Display bug fix for lighting control data under 'Control type'
• E+ Parametric simulations working more reliably

• E+: Bug fix in fuel display - bug was only in v.1.9.0.001 beta
• E+: Downward facing walls now flagged as walls instead of as floors removing a warning generated by Energyplus for floor not horizontal
• Fixes installation problem with 1.9.0.001

• BETA: Assembly library textures displayed correctly
• BETA: Mixed mode controls linking window and vent opening with HVAC systems
• BETA: Humidity control for Compact VAV, CAV and Unitary systems
• BETA: CFD improvements
• SBEM: Now uses latest SBEM fuel/heating source permutations - this affects allowed fuel types for District heating systems in particular
• SBEM: Allows the District heating CO2 factor to be entered
• Bug fix for CSV report in regions using comma as decimal separator
• SBEM: Bug fix for fuels other than gas and electricity - previous versions reported gas for oil HVAC systems
• E+: Compact VAV and CAV systems using economiser + heat recovery now use the Controller:Outside Air > ECONOMIZER option to give full potential for outside air when cooling
• E+: Correction in interface and documentation in use of Compact HVAC economiser outside air limits

• Fix for bug preventing all calculations where there are merged zones in versions 1.8.0

• SBEM: Prevents crash when selecting 'Use HVAC system' DHW heat source
• SBEM: Checks for holes in external surfaces
• E+: Prevents HVAC systems from being defined in EnergyPlus idf data for 'null zones' (i.e. zones so small there have been excluded for the analysis)

• CFD bug fixes and improvements
• E+: More accurate AHU heating and cooling coil sizing when using Compact HVAC with full fresh air CAV systems and no heat recovery
• CFD: Default assembly library loaded into new files

• Improved zone name retention
• Fixes bug with dormer blocks preventing SBEM calculations due to floor area < 1m2 even when merged with adjacent zones.
• SBEM recommendations bug fix for measures having comma character in description
• Fix in adjacency calculations in rebuild

• CFD improvements and bug fixes
• Import and export assembly library files
• Option to include/exclude zones from analysis - works with all calculations (EnergyPlus, SBEM, Klima, IEE etc)
• Daylighting map output generated using tab delimiters for regions using ',' as decimal separator
• First implementation of the EnergyPlus Green roof modeller including precipitation and irrigation definition
• Keeps zone names when new partitions are added even if zones had same names

• Bug fix for models with 'chains' of merged zones where internal floor area that is 'removed' using holes is not removed from the calculations
• SBEM calcs now possible for buildings with no external windows
• Bug fix ensures that windows in sloping walls having angle greater than the roof-wall transition angle use the standard glazing type and not the the roof glazing type as in previous versions
• Stores the sloping wall angle used to create a block with the block
• First implementation of mechanism to preserve results wherever possible when opening a file created in a previous version
• Option for EnergyPlus 2.2.0.026 with a fix for some weather files including the Bangkok IWEC data set
• Bug fix allows block perimeters to be drawn correctly on the base of other blocks
• Adjacent link body edge surfaces now recognised correctly avoiding small external wall, floors and roof surfaces in calculations where blocks are adjacent side-by-side and on top of each other

• CFD bug fixes and convergence improvements
• Assembly blocks for modelling repeated conponent blocks and setting up CFD boundary conditions
• Parametric simulations and cooling design calcs (early test version)
• Internal database system speeded up reducing delays in the modeller
• Zone multiplier for modelling large buildings with repeated stories
• Daylighting map output
• Visualisation and CFD field of view angle control
• Improved graphics quality on simulation output using GDI+
• Bug fix for 7/12 Schedules using Profiles ending with a value of 1 at 24:00
• Bug fix in daylight control error check - now correctly identifies zones having daylight control but with no possibility of daylight penetration
• Diagnostics machine id generation removed to avoid crash on some computers

• SBEM recommendations can now all be deleted if required
• Removed incorrect error in Simple HVAC when cooling off and very low cooling setpoint selected
• Extra output in CSV report including total building floor area, volume and S/V
• Surface orientation now correctly shown in the navigator and csv report when site orientation <> 0 used
• Improved Italian translation
• Improvement in performance of the modeller

• SBEM recommendations bug fixes

• Bug fix for problem in previous version where HVAC systems were not simulated correctly
• SBEM recommendations now use correct SBEM 3.2.b list

• Choice of SBEM versions 3.1.a or 3.2.b
• Town data now correctly passed through to SBEM and XML lodgement file
• Bug fix in loading glazing template from add building dialog
• New error checks prevent daylight control for zones without windows providing daylight (SBEM and E+)
• SBEM EPC calculations flag error for buildings with no heating or cooling as EPC not required in this case
• Many improvements to CFD

• Bug fix for projects with more than one building when one building has merging and others do not
• Bug fix for partitions not quite meeting up
• Allows more bitmap formats when importing bitmap floor plans
• Import pdf floor plan files (beta)
• SBEM 'Has HVAC system' option now switches off HVAC system correctly when cleared and gives the same results as a user defined 'No heating and cooling' HVAC system - bug fix
• SBEM CHP option now works correctly - previous versions could not switch off CHP once switched on
• SBEM DHW CHP option removed
• Many beta CFD improvements

• Allows edit to DHW-related recommendations in SBEM - bug fix
• Allows recommendations to reviewed for Scottish EPCs

• New method for running executables should allow Compact HVAC to run on all computers regardless of user account name
• Reverts to SBEM 3.1.a due to problems with 3.2.b - the version is approved by CLG
• Fix to allow reheat coils to use main boiler CoP - previous versions used CoP = 1
• CFD analysis for internal DB use only

• Fixes for v.1.6.1 bugs: 
• Temperature distribution results work correctly again
• Message 'Error saving temperature bands' prevented
• Default language English, v.1.6.1 defaulted to Italian
• Check for graphics card OpenGL acceleration - prevents software use without this

• Bug fix for surface-fitted openings between floors for isolated zones
• Minor surface drag tool tolerance problem fixed
• Bug fix for internal shading dialog tab display when using electrochromic shading
• Bug fix for single pane electrochromic glazing
• Support for NES Accreditation Scheme (SBEM)

• Developer options
• Fixes bug in 1.5.4 where holes taking up the entire floor prevent simulation
• SBEM 3.2.b fixes including:
• Up-to-date Heating system database
• Secondary circulation timer control and pump power

• Fixes bug introduced in v.1.5.2.006 BETA where glazing pane data is incorrectly passed to EnergyPlus causing errors in simulation results
• Improvements in SBEM 3.2.b implementation

Previous Beta release

• SBEM 3.2.b with BER and BRIRL compliance checks for Republic of Ireland
• Bug fix for EnergyPlus compact HVAC fan-coil units with cooling switched off

15 Jul 08

• EPC XML files for lodgement are much smaller
• SBEM roofs having slope less than 20deg are considered to be flat roofs, consistent with iSBEM
• Pitched roof (unoccupied) not shown any more in SBEM as it is not used in calculations
• Prevent SBEM calcs at site level
• Extra checks in SBEM Non-watermarked EPC install dialog
• Negative process gains now allowed for modelling cooling effect of refrigeration equipment
• Clone model pane component with spectral data now works
• Some pane library data had 0 reflectance values causing problems with EnergyPlus - these values have been rectified
• Floor area calculation can now be modified to allow for ceilings of office zones within a larger warehouse zone that is not usable floor area in the warehouse
• Floor area calculation excludes holes used to join to zones below
• New Advanced model option gives control over the simplification of 'flat' component blocks to speed simulations having lots of component block shading devices
• Glazing number layers = 0 prevented
• Bug fix for CSV report
• Prevent crash when on the Calculated tab of the Glazing dialog and user clicks on the Update link while calculations are already taking place
• Extra user guidance when using DOE EnergyPlus and the EnergyPlus installation folder selection is inconsistent with the version selected

• Further simplification of SBEM input data
• Other minor bug fixes

• Compact schedules now have full error checking and reporting 
• SBEM Lighting zoning options only displayed if local manual or photoelectric lighting control selected
• Optimisation of SBEM input data allowing EPCs to be generated for very large buildings

• Local help download option now works
• Enerdata, W. Aus reseller included

• New Program option for downloadable local help as well as web help
• Fix for problem where outline blocks could not be converted once they were in error state even after undo or correction
• Adjacency bug fixes:
• Blocks and neighbouring blocks with voids
• Small sloped internal surfaces can have incorrect adjacency
• Ground and adiabatic component blocks very close but not touching can cause nearby facades to behace as if the component block is touching
• Fan coil cooling design option now works when one or more zones have no cooling
• Fix for some Windows 2000 machines unable to register graphing control
• CAV with night cycle control now shows checkbox to allow control zone to be selected

• SBEM Building regulations calculations error report corrected
• Check for very small zones that will cause problems for SBEM calculations
• Fix for very large building models when generating idf files

• Latest hourly weather data locations including hundreds of new TMY3 data sets
• UK NCM Building NOS Level can now be selected correctly

• EnergyPlus v.2.2.0.025 exe implemented
• SBEM address data now transferred correctly to xml file for lodgement (commas were being stripped)

• New EnergyPlus 2.2 version fixing bug in daylighting with internal windows
• Weather data conversion degree-day modification now works (bug fix)
• Bug fix for DesignBuilder implementation of EnergyPlus v.2.2 occupancy data
• Bug fix for building level air change rate results
• Menu link to SBEM folder
• Display windows now work in SBEM
• Support for huge SBEM data reflection reports
• Uses new version of graphing component

• Fix for previous EnergyPlus 2.2 implementations where infiltration had errors
• Patch02 for SBEM 3.1a fixes some problems with EPCs
• SBEM XML output now does not delete all other results and recommendations
• Does not list NCM constructions and glazing when in SBEM mode

• EnergyPlus v.2.2 is the default simulation engine
• Uses new WebHelp system throughout reducing program download size by 11mb
• Can reverse glazing pane direction 
• Update is now faster following geometric edits and model data changes etc
• New SBEM model option to lump similar surfaces and openings speeds calculations and allows much larger models to be treated
• New dialog allows accredited UK energy assessors to install a 'non-watermarked EPC and BRUKL report generator'
• Bug fix for 'Surfaces within zone treated as adiabatic' when openings present
• Bug fix in DXF export
• Bug fix in test for convex zones

• EnergyPlus v.2.2 supported but some issues still to be addressed with v.2.2 ventilation so v.2.1 is set as the default.
• EnergyPlus DHW implemented using WATER USE EQUIPMENT replacing now obsolete DOMESTIC HOT WATER
• Correction in building volume-weighted average ventilation rate calculations from zone values
• Approval for SBEM EPCs and Part-L calculations
• SBEM recommendations dialog improvements
• New smooth textures
• Bug fix for non-English language Internal blinds dialog
• 'Generate fully enclosed zones' is now switched on by default for new models

• Various fixes for bugs in 1.5.0.058 including construction lines, zone navigation, SBEM installation problems, graph shown in edit dialog info screens
• SBEM PV orientations South-West and South-East now work

• When selecting an epw file in the Hourly weather data dialog the selection starts in correct weather data folder
• Deletes backup files older than 30 days and diagnostics files older than 2 days
• Second 'Office_HighDensIT' activity removed as it causes error in SBEM calcs
• SBEM secondary recommendations report
• SBEM user editable recommendations working
• SBEM 3.1a patch 1

• EnergyPlus shading surface vertex ordering corrected
• SBEM 3.1a
• SBEM recommendations dialog (not yet working)
• SBEM 'Design' lighting illuminance can be entered
• Openings now remain selected after copy at surface level
• Other minor improvements

• SBEM v3 constructions and glazing database
• Bug fix in calculation of SBEM glazing U-value when using library or inference options
• Bug fix for crash when changing block name in previous beta

• Many SBEM improvements and fixes
• International Glazing Database (IGDB) of glazing panes
• Spectral glazing pane data can be entered for more accurate selective glazing materials
• DXF snaps shown in yellow to differentiate from other objects
• Auto backup also copies incrementally to a 'Backup' folder
• Existing files copied to a 'Backup' folder on opening
• Bug fix in CM calculation (measure of thermal mass in SBEM)
• Semi-exposed ceilings now have correct layer order
• Various minor fixes

• SBEM calculation module installation bug fix

• Option to exclude all zone natural and mechanical ventilation loads from Heating and Cooling calculations
• Maintains openings when using 'drag face' and 'stretch'
• Prevent adjacency related crash prior to simulations
• Link body edges adjacent to other zones have correct constructions
• Improved SBEM interface + bug fixes

• Improvements to SBEM interface
• New volume calculation options to allow floor construction volumes to be subtracted from zone volume
• New worked example explains details of surface area and volume calculations: www.designbuilder.co.uk/programhelp/model_geometry.htm
• Link body edges can now be adjacent to other zones

• Uses SBEM 3.0b (approval for this version of DB expected early March)
• Allows licence activation by file
• Many improvements and bug fixes in SBEM
• Bug fix for component blocks generated through building copy
• Auto door generation works again fixing bug in recent versions

BETA test version

• Improved DXF import with range checking and option to scale the DXF data interactively
• New 'Bitmap import' allows scanned floor-plan drawings to be read into DesignBuilder for modelling existing buildings without CAD data
• Prevents 'Tesselation/quadric error' from occurring
• Option to align bitmap and DXF drawing x-axis with the DesignBuilder x-axis
• VAV/CAV (Simulation and Cooling design + VAV compact option) with mechanical ventilation switched off works
• Calculated natural ventilation openings not generated for adiabatic surfaces
• Bug fix in adjacency identification for some configurations
• Change to smaller block wall thickness can cause model attributes to become lost

Version 1.4

Final Release

• In SBEM, zones with Zone type = semi-exterior unconditioned are always unheated/cooled no matter settings on HVAC tab
• Pressing Enter in Compact schedules textbox and Notes in Model options now adds a new line rather than closing dialog
• Drawing options now correctly displayed
• Floor textures in visualisation corrected (were upside down in previous releases)
• Default openings correctly treated following a cut operation
• Correction in constructions dialog when in SBEM mode for incorrect initial setting of U-value

• Default openings correctly treated following a copy/move operation

• NCM Materials and Constructions database included
• NCM / SBEM Constructions inference procedures for existing buildings
• Module licences can be supplied by different resellers

• Infiltration now uses 'zone volume excluding floor construction volume' to calculate airflow rate from ac/h, if the model option for this is set
• Fix for erroneous external floor surfaces introduced for internal floors in 1.4.0.048
• Fix for Unitary single zone system min outside air flow when using heat recovery
• Fix for error caused by undefined adjacency
• U-value for exposed ceilings to unheated roofspaces now used correctly in SBEM calculations
• Other minor fixes

• New autosizing method for calculating supply airflows for simple convective HVAC systems using operative temperature control avoids undersizing
• Licence dialog allows each module to have a separate serial number
• Rounding error in airflow rates provided to EnergyPlus fixed
• Ground plane continues to horizon
• Improved dynamic selection process no longer requires 'double buffer' program option
• Sky colour for visualisations
• Improved reading of v.1.2 files
• Geometry engine improvements and fixes
• Bug fix for heat recovery in unitary compact HVAC systems
• Bug fix for SBEM models having no HVAC system
• Minor fixes

• Adiabatic surface Construction model data at surface level now consistant with calculations:
• Adiabatic flat roofs use internal floor construction data with layers reversed
• Adiabatic ground floors use internal floor construction data
• Adiabatic exernal walls use internal partition construction data
• Change wall thickness bug fixed
• Error switching view bug fix
• 'Double buffer dynamics' program option disabled pending bug fix

• Heat recovery building totals now correctly displayed for unitary single zone systems
• Heat recovery now works when economiser switched off for unitary systems using new heat recovery heating setpoint data
• Interblock partition surface model data maintained after block/building copy processes
• Improvement in display of dimension lines for block placement, surface drag and scale operations
• Fix to enable double buffer switch option for zoom/selection windows
• Fix for internal vent generation in floors
• Fix for problem to do with offset snap
• Block objects selected after copy operation
• Change block wall thickness now keeps custom openings and model data
• Darker colours used to represent the building
• Improved default options on 'Clear data to default' dialog
• More posistive selection for category in component and template dialogs
• More diagnostic messages for Compact HVAC 'ExpandObjects' operation
• Other minor fixes

• When Site orientation changed, surface orientation correctly displayed in navigator, in idf file comments and correctly used in SBEM calculations
• Previous versions could lose some custom openings during the rebuild process - this bug now fixed
• SBEM wind generator bug fix

• Bug fix in results reading

• Additional correction for Glazing gains output
• Building import works when dsb file has custom hourly weather file
• Internal error related to zone identification for results fixed

• Can change block wall thickness in existing blocks
• Block wall thickness up to 2m now allowed
• Radiant heating systems now work with E+ 2.1
• SBEM summary reports now correct for users without SBEM licence
• SBEM DHW fuel type no longer resets to Natural gas and is correctly supplied to calcs
• Bug fix for setting Fan-coil, Unitary min fresh air and component block solar transmission on computer systems using ',' as demimal separator
• Various minor fixes

• Heat recovery energy for single zone unitary systems now displayed
• Default construction, glazing and lighting templates use lower 'reference' standard
• Glazing output now corrected for short-wave solar gains (bug fix for recent beta versions)

• Default openings work correctly in interblock partitions
• Textures defined in Constructions are used for rendered display when using simple U-Value constructions when working in SBEM mode
• Defect in the geometry for some complex shaped blocks in recent betas fixed
• Several minor fixes and improvements

• Corrections in Typical workday schedule generation for new system accounting for WinterDesignDays
• Glazing U-value calculation fix for E+ 2.1
• Heat recovery combined with full fresh air (CAV and VAV Compact HVAC systems) uses an economiser to bypass heat recovery cooling wihen this is beneficial
• The heat flows due to mixing air exchange through openings between zones (scheduled ventilation) now displayed giving better zone heat balance results (the calculations have not changed just results display)

Version 1.4 Beta Release 7

• Lumped internal gains show up in results screens (bug fix for recent betas)
• Heat recovery with VAV/CAV HVAC min fresh air error fixed

Version 1.4 Beta Release 6

• EnergyPlus 2.1 calculation engine
• Define summer design day
• Schedules now have way to define heating and cooling autosizing operation
• New granulated textures
• Window gas Xenon now allowed
• Custom window gases can be defined
• Component blocks belonging to other buildings are also included when 'including all buildings in shading calc'
• Increased upper limits for internal gains in Activity templates.
• Several SBEM-related fixes and improvements
• Heat recovery with Unitary single zone HVAC min fresh air error fixed
• Minor zone volume error in recent betas fixed
• Zone DXF export bug fix

Version 1.4 Beta Release 5

• Heat recovery when economiser switched off now works

• Upper temperature limit for EnergyPlus 2.1 increased preventing simulation failure for some models with windows taking up the whole surface
• Recently used files list only shown when appropriate

• SBEM module for UK Part-L2 building regulations compliance checking approved by CLG
• Heating system autosizing calcs prior to Compact HVAC simulations now exclude internal gains giving higher (more realistic) heating system capacities
• More options for defining minimum fresh air:
• 1-By zone,
• 2-Min fresh air (Per person),
• 3-Min fresh air (Per area),
• 4-Min fresh air (Sum per person + per area),
• 5-Min fresh air (Max per person and per area)
• Task and display lighting default lighting density values taken from the Activities database
• Project construction and glazing components automatically generated from template when building is first created
• Many minor fixes and improvements

• Geometric connectivity mechanism revised and improved to provide more reliable adjacency identification
• Provisional approval for the SBEM module
• For 'Separate' constructions, the order of the construction layers for floors and ceilings with suspended floor/ceiling constructions now correct
• Boiler and Chiller CoP values now correctly used (fixing bug in previous beta version)
• Default fan pressures in HVAC templates adjusted down with more realistic values + some changes to default COP values

• Correction in Cooling design airflow calculation. Previous beta used zone Operative temperature in the Supply - Zone Delta T calculation. Now uses Air temperature
• Density of air now uses same convention as EnergyPlus, i.e. it assumes dry air at 20degC taking into account elevation above sea level when converting m3/s to kg/s and back - the change affects Cooling design airflow calculations
• Default temperature control option for heating and cooling design and simulations is 'Air temperature' instead of 'Operative temperature' due to some complexities involved with operative temperature control
• Corrections for Full fresh air VAV/CAV Compact HVAC systems - fresh air rate includes sizing factor to give correct flow rates and now deals with 0 outside air
• Improved zone volume calculation for Combined constructions - new model option allows floor construction volume to be included/excluded from zone air volume + documentation on volume calculations
• VAV and Fan-coil unit systems can now be mixed in same building when the first zone in the list has Fan-coil units - bug fix
• Improved error messages when user attempts to select inappropriate component or template data type in model data
• Radiant heaters now work with cooling fixing error in previous betas
• Reading of named E+ eso output file - improved error checking and bug fixes
• Now allows Heating design calculations for models having Detailed equipment model option set
• Prevents EnergyPlus crash if any of the E+ output files are locked in other application such as Excel
• Klima Europa now uses internal dimensions for calculating surface areas
• Many SBEM improvements
• Maximum recently used files listed now 20 on opening screen

• Internal openings filling parent surface now correctly deflated
• Construction used to represent holes and vents has increased R-value to ensure EnergyPlus solution converges for buildings with large holes between zones

• DHW fuel consumption correctly displayed (fixing bug in previous betas)
• Chiller CoP passed to E+ IDF data to speed analysis outside DB - change does not affect results within DB
• DOE EnergyPlus folder name correctly stored - bug fix prevents name being overwritten when saving IDF files for export
• Ground construction no longer added when using 'combined constructions'
• Openings (windows etc) should no longer be deflated by 1 mm unless an edge is coincident with the edge of the parent surface

• Z-axis snap 
• Heat loss through fabric now registers in results (bug fix in last beta)
• Construction floor categories re-organised
• Improved SBEM compatibility
• Improved Construction and Glazing dialogs, providing default U-values
• Lots of minor fixes

• Fixed bug where detailed gains were not being reported in previous beta
• Mechanical ventilation with 0 ach/r is now allowed in combination with natural ventilation when using simple HVAC and scheduled natural ventilation or Design calcs
• Fixed bug in previous beta where heating and cooling equipment was inadequately sized in Simple HVAC
• Out of menory error when reading very large E+ output files should now generate an error message and not crash the program
• IP units error fix
• Miscellaneous rendering fixes
• Minor graphics engine fixes

• Option to include/exclude data from unoccupied zones in block and building totals and averages
• Option when normalising output by floor area to use 'Total floor area' or 'Occupied floor area' as the denominator
• Option to transfer blocks from one building to another
• Heating and cooling supply air conditions can now be entered when using simple HVAC
• Fuel totals now agree with Fuel breakdown data (bug fix)
• Fuel data display improved allowing multiple fuels for heat generators and chillers
• Detailed Cooling design sizing options using Compact HVAC finished and documented
• Bug fix for snap points not always available at surface level
• Bug fixes for 3-D DXF output
• Operative temperature distribution output now shows (0.5.MAT+0.5.MRT) even when Air temperature control used
• Option to copy Grid and Summary Heating and Cooling Design results to clipboard for pasting into a spreadsheet
• DesignBuilder now checks that a DOE version of EnergyPlus is selected before exporting IDF data and if not provides the opportunity to select the appropriate version
• New 'Plenum' zone type - plenum zones must have this set to be used as plenums in Compact HVAC simulations
• Using measure tool now does not delete results (bug fix)
• Trombe wall example model supplied
• Compact HVAC layout schematic diagrams in program help 

• Improvements and bug fix for Cooling design summary data
• New output - Heat recovery sensible and latent heating and cooling
• Bug fix for Heat recovery where minimum outside air was incorrectly calculated in previous version

• UK Part-L2 compliance checking and certification using SBEM - Early beta
• Cooling design calculations provide latent loads and airflow with user-specified supply air conditions
• Improved Cooling design summary sheet - more data dislayed and only for current building
• Option to use Compact HVAC for sizing HVAC in Cooling design calculations (Unitary DX, VAV or Fan coil units)
• System coil energy displayed on separate axis and the other Heat gain data now have own 'Heat balance' axis.
• Display total outside air change rate at the zone level from the air distribution system, infiltration and natural ventilation for all model options
• Explicit support for Compact HVAC Constant volume systems
• Explicit support for 100% fresh air in Compact HVAC
• Economisers now operate correctly (bug fix)
• Fan pressure default template values improved leading to more accurate fan energy consumption prediction
• HVAC Template dialog tidied up
• Option to switch on/off monthly and annual output generation
• Floor and ceiling voids in 'Separate' construction mode correctly accounted for in HVAC airflow rate calculations (bug fix)
• Convert outline block dialog allows Block wall thickness to be set
• Warning for use of Australian RMY hourly weather data

• Spanish language option - beta test
• Return-air luminaires, 'return air fraction' relabelled (bug fix)
• 'Internal gains operate with occupancy' model option action was reversed in previous beta release ('off' was modelled as 'on') (bug fix)
• Temperature distribution bug fix for radiant and operative temperature options
• Changes to the Glazing dialog:
• Calculated data is fixed
• Calculated data is updated automatically when required
• Glazing calculation when dsb file not loaded work again
• Bug fix for CSV report for European settings
• Sill heights are now measured from the zone surface base line (bug fix)

• Supply and return plenums in Compact HVAC
• 7/12 schedules now support setback temperature setpoints using same rules as Compact schedules. In previous versions,  when using 7/12 schedules and profiles to generate E+ temperature point schedules, profile value 0 was interpreted in simulations as 'use setback'. Now 0 means 'off', 0.5 means 'setback' and 1 means 'use main setpoint temperatures'
• Changes to component block shading mechanism:
• Solar transmission is now defined for the whole block (not for individual block surfaces)
• New maximum transmission factor simplifies definition  
• 'Flat' component blocks use only a single EnergyPlus shading surface speeding simulations
• Option to include custom IDF data in simulation files
• Save and read EnergyPlus ESO output files
• Improvements to lighting definition provides an indication of the lighting convective fraction and clearer  error display
• Definition for Compact HVAC autosizing 'Sizing factor'
• Zone/sys sensible cooling data, missing from 1.3.4.016 restored
• Bug in Heating and Cooling design results display fixed
• Bug fixes in geometry engine

• Faster more reliable simulations of large models:
• EnergyPlus report variable generation streamlined to meet data requirements - bug in 1.3.4.011 implementation fixed. Previous versions were generating unnecessary report variables which slowed simulation initialisation and wasted memory
• Bug fixed allowing DB to read very large EnergyPlus eso output files
• Prompt for keeping components and templates from previous versions

• 2 new component block types: Ground and Adiabatic component blocks generate ground/adiabatic adjacencies for building surfaces in contact with them. New component block types simplify modelling of basements, semi-buried structures and other buildings.
• Heat recovery now works when no economizer is selected. HR documentation improved
• Removed 'Min fresh air flow rate' data for clarity - DB autosizes this now
• New HVAC templates and some changes to existing templates

• Bug fix for French language version

1.3.4.004

• Bug fix for auto-zoning option
• Bug fix for 3-D DXF export
• Graphics engine bug fix

1.3.4.003

• New option to switch off automatic zoning to speed drawing partitions in large/complex blocks
• Bug fixes for exising option to switch off automatic refresh of Navigator lists
• Toolbars and menu are now fixed in position
• Graphics engine bug fix for enclosed zone identification

• VAV terminal units: parallel and series PIU
• 4-Pipe fan coil units with outside air mixing
• Night cycle control
• Fan part-load power coefficients including options for variable speed fan and ASHRAE 90.1 Appendix G fan
• AHU fan placement options: draw through, blow through
• Options for setpoint temperature reset for AHU heating and cooling coils in VAV systems
• General improvements to Compact VAV data display clarify meaning of data
• Maximum number of 'shadow overlaps' can be set
• Bugs in recent 1.3 betas with temperature distribution and ASHRAE 55 comfort reports fixed
• New data filters give more control over data displayed in lists
• Graphs have legend options and separate out legends for each axis
• Lists sorted alphabetically

• Miscellaneous bug fixes

• Natural ventilation operation through interior openings adjusted and documented
• Thermal mass construction can be specified in Construction templates
• Snow modifier range extended
• Many minor bug fixes and improvements

• New hourly weather data including 60 new locations for Austrailia
• Upper limit on construction layers increased to 10
• CSV report bug fix
• Lighting with air-extraction luminaires
• Miscellaneous, process and catering gains have fuel and fraction lost data
• All gains have radiant fraction data
• Lighting energy, general and task/display lighting gains, door heat conduction data displayed
• Natural ventilation crack library updated to reduce sizes of cracks between windows and surrounding surface
• Window and vent cracks between opening and surrounding surface included when Natural ventilation is switched off
• Heat transfer through holes and vents displayed correctly

• Uses EnergyPlus v 2.0.0
• 'Combined' constructions option simplifies definiton of floors, slabs, ceilings etc.
• SBEM UK Part-L Compliance Checking pre-BETA
• Data panel automatically displays relevant component and template lists and data is more visible.
• Report of walls, roof, floor, glazing areas and construction details with optional ISO 13790 thermal properties in CSV format
• Option for simplified modelling of semi-exterior unoccupied zones
• Improvements to daylight control, working plane height can be defined, glare control
• Displays solar gain and conduction heat transfer through interior windows
• Lighting data expanded
• Allows non-rectangular sub-surfaces, doors and holes (as well as windows and vents).
• Auxiliary energy included in fuel consumption totals (bug bix)
• Other minor bug fixes

• Improved representation of edges in 3-D DXF output
• Minor bug fixes in graphics engine

• Templates and custom hourly weather data now stored with the dsb file making DesignBuilder files completely portable
• Export 3-D DXF data to SketchUp and other CAD applications for further modelling and visualisation  
• Template and component data is checked for missing references before DDF export and any missing data selections are automatically included
• Data to be imported from DDF files is listed before the import
• Measure tool allows distances, angles and areas to be measured
• Option to highlight model data that is different from data in template

• Fix for crash when load HVAC templates
• Selecting template at top of model data starts 'Load data from template' dialog
• Sub-surface allowed in ground and external floors
• Sub-surfaces adjacent to ground now has ground contruction added when site level option set

• Loading user templates which reference user components causes the user components to be loaded to the model
• More robust algorithm for zoning of blocks
• Lumped gains model option:
• Shows Activity tab (bug fix)
• When 'Output for occupied periods only' is requested, program now uses Lumped gains schedule
• Improvement in drawing with arcs (bug fix)
• Various bug fixes in 'Hourly weather data' translation tools
• Window blinds no longer generated for Heating design calcs
• Windows, doors, vents and sub-surfaces in internal floors now correctly shown in Visualisations
• Various other minor bug fixes

• 'Weather data translator unable to access EPlusWth.dll' bug fix

• Latest EnergyPlus version 1.4 is the default calculation engine
• Optimised window IDF generation speeds up  simulations in models with lots of similar windows (use 'Lump similar windows on surface' Advanced model option)
• Copy, move, delete facade data at building level
• Option for operative temperature control
• Components and template data sets can be exported and imported allowing data to be transfered between libraries and models and and also with other users
• Import library components to model
• Component and template data now listed for 'Local + General' regions only by default
• System components and templates are locked individually rather than by folder allowing locked library data to be copied and edited
• Prevent edit templates when file is open
• Faster reading of EnergyPlus output
• UK National Calculation Methodology activitiy templates and schedules
• ASHRAE constructions and materials
• ASHRAE schedules and activities
• Option to define schedules using E+ Compact schedules for rapid definition
• Offset snap for drawing partitions and voids parallel to, and at a fixed distance from, existing perimeters and partitions
• Option for virtual partitions
• Calculated natural ventilation ACH data can be displayed
• Calculated natural ventilation internal airflow heat flux data can be displayed
• Walk-through visualisations integrated with orbit, zoom, pan controls.
• Mouse wheel allows quick zoom, orbit, pan operations
• Option to display zone names in model view at block level
• Option to exclude unoccupied periods from comfort and environmental conditions report data
• Calculation options dialogs improved
• DXF import supports cm, inches, feet and custom units (in addition to millimetres and metres)
• Metabolic rates are now components instead of templates - check file conversion report for recommended actions
• Elimination of unnecessary triangulation reduces number of surfaces and speeds up simulations
• ANSI/ASHRAE 140 2004 validation results now available from the Downloads -> Reports web page
• Externalised 99% of UI text for non-English language versions of DesignBuilder
• Domestic hot water modelled using hot water consumption per floor area data
• BLAST blinds database
• Improved custom opening retention when floating partitions drawn
• Minor improvement in accuracy of window area generation
• Local shading side fins can now extend top and bottom above and below window
• File import bug fix
• More help
• Heating setback works with 7/12 schedules (bug fix)
• Improved readability of 'Typical workday' IDF schedule output
• Option to use (or not use) daylight saving time
• Time zone dialog tidied up
• Can now key in a distance when using move/copy block commands
• Speed increase for creating display for blocks/slabs with lots of openings
• TMY hourly weather data files now correctly translated to EnergyPlus format
• Simple HVAC auxiliary data changed to kWh/m2/year
• Cooling setback temperature setpoint can be defined
• Compact HVAC Fan electricity fuel consumption now correctly accumulated in fuel totals
• When heating is switched off it now stays switched off even when internal temperatures are less than 0° (bug fix)
• Heat recovery in Compact HVAC
• AHU heating and cooling schedules can be defined with VAV and Unitary multizone Compact HVAC
• Maximum supply air flow, minimum outside air and min outside air schedules can be defined with Compact HVAC
• Missing electrochromic panes in system database now restored
• Support for new resellers
• Full support for operative temperature distribution output
• Improved detection of currently installed version of EnergyPlus
• English, Italian, Spanish and French languages supported
• Automatic language selection based on Windows Regional Settings
• DXF attachment height bug fix.
• DXF line colour fix.
• Press ENTER to terminate partition line streams.
• Construction lines are now entered individually, not as streams
• Ceilings and flat roofs removed from block level rendered view.
• Openings only displayed for current surface at surface level.
• All Sub-surfaces displayed in edit view.
• Opening move/copy/rotate dynamics bug fix.
• Dome creation bug fix.
• Snap to void perimeters in block below
• New pitched roof construction default for unoccupied spaces
• New shortcuts for view commands
• Improved usability with small screens - 800 x 600 works well
• Option to switch off heating/cooling if load = 0
• Component blocks can have time-varying transparency for modelling seasonal variation of tree shading etc.
• Window frame conductance now correctly passed to EnergyPlus excluding surface resistances (bug fix)
• Constructions display R-values and surface-surface U-values
• Monthly data correctly displayed when only part of the month is simulated
• Simulation results units now always display correctly (bug fix)
• Many other minor improvements and bug fixes

• Intermittent problem saving model components to library fixed
• Geometry engine bug fix for interblock partitions
• E+ 1.3 equipment gains displayed correctly
• Floor area and internal gains now calculated correctly in vertically stacked merged zones created by cutting holes in floors
• Suspended floors on ground floors now applied
• Default upper enthalpy limit for economiser now set to 50,000
• Bug fix for weather data translation when climate change or year fix option selected

• Correctly loads model components when custom library components defined
• Material roughness can now have settings other than "Rough"
• Internal floor construction is now applied correctly when different constructions are requested in upper and lower zones

• EnergyPlus version 1.3.0 supported
• Movie generation can be cancelled
• Codec can be selected when generating movies
• Improved help
• Bug fix for calculating reflections with pitched roof blocks.  
• Bug fix for sloped interblock partitions

• Improved window reveals, frames and dividers - near full implementation of EnergyPlus frames and dividers
• Bug fix for Compact HVAC Unitary single zone cooling schedules
• Unitary multizone systems without  thermostatic control zone are now flagged
• Air Distribution header on HVAC model data now called Mechanical Ventilation
• New mechanical ventilation setpoint temperature for Simple HVAC
• Default mechanical and natural ventilation setpoint temperatures changed from 22 to 26°C

• File corruption bug which existed only in version 1.1.0.011 fixed
• External floor heat flow reported separately
• Component and template library backup/restore bugs fixed 
• Supports Carli, Inc license codes

• Radiant heating systems generate correct boiler energy consumption (bug fix)
• Evaluation mechanism now working correctly (bug fix)
• Site solar radiation intensity now reported correctly when in IP units (bug fix)

• Improved view and navigation controls for rendered view allow any camera position and angle
• Compact HVAC systems can have different schedules for central air handling unit heating/cooling coils and zone control
• Improved documentation of Compact HVAC
• Can now specify thermostatic control zone in Compact unitary multizone systems
• Nearly 300 new hourly weather files for Asia and Africa
• Hourly weather files now named using conventional: Country_Location_Source
• Categorisation of US locations by state
• Can now specify natural ventilation as flow/person for outside air requirement like mechanical ventilation
• When keying in distance in IP units units now shown as 'ft' (bug fix)
• Improved generation of glazing areas in facades of other buildings when 'include all buildings' solar option set
• Snow modifiers for ground reflections
• Option for preview of EnergyPlus version 1.3 with improved calculated natural ventilation using AIRNET
• Templates take on the location requested (bug fix)
• CSV output uses Windows system list separator (so works with Continental European settings)

• Radiant heaters with operative temperature control allow radiant heating systems to be modelled including:  
• Underfloor heating systems 
• Hot water radiators  
• High-temperature radiant
• Improvements to compact HVAC including breakdown of heating energy into preheat, reheat and main heating
• Different ground temperature defaults
• New natural ventilation options with opening modulation based on outside air temperature
• Option to exclude wind pressure from COMIS natural ventilation simulations for more conservative design calcs
• Option to exclude infiltration (cracks) from COMIS natural ventilation calculations to speed up simulations
• Optional output data allow reduced data sets to be generated
• New comfort data :
• ASHRAE 55, Fanger, Pierce and Kansas State University comfort model output
• Temperature distribution in each zone for predicting hours over/under various temperature thresholds
• Humidity output
Glazed cavity and sealed/naturally ventilated Trombe walls now modelled

Surface convection coefficient algorithms can be defined at building, block, zone or surface level

Hourly weather data statistics now automatically loaded on selecting an hourly weather file

• Blocks with voids now generate correct floors and ceilings
• Triangulation error bug fixed
• Improved documentation
• Improved examples
• Textures scaling bug fixed
• Bug with component blocks fixed
• Output display bug fixed when IP units are selected
• Some new textures
• Many minor improvements

• Component blocks for modelling architectural features
• Vents and holes can now have any shape
• Holes now transmit solar radiation
• Improved rendering of holes in floors
• IP units kWh -> Btu  units conversion fixed and Unit conversion factors now documented
• Prevent a crash when attempting to add custom textures (custom textures are a Version 2 feature)
• Improved modelling of adiabatic and ground adjacency conditions
• Walls adjacent to ground are now modelled with the wall construction and site ground construction added on the external face (instead of using ground floor construction)
• Better help and Getting Started tutorials
• Bugs with Outline blocks fixed
• Faster IDF generation for HVAC equipment
• Site data for locations in the Southern Hemisphere now correctly reported
• Wind speed and direction reported for Heating Design calculations
• New unoccupied Roofspaces now have leaky uninsulated roof construction by default
• COMIS simulations when zones have been merged now work
• Autosizing options now all work correctly
• Compact HVAC Unitary systems now work correctly when Air distribution is switched off
• Various minor bug fixes.

First announced official release

• On-line help
• Allows up to 400 zones with Compact HVAC
• Mechanical ventilation now included in Heating Design calculations  
• Speeded calculation of snap point and plane identification
• Holes in 'Scheduled' natural ventilation simulations should now generate Mixing objects in EnergyPlus IDF data
• Selection by rectangle improved
• Bug with converting outline blocks fixed
• x, y readout on statusbar now correct

• Online documentation
• Minor fixes

Beta test release 23

• Fixed bug where user model components were lost when dsb file copied to a different computer
• Updates user components and templates with new regions
• 'Import building' now includes model data
• Uses EnergyPlus DLL Version 1.2.3.031
• Many minor changes

Beta test release 22

• External applications now launched in correct folder allowing Compact HVAC to work reliably
• Latest ASHRAE worldwide design weather data and locations (4429 data sets)
• Latest EnergyPlus hourly weather data (975 files)
• Includes all countries in lists
• Adiabatic and ground surfaces indicated at zone and surface level
• Search and replace for component model data
• DXF snap improved
• Uses EnergyPlus DLL Version 1.2.3.029 with bug fix for adiabatic surfaces with openings

Beta test release 21

• Improved diagnostics with function to send data to support desk
• Adjustment to way external applications are launched
• Example files fixed
• Other minor fixes

Beta test release 20

• Fixes bug occuring when no HVAC system defined when using Compact HVAC
• Additional geometric checks to prevent block intersections and other invalid configurations
• Ground floors handled more robustly with a new mechanism to allow surfaces to allow the program to decide whether a surface is adjacent to ground
• Prevents all openings apart from sub-surfaces from being placed on ground surfaces
• Some speed improvements
• Learning mode is on by default
• Improvements to Learning mode

Beta test release 19

• Fixed bug which caused a crash when attempting COMIS simulations when ',' is the decimal separator.

Beta test release 18

• Minor fixes and improvements in:
  • IDF data generation
  • Snaps, especially z-axis snaps
  • Setup procedure

Beta test release 17

• Stability improvments for complex models related to treatment of block connection elements
• Improved handling of EnergyPlus simulation engine
• Uses EnergyPlus DLL Version 1.2.3.026 with bug fix for task lighting
• 'Single zone with shading' Scope model option now works
• Single zone models with openings in partitions now work
• Semi-exposed wall constructions
• Miscellaneous bug fixes

Beta test release 16

• EnergyPlus Executable option supplied with install
• Improved error log diagnostics
• COMIS cracks can be 'switched off' at building, block, zone or surface levels
• Miscellaneous bug fixes

Beta test release 15

• EnergyPlus closes correctly

Beta test release 14

• Drawing in IP units now possible
• Improvements and bug fixes in graphics engine
• Bugs fixed in preparing EnergyPlus IDF data
• Natural ventilation for heating and cooling design is now 'Scheduled' even when 'Calculated' option set.
• Progress window improved

Beta test release 13

• Many improvements and bug fixes in graphics engine
• Pressure coefficient data supplied to EnergyPlus correctly
• Ground surface is indicated in green in navigator
• Summer design summary data correctly updated and displayed
• Holidays are now components
• Louvres now extend to edges of window
• Update glazing U-value now works
• User-defined temperature gradients
• Modelled data options all displayed in single dialog
• Natural ventilation bugs fixed
• Airflow openings now allowed in horizontal surfaces
• New licensing system
• EnergyPlus simulations more reliable
• DXF data import works more reliably
• DXF data can be moved
• Optimisations in EnergyPlus IDF data
• Some progress with reporting
• Many minor fixes and improvements

Beta test release 12

• Option to use IP units
• EnergyPlus compact HVAC systems
• Blocks can be drawn in any plane and stretched normal to the base.
• New cutting tool allows a block to be cut along any plane - resultant blocks can be individually deleted if required
• New 'drag face' tool allows blocks to be stretched by selecting and dragging faces
• Outline blocks allow complex geometries to be created rapidly
• Facade layout set directly in model data, defaults come from Facade templates, Facade components are now obsolete
• Dome blocks
• Openings (windows, doors, holes etc) allowed in all surfaces
• Option to merge zones by activity and/or when connected by large holes
• Asset Rating calculations for EPBD Certification using prEN 15217
• CO2 emission factors for each fuel can be defined by region
• Solar shading and reflection from other buildings accounted for
• Day of week now correctly displayed on graphs
• Simulation output X-axis annotations for DST and dates
• Option to lock simulation output Y-axis and scale it manually if required
• 'Glazing heat gain' now reported as a single value (instead of seperate gains & losses)
• Additional shading types: 'Electrochromic glazing' and 'Transparent insulation' now treated
• Regional variations allowed in Activity templates, Lighting template, Sectors, Holidays, Schedules, Constructions, Construction template data tables
• New Holiday schedule mechanism allows regional variation
• Lighting template data populated with generic system types and typical W/m2/100 lux data introduced
• HVAC model data re-organised and simplified.
• Different zones can have different HVAC operating schedules.
• HVAC templates populated with generic system types
• New hourly weather data - 794 datasets available for download, including lots of new data from Italy, Spain and China.
• Print option
• Option to simulate using DOE version of EnergyPlus
• Export data to file, clipboard or report topic
• Report generation (initial implementation)
• Right click provides relevant commands in Navigator and Model Data windows
• Load and clear model data operations can be applied to individual model data items
• New 'Reload template' command
• More model data can be edited by typing numeric values (instead of selecting from drop-down lists)
• Typing in model data text boxes is more responsive and numeric data is checked
• Component and template libraries can be backed up and restored (including any custom data)
• System component and template libraries are automatically backed up following installation
• Data map - new mode displays only non-default data
• Rendition of roofs is simplified, allowing gable windowsto be defined and other blocks to be placed alongside
• Building model data options dialog simplified and reorganised
• Improved snaps & drawing guides
• File version translator generates a report

Beta test release 11

• Bug with autosave fixed + default autosave interval increased to 15 minutes
• 'Lump by activity' option now works
• Heating sizing simulations work when 'early' HVAC data detail mode selected
• Accounts for ground reflectance in EnergyPlus simulation
• Diffuse thermal and visible reflection from local shading devices is now accounted for
• Default data folder changed from 'My Designs' to 'My DesignBuilder Data' and is now user definable from program options
• Model Data is now shown by default at block level
• Single zone building models now work
• Graphics at building level are now faster
• Geometry tab now visible with 'Lumped' gains data option at block level
• Day of week now correctly displayed in simulation data when interval is 'every timestep'
• Site data now correctly displayed when interval is 'every timestep'
• Option to display daylight saving time on simulation results screen
• System constructions and glazing updated when the energy code is changed at site level
• Model status kept up-to-date and results always deleted when a model component is edited
• 'Pitched Roof' and 'sloping wall' blocks can be changed to vertical 'wall' blocks
• Switching to edit screen following a navigation change in another screen synchronises model graphic view with data

Beta test release 10

• Orbit command in Edit screen now provides a rotation about the centre of the current view (rather than the centre of the current object)
• Full scene software antialiasing now gives really crisp edges to the model in visualisation view (fast graphics card required)
• Roof textures now always correct (bug fixed where textures could get lost when a block height is changed elsewhere in the model)
• Visualisation controls tidied up
• Cleaner image when shadows switched on in visualisation screen
• Version numbers now include a build number
• Only one instance of DesignBuilder is now allowed
• Adiabatic internal surfaces now allowed
• Edit surface name capability now removed to avoid problems with copied blocks

Beta test release 9

• Significant speed improvements in modeller, especially file saving and loading, achieved by simplifying the Edit view and optimising facade generation
• New 'drawing guides' easier to use than the previous system
• Improved snaps and locks, with options to activate/deactivate individual snaps/locks
• Uses EnergyPlus 1.2.1.022 by default, fixing a serious bug in COMIS simulations in version 1.2.1.12.
• Smoother dynamics (zoom/orbit)
• Can now edit surface names
• Can now switch off frames
• Window areas now generated accurately
• Window frame constructions defined directly in model data and fed default data by glazing templates
• Wall surface vertices now always correctly ordered in EnergyPlus simulation data.
• Crash when changing site exposure fixed
• Bugs with undo/redo fixed
• Crash at startup on some Windows 2000 machines fixed
• Crash preceding EnergyPlus simulations on some Windows 2000 machines fixed
• Displays correct window frame textures
• Vents correctly positioned when doors included in automatically generated facades
• Correct data now displayed in Data tab on opening page and in Learning mode
• Measure tool now available at zone and surface level
• Now works correctly for models in the southern hemisphere
• Roofspace insulation now correctly inserted
• Remembers dialogue help window maximised/minimised status
• Troubleshooting wizard improvements, including e-mail notification that data has been uploaded

Beta test release 8

• Opaque sub-surfaces
• New drawing methods: 'rectangular' and 'circular' for rapid drawing of common block and opening shapes
• Heating and cooling system size limits now automatically calculated when necessary in 'Early' HVAC data detail mode
• Stability and speed improvements
• Bug fixed in weather data 'install on demand' + option to use HTTP or FTP
• Option to use interim release of EnergyPlus version 1.2.2 (using 'install on demand')
• More snaps and inference lines at surface level
• More material definitions in database including data from ISO 10456  and 6946
• Diagnostic mode writes key information to a log file

Beta test release 7

• Inference/dimension line provided on all clone/move operations
• Clone and move supported for surface openings (windows, doors etc.)

Beta test release 6

• Based on EnergyPlus version 1.2.1 hence faster simulations because:
  • Surfaces with more than 4 sides are modelled without triangulation
  • Faster solar initialisation
  • Faster COMIS solution
• External and internal surface editing - user definable windows, doors, vents and holes
• Sloping walls
• Undo/redo for geometric operations
• More robust COMIS simulations
• Starts by default with 'Learning mode' switched off
• Improved stability
• Many minor changes
• No support for Windows 98 and ME

Beta test release 5

• New graphics engine implementing blocks of different heights
• New user interface
• Based on EnergyPlus version 1.2.0.
• COMIS multi-zone natural ventilation simulations
• Standard constructions customised to local energy code requirements
• Internal windows, doors and vents
• Software graphics option to allow DesignBuilder to work with non-OpenGL compatible graphics cards
• Troubleshooting wizard
• Internal gains output broken down by 'End-use'
• CO2 emissions calculated
• Material surface properties bug fix

Beta test release 4

• Based on EnergyPlus version 1.1.1
• Bugs on systems using ',' as decimal separator fixed
• Black bar no longer displayed at bottom of screen for graphics cards without OpenGL acceleration
• Site orientation can now be entered
• Appropriate data now shown at surface level
• Surfaces can be set to be in contact with ground
• Auto backup switches off during simulation
• Zones spanning multiple stories now stable
• Daylighting bugs fixed

• Internationally aware
• Edit HVAC plant in single zone models
• Adiabatic surfaces
• Many bug-fixes

• Corrected bug which caused crash on WinNT and 98 on start up

• EnergyPlus thermal simulation link
• 3TC thermal simulation link
• 3D rendered visualization using OpenGL
• Load bulk data from templates
• Customise data detail
• Zones spanning multiple stories
• Design and hourly weather data
• EnergyPlus daylight modelling
• EnergyPlus COMIS link for natural ventilation modelling
• Heating and cooling load simulation
• Graphic results display
• Simulations using hourly weather data
• Summer and winter design day simulations
• Parametric simulations
• Weather data conversion and analysis