A Text-based Interface for Energy Modeling

University of Nottingham Ningbo China

Architectural Engineering Design 1

Computing Part

Python Milestone 2: A Text-based Interface for Energy Modeling In this part of coursework, you will be asked to develop a few more python functions and atext-based user interface that are able to perform simple building energysimulations based onEnergyPlus.

Learning outcomes - Test and practice the knowledge of iterations and data structures in Python- Test and practice the knowledge of I/O and modification of text-based files- Test and practicethe knowledge of simple data analysis on building performance

Submission

Due: 21 Nov 2024, 16:00 PMSubmission format: submit a python script file(s) (.py file) and a word file on Moodle

Text-based Interface of Energy Modeling

Building energy modeling is an important tool to help engineers predict and analyze buildingenergy consumption under various design and operation conditions. You can get the energydemand of a building even before you actually build it, and you can get to know the effects ofsome key thermal parameters on the final energy performance of your design. While most building energy modeling software has a nice graphical user interface (GUI), itisbeyond your ability at this stage of the module. Therefore, this project will just ask you todevelop a simple text-based user interface to perform energy modeling based on a popularengine named EnergyPlus.

Requirements

1. In this coursework, you are given a model file (1ZoneIdealSys.idf) and a given weather fileshanghai_2017.epw. You need create a software with text-based interface by using Pythonargparse feature to realize the following features:◼ When user gives a starting U-value, an ending U-value (inclusive), a step interval (e.g., 0.2, 3.0, 0.2 respectively), your software should be able to 代写 A Text-based Interface for Energy Modeling  output a singlebarchart file (a .PNG image file) to visualize annual total heating energy consumptionand annual total cooling energy consumption at different U-values (i.e., 0.2, 0.4,0.6,0.8, …,3.0). In this bar chart, the x-axis is U-value, and the y-axis is annual totalheating/cooling energy consumption. You should use different colors trepresentheating and cooling energy consumption bars.

2. Write a short paragraph (less than 300 words, in MS Word), comment on the effects of wallU-value on the heating and cooling energy consumption. You should use the bar chartgenerated by your software above. Explain the effects based on heat transfeprinciples (e.g.,PCM contents).Marking Rubrics

#RequirementsMarks1Interface: correct implementation of the textbased interface using Python argparse feature.text-based interface should have meaningfulargument names and argument explanations.102Runnable: your software must be runnablewithout error. You software must be able to10handle the wrong arguments given by users, e.g., U-value is smaller than the ending Uvalue3Correctness:your codehas correctimplementation of the requirements, and cangenerate the output image with correct results.40Chart presentation: The output bar chart shouldhave correct axis labels, legends, and correctcolor coding10Styles: Right programming styles (discussed in session 2)10Analysis: Clear and correct analysis on the effectsof U value on heating and cooling energy, with strong reference to the charts have been plotted; correct English usagewithout grammar errors; correct explanationbased on heat transfer principles.20