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Dimensions

Openings tab in model data under External Glazing and Internal Glazing headers

You can use the Window to wall %  (WWR) data and Window height, Window spacing and Sill height to easily change the amount of glazing and its layout on the walls. The way this data is used for each facade type is described below.

Facade types

There are a number of stanDimensionsdard facade types:

• None - there is no glazing.
• Continuous horizontal - glazing is generated in a continuous horizontal strip using Sill height, Window spacing and Percentage glazing.
• Fixed height - glazing is generated with a fixed height at the specified Sill height and Window spacing, and width is calculated based on the Percentage glazing. This option uses Window to wall % but prioritises window height.
• Preferred height - glazing is generated using the window height data and the Percentage glazing, but the Window height may be adjusted to achieve the required Window to wall %. This option uses Window height, Window spacing and Sill height but prioritises Window to wall %.
• Fixed width and height - windows have fixed width and height. This option uses Window to wall % but prioritises Window Width, Height, Spacing and Sill height.
• Fill surface (100%) - the entire surface is filled with glazing and there is no frame.

Window spacing

The window spacing is the centre to centre spacing between windows, not the gap between windows.

Sill height

This is the height of the base of the window from the base of the block.

Note 1: You can control the makeup of the building facades in greater detail by drawing individual windows at the surface level. In this case glazing, vent and door facade layout model data is ignored.

Note 2: Flat roofs do not have default glazing set up using Roof glazing layout model data. To create openings on a flat roof you should go to the surface level and add them there.

Note 3: Even with the 2 Facade type options that prioritise Window to wall % (Preferred height and Continuous horizontal), when the surface is non-rectangular, the Window to wall % will not be perfectly maintained. For these surfaces, DesignBuilder calculates a rectangle that can accept the windows and starts from one end of the rectangle adding windows using the Window spacing data until no more fit into the rectangle. This results in an approximately correct looking facade but only prioritises Window to wall % in the rectangle, not accounting for the areas outside the bounding rectangle. For relatively large values of Window spacing on non-rectangular surfaces, no glazing may be generated. For example you may find that gable window surfaces have no default windows generated and it is often easiest to draw a window in this case.