Merge Model from File

It is sometime necessary to accommodate changes made by the architect to a BIM model after significant work has already been done on the energy model on a previous iteration of the design. The Merge model from file command allows you to load all of the important settings from the DesignBuilder model you previously worked on into the latest geometry imported from BIM.

In the descriptions below the "old" model refers to the DesignBuilder model you previously worked on whose settings you wish to import, and the "new" model refers to the DesignBuilder model newly imported from the latest BIM model and needing settings to be imported from the old model.

A typical process is as follows:

1. Create a new DesignBuilder model from the updated BIM model by importing gbXML or through the Revit plugin.
2. In the new DesignBuilder model, use the Merge model from file command to merge the attributes and any components, templates and HVAC system from the previous "old" DesignBuilder model.
3. Check the merge has been completed as required. Note that any newly added blocks, zones, surfaces and openings in the updated model will not receive settings from the old model that was merged in.

When the Merge model from file command is selected a dialog is displayed allowing you to select the "old model" file to be merged into the "new model" with some options. When these settings are confirmed DesignBuilder makes the following changes to the new model:

• Blocks, zones and surfaces are matched between the old and the new geometry based on their geometry and position. Where an object is matched all hard set attributes (those shown in red in model data) are copied over from the old to the new model.
• All user-defined components and templates are copied from the old to the new model.
• If a Detailed HVAC system was defined in the old model then it is loaded to the new model (optional merge). It is important to check that HVAC zone groups contain the right HVAC zones after the merge has been completed.
• Any assemblies defined in the old model are merged into the new model (optional merge).
• Any component blocks defined in the old model are merged into the new model (optional merge).
• Openings such as windows, doors etc are merged based on a user-definable selection. The options are:
  
  
  • 1-Retain existing openings where the new openings are kept and the old ones are not copied over.
  • 2-Overwrite all existing openings where the old openings are copied to the new model replacing all new openings.
  • 3-Merge non-overlapping openings where the old openings are copied to the new model wherever possible without overlapping with the openings already in the new model.

Note: The old and new models referred to above must each only contain 1 building.

Tip: The Merge model from file system was specifically created to accommodate the needs of energy modellers working with BIM models that are often in a state of flux, however it can be used in any situation where data is to be merged from one model to another, especially when some degree of geometry matching is required.