Schedules

Schedules are used in DesignBuilder to define:

• Occupancy times
• Equipment, lighting HVAC operation
• Heating and Cooling temperature setpoints
• Transparency of component blocks (usually seasonal)

Apart from their use for defining Transparency of component blocks, Schedules are only used in simulations when the Timing model option is set to 'Schedules'

You can define schedules in one of 2 ways:

• 7/12 Schedules - where each day of the week and each month of the year has a unique daily variation defined using profiles.
• Compact Schedules - more flexible definition using EnergyPlus Schedule:Compact text-based data format.
• Day schedules - special type of schedule defining the profile for a single day. Used for defining Cooling design day range multipliers.

Use the Schedule type drop list on the Schedules dialog to make the selection.

Click here for information on temperature setpoint schedule definition.

Tip: You can visualise all schedules used in the model by adding the following line to your IDF:

Output:Variable, *, Schedule Value, Hourly;

Then after a simulation has been run you can use the Results Viewer to view the schedule values output by EnergyPlus.

Extra IDF can be added using one of two methods: EMS scripting or the Include IDF data option.

Schedule data can be accessed:

• from the Components tab on the opening screen (to view/edit library components if no file is open),
• from the Components tab in the Navigator panel (to view/edit model components if a file is open),
• by double-clicking on the schedules icon in the model data,
• by clicking on the Edit button when selecting schedules from a list.

See also the Timings, schedules and profiles and Compact schedules tutorials