These tutorials are not fully up to date but you should find them useful for information on basic functionality. DesignBuilder is more capable than the tutorials suggest, and you are advised to cross-reference the tutorial you view with the content in the Program Help. We are currently updating the tutorials but as you can imagine this is a significant project. In the meantime we highly recommend our new on-demand online training which is fully up to date and provides step by step guidance on the fundamentals of modelling in DesignBuilder. You can find more information on this training content here.

You will probably learn most effectively by "doing" rather than "watching" so do make sure to try out the techniques shown in the tutorials while they are fresh in your mind before moving on to the next tutorial.

1. Getting Started

The introduction tutorial provides an overview of how to create DesignBuilder models and run simulations.

• Introduction to DesignBuilder

2. Basic Geometry (1 - 8 to be completed before attendance on the SBEM 1 day course)

The Basic Geometry series of tutorials explain how to create and modify the blocks used to define building geometry in DesignBuilder.

1. Introduction to the DesignBuilder user interface
2. Creating a model - adding buildings and blocks, drawing guides and snaps
3. Adding, moving and cloning blocks, deleting objects, increment snap, check dimensions of existing objects
4. Rotate, stretch, drag face and construction line tools
5. Adding roofs basics: roof angle conventions, pitched and extruded roofs
6. Cut block, use of protractor tool and outline blocks
7. Zoning blocks by drawing partitions, zone types and zoning protocols 
8. Drawing holes, merging zones and creating an atrium
9. Adding shading and adjacency modification using component blocks
10. Drawing arcs, circular shapes and domes 
11. Importing 2-D floor plans from DXF and bitmaps to help draw blocks and partitions
12. How to create a room in roof
13. How to draw dormer windows 
14. How to model a smaller zone within a larger zone (e.g.an office in a warehouse)

Some DesignBuilder classroom training courses require that you have completed the above Basic Geometry video tutorials.
To let us know you've done this please fill in the Basic Geometry Tutorials Confirmation Form >>

3. Basic Model Data

The Basic Model Data tutorials show how to set up data on the Activity, Constructions, Openings, Lighting and HVAC model data tabs for EnergyPlus simulations.

• Overview of the model data tabs and of data inheritance 
• Starting a new project, adding a building and use of learning mode
• Activity data
• Constructions data  1 - templates, selecting constructions
• Constructions data  2 - adding new constructions, performance, applying to surfaces 
• Drawing windows, doors and sub-surfaces, editing openings at building level 
• Openings model data 
• Shading data
• Lighting and daylight control data
• HVAC data (heating, cooling, ventilation, Domestic Hot Water (DHW)
• Timing, schedules, profiles and holidays
• Hourly weather data

4. Heating Design, Cooling Design and Simulation

The Calculations tutorials explain how to set up DesignBuilder EnergyPlus simulations and analyse results.

• Heating design calculations for sizing heating systems
• Cooling design calculations for sizing cooling systems
• Setting up and running simulations
• Analysing simulation results
• Exporting data and compiling reports

5. Natural Ventilation

• Scheduled natural ventilation and infiltration
• Calculated natural ventilation

6. Daylighting

• Introduction to Daylighting

7. Detailed HVAC

• Introduction to Detailed HVAC
• Activity setpoints, Fresh air settings and HVAC Zone groups
• Adding zone equipment
• Introduction to HVAC loops
• Hot water plant loops, boilers
• Generic air loops, air handling units
• Refrigeration cycle
• Chilled water loops, Chillers and Fan Coil Units
• Condenser loop, Cooling towers
• Heated floors

8. CFD

• Introduction to CFD and External CFD analysis

Click here to complete a brief survey to help us to improve future tutorials

Other Video Learning Resources

• Demo of DesignBuilder Simulation capabilities
• DesignBuilder v4 SBEM Update tutorial
• DesignBuilder Webinars
• DesignBuilder on-demand online training content.
• You can find all of these tutorials and our other videos on the DesignBuilder YouTube channel.