1.1.1 Set an envimet model
The first operation to do is the model settings. You have to declare where envimet must save the files, what material database to use and how the "white board" must be.
You can think of the envimet grid like a white board where to place the entities.
The workspace is the folder that envimet software uses for write/reading different file format, from INX to EDT. User must be declared where envimet have to save them. Every component has a nice inner description that users can check to understand better how it works. I report here only the main info.
The hierarchy is Workspace > Project > Model. You can have a single project with multiple models. This is also the reason why using Grasshopper and Morpho you can generate automatically tons of scenario with the same project for example to create a dataset of models.
- workspace_folder: The main folder where to save projects
- project_name: Name of the project to work with
- model_name: Name of the model or scenario related to a project
- userDB: By default Morpho uses project DB but you can decide to switch to user DB by setting the input to True
-
envimetFolder: If you have installed envimet in a different PC unit (e.g.
D:) you must point Morpho to the envimet software because by default it usesMAIN_USER_UNIT/ENVImetAAA
Envimet must know where your model is. The location can be defined by latitude, longitude, name. You can use any tool to get this generic info.
The main input that are crucial for envimet are:
- latitude: latitude of your location in decimals
- longitude: longitude of your location in decimals
- longitude_reference: It is an important numeric value to apply the right time zone. E.g. Italy has 15.00. Use Google to get the right value for your location. By default it applies 15.0 to every model.
The grid is the "white board" where to place envimet entities. You should spend some time understanding how your domain should be in terms of dimension and type.
An envimet grid is defined by the repetition of a unit in X, Y and Z and it is called "cell". A cell has a dimension and the only unit of measure accepted is the meter. For example if you are in a small architectural context you can set the cell size to 2.0 meter. You can decide if to use the same size for the cell in X, Y, Z. It is preferable to have regular cells, especially where the area of interest is.
There are three types of grid in envimet:
- equidistant grid: the cell is repeated on X, Y, Z regularly without dimension change except the first level where the cells are splitted in 5 parts vertically. This is useful for the thermal comfort study
- telescope grid: the dimension in Z is not constant. There is a percentage increment of the size that becomes bigger and bigger close to the top of the domain. This is useful if you have tall buildings and you do not want to overload the model with many cells on Z.
- combined grid: it is the combination of the equidistant grid ability to split the lowest level of the cells with the ability of the telescopic grid to cover huge vertical space. Basically it is a telescopic grid with the first level of cells splitted in 5 parts vertically. It is useful if you are interested in comfort or pollution study at human high but you have tall buildings in the context
Morpho grid is made by two parts: grid size and grid. The grid size defines the dimension of the cell and the number of cells to use.
Everything starts from a base point that represents the low right corner of the domain and it is a point of Rhino. You can define in an accurate way how the domain is.
The decompose grid component lets you visualize the grid point on 3 directions: X, Y, Z. In this way you get an idea of the level of discretization that envimet will apply.
If you connect a couple of native components of grasshopper like the "boundary box" you can display the domain in wireframe mode.
If you need a telescopic grid or a combined one. You can input the require decimal number and bool value to get it.
