Multifamily Release History Archive

The following is the history of changes and updates to the HES Multifamily API. We do not release new versions of the HES system, but rather make continual bug fixes and improvements which are pushed out to our production environment on a regular basis. Known issues that have not yet been addressed are documented on the Multifamily Known Issues page.


Date Issue Description
2013/11/18        Bug Fixes: 5046 5047 5048 5050
 Update to WSDL: 5049
2013/03/12 4641  Updates to lookup tables:
1. lu_shelter_class: Changed values of open->shielding_coef and very_heavy->terrain_par2
2. lu_source_factor_by_region: Added table
3. lu_opaque_assembly_code: Updated missing ewps constructions
4. lu_building_shape, lu_space_type, lu_occupancy_type, lu_zone_orientation, lu_roof_type, lu_foundation_type, lu_hvac_equipment_category, lu_hvac_equipment_type, lu_hvac_property_type, lu_hvac_distribution_location, lu_water_heater_category, lu_water_heater_type, lu_water_heater_property_type, lu_lighting_method, lu_opaque_assembly_code: Added mf_xsd, sf_xsd, and st_xsd fields.
5. lu_assessment_type: Updated contents.
6. lu_hvac_equipment_type: Added dec, iec, idec, and gchp
7. lu_attached_shade_type: Changed 'awninng' to 'awning'
2013/03/11 4647 Reduced opaque_construction_layer.resistance minimum value in MF XSD to 0.01
  4590 Set building object dates (create, calculate and modify) so that they are updated on the most recent relevant submit action.
2013/03/11 4605 Added BDL logging parameters to building.log_type.
  4648 Infrastructure: Instituted Query Builder and made it the default over Data Mapper.
2013/02/06 4636 Increased the maximum value for opaque_construction_layer.resistance to 1000.
2013/01/24 4619 Resolved issue in which unit water heater efficiency had been set incorrectly if performance = user
2013/01/14 4607 Increased range of zone.floor_area to have maximum value of 100,000 sqft.
  4606 Modified input submit to allow buildings to be modeled with neither heating or cooling system.
2013/01/10 4545 Created a prototype submit method that sets all or some of the attributes of the object.
2013/01/07 4603 Updated to allow for zones that have only a heating or only a cooling system; only one instance of hvac_equipment. Previously this would cause an error.
  4602 Resolved issue that prevented the hvac_property outdoor_air from passing its value correctly
  4601 Resolved issue correcting how value of have_aux_capacity is set from aux_capacity parameter in submit: hvac_aux_cap needs to be set to the negative of the aux_capacity property value.
  4600 Made update so that if a zone_window.shading_schedule is not submitted window_shade_eff defaults to 1. Was previously zero.
  4599 Resolved issue in which if hvac_equipment.type was set to forced_air_furnace and fuel_primary is set to electric, UNITHeatSource was set to FURNACE, now correctly set to ELECTRIC.
  4587 Implemented logging of intermediate values as described in lu_intermediate_vars to database
  4567 Update to clear the results tables before storing new results.
01/04/2013 3047 Updated to include 3scale key in submit as parameter to the building object
2012/12/21 4575 Resolved issue in which space.infiltration was incorrectly rounded to integer, and if a fractional value is submitted the rounded value had been stored.
  4560 Resolved issue in which the DHW calc_energy() and calc_hot_water_use() method calculations did not match the engineering specification.
  4591 Updated ranges in the MF XSD:
1. Increase max of dhw_water_heater.multiplier to 1000.
2. Increase max of space.infiltration_rate to 30.
3. Change range of space.floor_to_ceiling_height to 0-100.
  4576 Adjusted code to handle 0 instances of space_occupancy
  4546 New Feature: Created calculate() method, run calculation on already submitted building.
  4574 Added cases for all the other day_types (5-12) in lu_day_type: sun, mon, tue, wed, thu, fri, sat, all in num_days_per_period()
  4535 Updated code Integrating the lighting methods into the building_configuration hierarchy and the lighting inputs/objects into Building/building_base retrieve_inputs() method.
2012/12/14 4558 Modified aggregate_results methods to just return and store monthly values.
2012/12/14 4534 Added ability to log submit calls.
  3121 Implemented new Lighting Engineering Calculation methods.
  4564 Resolved issue in which building_configuration_id was not set correctly in all input tables.
2012/12/03 4566 Updated code to use the new lu_building_end_use table
  4569 Made domestic_hot_water object optional and added new options (ACEIL1-4) for opaque construction.
  4557 Resolved issue in which UNIT Heating and cooling capacities were not set correctly.
< > 4568 Resolved issue in generation schedule files to eliminate duplicates.
2012/11/26 4553 Made several changes to the MF XSD:
1. Removed space->domestic_hot_water object
    (building_configuration->domestic_hot_water is retained).
2. Changed the ranges for the following elements:
  zone_wall.width 0-2000
  zone_window.width 0-1000
  zone_window.height 0-40
  zone_window.multiplier 0-99
  zone_door.width 0-1000
  zone_door.height 0-40
  zone_door.multiplier 0-99
3. Changed the allowed options for the following elements:
  dhw_water_heater.performance: shipment_weighted, user
  hvac_equipment.performance: shipment_weighted, user
  hvac_equipment.type: packaged_dx, split_dx, heat_pump, forced_air_furnace, baseboard
  space_occupancy.type: day, night, years_0_5, years_6_13, years_14_64, years_65_plus
4529 Misc changes to the MF XSD:
1. Change number of domestic_hot_water instances from 0..1 to 0..N.
2. Change number of dhw_distribution instances from 1..N to 1.
3. Add "low_flow" option to water_fixture.performance
4. Add "unit" option to dhw_water_heater.category.
5. Add "thermal_efficiency" and "standby_loss" options to dhw_water_heater_property.type.
6. Make zone_floor.foundation not required.
7. Change building_geometry.height_above_grade max to 20
8. Make water_fixture.adult_at_home not required
  4554 Changes to XSD
1. Change number of domestic_hot_water instances to 1..N.
2. Change options for the following elements:
   opaque_construction.name (WALL1,WALL2,...WALL8, ROOF1,ROOF2,...ROOF8, FLR1,FLR2,...FLR8)
   glazing_construction.name (WIN1,WIN2,...WIN8)
3. Change validation (length 16, allowed chars: [a-z],[A-Z],[0-9],-,_) for the following elements:
   schedule.name
   lighting.schedule
   hvac_control.heat_schedule
   hvac_control.cool_schedule
4. Added if (isset()) blocks to code around any optional elements.
  4530 Resolved issue in which Window and Door widths were not being transferred to doe2 input.
  4536  DHW - Adjust calculations for water_fixture case MF occupancy values
  4547 New Feature: Created a submit_building() method.
  4563 Implemented several updates to lookup tables for single family .
  4552 Resolved issue in which custom schedules were created from the schedule object but had not been getting used correctly by the BDL.
  4548 Revised the DHW system central versus DHW system unit level switch logic in Dhw_water_heater_base.php.
  4525 DHW - Added monthly fuel use calculations to water heater calc_energy method.
  4526 DHW - Adjusted the central water heater case in  calc_energy() to use standby_loss.
  4527 DHW - Adjusted the central water heater case in  calc_energy() to use thermal efficiency.
  4524 DHW - Added multiplier to tank size within fixture_hot_water_use calculation and wh_unit case .
  4549 DHW - Revised code to use MF occupancy and hot water load calculations for unit level DHW systems .
2012/11/13 4517 Resolved issue in which the wrong weather station was being selected.
2012/11/09  4551 Resolved issue with ATTICROOF (ROOF1-4).
  4533 Increased speed of the sandbox environment servers.
  4520 Made changes to BDL system parameters.
  3195 Made changes to WSDL for interior surfaces and lighting:
1. Changed glazing_construction.shgc max to 0.87.
2. Changed options for zone_wall.side.
3. Renamed zone_floor.zone_below to zone_floor.below_floor.
4. Changed options for zone_floor.below_floor.
5. Added zone_floor.area, building_geometry.height_above_grade, lighting.lighting_method, and lighting_fixture.hours_per_day.
  3192 Made updates to Data Dictionary for interior surfaces, including:
1. Changed zone_floor.zone_below_id to zone_floor.below_floor_id.
2. Added zone_floor.area.
3. Added building_geometry.height_above_grade.
  4517 Corrected the weather station foreign key in lu_postal_code
  4528 Made HVAC parameter changes:
1. AFUE values are now a fraction (0-1) rather than %.
2. Changed efficiency to thermal_efficiency and added standby_loss.
  4523 Revised water_heater calc_energy() case names in domestic how water code.
2012/10/14 3161 Updated contents of lookup tables lu_water_heater_property_type, lu_lighting_method, lu_building_type, lu_appliance_type, lu_appliance_property_type, lu_usage_type, lu_building_shade_type, lu_building_economics_metric, lu_lighting_room, lu_lighting_lamp_type
2012/10/11 3191 Resolved issue where changes in Zend framework caused error messages to not be sent.
2012/10/10 3181 Changed naming of doe2 run files, files now moved to S3.
  3199 To support foreign keys being optional inputs added a 0 index first record to all look up tables.
  3194 Updated code to work with new interior surface changes made in BDL revisions 50 ad 51. 
  3141 Resolved issue in which opaque construction with one layer fails.
  3146 Resolved issue where malformed XML submits received blank response from SOAP test.
  3163 System types are set to None for spaces of type outdoor.
  3187 Resolved issue in which calculation failed for zones with no walls.
  3014 Updated data dictionary: added building_configuration_simulation_results, dropped misc validation tables, modified lu_performance and zone_window.
  3159 Changes to the data dictionary for tables building, building_economics, lu_building_economics_metric, lighting_fixture_results, and lighting_fixture.
  3193 Updates to contents of lookup tables lu_wall_side, lu_below_floor, and lu_building_face.
2012/10/08 3112 Resolved issue in which door and window widths were not being calculated correctly.
  3140 Resolved issue in which HVAC capacity was not set correctly.
  3132 Resolved issue in which runs failed if there was no DHW object.
3108 Increased the maximum value of opaque_construction_layer.resistance to 100 from 40;
changed number of hvac, lighting, appliance and domestic hot water instances from 1..N to 0..1.
2012/09/24 3063 Enabled production environment, sandbox will be a mirror of stage
2012/08/06 3079 MF submit webpage to the current wsdl.
3117 Resolved issue caused by the BDL parameter for windows formerly exceeding 16 characters.
  3118 Resolved issue where runs failed If lighting.power_density was set to less than 1
  3119 Resolved issue in which the  opaque_construction attributes thickness, conductivity, density and specific_heat were required even if layer_type were set to resistance.
  3132 Resolved issue in which not submitting an instance of domestic_hot_water caused an error
  3131 Resolved issue in which not submitting zone_attached_shade object caused an error.
2012/07/31 3028 Resolved issue in which not submitting  water_fixture object caused an error. 
  3027 Resolved issue in which the validation for space.infiltration_rate was failing  for most values.
  3083 Added opaque_construction_layer::layer_type to the DOE2 BDL input.
  3020 Updated the lighting and other objects in the MF WSDL.
  2999 DOE2 schedule files now written directly from instances of schedule objects.
2012/07/30  2842  Resolved issue were some entries in lu_weather_station caused DOE2 errors.
2012/06/09 3078 Resolved issue in which DOE2 SOAP test web submit form returned empty results array.
2012/05/31 2976 Changes to data dictionary and lookup tables:
1. Added checksum field to db table lu_day_type.
2. Changed lu_shelter_class.shiedling_coef for open from 0.32 to 0.31
3. Updated error_code table.
4. Added building_simulation field to db table lu_lighting_method.
5. Updated lu_distribution_control_type table (inc. change to temp_cont_monitor).
2972 Added units to the retrieve_results method return object.
  2957 Updated run_doe2 to return monthly data
2763 Updated the nearest weather city data look up table 
2969 Resolved issue in which water use gallons did not appear in API return or building_configuration_results table.
2973 Changes to the Beta MF WSDL:
  Moved domestic_hot_water object previously under building to building_config.
  Dropped building.type element (this now needs to be set by the code)
  Changed number of schedule instances to 0..N
  Changed number of instances for dhw_distribution to 1..N
  Changed number of instances for dhw_pipe to 1
  All elements marked "not required" revised to have minOccurs=0.
3015 Modified the hvac_equipment object to remove the technology attribute.
   Replaced lu_hvac_technology with lu_hvac_equipment_type.
   Made corresponding changes to hvac_equipment: Dropped hvac_equipment.technology field and made hvac_equipment.type a fk to lu_hvac_equipment_type.
   Replaced table lu_hvac_efficiency with lu_hvac_equipment_efficiency.
   Updated create_simulation_inputs() and hvac_equipment.calc_efficiency() methods.
2012/06/04 NA Started this page.