Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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METHOD OF DESCRIBING A BUILDING STRUCTURE
FIELD:
The present invention relates to a method of
describing a building structure which produces useful
information concerning the geometric form and dimensions
that enables further processes concerning the building to
be carried out.
BACKGROUND
Before being able to do such things as an energy
audit on a building, costing out construction, renovation
work or graphically representing a building using a
computer-based application, (e.g., a CAD program), it is
necessary to have information concerning the geometric form
of the structure, dimensions, areas of individual building
components(e.g., ceilings, walls, and floors), and volumes
of spaces contained within the building structure. The
conventional method of describing the form and dimensions
of a building included hand-drawn building sketches, or
entering structural information by hand into a computer-
based graphics application. Hand-drawing building sketches
is tedious, time consuming, and very often done in an
unsystematic and approximate manner. Manually entering
information into a computer based graphics application is
tedious, time consuming and an expert skill. Conventional,
methods of computing areas and volumes involve performing
hand calculations which is also tedious, time consuming,
and very often done in an unsystematic and approximate
manner. Some computer assisted design (CAD) type
applications perform this function, but only if structural
data has been appropriately provided to the application.
Conducting a detailed energy audit on a typical
residential building which involves hand-drawn building
sketches, taking the dimensions of the building, and
calculating areas and volumes can take up to 10 person
hours. It would be desirable to have a system which could
reduce this time and hence the cost considerably.
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Accordingly, it is an object of the present
invention to provide an improved method of describing a
building structure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention there is provided a
a method of establishing the structure of a building,
comprising selecting a core template structure, determining
dimensions and reviewing and adjusting non-standard default
dimensions for the core, selecting an addition template
structure based upon the structure being an addition to the
core, determining dimensions, grade, and floor
construction, and reviewing and adjusting non-standard
default dimensions and the position of attachment to the
core, and calculating building volume and component areas
utilizing the information from the foregoing steps. The
method provides an efficient procedure for describing the
structure of building so as to provide a usable set of
structural information and establishes a basis for an
efficient procedure for collecting and processing building
information. The procedure requires a reduced set of
information and provides a systematic procedure for
collecting such data. The set of information is sufficient
to allow for the automated calculation of the area of each
discrete surface of the described structure, the volume of
each discrete space contained in the structure and the
graphic representation of the structure.
Advantageously, the method includes setting
grade, establishing reference window dimensions, the number
of such windows on each level and the construction details
of such windows, the number of doors of standard size, the
number and location of such doors and their construction
type and establishing the direction faced by the front wall
of the building.
The core may have rectangular geometry.
Alternatively, any shape of core could be selected
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preferably consistent with the shape of the building. The
efficient procedures for collecting and processing building
information permits prelabelling of surfaces, vectors and
vertices allowing users to quickly and easily assign
attributes to individual and groupings of structural
components. Prelabelling of core and addition structural
template components allows users to assign attributes to
individual and groupings of components as they proceed with
the task of describing the structure of a building. The
suitability of the method's resulting information for
computer processing offers the potential benefits of
computer processing to efforts to collect and process other
building information that is linked to or otherwise
dependent on a description of building structure.
In another aspect of the invention the method may
use the calculated values in applying an energy audit.
Such method involves determining the structure of a
building's heated envelope, selecting a core template
structure, determining dimensions and reviewing and
adjusting non-standard default dimensions for the core and
describing construction details of the core. The method
further involves selecting an addition template structure
based upon the structure being an addition to the core,
determining dimensions and reviewing and adjusting non-
standard default dimensions and the position of attachment
to the core, setting grade and calculating building volume
and component areas utilizing the information from steps
(a) to (f) inclusive and applying the template information
to an energy simulation program to determine heat loss
through various components of the building. The present
invention integrates the task of describing a building
structure, of collecting construction details and the task
of describing the structure of the heated envelope.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The novel features believed characteristic of the
invention are set forth in the appended claims. The
invention itself, however, as well as other features and
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advantages thereof, will be best understood by reference to
the detailed description which follows, read in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 shows a sample house to which the method
is applied;
FIG. 2 shows the core that is established;
FIG. 3 shows the additions that are established
from the core;
FIG. 4 shows the house of FIG 1 set in the
ground;
FIG. 5 shows the pasting of windows and doors
onto the structure of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a sketch showing a house to which a
detailed application of the method will be applied;
FIG. 7 is a sketch of the appropriate level of
detail required to describe the structure of the building's
heated envelope;
FIG. 8 is the core structural template for the
house of FIG. 6;
FIG. 9 is the addition structural template for
the house of FIG. 6;
FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of the general steps in
establishing the structure of a building;
FIGS. 11a and 11b are flow diagrams of a general
procedure for collecting information on the heated envelope
of a residential building for the purposes of performing a
comprehensive energy audit;
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FIG. 12 is a worksheet for describing the
construction details of a core structure;
FIG. 13 is a worksheet for describing the
construction details of an addition structure;
FIG. 14 is a worksheet for pasting windows and
describing their construction details;
FIG. 15 is a worksheet for pasting doors and
describing their construction details; and
FIG. 16 is a table comparing the heat audit
results using this method with those employing detailed
field audit calculations.
FIG. 17 is a flow diagram of the programs used to
determine the energy audit output results of Figure 15.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS
The first step in establishing the structure of a
building is to establish a core structure which is of a
geometry that is generally consistent with that of the
building. For example, for a box-shaped building with a
number of additions it would make sense to select a box-
shaped core. Conversely, if the building were circular in
shape, a circular core would ordinarily be preferable. For
the first-mentioned example, the size of the core would
ordinarily be chosen to be the largest box-shaped structure
that the building can accommodate. The core is defined by
structural templates that can include a predefined
geometric form, a predefined orientation for the geometric
form with respect to the earth's gravitational force, i.e.,
down, and unique labels assigned to each discrete surface,
vector and vertices of the geometric form. Unique labels
are assigned to various groupings of surfaces, vectors and
vertices. Such templates should also give a clear
indication of all the dimensions that need to be specified
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to fully describe the geometric form. Finally default
values are provided for select dimensions. For example, in
North America since the standard wall height is 8 feet for
residential buildings, such a dimension would be
appropriate for the building wall height default value.
The core is developed by adding additions to the
core or to the additions themselves. Additions can be of
any size and can be located on the inside, outside or on
the inside and outside of the exterior surface of the
structure to which they are to be added. Additions are
defined, as is the core, by addition structural templates.
All of the items listed above for a core structural
template are also applicable for addition structural
templates. In addition, there are predefined constraints
on the types of structures to which the addition can be
added, on the location of the addition relative to the
structure to which it is being added, and a prescribed
procedure for specifying the location of the addition
relative to the structure to which it is being added.
To see in general terms how the present method is
applied to a house as seen in Figure 1, the first step is
to establish a core as shown in Figure 2.
The second major step as shown in Figure 3 is to
establish the additions from the core.
The third step as shown in Figure 4 is to set
the grade for any level of a core or addition that has
exterior surfaces in contact with the ground. The
percentage of each level's floor perimeter that is at or
above grade is estimated as is the percentage of the total
wall area that is below grade. The landscaping surrounding
the level is described and the average height of the
concrete wall that is exposed above grade is estimated.
The fourth step as shown in Figure 5 is to paste
windows by establishing a typical window size and recording
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the width and height of this window and providing the
number of such windows on the front, back and two sides of
the composite structure.
Finally, the doors are pasted by specifying the
equivalent number of standard sized doors (e.g., 2'8" by
6'8") which gives the total door area, and the location of
each. Any glass area formerly included with window area is
deducted.
Referring to Figure 6, there is shown a house to
which a more detailed application of the present method
will be demonstrated. With energy simulation as the
process to which the method of the invention is applied,
considering that only the roof cavity is unheated, the
appropriate structure of the building's heated envelope is
shown in Figure 7 together with measured width depth and
height.
Referring to Figure 8, the core structural
template provides for the recordation of width and depth
dimensions as well as default dimensions. In this case the
height of the first level is 2.1 meters rather than the
standard 2.4 meters and so 2.1 is entered in the custom
dimensions block.
Referring to Figure 9, the structural template
for the addition requires recordation of the width depth
and number of stories for the addition. Provision is also
made for indicating to what structure the addition is added
and at what level. Any step-up or step-down from the
addition to the structure to which it is added is also
recorded.
Referring to Figures 10, the procedure is first
to select a core template structure at step 20 and to
assign values to non-defaulted dimensions at step 22. Next
the default dimensions are checked at step 23 to determine
whether or not they are all acceptable. If not, then the
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unacceptable default dimensions are adjusted. Next at step
26, a determination is made as to whether or not the core
structure sufficiently describes the desired structure. If
it does then the algorithm is complete. If not, then an
additional structural template is selected at step 32 and
non-defaulted dimensions are assigned values at step 34.
Again at step 36 a determination is made as to whether or
not the defaulted dimensions are acceptable. If not, then
the unacceptable default dimensions are changed at step 38.
At step 40 the addition is located relative to the
structure to which it is being added and a determination at
step 42 as to whether or not there are any other additions
required. If no other additions are required then the
process is complete. If not then the system returns to
step 32 to repeat the method for another addition.
A flow diagram directed to the specific task of
performing an energy audit is shown in Figures 11a and
11b. In this case the energy audit is applied to the
house of Figure 6, the heated envelope of which is shown in
Figure 7. After determining the heated envelope at step
44, the core structural template is selected at step 46 and
non-defaulted dimensions assigned at step 48. Defaulted
dimensions are changed if necessary at steps 50 and 52 and
grade is set for the core structure at step 54. Next at
step 56 construction details of the core are established as
shown in the worksheet of Figure 12. Details such as wall
covering, framing board size, insulation, roof
construction, exterior finish, basement wall construction,
main joist band walls and floor construction are all
specified. At step 58, it is determined whether or not the
core structure sufficiently describes the heated envelope.
If so then the process is complete. If not, then an
additional structural template for the addition is selected
at step 60, values assigned to non-defaulted dimensions at
step 62, and a test made at step 64 as to whether or not
the defaulted dimensions are acceptable. Any changes in
the default dimensions is made at step 66 and at step 68,
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the addition is located relative to the composite
structure.
At step 70 the grade level is set and the
construction details of the addition are described at step
72 as shown in the worksheet of Figure 13. Similar
measurements to the addition are made as were described
with the core above. If at step 74 the composite structure
sufficiently describes the heated envelope, then the
windows are pasted on at step 76 and the doors at step 78.
The worksheets for the latter process are shown in Figures
14 and 15. Here the typical window size is recorded and
the number of such windows in each zone, the frame material
of the windows, their glazing and their style. The
orientation of the front window is also recorded. In
Figure 15 the number of standard doors and their type is
recorded together with their construction.
With the foregoing information it is a simple
matter to use a computer based application such as Home
Energy Planning Tool Kit (HEP) available from Sheltair
Scientific Ltd.of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada to
compute energy consumption of various parts of the
building. Figure 16 shows a comparison of the results
obtained using the method of the present invention over
that obtained from detailed field audit calculations. A
computer program which employs HEP together with a standard
energy simulation program is shown in Figure 17. In this
case data is fed into the House Generator 80 which is a
portion of the overall program which accepts input of
collected structural template information. This process is
repeated for all templates until the core, the additions,
and the windows and doors have all been entered. The House
Generator 80 then makes the calculations of the areas and
volumes required as input by the energy simulation program
82. The House Generator 80 produces the output results set
forth in Figure 16.
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Obviously the House Generator program 80 can
easily be modified to generate the type of input
information required for other applications such as input
for a CAD program or a cost estimating program.
Accordingly, while this invention has been
described with reference to illustrative embodiments, this
description is not intended to be construed in a limiting
sense. Various modifications of the illustrative
embodiments, as well as other embodiments of the invention,
will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon
reference to this description. It is therefore
contemplated that the appended claims will cover any such
modifications or embodiments as fall within the true scope
of the invention.
