Today, we're going to discuss AI and Energy Simulation. AI suggests you will find these topics life-changing, so please read and explore the links! Machine learning isn’t just a buzzword; it has already impacted all of us, whether we realize it or not. Many of us are familiar with digital twins and other innovative tools. A significant question arises: Will AI replace our jobs?

Over the past few months, I've explored AI tools extensively. The team at Energy-models.com can now accomplish tasks that previously required a freelancer. I can complete many tasks faster and more accurately on my own. Here are a few things we've achieved:

• Developed a new type of video for faster, more concise “how-to” videos
  Here's an example from the latest eQUEST tutorial
• Cloned my voice, allowing any editor to update my videos
• Optimized and enhanced old audio (a remastered OpenStudio demo)
• Generated captions with punctuation and transcripts, reducing costs significantly

AI has surprised us in many ways. For instance, from a few transcripts, it managed to create eQUEST and OpenStudio code snippets for ASHRAE 90.1 items. AI has undoubtedly made certain tasks easier and faster. It has also replaced several jobs, removing pay from our transcriptionist, content organizer, graphic designer, and video editor. Even our web developer went on vacation, and I was able to do his job in ways I never imagined possible. AI even replaced me as an instructor in a random video (we'll see if anyone notices and if it engages users more effectively).

AI rewrote this entire post. No, I'm joking. It proofread, and I had to undo some of its work. I believe I'm still a more engaging writer.

Everyone is crazy about ChatGPT. 

• eQUEST Modeling Assistant
• OpenStudiOracle - An Oracle to inquire about OpenStudio
• Optimize Architect - A game of 20 questions that suggests Energy Efficiency Measures based on your answers.

The Big Picture Simulation

Back in 2019, which feels like the Stone Age for artificial intelligence, a team used AI to simulate the universe. The simulation began with a certain amount of matter and energy, then projected what would happen over time. Questions like, "Do stars form?" "How many and how big are they?" and "Does the simulation collapse into a black hole?" were explored. Given the complexity of the universe, it's understandable that initial simulations required 300 computation hours.

The team developed faster methods, reducing calculation time to two minutes, though this speed increase came at the expense of accuracy. The fast models had a relative error of 9.3% compared to the initial model. Scientists developed an AI method, called the Deep Density Displacement Model (D3M), focusing on one parameter (the amount of ordinary matter in the universe) and leveraging thousands of models for machine learning. This effort paid off, producing an AI simulation that computed within 30 milliseconds and improved the relative error to 2.8%—making it three times more accurate and 3,000 times faster than the other rapid simulation method.

Mysteriously, the D3M model worked for parameters it hadn't been trained on. When the team altered the starting conditions, such as the amount of dark matter, the model still simulated accurately.

For those familiar with machine learning, this outcome is puzzling. None of the scientists understood how the AI model worked. I've wondered if any of them considered, "Maybe it's because dark matter doesn't exist, and the AI figured that out." Fun fact: I named my business "Cosmo Logic" because I believe simulations will solve the cosmologic constant problem without needing the "boogeyman" of dark matter and dark energy.

It remains unknown whether the D3M model discovered an algorithm that functions without dark matter or if it transforms Planck's constant into something entirely unexpected. Machine learning doesn't "show its work," after all.

Why Is This Relevant to Building Energy Simulation?

Physicists have led the way in simulations and AI, yet robots haven't replaced their jobs. In fact, there are more simulation scientists now, conducting far more advanced simulations. The roles lost have been in data collection, data entry, and post-processing.

Simulations serve as a tool to explore "What happens if?" The value of a simulation scientist lies in answering "Why did it happen?" and "What can we do about it?"

As building simulation specialists, this is crucial for us. We're in a field that will grow with AI. Those who merely input data into models may find their roles evolving, but those who excel will be:

• Experts in understanding complex methods
• Inquisitive individuals who ask the right questions and apply AI effectively
• Professionals who know how to translate data into actionable insights

So, if your current role involves basic model input, consider this a call to deepen your knowledge and secure your position in an exciting future.

Thanks for reading,

Bob (Or was this entire thing written by AI?)

Weather File Missing Error eQUEST

(You'd already know this if you went through our eQUEST online training program!)
Typically, default eQUEST locations install automatically, but lately, they do not, which causes an error.

The error states: The following weather file is required to perform the simulation for the selected location but was not found.

We will present multiple solutions, but first, let's note that the error looks like this:

The "install via internet" button will not work, but you can try it.

Solution Number 1: Download the weather file from the source

The easiest solution is to quickly download the file yourself and place it in the proper directory.

Step 1: Note the File type and the file name:

Here we see that the file type is TMY2, and the name is ALLENTPA.bin

Step 2: From the image above, note the default directory

From the error message, next to the file name and TMY2, we can see that the default directory for this file is in the "...3-65-7175 Data" folder, then the TMY2 folder.

Step 3: Download the file from the source

So, to keep it simple, we simply need to place the weather file to TMY2 folder. The "Install from Internet" shows us the source  of weather files. Copy http://DOE2.com/Download/Weather and paste it into your browser, and that will bring up a page that looks like this. 

We already noted that we are looking at a TMY2 file, so we can click that folder.

In this case, all of the files are in one folder and sorted alphabetically. Scroll or do a Ctrl+F

Find the file, then Right-click the file and click "save as"

For most users, the eQUEST weather folder is in your documents folder. Locate your documents folder and then open the folder you noted in step 1. In this example, we note that it was located in folder ending in "3-65-7175 Data".

When you find "eQUEST 3-65-7175 Data", open it and located a folder called "Weather".

From the weather folder, open the folder we noted in step 1, which as "TMY2" in this example. You can see that I already have a number of weather files in my TMY2 folder. Your folder may or may not have any existing files in it. That does not matter.

You can then click save, to store the bin file in your TMY2 folder.

If everything was done correctly, your file will simulate without the "Weather file missing Error"

Solution number 2 is to avoid the "install" and use a custom weather file:

Step 1: Download the weather file. It has to be in .Bin format. eQUEST will not recognize a weather file in .epw or .TM3 etc.

Download an eQUEST weather file from any source. You can use http://DOE2.com/Download/Weather, but if you want to use a more accurate location, or a newer source of weather, you can do that too!

eQUEST course subscribers or community members on energy-models.com have access to thousands of extra .bin weather files for eQUEST? The benefit is that these files are more modern and thus account for climate change. Many of the weather files from DOE2 are sourced from the '70s. The bin files you can find here are mostly sourced from 2004-2018, which is as modern as you can get.

You can search for weather files here

In this example, we can search for the location.

Then scroll down and find a location on the map.

Then click and download the zip file. You will have to extract it and then move the .bin file

Step 2: Save the weather file wherever you want, but we recommend the weather folder for eQUEST because it makes everything easier later

We will place it in the weather folder.

Step 3: When setting the weather in eQUEST wizard screen 1, select "Custom"

Click the "..." button and select your weather file.

From there, your model will not receive a weather file missing error or need to download weather from the internet.

OPTIONAL Step 4: If you are already in detailed mode 

Go to the Project and Site Module and right click the project and select "Properties"

Assuming you saved your weather file to the weather folder, you can simply copy/paste the weather file name.

When you click OK, eQUEST will prompt you to edit the Site properties. You will want to click yes, and the primary input you want to correct is the Altitude (which doesn't have to be perfect, but it will make an impact if the weather file is high altitude)

It's easier to enter this information in the wizards. However, if you are using Detailed mode, you can probably sort this part out.

If you want to learn eQUEST in a similar straightforward style, check out our eQUEST training program and learn how to bypass all of these time-consuming and frustrating errors!