MODELLING FUNDAMENTALS - Simple House

Setting up a New Model

The first step is to ensure you are working on a new blank document, and that the working grid is set
appropriately.

1. Select the New item from the File menu, (or click the New button).

This clears the model memory and reloads the default material data.
2. Select the Perspective item from the View menu (or hit the F8 key).

This ensures you are looking at a 3D perspective view of the grid. If your view isn't similar to that
shown in the above diagram, simply click the Right Mouse button in the Drawing Canvas and drag the
view around until it fits. Use the Shift and Control keys, in combination with holding down the Right
Mouse button, to zoom and pan the view respectively.
3. Select the Fit Grid to Model item in the View menu (or use the Fit Grid button).

If there are no objects in the model then this sets the grid to the default grid settings. Otherwise it fits the
grid to the extent of the objects in the model.
4. To check the grid settings select the Grid Settings item in the view menu (or use the Model
Settings button on the Main toolbar, and select Grid tab).

This invokes the Model Settings dialog box, allowing you to manually specify grid dimensions. In this
case we are only going to check the values, making sure they correspond roughly to the ones below.
5. Select User Preferences from the File menu, then select the Cursor Snap tab (or simply press the
Snaps button on the Options toolbar and select Settings).

This is to ensure that snaps are set appropriately. It is recommended that the snaps shown below are
used. By using the Snaps button on the Options toolbar (or their corresponding keyboard shortcuts) it is
possible to change snap settings at any time, even in the middle of creating or modifying objects.

It is also possible to determine current snap settings and change them, by using the Snaps Status panel
at the bottom left of the program window. Letters in black refer to snaps that are on,
whilst those in white are off. To change the snaps using this panel, simply click the letters once, with the
Left Mouse button.
Adding the First Zone
The next step is to create a new zone for the first part of the building. This is going to be a simple rectangular
box.

1. Select the Zone item from the Draw menu (or use the Zone button).

This will begin the creation of a new zone object, with walls, and a ceiling, extruded from a single floor
object.
2. Move the cursor over the Drawing Canvas.

This displays the Node Input cursor with the red X and Y axis. As you move the cursor around the
Drawing Canvas the Cursor Input toolbar updates, with the absolute X, Y and Z location for the first
node.

3. Type 1000 in the X and 1000 in the Y input boxes and hit the Enter key.

This starts the zone, with the first node at the absolute coordinates 1000, 1000, 0.
4. Move the cursor around the Drawing Canvas.

If you move the cursor around the Drawing Canvas now, you will notice that the Cursor Input toolbar
updates with X, Y and Z values relative to the last node that was entered. As well, if the cursor is moved
in the X direction, the X Cursor Input box has the focus. If moved more in the Y direction, the Y
Cursor Input box will get the focus.

You should also notice that the X and Y axis are snapped to and highlighted, (if Orthographic snaps are
set as previously stated). This makes it quick and easy to generate orthogonal objects.

Finally, you may see a distance value displayed in the centre of the line segment currently being entered
(if the ECOTECT defaults are set). This is to assist in drawing accuracy, but if not preferred can be
turned off from the Modelling tab in the User Preferences dialog box by un-checking the Display
Interactive Distances option.
5. Move the cursor some distance in the X direction, type 13000 and hit the Enter key.

This creates the first wall segment of the zone, using the default extrusion height. The default extrusion
height can also be changed from the User Preferences dialog box, or the height of any zone can be
changed after it is created (this will be explained later in this tutorial).
6. Move the cursor some distance in the Y direction, type 5000 and hit the Enter key.

This creates the second wall segment of the zone.

7. Move the cursor in the -X direction, type 13000 again.

This creates the third wall segment of the zone.

Note that you do not have to enter a minus sign in front of the 13000 to get it to move in the negative X
direction, it simply moves 13000 in the direction of the mouse.
8. Hit the Esc key on the keyboard (or right click in the Drawing Canvas to display the Context
menu, and select Escape).

This finishes the creation of the first zone and displays the
Rename Zone dialog box.
At this point it is necessary to type in an appropriate name for
the zone. This then adds a new zone to the list of zones in the
model. When a zone is created using the button or menu item,
this dialog box will always appear.
Adjusting the Zone Height
The next step is to alter the height of the zone, which was automatically extruded to a default height of 2400mm
(specified in the User Preferences dialog box). This extrusion height can be changed at any time for any object
that maintains its linking.

1. Using the Select button (which it should already be set to), select the floor element of the zone.

If you are having trouble selecting the correct element, use the Spacebar key on the keyboard to cycle
through adjacent objects or simply keep the Left Mouse button down when you select and then drag
slowly in any direction to cycle through adjacent objects.

Selected objects may show up as either yellow in colour (as in the image below), or with a thickened
line. This setting can be changed from the User Preferences dialog box, either by choosing a Selection
Highlight type from the selection box, or by altering the Selection Colour.

The floor element of any zone created using the Zone button or menu item, is the parent of all other
objects extruded from it. This means that the floor controls the other objects, making it easier to edit the
entire zone after it has been created.
2. With only the floor element selected, change the Z value in the Extrusion Vector input boxes in the
Selection Information panel, to the right of the Drawing Canvas.

This can be done either by typing in the number, or by dragging the small arrows that appear after
clicking in the input box (as shown n the image below).

This value alters the entire zone's extrusion height.

In any of ECOTECT'S input boxes you can also enter any type of equation or dimension as long as it is
annotated correctly. (For more information on entering data, go to Entering Data in the User Interface
section of ECOTECT'S main help file.

As an example, try entering 2000+1000 then hit the Enter key. This will change the value to 3000 in the
input box.
3. To apply this change to the selected object, you will need to click the Apply Changes button at the
bottom of the Selection Information panel.

To automatically apply changes made, therefore not requiring you to click the Apply Changes button
after altering values, simply check the Automatically Apply Changes check box at the bottom of the
panel. This can also be done for the Material Assignments panel.

If the Automatically Apply Changes check box is already ticked, you need only hit the Enter key after
making an alteration for it to take effect.
4. To permanently change the height of subsequent zones, select User Preferences from the File
menu, then select the Modelling tab (or simply press the button on the Main toolbar and select
Modelling).

In the Default Zone Height input box enter 3000 as the new value. This ensures that every zone created
from now on will be 3 meters high. Click the OK button when you've finished entering the new value.
Adding a Second Zone
The next step is to create the zone on the north side. For this, we want one of the nodes to be in the exact centre
of the north wall. This time we are going to work more within the Drawing Canvas, and use object snapping to
ensure the model is accurate.

1. Select the Zone item from the Draw menu (or use the Zone button).
This will begin the creation of a new zone object.
2. Move the cursor over the Drawing Canvas until you snap to the Mid Point of the north side of
Zone 1.

You can tell which side is on the North by the arrow in the far left corner of the grid.
Snaps are displayed with a small letter corresponding to the appropriate snap type. Move the mouse until
a small M appears at the cursor, and click with the Left Mouse button to accept the point.
If a small M does not appear it is most likely that Mid Point snaps have not been set. To do this (whilst
still in command) click the Snaps button on the Options toolbar and make sure that Mid Points has a
tick next to it, or hit the M key on the keyboard.
3. Move the cursor in the X direction and type 5000 (do not hit the Enter key).

After typing 5000 move the cursor around the Drawing Canvas. Notice how the cursor is constrained by
5000 units in either positive or negative X. Notice also that the cursor will snap to the X axis as you
move close to it, this is because Orthogonal snaps are also on.
4. Move the cursor so that it snaps to the X axis with the set value of 5000, and click the Left Mouse
button.

Once the desired point has been chosen with the mouse, simply
clicking the Left Mouse button will accept that position and move
on to the next node placement.
5. Move the cursor in the Y direction, type 4000 and click the Left Mouse button.

This creates the second wall segment of the zone.

6. Using the Snaps pull-down menu from the Options toolbar, set the Align snap to on.
This time we are going to use the Align snap to finish the last two wall segments of our new zone.

With Align snaps on, move the cursor back along the X axis until a small XY appears next to the cursor.
This is telling us that the cursor is aligned with other nodes in both the X and Y axis. If we were only
aligned with a node in the X, only a small X would appear (same with the Y and Z axes).
7. Once the cursor is aligned in the X axis with the last node entered, and in the Y axis with the first
node of the zone, click the Left Mouse button in the Drawing Canvas.

This creates the third wall segment of the zone, and with align snaps on we know it's a perfectly
orthogonal zone.
 8. Hit the Esc key on the keyboard (or right click in the Drawing Canvas to display the Context
menu, and select Escape).

This finishes the creation of the second zone and displays the
Rename Zone dialog box. Enter an appropriate name for this
zone then click the OK button.

Adding Windows and Doors

We are now going to add a couple of windows and doors to the two zones. This can be done using either
parametric library objects, or manually using the mouse. We are only going to use the parametric method in this
tutorial.

1. First deselect all objects by clicking an empty area of the Drawing Canvas (or choose the None
item from the Select menu).
This makes sure that we are not trying to add windows to all the selected elements.
2. Select the northernmost wall of Zone 2 using the Select button.

Notice as you move the cursor close to an object that the

cursor changes. This cursor tells you that a selection can
be made. Again if you find it difficult to select the wall, use
the Spacebar key on the keyboard to cycle through the
nearby objects.

3. Once the wall is selected hit the Insert key on the keyboard to insert a child object (in this case a
window).
4 With thee dialog box
4. x open, selecct the Windoow button at
a the top an
nd enter vallues roughlyy similar to
the ones shown abovve.

The default insertion

n point for anny child objeect is the exaact centre of it's parent obbject. Thesee values are
listed to the
t bottom of
o the Insertt Child Objeect dialog boox, and can be b changed by b entering different
d
values.

ECOTEC CT will not let

l you position a child object
o outsidde the limits of it's parentt. Therefore if
inconsisttent values arre entered ECOTECT
E w move thee child objecct until it fits within its parent.
will
Once youu've finishedd entering vaalues click thhe OK buttonn.

5 Now thaat the windo

5. ow is inserteed in the mid
ddle of the wall,
w try nu
udging the window
w und the wall
arou
using thee X, Y and Z keys on thhe keyboard d.

When mooving the wiindow arounnd, it will alw ways move inn the plane of o its parent.. You shouldd also notice
that it wiill not let you
u move the window
w outsside the walll. This is sim
mply an exerccise to show
w that you
can interaactively mov ve any objecct, subject to its relationsship links. Trry to manually reposition the
window backb to the centre,
c or as close as youu can.

When using the nudg

ge keys (X, Y,
Y Z) the am
mount which you nudge by
b is set by the
t Cursor Snap/Nudge
S e
Value input box on the
t Options toolbar. Thee default settting for this is 100mm buut it can be
set to anyy value by ty
yping in the input box annd hitting thee Enter key on the keybboard, or by clicking
c the
up / downn arrows to the
t right of the
t input boxx.

To nudgee an object in
n a negative direction hoold the Shiftt key down whilst
w pressing either thee X, Y or Z
key.
6 Now try inserting a window on
6. n the northern facade of Zone 1.

This timee make the window

w 15000mm high, 3000mm
3 widde and a sill height of 10000mm. If yoou insert the
window in i the centree of the wall it will have to be nudged in the negaative X direcction until itt looks
similar too the image below.
b
 7. Now try adding a door between the two zones using the same method we used for adding a
window but by selecting the Door item form the child object list.

Make the door 2100mm high, 900mm wide and position it approximately 1000mm from the western
wall of Zone 2.

When adding either a Window, Door or Void child object in a wall that is adjacent to the wall of another
zone, you only have to add the child object in one of the two adjacent walls. ECOTECT when
calculating inter-zonal adjacencies works out that the object will pass through to the other zone letting in
heat, light, air and sound according to the material and objects properties.

This is different with a Panel child object, as a Panel denotes a different type of material within a wall
and only effects the zone within which it is contained.
8. Enter the final door in the eastern wall of the second zone.

Creating a Pitched Roof

The next step is to add the roof objects, with a 600mm overhang.

1. Select the Pitched Roof item from the Draw menu (or use the Roof button).

The first time this is done, ECOTECT requires you to enter a base-plane with the cursor in the Drawing
Canvas (subsequent use allows editing of previous base-plane). It also displays the Parametric Objects
panel to the right of the Drawing Canvas.
At this stage you can either enter values in the panel, or draw / adjust the base-plane interactively. In this
instance we are going to draw in the base-plane interactively.
2 To draw
2. w your first base-plane,
b left click th
he mouse on
n one top corrner of the first zone, then
t on the
oppositee corner.

3 You shou
3. uld end up with a base-plane that looks like the one in th
he image bellow.

Once thee node is snappped to the corner

c (a sm
mall P shouldd be displayeed next to thee cursor, if not
n check
that Poinnt snaps are on
o in the Snaaps button on
o the Options toolbar) click
c the Lefft Mouse bu utton to
accept thhe point.
4 You now
4. w need to ch pear in the Parametricc Objects paanel to the right of the
heck the detaails that app
Drawingg Canvas.

The mostt important things

t to cheeck are that Roof
R Type is
i set to Gab
ble, Ridge Axis
A is set to X-axis, and
the Eavees Depth is set
s to 600mm m.
5. To complete the roof, click the Create New Object button at the bottom of the panel.

The roof is created with an over hang of 600mm. Now try creating the roof for the second zone, this
time changing the Ridge Axis to Y-axis, as the roof needs to run in the opposite direction to the first.

Now if you take a look at the two roof objects you will notice that they do not join correctly.
6. To fix this, we need to enter Node Mode so that the nodes of the second roof object can be edited.
To do this select the Nodes item from the Select menu (or hit the F3 key on the keyboard).

Once in Node Mode, we need to view the model from the side. To do this, select the Side item from the
View menu (or hit the F6 key on the keyboard).

7. Once in side view drag a box around the nodes at the bottom left corner of the second roof.

With the nodes of the bottom left corner selected, use the nudge keys to shift the nodes in the positive Y
direction until the edge lines up with the edge of the first roof object.

The edges should match up using the current snap setting of 100mm, but if not it may need to be
changed in the Options toolbar.
 8. With the bottom nodes lined up, select the uppermost nodes on the left side and nudge them in the
negative Y axis until they line up with the ridge of the first roof object.

9. Finally return to perspective view by selecting the Perspective item from the View menu (or
hitting the F8 key on the keyboard).

In perspective view spin the model around to check the changes

we just made, and to have a look at the completed house.
To do this click and hold down the Right Mouse button whilst
dragging the mouse around the canvas.
Also try changing the display to Rough Sketch mode, by
selecting Rough Sketch from the Display menu.

Importing DXF Files

1. From the File menu select the Import item. Then from the Tutorial directory in your ECOTECT
Install directory, locate the file Trees.dxf.
You may need to select AutoCAD DXF from the Files of Type selection box.
2. This should display the File Conversion dialog box.
If the settings are similar to those displayed in the image below, click the OK button.
 3 Two treees are displa
3. ayed as partt of the mod
del, and the grid resizess to include the new ob
bjects.

Once thee trees have been

b importeed, select theem and in thhe Object (fiirst) section of
o the Selecttion
Informaation panel, check
c that thhe zone is set to Outsidee.

If not, wiith the objeccts still selectted, click thee Zone inpuut box, then click
c the Options buttton once it
appears, and choose the t Select Zone...
Z item from
f the list.

4 The Seleect Zone dia

4. alog box shoould appear containing all the zonees in the moodel. Choosee the
t list and click OK. The
Outside zone from the T objects will now exist on the Outside
O zonee.

It is veryy important th
hat external objects suchh as the treess and for exaample shadinng devices arre not left onn
a thermall zone. If thee objects werre left on a zone
z that waas to be used for calculating thermal
performaance, they may
m alter the results
r calcuulated. This is
i because thhe additionall surface areaa, from in
this case the trees, woould add to the
t solar gaiins of the zonne possibly distorting
d thhe loads for that
t zone.
5 Finally shift
5. s the twoo trees in the negative X direction by hitting the Shift + X key, until the model
looks sim milar to the one shown below.