Sneak Preview of new eFactor calculator for SANS204

This is for South African Architects, to assist in the SANS204 Fenestration calculation for energy efficiency in buildings. The calculator on a phone idea came to me while doing the SAIAT 10400 XA course, I figured if only I could create the smartphone app that could be sneaked into the course (workshop) and I simply add the new values and it showed me the long hand calculation. I turned out to work like a dream. It is in essence a manual assist calculator specifically for the working out of the energy efficiency in a closed area. Unfortunately it is not yet ready for release, there are a few hurdles to resolve. Watch on youtube (better size?) http://youtu.be/4jkP6mI1wXY

XA Formula behind the screen

This is the presentation to Agrement about the logic and conclusions of the software.

XA Software Click through Part 2

This second video in the 3 part series have continued from the theory into the cyber world

displaying the similarities with the paper and electronic versions.

XA Simplified walkthrough

Thanks to Peter Muller's XA Simplified offered on Designmind.co.za, we now have a XA Simplified Video walkthrough, this 3 Part series will bring you from the basics to the software to the logic behind the software. I urge you to download the PDF from http://www.designmind.co.za/profiles/blogs/part-xa-simplified-document

Bunch of must haves..

Launch of the SANS10400XA

Freeware Quick 15% window calculator

Freeware SANS10400XA - Quick 15% window calculator, with golden ratio window sizes. Download ...

It is easy to find the 15% of the floor area, and it is easy to find the square root of the allowable area , but that gives you square windows. All the methods to create "Golden Ratio" windows are not created to match a fixed area, so as a result all this calculations are stunting the design juices.

Never fear the Quick 15% will give you as many golden ratio windows as you want all within the 15% rule, you can even adjust the width or height and the other will counter to still give the 15%.

The SANS 10400xa Advisor Software nearly complete

Working on the new software with an exciting new "Quick 15% Calculator", I did not like the way it
suggested square windows sizes, so I decided to work out the Golden Ratio from the available area.

Easy I thought until I realised there is no equation
out there that will calculate the golden ratio from an

given area.

Well you will just have to wait, I will be updating all
the USB Flash Drive users, via download.

But unfortunately the older Calculator guys will need to upgrade to the USB Flash Drive version.

Finally the Energy Certification Program is here!

I know that all those who attended the SANS 204 course presented by SAIAT, were keen to start designing green building. Only to find the process was a daunting maze of calculations and look up tables. Design is a creative process, with logical parameters thrown in the mix. During the course we all tackled calculation after calculation, and when the result was "Not Compliant" you get the feeling of overwhelming failure, and ask yourself "where in all these calculation do I find the design solution?".

I had the knowledge and experience to create an easy to use program that can achieve the desired certified design (and show up design flaws). So blindly I set out to write a set of calculators and finally almost two years later, I have the completed "SANS 204- Certification program."

This is just the start, I believe, as the individual programs on the desk of architects & designers around South Africa, will now need to connect to a central server to gather data, and refine the data much like the weather stations, this data is constantly changing so to is energy data from appliances etc. So the program was build to get and use feedback data from the server, making it artificially intelligent, so any of the designers who manually calculate variations to the programs results, can simply use the "Percentage modifier" to tweak the program results and submit it to the server for data analysis. This way the program can learn over time.

Welcome to the SANS 204 Software tutorials

These video tutorials are for the 2 calculators developed to promote greener architectural practices, the SABS brought out the SANS 204 parts 1,2 and 3 to lay down guidelines for energy efficiency in building design, so far the two calculators have been developed to assist with Part 2 and 3 which are Glazing efficiency and Air conditioned buildings with Glazing respectively.

The software is downloadable from http://www.greenwithenergy.co.za in demo format and for a small fee can be serialised to fully functioning versions.

It is recommended to work through these tutorials with the SANS 204 documentations' examples (available from SABS website) and the calculators.

It is good to see your interest in joining the future of greener building design, hope you enjoy and utilize the calculators to engineer lower cost living places, for energy conscious clients.

Personally I have hopes of completing the series, to provide full reporting for Architectural design and building notes, for the certification of drawings, to accredit the designers / clients with an energy efficiency rating for their work and buildings.

Please use the menu on right to watch videos in correct order (posted with last on top)--->

Sans 204-3 Aircon Calculator Video Tutorial Part 5

Sans 204-3 Aircon Calculator Video Tutorial Part 4

Sans 204-3 Aircon Calculator Video Tutorial Part 3

Sans 204-3 Aircon Calculator Video Tutorial Part 2

Sans 204-3 Aircon Calculator Video Tutorial Part 1

Sans 204 Glazing Calculator Video Tutorial Part 3

Sans 204 Glazing Calculator Video Tutorial Part 2

Sans 204 Glazing Calculator Video Tutorial

Welcome to the 1/3 part video tutorial for Sans 204 Glazing Calculator.