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CONTAM Utilities - CONTAM Weather File Creator

CONTAM Weather File Creator Help

Silverlight Requirement

The CONTAM Weather File Creator uses the Silverlight Plugin version 3 or greater, which can be downloaded from Microsoft: http://www.microsoft.com/getsilverlight/

Running the program outside of the browser

Silverlight applications can be run outside of the web browser, which has the advantage of storing the application locally so it doesn’t have to be downloaded with each use. When the application is run outside of the browser, this website is checked to determine if a newer version of the application is available. If a newer version is available, then it will automatically be downloaded and installed, and the user will be notified. The application must then be restarted to use the new version.

To run the application outside of the browser, right click on the application to bring up the context menu. Select ‘Install Contam Weather File Creator onto this computer…’ from the menu. Click OK on the installation window that is displayed to install the application. The program will be installed and a new instance of the program outside of the browser will be started.

To remove the application, right click on the application again and select ‘Remove this application...’ from the menu.

Program Inputs

Weather File Description

This is a text description for documenting the data in the file.

Start/End Date

These are used to specify the range of dates to be included in the weather file.

Daylight Savings Time (DST)

Check the box if you wish to give a range of dates to have Daylight Savings Time in effect. Then enter the start and end date for Daylight Savings Time.

First Day of the Year

This is used to determine which day of the week that January 1st occurs.

Special Schedule Days

The weather file is used to determine which day schedule to use in a week schedule. By default the day of the week (Sunday 1 - Friday 7) determines the day schedule used. Five extra schedules are included in a week schedule for 'Special Days'. 'Special Days' can be used to handle different requirements for a building model on an atypical day like a holiday. For more information about schedules see the CONTAM documentation.

To define a special day, first select the date using the calendar. Then select which of the extra schedules to use (8-12). Then click the Add button to add that special day.

Weather File Templates

A CONTAM weather file template is created for cases when one has custom data to use in the weather file. A CONTAM Weather file template is essentially a weather file, in terms of format, but without the actual data.

Converting an Energy Plus Weather File

This program can only convert weather data from the Energy Plus Weather format. However there is a converter which is included with Energy Plus to convert many other weather file formats to the Energy Plus format.

After providing the program inputs above use the 'Select an EPW file to convert' button to select the epw weather file to convert. Then use the 'Save CONTAM Weather File' to select the name and location of the CONTAM weather file to create. After that step the conversion will take place.

CONTAM Weather File Creator