Overview
Openings refer to several types of Wall Openings including Windows, Doors (including Opaque Louvres) & Permanent Openings within the Hero Model. Their properties are different depending on their type.
Windows
Windows are used to represent all non-opaque Openings, this includes standard Windows as well as the Glazed portion of a Glazed Doors unless the glazing portion is <25% of the Opening’s Area (as per NatHERS Technical Note guidance).
Internal Windows
Note Internal Windows (i.e. Window on a Wall between Zones) can be modelled within Hero however an Information Alert will be raised notifying the User that no Solar Gains are simulated between those Zones within Chenath. I.e. Internal Windows do not transit Light or Solar Gains between them. Their modelling impacts will be limited to conductive heat transfer losses/gains.
Doors
Doors are used to represent Opaque Openings including standard Doors but also Opaque Louvres.
Doors can only be used on External or Internal Walls and cannot be used on Neighbouring Adjacency Type Walls (such as between two Dwellings or between a Dwelling & a Class 2 Common Area)
Permanent Openings
A Permanent Opening is used to model a permanent connection between two Zones such as an Open Hallway between a Kitchen Zone and a Hallway Zone.
Permanent Openings can only be used on Internal Walls between two Zones of the same Dwelling
Openings & Screens, Eave & Wing-Walls
All Openings on External Walls have the Screen, Eaves & Wing-Walls of their Parent Walls applied to them automatically within Simulation.
Openings on Floating Walls
Openings can be added to Floating Walls as per standard Walls.
Openings with the Visual-View
Creating
Openings are created using the Opening Draw Mode
Selecting
You can Select an Opening either within the Visual View or the Data-Grid.
Openings also share the common context-menu actions of Select Parent (which will select the Parent Wall of the Opening) which can also be called by Double Left-Clicking
the Opening.
The Send to Back feature can also be very useful for Openings particularly when multiple Openings are aligned over the top of one another, so that you can select the desired Opening. Select the Opening on top and choose the Right-Click Context Menu
-> Send To Back
feature and the previously selected Opening on top will now be below any other Openings. You can now select the Opening on top.
Deleting Openings
Openings can be deleted by:
selecting the Opening within the Visual-View or Data-Grid and pressing
⌨ Delete
; orby using the
Right-Click
Context-menuDelete
action within the Visual View
Moving Openings
Openings can be moved in the Visual View by selecting them and then Dragging
them into their position.
You can also Drag
the corner Points of an Opening to extend or shrink the Width of the Opening.
Openings cannot extend outside the Width of their Parent Walls and in these situations, Hero will block any attempts to move further.
Splitting
Openings can be split using the Split & Merge Drawing Mode
Windows can be Split to model different Specifications for different portions of a Window such as Splitting a Window into it’s Fixed & Awning portions so that the Fixed & Awning Window portions can have a Fixed & Awning Type Window Specification applied to them from the Window Library.
This can also make it easier for Users, Window Manufacturers & Builders to evaluate & select the appropriate Window Suites to use for the project.
Openings within the Data-Grid
Property | Description | Edited Within |
---|---|---|
Name | The Name of the Opening. The Opening’s Name is numerically incremented during creation (e.g. from W01 to W02 to W03) and so it can be useful to create Openings based on their Window Schedule tag (if available) so you do not need to rename the Openings. | Opening Data-Grid Name Column |
Type | The Type of the Opening: Window, Door or Permanent | Type Column |
Specification | Windows & Doors only The Specification of the Window or Door. Window SpecificationThe available Window Specifications within the Opening Data-Grid Specification Column is based on the Window Library Selected Windows List. Door SpecificationThere a variety of Door Specifications available within Hero including standard timber, insulated, metal & insulated metal Doors as well as two Opaque Louvres specifications. | Specification Column |
Orientation | The Orientation of the Opening (i.e. it’s normal direction or direction it is facing) | Not Editable |
Width | The Width of the Opening (in mm) | Visual View & Width Column |
Left Offset | The Distance from the Left Edge of the Parent Wall to the Left Edge of the Opening (in mm) | Visual View & Left Offset Column (hidden by Default) |
Total Height | The Total Height of the Opening (in mm). (I.e. Head Height - Sill Height) | Total Height Column |
Head Height | The Head/Top Height of the Opening (in mm) above the Level’s Reference Height | Head Height Column |
Sill Height | The Sill/Bottom Height of the Opening (in mm) above the Level’s Reference Height | Sill Height Column (hidden by Default) |
Opening Style | Windows Only The Opening Style of the Window (e.g. Casement, Louvre, Awning etc). Changing the Opening Style will typically update the Openable Percentage of the Window | Opening Style Column |
Openable Percentage | The Percentage of the Opening’s Area that is Openable for Ventilation as per NatHERS Technical Note Guidance | Openable Column |
Weatherstripped | External Windows & Doors only Whether the Window or Door has Weatherstripping or Draught-proofing specified to signficantly reduce air-leakage. | Weatherstripped Column |
Insect Screen | External Windows & Doors only Whether the Window or Door is fitted within fixed Insect Screens. Insect Screens within a Chenath Simulation reduce Ventilation rates through Openings but do not effect modelled Solar Heat Gains or Heat Transfer. | Insect Screen Column |
Frame External Colour | External Windows & Doors only The External Colour (and Solar Absorptance) of the Window or Door Frame | External Colour Column |
Internal Shade | Windows only The Internal Shade device for the Window as specified & noted on the Plans, and it’s effective R-Value, Solar Transmittance (ST) & Solar Absorptance (SA) | Internal Shade Column |
External Shade | Windows only The External Shade device for the Window as specified & noted on the Plans, and it’s effective Shading Coefficient (SC) | External Shade Column |
Window Library
The Window Library holds the complete library of all Window Specifications available for NatHERS Simulation. The Selected Windows list within the Library is what is presented to Users within the Opening Data-Grid’s Specification column.
Further Information: Window Library
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