Almost everyone uses the delivered Help files at some point, but many never get beyond the Contents tab, or possibly the Index when looking for something specific. 

However, the next two tabs represent the real power of the Bentley help file format, and can go a long way in helping you to find and recall what you’re looking for.  Let’s start by using the Search tab.  In this case we’re going to look for…

As you may know, the Items tool is a very useful tool but in AECOsim you can also export elements to Excel.  This tool has been enhanced in the AECOsim Building designer with the option to export specific element(s) from the Design Model.  The Items tool can be accessed from the Primary Tools box or by choosing File > Item Browser. 

- Exporting elements to Excel:

a) To export specific elements, select the item(s)…

A series of tools is available to aid the user in “converting” their existing discipline-specific dataset content to AECOsim Building Designer’s updated DataGroup schemas and single unified dataset. 

Utilities associated with AECOsim Building Designer are loaded into MicroStation's Utilities drop-down menu when AECOsim Building Designer is started. These utilities reside as submenu items under the “Building…

The Solar Exposure Calculator produces both solar radiation and shadowing analysis over a user-defined time period.  This is important in designing buildings for optimum heat loss (or gain) as well as placing photovoltaic panels for energy generation. The Solar Exposure Calculator performs an analysis of the amount of solar exposure that is received during a user-specified time period. It accumulates both the total time…