How to restore Net Zero and AIA 2030 sample models in Insight?

[Anonymous]

I'm getting no help on the main forum, so I thought I'd ask here.

I am doing energy modeling for a large company and recently, while looking at one of my models in Insight, I unchecked the stars next to "Net Zero" and "AIA 2030" under the "Sample" scenarios section. I have now lost these options on every single one of my models. I am doing these models for an AIA 2030 internship, so it is very important I have this information. Can someone explain to me how to restore the "Net Zero: and "AIA 2030" sample defaults. 

[scheerd · Accepted solution]

This is a fairly common question, and there are some other Forum topics with more discussion.

Basically there are many, many ways to meet net-zero and A2030, and there's nothing particularly special about the automated suggested scenarios provided, except that they strive to meet those targets cost-effectively.  In your particular case, costs may be different, for example, or your design may be constrained such that the automated solutions won't work for you.

In practice, you should develop your own scenarios to meet the targets, then save them for use on other projects, and/or experiment with settings on each project to meet the targets for those specific projects.

David

[Anonymous]

What is confusing me is that I can't seem to even get close to the Net Zero mark anymore, no matter what I change the available slider options to. Can you provide me any information on values Insight had available for the "Net Zero" default that I no longer have available to me? 

Is there any way to simply start from scratch with the default options restored? I understand that setting all values individually is a more accurate option, but it's also far more time consuming, and I am constrained by the hours I have available within the internship. 

It just seems very odd that you can remove such useful options with one-click and there is zero option to restore them. Why not simply remove this feature? I don't see what purpose there is to allowing it to be removed if it seems to be causing issue for so many people. 

[scheerd]

That may be true.  The samples are just a set of efficient design options for the widgets.  If you can't meet your targets, then you need either more PV panels than can fit on the roof of your design, and/or the building needs to be redesigned.

[Anonymous]

Interestingly enough, the AIA 2030 and Net Zero samples have both been restored to my profile. I'm not sure what happened, but thank you if someone did that internally. 

[scheerd · Accepted solution]

Yes, the team ran an update script to restore for users, but this is not something that can be done regularly.

I think the main learning from this thread is that the A2030 and NetZero Sample templates are not prescriptive in any way, they are just examples of the sort of templates users can create to track any standard practices you may have in your firm or region to meet high-efficiency designs.  I've noted that the samples do not precisely meet the targets, they simply apply high-efficiency design options to your model, and they may meet the targets, they may be a lot lower energy than the targets, or they may not be able to meet targets at all.

Basically, you should customize these templates for your firm, region, and building type, and not accept the samples as is.

David