Openings

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).

Doors

Doors are used to represent Opaque Openings including standard Doors but also Opaque Louvres.

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.

Openings with the Visual-View

Creating

Openings are created using the Opening Drawing Mode

Selecting

Deleting

Selecting…selecting parents, selecting openings on top of each other

·         Deleting

·         Splitting

Moving & Resizing

Splitting

Openings can be split using the Split & Merge Drawing Mode

Openings on Floating Walls

Openings can be added to Floating Walls as required.

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	The Specification of the Window or Door. Window Specification Door Specification	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)	Width Column
Left Offset	The Distance from the Left Edge of the Parent Wall to the Left Edge of the Opening (in mm)	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 Type of the Window (e.g. Casement, Louvre, Awning etc)	Opening Style Column
Openable Percentage	The Percentage of the Opening’s Area that is Openable for Ventilation as per NatHERS Technical Note Guidance  NatHERS Technical Note Guidance 8.6: “When using custom windows, assessors must use the manufacturer’s ventilation charts to determine the openable percentage of the window and/or door. If this information is not available, apply the provisional opening percentage in Table 5. These reflect the area of window that can open and deducts a percentage for the window frame.” 8.7 “When using default windows, assessors must apply the provisional opening percentage figures in Table 5. These reflect the area of window that can open and deducts a percentage for the window frame.” 8.8 “Assessors must use their judgement in applying opening percentages to default or custom windows that have complex opening arrangements and/or are made of different window types.” 8.9 “Assessors must adjust opening percentages to windows with restricted opening safety requirements and no complying security screen. If the restricted opening percentage is not specified on the design documentation, assessors must use the provisional opening percentage of 10% for all window types.”	Openable Column
Weatherstripped		Weatherstripped Column
Insect Screen		Insect Screen Column
Frame External Colour		External Colour Column
Internal Shade		Internal Column
External Shade		External Column

Window Library

The Window Library holds the complete library of all Window Specifications available for NatHERS Simulation.