EnergyPlus
Run hundreds of EnergyPlus simulations at the same time
Upload your IDF model and weather file, choose the EnergyPlus version and launch. Each run gets its own cloud machine, so a parametric study or an optimisation that takes weeks on one PC finishes in the time of a single simulation. You pay only while the machines run.
The open-source reference for whole-building energy modelling
EnergyPlus is the whole-building energy simulation engine funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and developed with national laboratories, universities and industry. It calculates energy use, loads and thermal comfort, solving the building, its zones and its HVAC systems together, at sub-hourly time steps. It is open source and gets two releases a year.
Building and HVAC solved together
- Zone conditions and HVAC response computed in one simultaneous solution
- Realistic results also for unconditioned or under-sized spaces
Heat balance method
- Surface temperatures computed from a full heat balance
- Radiative and convective heat transfer treated separately
- Thermal comfort, condensation and radiant systems
Sub-hourly time steps
- User-defined time steps shorter than one hour
- Captures fast system dynamics and control behaviour
Component-based HVAC
- Air, plant and refrigeration loops built from components
- Standard and novel system layouts, no fixed templates
Daylighting and fenestration
- Daylighting and glare
- Electrochromic glazing and controllable blinds and shading
Custom controls with EMS
- Energy Management System for custom control logic
- Test new control strategies without changing the source code
A single run is quick. A thousand runs are not.
An annual simulation of one building usually takes minutes. The time goes into the studies: envelope options, HVAC alternatives, climate files, sensitivity and optimisation, each one a separate run. On cloudHPC they all run at once.
| Task | On a workstation | On cloudHPC |
|---|---|---|
| Parametric studies | Variants run one after another, or a few at a time on your cores | One machine per variant, all launched together: the whole study takes as long as its slowest run |
| Large models | Long annual runs that keep your PC busy | Multi-threaded runs on fast CPUs with the RAM the model needs |
| Versions | Install and keep several EnergyPlus versions side by side | Several versions pre-installed: pick the one that matches your IDF |
| Automation | Scripts tied to your own machine | Upload, launch and download through the cloudHPC API |
| Hardware cost | Buy and maintain a workstation sized for peak studies | Pay per vCPU hour, only while the runs last |
How an EnergyPlus run works
What you upload
- One
.idfmodel per case folder - An
.epwweather file (without it, only design days run) - Optional: an
.imfmacro file (EP-Macro and ExpandObjects run automatically) or a custom.idd - Schedule CSVs, FMUs and window data files in the same folder, with relative paths
What you get back
- EnergyPlus native outputs:
.eso,.sql,.htmtables and the.errreport - Multi-threaded runs on all vCPU from version 9.6 onwards
- 2–4 vCPU on highcpu machines are enough for most buildings: keep the budget for more variants
Before you upload tip
- Check that the
Versionobject in the IDF matches the EnergyPlus version you launch; update older models with IDFVersionUpdater - Expand
HVACTemplateobjects before uploading a plain .idf - Run a quick design-day test locally and check the .err file before an annual run
Parametric studies tip
- Create one case folder per variant and launch one run each
- Script the whole study with the cloudHPC API: generate the IDFs, upload, launch, collect the results
- Works with models from OpenStudio, DesignBuilder or any tool that exports IDF
Simulation infrastructure, ready when you need it
Ready to use
EnergyPlus is pre-installed and maintained in several versions. No installation, no servers to manage.
Pay per use
No subscription and no hardware investment: you pay per vCPU hour, only while the machines run. Check the cost in advance with the price calculator.
Engineering support
The cloudHPC team runs simulations every day and can help you set up batch studies. The platform is ISO 27001 certified.
Your first EnergyPlus run in five steps
- Register on cloudHPC and activate your account.
- Export the IDF from your modelling tool and pick the weather file.
- Upload them, with any schedule files, to a storage folder.
- Choose the EnergyPlus version matching your IDF and launch.
- Download the results, or launch the next variants in parallel.
Run your next parametric study in the cloud
Create your account and get 300 free vCPU hours to try EnergyPlus on your own models.