Daylighting sensor location can be too close to a window - not documented? #10364
Description
There seems to just be a rule missing from the documentation that a daylighting sensor position must be > 6" away from any window. (Presumably only windows in the same zone/space are relevant).
Because of this restriction its possible to receive an error such as the following:
3: CalcDaylightCoeffRefPoints: Daylighting calculation cannot be done for Daylighting:Controls=DAYLIGHTINGCONTROLS_\{02727\} because reference point #2 is less than 0.15m (6") from window plane OFFICES_WALL_526_WINDOW_527_\{00948\}
0: Distance=[8.30498E-002]. This is too close; check position of reference point.
Example IDF entries which generate this error are pasted below. This happens in EnergyPlus 23.2 and has been present for a while; at least in 9.5 it also did the same thing.
It looks like this error originates from here: https://github.com/NREL/EnergyPlus/blob/0c0cdaa269e7b5939c46b710f4dbdef68db8fdac/src/EnergyPlus/DaylightingManager.cc#L1598
I looked in the documentation at https://bigladdersoftware.com/epx/docs/23-2/input-output-reference/group-daylighting.html#daylightingreferencepoint-000 but did not find any mention of this restriction.
Also, in the code linked above, the actual function name is FigureDayltgCoeffsAtPointsSetupForWindow, not CalcDaylightCoeffRefPoints. This made finding the code a little bit harder. Ideally the error message should report the actual function name just for extra clarity.
Thanks!
Daylighting:ReferencePoint,
DaylightingRefPoint_\{02728\}, !- Name
3 OFFICES_\{02584\}, !- Zone or Space Name
57.841, !- X-Coordinate of Reference Point {m}
-28.121, !- Y-Coordinate of Reference Point {m}
12.344; !- Z-Coordinate of Reference Point {m}
Daylighting:ReferencePoint,
DaylightingRefPoint_\{02729\}, !- Name
3 OFFICES_\{02584\}, !- Zone or Space Name
48.485, !- X-Coordinate of Reference Point {m}
-20.491, !- Y-Coordinate of Reference Point {m}
12.344; !- Z-Coordinate of Reference Point {m}
...
Daylighting:Controls,
DaylightingControls_\{02727\}, !- Name
OFFICES_\{02584\}, !- Zone or Space Name
, !- Daylighting Method
, !- Availability Schedule Name
Continuous, !- Lighting Control Type
0.3, !- Minimum Input Power Fraction for Continuous or ContinuousOff Dimming Control
0.1, !- Minimum Light Output Fraction for Continuous or ContinuousOff Dimming Control
, !- Number of Stepped Control Steps
1, !- Probability Lighting will be Reset When Needed in Manual Stepped Control
, !- Glare Calculation Daylighting Reference Point Name
, !- Glare Calculation Azimuth Angle of View Direction Clockwise from Zone y-Axis {deg}
, !- Maximum Allowable Discomfort Glare Index
, !- DElight Gridding Resolution {m2}
DaylightingRefPoint_\{02728\}, !- Daylighting Reference Point Name 1
0.207115017305604, !- Fraction of Lights Controlled by Reference Point 1
500, !- Illuminance Setpoint at Reference Point 1 {lux}
DaylightingRefPoint_\{02729\}, !- Daylighting Reference Point Name 2
4.7373827332267e-05, !- Fraction of Lights Controlled by Reference Point 2
500, !- Illuminance Setpoint at Reference Point 2 {lux}
DaylightingRefPoint_\{02730\}, !- Daylighting Reference Point Name 3
0.179456620249353, !- Fraction of Lights Controlled by Reference Point 3
500, !- Illuminance Setpoint at Reference Point 3 {lux}
DaylightingRefPoint_\{02731\}, !- Daylighting Reference Point Name 4
0.172684391751173, !- Fraction of Lights Controlled by Reference Point 4
500, !- Illuminance Setpoint at Reference Point 4 {lux}
DaylightingRefPoint_\{02732\}, !- Daylighting Reference Point Name 5
0.146136561485941, !- Fraction of Lights Controlled by Reference Point 5
500;
...
FenestrationSurface:Detailed,
OFFICES_Wall_526_Window_527_\{00948\}, !- Name
Window, !- Surface Type
Construction 2, !- Construction Name
OFFICES_Wall_526_\{00947\}, !- Building Surface Name
, !- Outside Boundary Condition Object
, !- View Factor to Ground
, !- Frame and Divider Name
, !- Multiplier
, !- Number of Vertices
48.4, -20.52, 15.09, !- X,Y,Z Vertex 1 {m}
48.4, -20.52, 11.74, !- X,Y,Z Vertex 2 {m}
49.74, -22.05, 11.74, !- X,Y,Z Vertex 3 {m}
49.74, -22.05, 15.09; !- X,Y,Z Vertex 4 {m}
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