Quick Start Guide
If you do not already have an Account with Guardian Glass please sign up for a free account. There is information in Section 1.4 on how to do this here
Once you can access your account, there is a download link for the software on the welcome page there.
Download and install the software (close any open Revit sessions on your computer first).
You will then see Tools for Guardian Glass for BIM on the Revit menu.
Depending on whether your project is a Detailed model or Conceptual model, select the correct tool on the Revit menu.
The Thermal Tool is for advanced assignment of values to Revit elements to get an overall IGU value.
The Platform Tool will provide a link to your online Account.
DETAILED MODEL
If you have a Detailed Revit model, click on the Detailed Tool. This will open the Start window.
The model elements will load into the application. Assuming that the energy model creates successfully in Revit, you may continue to the main window.
This window is where glass properties of Revit elements are checked and you may also check the model for issues (optional).
If the Assign Glass button displays, click on it to review glazing families in Revit which do not have thermal properties assigned.
A default Guardian glass may now be assigned to these elements using the application (this will change the glass type used in Revit).
The next stage is selecting an Energy Code for your project. Suggested Codes may display for some regions (not all regions are yet supported), or you may create a Code for your project. Note: To quickly progress, select the placeholder code with default values and Continue (you may always return to this area later to enter more realistic values to check compliance if you do not know exact code values at this stage).
The next stage is checking compliance of the Revit elements (U-values/R-values) against the selected Code values for each category (wall, floors, roofs, glazing).
If current values do not comply (their performance is not good enough), you may apply the Code values (using the Set button) to override Revit element values. These Code values will be used for calculations only and do not modify element materials/thicknesses or properties in the model. The only requirement is that there be some value in each box for each category (Roof, Floor, Walls and Glazing) in order to progress.
Use the Continue Setup button to move ahead to the final stage.
The final stage of on-boarding your project is the Building Manager to check the project settings and get results. Use the dropdown options to select location, terrain and occupancy hours. You may also leave these options as default and come back later to modify and recalculate again.
You may use the checkbox beside the Calculate Shading option if you have significant shading effects from surrounding buildings, self-shading from the model itself or shade devices etc (calculating shading results will take a little longer to process but will reduce the Heat Gain results).
Then click on the Download Solar Data button.
When this is complete, you will see a message to confirm. Click OK.
Then click on the Let’s Start button to enter the main window of the application.
If this the first time you are using the application after installing, you will see a message that the Guardian glass database will be loaded into Revit (synced to Revit).
This requires a one time restart of Revit so that it may update. Close the application and save your model (so that you do not have to work through the onboarding process again). When you restart Revit and relaunch the application, you will see an option to Continue. Uncheck the energy model option (if the model has not been modified) so that you can return to your previous window (without onboarding the model again).
The model viewer in the application has options for displaying Energy Surfaces/Energy Spaces or Building Elements. Use the tabs at the top of the viewer to toggle between the options.
Selections may be made (Energy Surfaces)using the list on the left hand side, from the model in the application viewer, from the Charts or from the Revit model itself.
There is also a tab to view Energy Spaces in the model and these may be selected also from the list or model viewer.
There is also a feature to Add Windows to solid walls on the model (Select a Surface(s) and click on the ‘Add Windows’ tab).
There is also a feature to Add Curtain Walls to solid walls on the model.
The Outputs tab provides access to saving a Report and Shading Animations of shadow studies.
CONCEPTUAL MASS
If you have a Conceptual Mass model in Revit, click on the ‘Concept’ tool.
A dialog window will open. Click on this window and it will ask you to select the Conceptual Mass in the project to analyze. Select the correct mass model that you wish to analyze.
The Building Manager will open where there are a few settings to be reviewed for the project (terrain type, location, occupancy hours etc).
If there are significant shading factors in the project (Surrounding buildings/objects have been also modelled, the shape of the design may cause shading effects etc), then turn on ‘Calculate Shading Factors‘. Then click on the ‘Calculate Solar Data‘ button to get results for your project.
Once this is complete, you may close the Building Manager (a message will advise).
Then in the Performance Manager, you can Select an Energy Code for the project. You may see suggested Codes displayed in the dropdown list or you may Create a Code using the pencil icon. Apply these Code values using the checkmark button beside the Codes list. This will update element categories so they comply with Code values.
Apply an Overall Glazing Percentage to the model by typing in a value into the circle. Then press Return on your keyboard to update the Revit model.
The Dashboard will display results for the selections made in the Facade Navigator. When nothing is selected, the results refer to the entire model.
Under the Facades tab, you may select specific areas of the model by opening the Facade Navigator and then define settings for each independently (shading canopies, glass types, glass to wall ratios, fritting etc). Use the camera icon on the toolbar to save a Report of your results, element properties, glazed areas etc.
Expand the Charts using the arrow beside the Dashboard. Surfaces will highlight on the model depending on the active Chart.
