Trane C.D.S.

eLearning Series

gbXML files and TRACE 700

Slide1
TRACE 700
Importing and Exporting gbXML

Slide2

Learning Objectives

Define gbXML
Benefits
What can be done with TRACE TM?
Import/export Steps
Best practices

Slide3

What is gbXML?
Green Building XML
eXtensible Markup Language (XML)
Computer language
gbXML is an open schema used to exchange building
data from a modeling software to an analysis software and
back.

2015 Trane a business of Ingersoll Rand

Hello,mynameisMayraReyesandIma
marketingengineerintheC.D.S.groupat
TRANE.

InthisvideoIwilltalkaboutgbXMLfiles,
howtoimport themintoTRACE to
performaLoadcalculationandthenhow
toexportthemfromTRACEtobringthem
backtoyourCADproject.

Bytheendofthisvideo,youwillbeable
to:
DefinewhatisagbXMLfile
Understandthebenefitsofworkingwith
gbXMLfilesinTRACE
KnowwhatcanbedonewithagbXMLfile
inTRACE
ImportandexportagbXMLfromTRACE
Knowthebestpracticestoworkwith
gbXMLfiles

Letsstartwithsomedefinitions:
gbXMLstandsforGreenBuildingXML.
XMLorExtensibleMarkupLanguageisa
typeofcomputerlanguagethatallows
softwareprogramstocommunicate.

So,gbXMLisanopenschema(datalayout)
usedtotransferabuildingdatafroma
modelingsoftwarelikeaCADsoftwareto
anengineeringanalysissoftwaresuchas
TRACEtoperformLoadcalculationand
back.

Inotherwordsitwilltransferabuilding
drawingtocalculateLoadsandbringit
backtoadrawing.

Trane C.D.S. eLearning Series

gbXML files and TRACE 700

Slide4

About gbXML
Non proprietary data schema
Maintained by an industry consortium of 200
members
Supported by 35 software applications
TRACE TM 700, Autodesk, BimStorm, DIALux, Bentley,
other tools for BIM (Building Information Modeling)
and BEM (Building Energy Modeling).

Funding from the PNNL

Slide5

Benefits
Save time
Minimize errors
Increase productivity

2015 Trane a business of Ingersoll Rand

gbXMLisanOpendataschema,which
meansthatanyonecanuseitforfree.
Itismaintainedbymorethan200
membersoftheindustryandaround35
softwareapplicationssupportitsuchas
TRACE700,Autodesk,BimStormand
Dialuxamongstmanyother.
gbXMLnowhasafundingfromthePacific
NorthwestNationalLabtoallowusersto
integrateittoothertools.

NowthatweknowwhatgbXMLisusedfor,
letstakealookattheadvantagesofusing
gbXMLfilesinTRACE.

Youcansavetime:around75%ofthe
timetogenerateafileinTRACE700is
typicallyspentinCreateRooms.AgbXML
importcanreducethistimebymorethan
2/3.
OncethebuildingismodelledinaCAD
program,insteadofcreatingeveryroomin
TRACE,selectingeachtypeofconstruction
materialsandinternalloads,onecan
simplyimportthegbXMLfilethatcan
containallthebuildinggeometry.The
samecanbedonefromTRACE700to
gbXML,onecanexportloadcalculation
resultsandimportthemautomaticallyinto

Trane C.D.S. eLearning Series

gbXML files and TRACE 700

theCADsoftware.

Minimizeerrors:usinggbXMLtotransfera
projectinformationminimizeserrorsthat
occurduringdoubledatainput.TRACE700
canimportagbXMLfileproducedbyaCAD
programwithouthavingtoenterthe
informationalloveragain.

Savingtimeandminimizingerrorscanbe
translatedasanincreaseofproductivity.

Slide6

Drawbacks
File must be created in CAD
CAD mistakes are propagated into TRACE TM
Includes only Building information model not
building energy model

2015 Trane a business of Ingersoll Rand

SomedisadvantagesofusinggbXMLfilesin
TRACE700are:
- ThefilemustbecreatedfirstinaCAD
softwareandthenimportedintoTRACE,
youcantcreateaprojectinTRACEand
thenexportitintoCAD.Itwillnot
generatethedrawingofyourbuilding.
- Abnormalitiesorerrorsgeneratedin
theCADprogramwillbepropagated
throughTRACE.Forexamplewallsthat
arenottrimmedleaveanopenspace
insteadofaroom.
- AgbXMLimportintoTRACEismeantto
calculateLoaddesignnotEnergy
simulation.

Trane C.D.S. eLearning Series

Slide7

gbXML files and TRACE 700

Steps to use a gbXML file with TRACETM

1. Export gbXML from CAD program
2. Import the file into TRACE TM 700 (select the
elements to import)
3. Verify and complete inputs
4. Run simulation
5. Verify outputs through reports
6. Export gbXML from TRACE TM 700
7. Import the gbXML file to the CAD program

Slide8

What can be imported into TRACE TM

700 from the gbXML?

2015 Trane a business of Ingersoll Rand

Afterthebuildinghasbeencreatedinthe
CADprogramanditisreadyforload
analysis,exporttheprojectasagbXMLfile.

ExportgbXMLfromCADprogram
(SavegbXMLwithafilenamelessthan
28characters)
ImportthefileintoanewTRACE700
(selecttheelementstoimport)
Verifyandcompleteinputs.Ensure
thatwallsandwindowshavetheir
actualsizeandlookforduplicated
inputsthatmightaffectthe
calculation.Zoneroomswiththeir
systems.
Runsimulation
Verifyoutputsthroughreports
ExportgbXMLfromTRACE700
ImportthegbXMLfiletotheCAD
programwiththeloadandairflow
calculations

ThepurposeofimportingagbXMLfileinto
TRACE,istoperformaLoadDesign
Calculationofthebuilding.Therefore
TRACEcanimportinformationneededfor
thatloadcalculationsuchastherooms
areas,roofs,floors,fenestration,
constructionmaterials,internalloads,
ventilationairflows,systemsandzoningof
therooms.HoweveragbXMLfilemight
nothaveallthoseattributes.Itmight
containonlythebuildinggeometry.Notice
thateveryspacedefinedingbXML
becomesaroominTRACE700.

WhenimportingagbXMLfileintoTRACE
700,aselectionmustbemadeofwhat
wantstobeimported.
DependingontheattributesoftheCAD
model,TRACEcanimportifavailable:
InternalloadslikePeople,Lightingand

Trane C.D.S. eLearning Series

gbXML files and TRACE 700

Miscellaneousloads
Ventilationairflows
Designtemperatures
Partitions:Rememberthatpartitionsin
TRACE700areinternalwallsmeantto
separateareasthathaveabigtemperature
difference.Ifyourinteriorwallsseparate
areaswithsimilartemperatures,youdont
needtoimportthem.Importingnon
neededpartitionsmightmake
temperaturesdriftormighttakeverylong
calculationtimeiftherearemany
partitionsinthebuilding.

TheCheckforremoveddrawingobjects
allowsTRACE700toremoveanyobjects
thatwereremovedfromthegbxml
fileafterthefirstimportintoTRACE.If
afterthefirstimportandexportfrom
TRACEsomechangesaremadeontheCAD
software,whenitisimportedagaininto
TRACE,thisoptioncanbeselectedto
updatethefileandcalculateitagain.

TheUsenameasspaceidentifieroption
assignsthenametoeachroomfromthe
nameattributecreatedintheCAD
program.Ifunchecked,theroomnamein
TRACEwillbefromtheidattributeinthe
file.YouneedtolookatthegbXMLfileto
knowwhateachCADsoftwareuses.For
exampleRevitusesthenameattribute.

2015 Trane a business of Ingersoll Rand

Trane C.D.S. eLearning Series

Slide9

gbXML files and TRACE 700

What can be exported from TRACE TM

700 as a gbXML?
Cooling and heating
loads
Coils size (Mbh, tons)
Airflows

Slide10

Example: Export gbXML from Revit

2015 Trane a business of Ingersoll Rand

Afterthesimulationhasbeencalculated,
thefilecanbeexportedfromTRACEasa
gbXMLfiletothenimportitintoaCAD
programandthedesigninformationwillbe
transferredtothedrawing.

TheLoaddesigninformationthatcanbe
exportedincludesspaceorzoneheating
andcoolingloads,coilsizesandairflows.

ThisexportgbXMLfeatureexportsdesign
informationtoanexistingxmlfilethatwas
usedtocreatethecurrentTRACEfile.Only
aTRACE700filecreatedfromanimported
gbXMLfilecanbeexportedonlyafterithas
beencalculatedinTRACE.

LetslookatanexampleusingAutodesk
Revit.
Abuildingwith12roomsiscreatedasa
CADdrawing.
WewanttoexportitasgbXMLtorunthe
LoadcalculationinTRACE700.Todoso,I
openedinthemainmenutheoption
ExportandselectedgbXML.

TheexportgbXMLsettingwindowwill
allowyoutoselectthebuildingtype,
location,levelofcomplexityoftheexport
andcategory.

Theexportedfilewillhaveanextension
.xmlmakesurethatyousaveitinthe
samelocationthatyouwillsavetheTRACE
fileandavoidusingspecialcharactersfor
thename.

Trane C.D.S. eLearning Series

Slide11

gbXML files and TRACE 700

Example: Import gbXML into TRACE TM

SCREENCAST

2015 Trane a business of Ingersoll Rand

Now,letsopenTRACE700andcreatea
newfile.Youcanselecttemplatesforthe
buildingnoworwaittoseewhatis
importedfromthefile.
SelectFile,ImportgbXMLandselectthe
XMLfilethatwasjustcreatedinRevit.
Selecttheitemstoimport.Iwillselectall
exceptthepartitionsbecauseinternal
wallsarenotneededinTraceunlessthere
isabigtemperaturedifferencebetween
rooms.Sinceallmyroomsarewithinthe
samerangeoftemperature,Idontneed
thepartitionsforthisexample.
Reviewtheinputsonyourroomssuchas
dimensions,openings,internalloads,etc.
Wecanseethat12roomswereimported
justlikeIhadthemonmyRevitfile.
Ifthefiledoesnotincludeinternalloads
orairflows,youcancreatethemandapply
themtothecorrespondingrooms.Iwill
createforthisexampleinternalloadsand
ventilationofatypicalofficebuilding.
Createthesystemsasneededanddont
forgettoassignroomstosystems.Ifyou
havequestionsonzoning,pleasecheckour
tutorialRoomandZoneAssignmenton
thefollowinglink:
http://www.trane.com/commercial/north
america/us/en/productssystems/design
andanalysistools/cdshelp/elearning
library/roomandzoneassignments.html
IwillselectforthesystemtypeaVAVwith
reheat,enterthefantypeandstatic
pressure.
SinceVAVwithreheathasasystemlevel
coolingcoil,thevavboxeswillbeassigned
tozones.AsIdragalltheroomsunderthe
system,Iamassigningthemasazone
each.
RuntheLoadcalculationandchecksome
reportstoverifyyourinputsandoutputs.
TheSystemchecksumreportisasingle
pageoverviewofthecooling/heatingloads
anddesigninformation,soIcanuseitto
checktheloaddesigncalculation.
Nowthatthefilehasbeencalculated,you
canexportittoagbXMLformatagain.
GotoFile,selectExportandthengbXML.

Trane C.D.S. eLearning Series

gbXML files and TRACE 700

Selectthesamenameoftheimportedfile
originally.
InyourCADsoftware,withyourproject
open,lookfortheimportgbXMLoption.
Selecttheresultstobeimportedsuchas
cooling/heatingloadsorairflowsforzones
orspaces.

Slide12

Best practices

Trimmed walls
Plenum spaces
Partitions
Keep both files in your local computer
Abnormalities from CAD project
Rooms with unique names - no special characters
Verify your inputs
Keep it simple

2015 Trane a business of Ingersoll Rand

NowthatweknowhowtoexportaCAD
drawingasagbXMLfile,importedinto
TRACEtorunLoadDesigncalculationand
exporteditagainasagbXMLfortheCAD
program,letsreviewsomebestpractices
whenworkingwithgbXML.
- Makesurethatallwallsaretrimmed,if
awalldoesnottouchthenextwallit
willbeanopenspacewhichwontbe
importedasaroominTRACE.
- Plenumspacesareimportedasrooms.
Makesuretheyarentselectedfor
exportinyourCADfile
- RememberthatpartitionsinTRACEare
meanttoseparateareasthathavea
differenceintemperatureifyour
interiorwallsseparateareaswith
similartemperatures,youdontneedto
importthem.Youmightpreventseveral
problemsliketemperaturesdriftingor
verylongcalculationtimeifthereare
manypartitionsinthebuilding.
- KeepbothyourTRACEandgbXMLfiles
inthesamelocationinyourlocal
computer.ImportingagbXMLfilefrom
aservermightcreatesomeproblems.
- Abnormalitiesorerrorsmaypropagate
throughgbXMLiftheoriginalCAD
projecthasmistakesinthedrawingor
definitions.
- Roomsshouldhaveauniquenameand
specialcharactersshouldnotbeused
fortheirname.Donotusespecial
characterstonamethegbXMLfilenor
theTRACEfile.
- Verifyyourinputs,curvedwallsmight
importasmanysmallwallstogetthat

Trane C.D.S. eLearning Series

gbXML files and TRACE 700

shape,checkforrepeatedelements.
- Overallkeepitsimple

Slide13

Additional resources
TRACE 700 Users Manual
TRACE TM 700 (F1) help
Links to more technical documents

2015 Trane a business of Ingersoll Rand

Ifyouwouldlikemoreinformationon
gbXMLandTRACEinteraction,therearea
numberofresourcesavailabletoyou.

FirstyoucanusetheUsersmanualwhich
isaccessiblewithintheprogrambygoing
totheHelpMenu,Documentationand
thenUsersManual.Thiswillopena
searchablePDFoftheentiremanual.

YoucanalsousetheF1helpfeaturewithin
theprogram.Ifyouhavequestionsona
certaininput,simplyhittheF1buttonon
yourkeyboardtoopenuptheHelpfilefor
thatparticularscreen.Thehelpfileisfullof
bluelinksthatwilltakeyoutopageswith
moredetailedinformationonspecific
inputs.

Acompletelistofexporteddatacanbe
foundinthefollowinglink:
https://hvackc.comfortsite.com/admintool
/attachment_mgmt/uploaddocs/PATTLNK_
1122009_2031
gbXML%20Results%20Exported%20from%
20TRACE%20700.pdf

ColdStreamSoftwarehascreatedan
extensivedocumentthatdescribestheuse
ofAutodesk'sRevitMEP2010andgbXML
aswellasadiscussiononintegrationwith
TRACE700.
https://hvackc.comfortsite.com/admintool

Trane C.D.S. eLearning Series

gbXML files and TRACE 700

/attachment_mgmt/uploaddocs/PATTLNK_
1122009_2038
Revit%202010%20MEP%20Manual.pdf

Additionalinformationrelatedtothe
gbXMLschemaandTRACEintegrationcan
befoundinthefollowinglink:
https://hvackc.comfortsite.com/admintool
/attachment_mgmt/uploaddocs/PATTLNK_
3112010_227
TRACE%20700%20gbXML%20Integration.p
df

Slide14

contactus
phone I

608.787.3926

fax I

608.787.3005

emailI

cdshelp@trane.com

WebI

www.tranecds.com

Finallyforfurtherassistance,ifyouhavea
validTRACE700license,youarewelcome
togiveoursupportcenteracallorsendus
anemailwithyourquestionsandwe
wouldbehappytohelpyouout.

Thankyouforwatchingandhavea
wonderfulday!

2015 Trane a business of Ingersoll Rand

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