window area in a wall

[SH_Canada]

I have some time, so I am back to trying to compute window areas for a user specified collection of windows. I can add a custom field to the window and mark the ones I want with something in this custom field. But I do not see a way to "query" them from a schedule or window collection(if one exists). I thought about getting them from the walls, but it does not look like I can get them from the walls (or I do not know how. I looked around and found drywall area, but no window area)

I read a few posts, but I do not see anyone actually indicating the method to get it (other than the draw polyline around the windows method. And I cooked up a method where you can click on the window and execute a ruby command which adds the area to a running total (but that, and the polyline method) only works until you add or change the windows, then you have to do it again))

 

Thanks

[Chopsaw]

Did you try "Include in Schedule As:"  ?   Schedules are pretty versatile now and getting better all the time.  

 

That also allows you to use your own macro in an OIP field depending on exactly what you are calculating.

[SH_Canada]

2 hours ago, Chopsaw said:

Did you try "Include in Schedule As:"  ?   Schedules are pretty versatile now and getting better all the time.  

 

That also allows you to use your own macro in an OIP field depending on exactly what you are calculating.

 

ok, I've got the ones I want into a custom schedule by doing the above(I do not need a custom field, just a custom schedule category) and the schedule has the total area of the windows as a "total". But how can I get that total  into a global variable so I can use in a macro? Looking at the schedule's object properties, it does not look like there is anything there.

 

[Chopsaw]

11 minutes ago, jasonN said:

ok, I've got the ones I want into a custom schedule by doing the above(I do not need a custom field, just a custom schedule category) and the schedule has the total area of the windows as a "total". But how can I get that total  into a global variable so I can use in a macro? Looking at the schedule's object properties, it does not look like there is anything there.

 

Sorry I though the total in the schedule was your objective but it seems that is only the beginning.  You will need to query all the windows with a macro and then add up the area of the ones that meet your criteria but that gets rather involved to go that far, especially if that is only the beginning of what you are needing to accomplish.

[Joe_Carrick]

Are you looking to automate compliance with Table 9.10.15.4 ?

If so, I have a macro package that does it very nicely.  It's a rather specific set of macros for which I charge $100 USD.  It requires the use of a custom field which is included.

 

Let me know if you are interested.

[SH_Canada]

Yes, but there is more, the City here has a zero lot line policy which changes some of the criteria. So I'm looking to semi automate it.. I was thinking of putting all the windows in a hash or array based on schedule number and then constantly run through it to keep the total current. I saw some of your posts Joe which look to indicate this method as well. I was hoping for something less brute force. And I'm not sure if the macro would fire when a window is deleted, in order to remove the window from the hash.

[Joe_Carrick]

8 hours ago, jasonN said:

Yes, but there is more, the City here has a zero lot line policy which changes some of the criteria. So I'm looking to semi automate it.. I was thinking of putting all the windows in a hash or array based on schedule number and then constantly run through it to keep the total current. I saw some of your posts Joe which look to indicate this method as well. I was hoping for something less brute force. And I'm not sure if the macro would fire when a window is deleted, in order to remove the window from the hash.

My system automatically updates whenever any change is made.  For the "zero lot line policy" I would need to know the rules.  I could then make the necessary modifications for an additional $25.

[SHCanada2]

I looked around a little more and got it recalculating correctly. I have to do one of two things to get it to work. i) set the label of the wall to a predetermined elevation name, say"E1", or set a custom property(ex: create "elevation" as a custom property) and then set it to "E1 for the windows I need to calculate. Each has a benefit and draw back. Setting the wall label means for a two storey I need to set all three walls(although this can be done from the elevation). Setting the windows is risky in case I copy and move to another wall. As such I put in the contributing windows in the label, so I can at least sanity check the number

 

 I put the macro on the elevation(in the polyline label) with the polyline around the elevation area. as the elevation area is calculated from grade to eave. I then saved this in the user object library for re-use

 

Thanks Joe for all your posts, and contributions. I could not have done it without your's and brownTiger's posts. The way I ended up doing it was to reset the window schedule, area cache on a macro in the plan view. When the elevation updates, or refreshes in the layout, the cache gets updated by the windows in the elevation, and the total/percent values get recalculated on the polyline label macro

 

[Doug_N]

Since the limiting distance in 9.10.15.4 for allowing any windows is 1.2m, any setback less than that prohibits any windows at all.  So, for zero lot line setback up to 1.2m there is no need to do calculations because for the Canadian building code.

 

The code also says: 

(2) Where the limits on the area of glazed openings are determined for individual portions of the exterior wall, as described in Subclause 9.10.15.2.(1)(b)(iii), the maximum aggregate area of glazed openings for any portion shall not exceed the values in the row of Table 9.10.15.4. for the total area of the entire exposing building face based on the limiting distance of the individual portion.

 

So this restriction is not based upon the WINDOW size but the GLAZED area.  CA does not automatically calculate that.

[SHCanada2]

per NBC illustrated guide:

NBC Subsection 9.10.15. uses the term “glazed opening.” Glazed openings include windows and glazed portions of doors. The area of glazed openings is measured to the rough opening of the window or door, not to the edges of the glazing.

 

The City here allows the use of the CA window size as opposed to the RO

 

The City here also has a variance for zero lot line. A variance here is a variance to the code which is issued by the respective authority:

https://www.calgary.ca/content/dam/www/pda/pd/documents/building/variances/advisory-zero-lot-line-variance.pdf

 

 

) One - Two Storey House - No glazed openings or unprotected mechanical openings are 
permitted on the exposing building face at 0m limiting distance. At 1.5m limiting distance, 
a maximum glazed opening area of 7% of the exposing building face measured from grade 
to the underside of the uppermost ceiling is permitted. No individual opening is to exceed 
3.5% of the exposing building face. 

 

I added a calc for the last one, basically determines if a window exceeds 3.5% of the building face. It does not matter how far from the PL this is, the elevation facing the neighbors blank wall on the PL cannot have a window exceeding 3.5%