HOT2000 FAQ’s:

• Why does R-2000 energy decrease when the fan mode is changed from Auto to Continuous?
• What is the size of lumber used for a Lintel?
• When I send my house file to someone else must I also send my Code (Revised)
• What is the best way to review/edit someone else's house file
• What is the Code Summary used for?
• Why was the basement model changed?
• How do I model a basement when not all of the below grade walls are insulated?
• How can I edit the wall code that I just input?
• Can old files be read into the latest version?
• How do I get HOT2000 to always show me my files from the same drive and path?
• How many walls and windows can I enter?
• What's the difference between a Floor Header and a Wall?
• Are HOT2000 heating loads CAN/CSA F280 compliant?
• Can I create my own weather files?
• How do I enter an ICF wall?
• Where can I get HOT2000 training?
• Does HOT2000 assume the HRV fan runs continuously?

Why does R-2000 energy decrease when the fan mode is changed from Auto to Continuous?
By definition, the R-2000 Assessment energy consumption includes only the energy consumed during the "heating hours". This includes furnace fuel, furnace fan electrical energy, and HRV/ventilation fan and pre-heater energy.

When the furnace fan mode is set to Continuous, the fan energy during the non-heating hours contributes to house internal gains, so the space heating load decreases without affecting the fan electrical energy use during the "heating hours". It is important to note, however, that the total energy consumption of the house increases when the fan mode is changed from Auto to Continuous.

For example, using the file H2k7Hse1.hse, shipped with HOT2000 Version 8.606, the following results are obtained:

Furnace Fan Mode	Total Energy (MJ)	R-2000 Space + DHW Energy (MJ)
Auto	106936	75051
Continuous	112591	66626

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What is the size of lumber used for a Lintel?
HOT2000 uses the National Building Code of Canada 1990 (Table 9.23.12.A) to determine the size of lumber that is used for lintels of various spans.

Span of Lintel (mm)	Lumber width (mm)
up to 559 mm	89
560 to 1399	140
1400 to 1959	184
1960 to 2239	235
2240 and up	286

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When I send my house file to someone else must I also send my Code Library? (Revised)
No. The structure codes (favourite codes and user-defined codes), that you create or reference from the code library, are embedded in your house file and "travel" with the file.

When you create a favourite code or a user-defined code, the program saves it in two places: the code library file (named in the Preferences/Libraries section) and in the house file where they are used. This means that when you send your house file to your associate or file reviewer it contains all of the favourite and user-defined codes that you referenced.

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What is the best way to review/edit somebody else's house file?
HOT2000 version 8.7 (released April 6, 2002) added a new feature to make working with somebody else's file much easier. The "Open with new code library..." menu item in the File menu provides a way to open a house file and automatically create the corresponding code library file from the codes data embedded in the house file. The program preferences are modified to reference this new code library which has the same name and location as the house file. This ensures that there will never be a conflict between the name of a code that you have created in your main code library and the name of a code that exists in someone else's house file that you are using.

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What is the Code Summary used for?
The Code Summary screen, accessed via the House screen tabs, is used to show all of the favourite and user-defined codes referenced in the house file and whether or not the default code library contains these codes. Codes marked with a "Y" under the "Lib" column are in the default code library and codes marked with an "N" under the "Lib" column are not in the default code library. The default code library file name is set in the "Libraries" tab of the File/Preferences section.

It is important to understand that the structure codes in code library file(s) are available for use in any house file and, as such, must be managed carefully. If you change a favourite or user-defined code, then all of the files that reference that code will be changed the next time they are opened with the same default library file. If a code used in a house is found in the default code library, the program will use the code library data for calculations. If a referenced code is not found in the default code library, then the embedded house file data for this code will be used for calculations.

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Why was the basement model changed?
HOT2000 Version 8.0 introduced a new basement heat loss model (BASESIMP) that replaced the original heat loss method developed by G.P. Mitalas of the National Research Council of Canada (Mitalas 1982 and 1987). The new method was developed by Ian Beausoleil-Morrison of Natural Resources Canada, in cooperation with G.P. Mitalas of NRC, to improve upon the accuracy of the original method.

BASESIMP is a series of correlations that condenses the run time requirements of the finite element program that was used to research and implement the new method (BASECALC). See our publications section for published papers on the BASECALC method.
There are a number of important differences between BASESIMP and the Mitalas method which forms the basis of the current HOT2000 below-grade heat-loss model and which has been implemented in a number of whole-building programs:

• BASESIMP encompasses a much larger number of foundation systems
• BASESIMP treats the foundation as a whole system rather than breaking it up into 5 segments
• BASESIMP treats above-grade heat losses, including the effects of thermal bridging from below-grade components to above-grade components
• BASESIMP accounts for thermal bridging to the main-storey walls (e.g. thermal bridging between concrete basement wall and brickwork placed on top of wall)
• No interpolation is required in BASESIMP for the depth of the floor slab and the soil conductivity – these are variables in the correlations
• In BASESIMP, the water-table depth is a variable
• BASESIMP allows the importation of BASECALC output for the modelling of "custom" foundations

The main problem with the original Mitalas heat loss model implemented in HOT2000 v7.x (and prior) is that the user could enter many segments of a basement that were not "connected" to create a complete basement system. Heat loss at the junctures between walls and the floor slab were not modelled well when many components existed. The model performed well for simple basements but quickly lost accuracy when it was used to create complex scenarios of insulated and uninsulated walls and slabs at various depths.

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How do I model a basement when not all of the below grade walls are insulated?
When you choose an insulation placement configuration from the first screen of the Foundation section, the program assumes that the insulation placement will look the same in any cross section of the basement (along the same axis). This is because you are describing the insulation placement in only two dimensions. You have the opportunity to enter the insulation R value (or frame construction makeup, as appropriate) in the second "Wall/Floor Specification" screen. To enter the insulation value of a basement whose walls have different insulation values, click on the "Composite RSI/R" button and enter up to 4 wall sections as a percentage of the whole wall area and their respective RSI/R values.

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How can I edit the wall code that I just input?
All standard and "Favourite" structure codes can be edited by Ctrl-Clicking on their name in the drop-down "type" list. In the wall section, click on the Wall Type input, highlight the code you want to edit and click on it (left-click) while holding down the Ctrl key on your keyboard.

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Can old files be read into the latest version?
Version 7.x files can be imported into HOT2000 v8.x and all older v8.x files can be read directly into the most recent version of 8.x. That is to say that, within a major version number, all "older" files can be read directly (no need to import). Reading older files in different major version numbers require an "Import" operation. If you have files older than v7.x, you must import them into the next major version number of the program and work your way up to the latest major version number.

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How do I get HOT2000 to always show me my files from the same drive and path?
Version 8.600 added a new preference for saving the last directory used or a specific directory that you always want to use. To access these preferences go to the File menu and choose "Preferences...", then the File Open/Save Directory tab.

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How many walls and windows can I enter?
You can enter up to 32 entries for each of walls, ceilings, exposed floors and doors. You can enter up to 32 windows in each of the 8 available directions.

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What's the difference between a Floor Header and a Wall?
They both describe a wall section and can be interchanged for above grade floor header areas. Only the Floor Header item is available for basement header areas.

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Are HOT2000 heating loads CAN/CSA F280 compliant?
Strictly speaking, there is no accreditation path for software to claim “compliance” but we feel that HOT2000 is compliant with the intent of F280. More specifically, HOT2000 version 9 (and later versions) allows for the creation of rooms for the purpose of calculating room-by-room heating and cooling loads which is a requirement of F280. HOT2000 uses a more sophisticated basement heat loss model (i.e., BASESIMP) than the F280 lookup tables and the HOT2000 infiltration model (i.e., AIM2) is also more comprehensive than the F280 infiltration estimation.

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Can I create my own weather files?
Yes. The Weather Editor allows for the creation of new weather directories, weather regions and cities within these regions.

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How do I enter an ICF wall?
If you know the overall RSI/R value of the ICF wall, then enter the overall Wall RSI/R value using the User Specified option under Wall Type. Otherwise, you must create a User Defined wall in the Code Editor. To do this, proceed as follows:

1. Enter the Code Library by selecting it from the Editor menu.
2. Expand the Wall Codes tree entry by clicking the plus sign.
3. Click on the toolbar icon for "New User Defined Code" -- it's the hard hat icon.
4. In the small dialogue that appears choose "Built from Scratch" and click "New".
5. Enter a useful code label like "ICF1" and a description.
6. Click on the tree entry for your new ICF1 wall code so that it is highlighted in blue, then click on the Continuous Insulation icon and enter the Material Type (e.g., Type 1 expanded polystyrene) and its thickness (e.g. 62 mm)
7. Click on the ICF1 name again, then click on the icon for adding a Continuous Medium and enter the Material Category as "Masonry/stucco" and choose the appropriate Material Type and thickness.
8. Repeat step 6 again for the insulation on the other side of the concrete.

This construction does not include for the support framing that holds the form together since both the configuration and material type varies considerably.

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Where is HOT2000 training offered?
We organize regional training sessions from time-to-time to update R-2000 plan evaluators on the use of the latest version of HOT2000. In additional to training provided by Natural Resources Canada, the Canadian Home Builders Association (CHBA) can provide training.

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Does HOT2000 assume the HRV fan runs continuously?
Prior to v8.600 the HRV fan ran continuously. The simulation of the HRV fan in v8.600 is more realistic – it assumes that the fan runs as required, during the heating season, to ensure the house receives a total ventilation rate of 0.30 natural air changes per hour (infiltration+dryer exhaust+ventilation fans). The HRV does not run outside of the heating season (defined as Sep. to Mar for locations with at least 3500 degree days and Oct. to Feb. for all other locations). The HRV simulation also ensures that the ventilation flow rate is at least 25 L/sec. and not greater than 100 litres/sec.

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