Video Tutorials

[shanshanhsieh]

We would like to collect topics for video tutorials. These tutorials should ideally benefit external users or yourselves (developers). Please comment your ideas below, thanks!

[lguilhermers]

Thanks for initiative, @shanshanhsieh. Please find my suggestions below.

For external users:

• running your first case in CEA (basic workflow with CEA defaults)
• basic structure of CEA (config, databases, input editor, simulation scripts, results)
• editing the database (e.g., create your own materials)
• creating your own geometry/ edit a building geometry

For developers:

• overview of advanced settings (config) - what they mean and when to change
• deep dive into the demand / thermal loads script

[MatNif]

I would add the following to Luis suggestions:

• Deep dive into the optimisation algorithms (decentralised and centralised); I could imagine having two videos for this, one surface level explanation for casual users and one for a very detailed explanation of the different settings you can choose e.g. variations of genetic algorithm mutations and crossovers.
• Guide on how to become a CEA developer (i.e. tutorial on how create your own branch and modify some code)

[lguilhermers]

Suggestion: once we have a somehow final list we can try to sort from easiest (i.e., most basic) to most advanced. To have a view of the learning curve and see if there are major gaps (comparing to our own learning process).

[shanshanhsieh]

Thanks for your suggestions, @lguilhermers and @MatNif ! I quite like the style of the dropbox tutorials: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLr5Dz0J1etmpYZfp6jXU8DWL3wOTSgrNl let's discuss the most efficient way that we could make these videos at the scrum

[ShiZhongming]

For video recording on mac, we use the built-in app, QuickTime: To record a video on your Mac:

-Open QuickTime.
-Tap “File” at the top of the display.
-Choose “New Screen recording”
-Hit record.
-You can record the whole screen, or click and drag your mouse cursor to record just a specific part.

[lguilhermers]

For Windows, you can do it by clicking Windows key +G. A screen recording window will pop up (I already used once and it was smooth, but not sure about all of its functionalities),

[shanshanhsieh]

1. Getting started with your own project 1a. Create a new scenario from osm or your own geometry similar to this blog post: https://cityenergyanalyst.com/blog/2021/1/20/how-to-add-own-building-geometries-to-a-scenario-import-of-manually-created-shapefiles 1b. Generate all input files similar to this blog post: https://cityenergyanalyst.com/blog/2019/6/28/getting-started-with-your-own-project-1 1c. Input editor - Modify Inputs for a specific building 1d. Database editor - Modify Inputs for a group of buildings with the same building use and age 1e. Create Your own Database - export database and import to another project

2. Simulate Building Energy Demand (Entire Demand Forecasting Module)

0. CEA Orientation 0a. How to submit GitHub issue use the new interface and tell the users how to do basic trouble shoot and where to copy error msg to upload 0b. How to Modify CEA code and submit a pull request tutorial on how to create your own branch and modify some code 0c. How to Install CEA on Mac

[martin-mosteiro]

New idea: Is setting it up CEA on Mac complicated enough to warrant a video? 🙈 Especially since it requires using the Terminal a little bit, which some users might not be used to.

[lguilhermers]

New idea: Is setting it up CEA on Mac complicated enough to warrant a video? 🙈 Especially since it requires using the Terminal a little bit, which some users might not be used to.

I would say it seems quite appropriate, but I am not a Mac user, so I will leave to you guys...

[shanshanhsieh]

yes @martin-mosteiro , that's an awesome idea!

[shanshanhsieh]

3014 could also be a tutorial

[lguilhermers]

I did a tutorial for 1a (only for osm geometry, own geometries are still missing), 1b and 1c. The videos are uploaded to the new version of the website (to be released soon). I plan to do more videos (list below) related to basic functions of CEA, if anyone is interested on that as well, let me know and we can split them.

• Editing the database (topic 1d above)
• Running scripts up to demand
• Plot results
• Structure of CEA
• config file