QUESTION:

I have just started using ECOTECT and learning about Environmental Building Design and I'm unsure as to the best way to approach the software. Where should I start ?

ANSWER:

The best way to get started using ECOTECT is to firstly read through some of the introductory pages in the help file. These include the Getting Started page and in particular the Important Concepts section of the help. These will introduce you to how and why ECOTECT does things differently to traditional CAD programs and hopefully get you used to this new approach.

Next, it is a good idea to get familiar with the User Interface and the easiest way for this is to start with on of the basic modelling tutorials.

Then once reasonably comfortable with the modelling requirements, you should move on to a bit of analysis. Our suggestion here is that you start in stages;

• first do some interactive solar analysis, it is quick and provides lots of interactive feedback.
• then perhaps move on to some more complex solar and shading calculations, or even switch to some lighting calcs if that is what is needed. Again these are both very visual types of analysis which should help in understanding the processes step by step.
• finally, look at thermal and acoustic calculations. These can get quite complex and thus it is useful to ease into these as each step through the other types of analysis will help you gain confidence in what ECOTECT is doing and how it operates...

Of course if you get stuck along the way, you can always visit the support section of our web site to find some answers or get help.