Getting Started with InpLab

Welcome to InpLab, a professional .NET 8 library designed for parsing, manipulating, and generating DOE-2 INP files used in building energy simulation.

Prerequisites

Development Environment

Visual Studio Code is recommended for the best development experience:

• Download VS Code
• Install the Polyglot Notebooks extension for interactive .NET scripting
• Polyglot Notebooks Documentation

This setup enables AI-assisted development and interactive exploration of InpLab APIs.

System Requirements

• .NET 8.0 or later
• Windows, macOS, or Linux
• Visual Studio 2022 or VS Code with C# extension

Installation

Install InpLab via NuGet Package Manager (coming soon!):

dotnet add package InpLab

Or using the NuGet CLI:

nuget install InpLab

Quick Start

Loading a DOE-2 Model

using InpLab;

// Load an existing INP file
Model model = Model.OpenFromFile("building.inp");

// Access building components
var spaces = model.Spaces;
var systems = model.DoeSystems;
var loops = model.CirculationLoops;

Creating a New Model

using InpLab;

// Create a new empty model
Model model = Model.OpenFromFile("building.inp")

// Update Space Properties
var space = model.Spaces.First();
space.Get(SpaceKeyWords.LightingWPerArea); // Get Current Lighting
space.Set(SpaceKeyWords.LightingWPerArea, 1.2); // Set a New Lighting W/ft2

// Save the model aas new INP file
model.Save();

// Overwrite the existing INP file
model.Overwrite();

Documentation Structure

Core Concepts

• DoeCommand - Abstract base class and command type system
• HVAC System Builder - Programmatic HVAC system creation
• Plant Builder - Plant loop and equipment aggregation
• NECB Templates - National Energy Code compliance templates

API Reference

• Complete API Documentation - Generated from source code
• DoeCommand Base Class
• Model Class
• Builder Classes

Next Steps

1. Explore the DoeCommand documentation to understand the command system
2. Try the HVAC System Builder for programmatic system creation
3. Browse the API Reference for detailed method documentation
4. Check out NECB Templates for standardized building configurations