Appendix A: Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why can’t I see the Section 63 regulation mode in the VE?
A: As Section 63 is associated to Section 6 (2015), it does not appear as a standalone regulation mode in the Regs dropdown of VE Compliance – instead, it is a simulation mode of Section 6 (2015) – Scotland regulation mode.
If ApacheSim – Section 63 does not appear as a simulation mode when Section 6 (2015) – Scotland is selected, you do not have a licence key for it. Please contact keys@iesve.com for assistance with licensing issues.
Q: I get an error when trying to select a previously created alternative scenario – what’s happened?
A: The scenarios are stored as .VSN files within the Scenarios directory of the project folder – if the relevant file for a scenario is missing or corrupted, an error will be displayed when you try to select the scenario from the Scenarios dropdown:
If you click the See Details button on the error message, an indication will be given on the cause of the error:
If this error appears, it will generally be indicative of a missing or corrupted VSN file. In the case where the file still exists, contact support@iesve.com with details of the displayed message for further guidance.
Note: if the scenario cannot be activated by the VE when entering VE Compliance (or when entering Section 63 mode if the scenario was previously active), an alert will be displayed:
Clicking More Information… on this alert will then display the full error message shown previously.
Q: I get an error when clicking the “Generate Action Plan” button – what’s happened?
A: In order to generate an Action Plan, the following pre-requisites apply:
- The EPC Report Reference Number (RRN) must be entered into the Section 63 tab in Building & System Data
- The actual and notional results (.aps) files for the EPC must exist in the project’s Vista directory
- The Section 63 Action Plan PDF must not be opened in another application
For alternative scenarios, these additional pre-requisites also apply:
- At least one measure must be defined on the Alternative Measures tab in Building & System Data
- The Section 63 results (.aps) file for the Prescribed Measures must also exist in the project’s Vista directory (i.e. you must have completed a Section 63 assessment for the Prescribed Measures)
If any of these pre-requisites are not met, an error will be displayed when the button is clicked. The error message should indicate which issue needs to be addressed.
Q: My scenario is displaying an alert indicating it is outdated – what does this mean?
A: The scenario represents a snapshot of the original source project at the time the scenario was created – as the scenario is meant to still represent the same building, some basic integrity checks are performed when the scenario becomes active. If these checks fail, an alert is displayed:
Similarly, an error will be displayed if you click Generate Action Plan:
The most common cause of this would be modifying the geometry or building data of the original source model after the scenario was created (adding new rooms, deleting or changing the area of existing rooms, changing the EPC data in Building & System Data), or by modifying the data in the original source model such that it now uses a different set of triggered prescriptive improvement measures to that in scenario. In these cases, the scenario no longer accurately represents the same building, so you cannot use it for Section 63 analysis.
You should instead create a new scenario (which will be based upon the current state of the original source model) and re-apply the alternative measures appropriately.
IMPORTANT: You should not make modifications to the original source model after creating a scenario.
Q: I don’t have access to the VE project that was used to lodge the EPC for a building – can I complete a Section 63 assessment for the building using the VE?
A: No – this is not possible. In order to complete the assessment and calculate the savings targets appropriately, the VE needs access to the results files from the EPC run – these are intrinsically linked to the project. You should contact the assessor who originally lodged the EPC using the VE in order to get access to the source project. If this is also impossible, a new VE project would need to be created to represent the building and a new EPC generated and lodged for it first.
Q: Can I complete a Section 63 assessment in the VE using SBEM?
A: No – the Section 63 assessment must be completed using ApacheSim in the VE.
