Version 4.1 Build 10

ATHENA Impact Estimator for Buildings 4.1.10 (Version 4.1 Build 10) was released in June 2010.

Changes & Issues Addressed:

  1. Application - Registration - Vista and Windows 7: The Registration process may not properly complete on Vista and Windows7 computers, especially the 64-Bit versions when UAC is enabled.
    Permanent Fix: For Vista and Windows 7, the Registration process is now being launched as an "elevated" process to ensure that it is elevated to the administrator level.
  2. Tools - Options - Predefined Envelope Systems : The ability to predefine envelope systems for reuse across multiple assemblies and project has been re-imagined and completely recoded. Assembly Envelopes can be saved to a library of "Predefined Envelope Systems". This feature was originally introduced in the initial release of version 4.0 as "Envelope Configurations" but was disabled due to some usability issues.
  3. Reports - Graphs - Summary Measures - Show Reports : The "Show Reports" button can be clicked even if without having chosen a "Summary Measure".
  4. Tree : If the Tools->Options form is used to select "Weighted Resource Use"as the summary measure to display in the Tree, the selection is not being saved properly and the value displayed in the Tree is erroneous.
    Workaround: Right-click the Root node (named Impact Estimator), then expand the Select Summary Measure sub-menu to select Weighted Resource Use.

     

  5. Reports - Absolute Values : Need to have an "All Reports" option so can to improve ease of generating all Absolute Value reports.
  6. Reports - Comparison Graphs:
    1. numbers for bars (columns) are cluttered (colliding with each other) and not readable
    2. vertical axis numbers need to have thousandths separators (commas). This applies to all graphs, not just comparison graphs.
  7. Application - Progress Bar : Need to have a progress bar during application launch and when loading project files. Users are wondering whether the application has stalled.
  8. Application - Live Load : The Imperial label for 2.4 kPa is 45 psf, it should be 50 psi.
  9. Application - Project - Edit Menu - Close All Assembly Forms : If a Project has no Assemblies, then the "Close All Assembly Forms" Edit Menu option should not be available when the Project is selected.
  10. Application - Project - Edit Menu - Delete All Assemblies : If a Project has no Assemblies, then the "Delete All Assemblies" Edit Menu option should not be available when the Project is selected.
  11. Application - Assembly Group - Edit Menu - Close Assembly Forms : If no Assembly dialogs are open for an Assembly Group, then the "Close Assembly Forms" Edit Menu option should not be available when the Assembly Group is selected.
  12. Application - Project - Edit Menu - Close All Assembly Forms : If no Assembly dialogs are open for a Project, then the "Close All Assembly Forms" Edit Menu option should not be available when the Project is selected.
  13. Application - Root - File Menu : When the Root node is selected, the "Save As" File Menu option should not be available.
  14. Project - New York City : When loading saved project files having New York City as the location, an unhandled exception error was being thrown if the project contained certain materials. This issue is specific to New York City.
  15. Assembly - Columns and Beams - Concrete Beams : The mass of rebar was not being multiplied by the number of beams. Unless the user chooses 1 beam, the mass of Rebar, Rod, Light Sections was being underestimated in the Bill of Materials.
  16. Assembly - Cast In Place Wall : The volume of concrete and mass of rebar were not being adjusted when openings were added to the assembly. If windows or doors were selected, then Concrete and Rebar, Rod, Light Sections were being overestimated in the Bill of Materials.
  17. Assembly - Curtain Wall : The masses of Screws, Nuts and Bolts, EPDM Membrane and Galvanized Sheet were not being adjusted when openings were added to the assembly. If windows or doors were selected, then these materials were being overestimated in the Bill of Materials.
  18. Assembly - Insulated Concrete Form Wall : The volume of Expanded Polystyrene Insulation was not being adjusted when openings were added to the assembly. If windows or doors were selected, then EPS was being overestimated in the Bill of Materials.
  19. Assembly - Wood Joist Floor and Roof, Wood I Joist Floor and Roof : The mass of Galvanized Sheet (joist hangers) was being underestimated in the Bill of Materials, by a factor of 1000 (kg vs. tonne)
  20. Application - Conversion Factors m3 to Mbfm : Conversions from m3 to Mbfm (nominal) for large and small dimensional lumber had their conversion factors mixed up. They have been corrected, small dimensional Mbfm to m3 is now times 0.646, and large dimensional Mbfm to m3 is now times 0.612.
  21. Report - Bill of Material - After Copy Assembly to Project : The BOM is not being updated properly when an assembly is copied to another project. The expected behaviour is that the BOM report will be automatically recalculated after any changes to the project.
  22. Report - Bill of Material - After Delete Assembly Group : The BOM is not being updated properly when an assembly group is deleted from a project. The expected behaviour is that the BOM report will be automatically recalculated after any changes to the project.
  23. Assembly - Light Frame Wood Truss Roof and Floor : Only for Live Load 2.4 kPa and when the entered span is less than the design minimum, the softwood lumber volume not being calculated properly.
  24. Assembly - 60 MPa 25% and 35% Flyash concretes: still selectable (even though no longer supported) for following assemblies:
    • Concrete Slab on Grade Foundation,
    • Concrete Footings Foundation,
    • Cast In Place Wall,
    • Concrete Tilt Up Wall,
    • Concrete Suspended Slab Roof & Floor,
    • Concrete Parking Garage Roof & Floor,
  25. Assembly - Steel Stud Wall : There needs to be a choice between "Load Bearing" and "Non Load Bearing" similar to the "Wood Stud Wall".
  26. Reports - Graphs : Data labels on all graphs are being displayed over or next to columns and are often overlapped and unreadable. They should be removed.
  27. Reports - Graphs - Summary Measures : for Summary Measure graphs by Life Cycle Stage and Assembly Group the X-Axis format is good for small numbers, and switches to scientific notation for very small numbers. But for any values above 1,000, the axis divisions need to be comma separated.
  28. Reports - Graphs - Summary Measures - Operating vs Embodied : The values in the legend should be comma separated for Operating vs Embodied graphs for both Energy Consumption and Global Warming Potential reports.
  29. Reports - Comparison Graphs - Absolute Value : When the values are very small, like with ozone or sometimes Eutrophication, the graphs show the columns but with no values on the Y axis.
  30. Reports - Graphs - Summary Measures : for Summary Measure graphs the Energy Consumption (Life Cycle Stage and Assembly Group) and acidification (Life Cycle Stage) have the values on the X axis oriented vertically, but all other Summary Measures reports are oriented horizontally. These should all be consistent.
  31. Reports - Graphs - Absolute Value : All Absolute Value graphs by Assembly Group have a logarithmic scale on the vertical axis, but the LCS graphs have a linear scale on the vertical axis. For all Absolute Value graphs should have a logarithmic vertical scale.
  32. Reports - Graphs - Absolute Value : The column values on the Absolute Value graphs for Air Emissions and Water Emissions are unreadable and should be disabled. Users are advised to use the Table version of these reports.

Database Updates

  • Added new Material : EPDM membrane (white, 60 mil)
  • Added new Material : Fiber Cement Siding
  • Added new Material : MDI Resin
  • Added new Material : Natural Stone
  • Added new Material : PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride). This is the same PVC data as in previous versions, where all PVC (siding and window frames) appeared in the Bill of Materials as "Vinyl Siding" in m2 or ft2. Vinyl Siding is still available as a cladding choice, and will appear in the Bill of Materials as such, but PVC window frames will now appear as PVC, in kg or lbs. Both Vinyl Siding and PVC are available as Extra Basic Materials and can be added or subtracted in m2/ft2 or kg/lbs, whichever is more convenient for the user. Both materials are based on the same database as in previous versions of Impact Estimator.
  • Added new Assembly : Structurally Insulated Panels Wall (SIPS)
  • Added new Location : Los Angeles
  • Added new Location : Seattle
  • Added Seismic data for Los Angeles, Seattle, and Vancouver. Used the Seattle data for Vancouver.
  • Updated Material : Aluminum (all regions). The Smelting process for virgin aluminum was missed in the previous process data for Aluminum. The Aluminum profile is comprised of an 80-20 virgin-recycled mix.
  • Updated Material : EPDM membrane (black, 60 mil) (changed name from "EPDM membrane" and updated data for all regions)
  • Updated Material : Large Dimension Softwood Lumber Green & Kiln-Dried (Canadian regions only)
  • Updated Material : Small Dimension Softwood Lumber Green & Kiln-Dried (Canadian regions only)
  • Updated Material : Softwood Plywood (Canadian regions only)
  • Updated Material : Oriented Strand Board (Canadian regions only)
  • Updated Material : Mortar - the demolition energy value was 1000 too small and was missed when previously updated other concrete/cement materials.
  • Updated Material : All Siding Materials - the construction waste factor value was changed for all siding materials.
  • Updated Material : Cedar Shiplap Siding (all regions)
  • Updated Material : Cedar Wood Bevel Siding (all regions)
  • Updated Material : Cedar Wood Tongue and Groove Siding (all regions)
  • Updated ElectricityEnergyFuelBreakdown
  • Updated ElectricityEnergyPercentageBreakdown
  • Updated Roofing Envelope labels for Asphalt, EPDM, Modified Bitumen, PVC, and Steel roofing systems to be more informative.
  • Updated EnvelopeMaterial table, fixing erroneous factor and replacement values.
  • Updated the Imperial display name for 2.4 kPa from 45 psf to 50 psf

 

 
 
 
Join our mailing list
©2022 Athena Software, Athena Institute, All Rights Reserved.
s2Member®