Getting Started with J∆S Engineering Suite

Welcome to the J∆S Engineering Suite training course. This comprehensive software platform is designed specifically for HVAC and MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) engineers who need to perform accurate load calculations, equipment sizing, and code compliance verification. The software matches EnergyPro methodology and supports over 1,600 calculation modules covering everything from basic duct sizing to complex cleanroom HVAC design.

J∆S Engineering Suite addresses a critical need in the engineering industry: the ability to perform rapid, accurate calculations while maintaining compliance with multiple building codes including ASHRAE 90.1, Title 24, IPC, IMC, and UFC standards. Unlike spreadsheet-based solutions, this software provides integrated calculations where changes to one parameter automatically propagate through dependent calculations, ensuring consistency across your entire project.

The software serves multiple user profiles including consulting engineers performing design calculations, contractors verifying equipment sizing, building inspectors checking code compliance, and energy analysts preparing Title 24 compliance documentation. Whether you are designing a simple commercial office building or a complex healthcare facility with specialized ventilation requirements, the software provides the tools necessary to complete your work efficiently and accurately.

Throughout this course, you will learn not only how to operate the software but also best practices for organizing your work, leveraging automation features, and integrating with other design tools like Autodesk Revit and AutoCAD. By the end of this training, you will be confident in your ability to create professional engineering calculations and reports.

Before installing J∆S Engineering Suite, it is essential to verify that your computer meets the necessary system requirements. The software is designed for Windows 10 and Windows 11 operating systems (64-bit versions only). While the software will run on systems meeting minimum specifications, we strongly recommend using hardware that meets or exceeds the recommended specifications for optimal performance, especially when working with large projects or running energy simulations.

The minimum system requirements include: Windows 10/11 64-bit, Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 processor (or equivalent), 8 GB RAM, 2 GB available hard drive space, and a display resolution of 1920x1080. The recommended specifications for professional use include: Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 processor, 16 GB RAM (32 GB for large projects with 3D visualization), SSD storage with 5 GB available space, dedicated graphics card with OpenGL 4.0 support for 3D features, and a display resolution of 2560x1440 or higher for comfortable viewing of detailed interfaces.

The installation package is approximately 500 MB and includes all necessary runtime components. The software requires .NET Framework 4.8 (included with Windows 10/11) and Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable packages which are automatically installed if not present. If you plan to use the Revit Add-in, you must have Autodesk Revit 2022, 2023, 2024, or 2025 installed. Similarly, the AutoCAD Plugin supports AutoCAD 2022 through 2025.

Before beginning installation, close all other applications to prevent conflicts. Ensure you have administrator privileges on your computer, as the installer needs to write to the Program Files directory and register application components. If your organization uses antivirus software, you may need to temporarily disable real-time scanning or add an exception for the installer, as some security software may flag the PyInstaller-packaged executable during installation.

The installation process for J∆S Engineering Suite is straightforward and guided by an intuitive wizard. Begin by navigating to the Downloads page on the JAS Engineering portal (accessible after logging into your account). The main download is the JAS_Engineering_Suite.exe file, which is the complete application installer. Additional optional downloads include the MEP_Revit_Addin.zip for Revit integration, MEP_AutoCAD_Plugin.zip for AutoCAD integration, and Sample_Projects.zip containing example projects for training purposes.

Once the installer download completes (approximately 500 MB), locate the file in your Downloads folder and double-click to launch. If Windows SmartScreen displays a warning about an unrecognized publisher, click "More info" then "Run anyway" - this is normal for new software releases. The installer will first check for and install any missing prerequisites, including Visual C++ Redistributable components if needed.

The installation wizard presents several options. First, you will accept the license agreement. Next, choose the installation directory (the default C:\Program Files\J∆S Engineering Suite is recommended for most users). The component selection screen allows you to choose which elements to install: the Main Application is required, while Sample Projects, Revit Add-in (for Revit 2022-2025), and AutoCAD Plugin (for AutoCAD 2022-2025) are optional. Select the components relevant to your workflow. If you select the Revit Add-in, the installer will detect your installed Revit versions and configure the add-in for each one.

After installation completes, the wizard offers to launch the application immediately. We recommend doing so to verify the installation succeeded. The first launch may take 30-60 seconds as the application initializes its database and loads calculation modules. If the application launches and displays the login screen, your installation was successful. A desktop shortcut and Start Menu entry are created automatically for easy access.

J∆S Engineering Suite uses a cloud-based licensing system that ties your software license to your user account. This approach allows you to use the software on multiple computers while maintaining control over your license activations. Understanding the licensing system is essential before you can begin using the software productively.

The software offers several license tiers: Alpha/Beta licenses are provided to early adopters and testers with full feature access during the testing period. Standard licenses are intended for individual engineers and include all calculation modules. Professional licenses add advanced features including priority support and extended API access. Enterprise licenses are designed for organizations and include multi-user management, custom branding options, and dedicated support channels. Your license type determines the maximum number of simultaneous device activations allowed - typically 2 for Standard, 5 for Professional, and unlimited for Enterprise licenses.

To activate your software, first launch the application which displays the login screen. If you already have an account on the JAS Engineering web portal, enter your email and password to log in. If you are a new user, click "Create Account" and complete the registration form with your name, email, company (optional), and password. After registration, you will receive a verification email - click the link to verify your email address before attempting to log in.

Upon first successful login on a new device, the software automatically attempts to activate your license. If activation succeeds, you will see your license status in the application header showing your license type and expiration date. If you exceed your activation limit, you will receive an error message. In this case, you can deactivate licenses from other devices via the web portal under "My License" or contact support to reset your activations. License status can be viewed anytime from Help > License Information within the application.

The J∆S Engineering Suite interface follows a logical layout designed to maximize productivity while providing access to the software extensive feature set. Understanding this layout is crucial for efficient navigation. The interface consists of four primary regions: the Title Bar and Menu, the Navigation Sidebar, the Main Workspace Area, and the Properties/Details Panel.

The Title Bar displays the application name, current project name (if one is open), and your license status. The Menu Bar below it provides access to File operations (New, Open, Save, Export), Edit functions, View options, Tools, and Help resources. Keyboard shortcuts for common menu items are displayed next to each option. The Navigation Sidebar on the left side of the screen is the primary method for accessing different calculation modules. It is organized into collapsible categories including Project (overview, building info, weather), Loads (envelope, internal, ventilation, results), HVAC (duct sizing, pipe sizing, equipment), Plumbing (fixture units, water supply, drainage, gas), Compliance (ASHRAE, Title 24, IPC/IMC), and Specialty modules (healthcare, laboratory, data center, etc.).

The Main Workspace Area occupies the central portion of the screen and displays the currently active module or calculation interface. This area adapts to show input forms, calculation results, charts, or reports depending on which tool you have selected. Most modules use a tabbed interface allowing you to switch between different aspects of a calculation without losing your place. The Properties/Details Panel on the right side (which can be collapsed when not needed) displays context-sensitive information about the currently selected item, validation messages, and quick-access settings.

Navigation between modules is accomplished by clicking items in the sidebar. The sidebar maintains a hierarchical structure - clicking a category header expands or collapses that category. Your most recently used modules appear at the top of the sidebar for quick access. You can also use the Quick Access search bar (Ctrl+K) to jump directly to any module by typing part of its name. Understanding this navigation structure will help you move efficiently through your design workflow.

J∆S Engineering Suite uses a project-centric organization model where all calculations, equipment selections, and compliance documentation are contained within a single project file. This approach ensures that related data stays together and changes propagate correctly across all dependent calculations. Understanding this structure is essential for managing your engineering work effectively.

Each project is saved as a single .mep file (MEP Project File), which is a compressed JSON-based format containing all project data. This unified file format (Version 2.0) includes building information (name, address, type, area, number of floors), weather data and design conditions, all zones/spaces with their parameters, load calculation inputs and results, equipment selections and schedules, compliance check results, and custom notes and documentation. The .mep format is human-readable when extracted, making it suitable for version control systems if your organization uses Git or similar tools for document management.

We recommend establishing a consistent folder structure for your projects. A typical organization might include: a root project folder named with the project number and name, subfolders for Calculations (containing .mep files), CAD (for drawings and Revit models), Submittals (equipment submittals and cut sheets), Reports (exported PDF/Excel reports), and Correspondence (emails and meeting notes). While the software does not enforce this structure, maintaining organized folders helps when collaborating with team members and archiving completed projects.

Project files support versioning through the standard save process. Each time you save, the previous version is preserved as a .mep.bak backup file. For critical milestones, use File > Save As to create explicitly named versions (e.g., "ProjectName_SD_100pct.mep", "ProjectName_DD_50pct.mep"). The software also maintains an auto-save feature that creates temporary recovery files every 10 minutes, protecting your work against unexpected application closures or system crashes.

Creating a new project in J∆S Engineering Suite involves more than simply naming a file - the project wizard guides you through initial configuration decisions that affect how calculations are performed throughout the project. Taking time to configure these settings correctly at the start saves significant effort compared to making corrections later.

To create a new project, select File > New Project or click the "New Project" button on the welcome screen. The Project Setup Wizard opens with three main steps. Step 1: Project Information asks for the project name (typically matching your project number and building name), client name, project address, and your name as the engineer of record. This information appears on all generated reports. Step 2: Building Type Selection is critical - you will choose from categories including Commercial Office, Retail, Healthcare, Education, Laboratory, Industrial, Residential, Hospitality, and many specialized types. The building type selection loads appropriate default values for occupancy densities, lighting power densities, equipment loads, ventilation rates, and applicable codes.

Step 3: Building Configuration captures essential parameters including gross building area, number of floors, floor-to-floor height, and location (for weather data). You can also specify construction type (wood frame, steel, concrete, etc.) and insulation levels if known. For more advanced projects, you may enable specialty features such as ASHRAE 170 healthcare ventilation, Title 24 compliance mode, or UFC requirements for federal projects. These settings activate additional validation rules and calculation modules specific to those requirements.

After completing the wizard, the software creates your project with pre-loaded defaults appropriate for your building type. A project summary appears showing the initial configuration. At this point, you can begin entering detailed zone information, or if you have a Revit model, use the import function to populate zones automatically. Remember that all wizard settings can be modified later from Project > Building Information, but changing the building type after entering significant data may require reconfiguration of zones.

Accurate weather data is fundamental to HVAC load calculations. J∆S Engineering Suite includes design weather data for over 523 US locations based on ASHRAE Fundamentals, plus international locations from ASHRAE IWEC (International Weather for Energy Calculations). Selecting the correct weather station ensures your heating and cooling loads reflect actual climate conditions at your project site.

Weather data selection occurs during project setup or can be modified anytime from Project > Location & Weather. When you enter a project address, the software automatically suggests the nearest weather station. However, you should verify this selection is appropriate - a weather station 50 miles away at a similar elevation is typically better than one 20 miles away but at a significantly different elevation or in a different microclimate. The weather data display shows the station name, distance from your project, elevation, ASHRAE climate zone, and design conditions.

Design conditions include several critical values: Heating DB (Design Day Dry Bulb) is the 99% or 99.6% winter design temperature - the outdoor temperature that is exceeded 99% or 99.6% of annual hours. Cooling DB/MCWB (Dry Bulb / Mean Coincident Wet Bulb) represents summer design conditions at 0.4%, 1%, or 2% annual exceedance. These percentages indicate how often actual conditions exceed the design values. For most commercial buildings, 99.6% heating and 0.4% or 1% cooling are appropriate. The software also provides daily temperature range, humidity ratios, wind speed, and solar radiation data used in detailed calculations.

For locations not well-represented by available stations, or for projects with special requirements, you can create custom weather data. This is occasionally necessary for high-altitude locations, coastal microclimates, or sites with significant urban heat island effects. Custom data entry allows you to specify all design parameters manually. Additionally, for energy simulation purposes, the software can use TMY3 (Typical Meteorological Year) or EPW (EnergyPlus Weather) files that contain 8,760 hours of weather data for annual simulations.

Customizing J∆S Engineering Suite to match your workflow preferences improves productivity and reduces repetitive tasks. The application provides extensive preference settings accessible from File > Settings (or Ctrl+,). These preferences are stored in your user profile and apply across all projects.

General preferences include language and units settings (the software uses IP units - BTU/hr, CFM, Fahrenheit - as standard), auto-save interval (default 10 minutes), recent files list length, and startup behavior (show welcome screen, open last project, or blank workspace). Display preferences control the visual theme (Light, Dark, or System-matching), font sizes for interface elements and reports, color schemes for charts and visualizations, and sidebar position (left or right side). The Dark theme is popular for engineers working in dimly lit offices or reducing eye strain during long sessions.

Default values preferences allow you to pre-set frequently used parameters so you do not need to enter them repeatedly. These include your company name and address (for report headers), default engineer name, preferred safety factors for heating and cooling loads, standard equipment manufacturers to show first in selection lists, and regional code preferences (e.g., always enable Title 24 if you work primarily in California). These defaults apply to new projects but can be overridden on a per-project basis.

Calculation preferences control technical aspects of how the software performs calculations. Options include wall assembly calculation method (parallel path or isothermal planes), infiltration calculation approach (air change method, crack method, or blower door), diversity factors for internal loads, and part-load analysis settings. Report preferences determine default report formats (PDF, Word, Excel), paper size, inclusion of company logo, and level of detail (summary vs. comprehensive). Taking 15-20 minutes to configure these preferences when you first start using the software pays dividends in time saved on every subsequent project.

Mastering keyboard shortcuts and productivity features transforms your efficiency when using J∆S Engineering Suite. While all functions are accessible via menus and buttons, keyboard shortcuts allow experienced users to work significantly faster. The software includes over 50 keyboard shortcuts, though learning even a dozen of the most common ones provides substantial benefit.

Essential file operation shortcuts include Ctrl+N (New Project), Ctrl+O (Open Project), Ctrl+S (Save), Ctrl+Shift+S (Save As), and Ctrl+W (Close Project). Navigation shortcuts include Ctrl+K (Quick Access search - extremely useful for jumping to any module), Ctrl+1 through Ctrl+9 (jump to specific tool categories), and F5 (refresh/recalculate). Editing shortcuts follow Windows conventions: Ctrl+Z (Undo), Ctrl+Y (Redo), Ctrl+C/V/X (Copy/Paste/Cut), and Ctrl+A (Select All). Calculation shortcuts include F9 (calculate current zone), Shift+F9 (calculate all zones), and Ctrl+R (generate report for current module).

Quick Calc mode (accessible from the startup screen or File > Quick Calc) provides a streamlined interface for standalone calculations without creating a full project. This mode is ideal for quick duct sizing checks, verifying a fixture unit count, or calculating a pipe size during a phone call. Calculations performed in Quick Calc can be promoted to a full project using the "Progress to Full Project" button if the scope expands.

Additional productivity features include project templates - save a configured project as a template (File > Save as Template) and use it as a starting point for similar projects. Template might include standard zone configurations for building types you design frequently. The Duplicate Zone feature (right-click a zone > Duplicate) creates a copy of a zone with all its parameters, useful for buildings with similar spaces. The Clone Project feature (File > Clone Project) creates a complete copy of an existing project, helpful when a new project is similar to one you have completed previously. Finally, the Export to Excel feature (available in most modules) allows bulk editing of parameters in a spreadsheet, then re-import to update the project - useful for projects with many similar zones.

J∆S Engineering Suite provides multiple support resources to help you resolve questions and overcome challenges. Understanding these resources ensures you can find answers quickly and get back to productive work. Support options range from built-in documentation to AI assistance to human technical support.

The built-in Help system (accessible via F1 or Help menu) includes comprehensive documentation for every module. Help content is context-sensitive - pressing F1 while in a specific module opens help directly relevant to that feature. The help system includes conceptual explanations (why calculations work the way they do), step-by-step procedures (how to accomplish specific tasks), reference tables (ASHRAE design data, code requirements, equipment specifications), and troubleshooting guides (common problems and solutions). A search function allows you to find help on any topic.

The AI Design Assistant (Tools > AI Assistant or the AI button in the toolbar) provides conversational help for design questions. You can ask natural language questions like "What ventilation rate do I need for a classroom?" or "How do I size a chiller for a 50,000 SF office building?" The AI assistant draws from embedded knowledge of ASHRAE standards, building codes, and equipment specifications. It can help with preliminary sizing, code interpretation, equipment selection guidance, and troubleshooting calculation results. The AI works offline using local models (Ollama) or can connect to cloud AI services for enhanced capability.

For issues not resolved through self-service resources, technical support is available through the Support page on the web portal. Standard license holders can submit tickets via email with typical response within 2 business days. Professional and Enterprise license holders receive priority support with faster response times and phone support options. When contacting support, include your license information, a description of the issue, steps to reproduce the problem, and relevant screenshots or project files. The support team can provide remote assistance for complex issues.