How to create and assign a new construction material in IES

Example: create a new window type and apply it to a window in an existing model

Create new construction

Go to Building Template Manager on the top bar
Click Constructions on the left
In the bottom, click Apache Constructions Database (small yellow button)
On the bottom, select the category, such as Glazed for adding a new window
Usually it’s easiest to create a new construction by duplicating an existing construction and then editing it. Right-click on a similar construction and select Duplicate Construction
On the new one (probably coloured purple), right click and select Edit construction
Create your construction in this window – each row in the table is one layer of material, outside to inside. Give it a name.
Press OK a couple of times when happy and return to the Building Template Manager. Save any changes if asked.
Under Select Construction on the right, for External Window, we should find our new window in the drop-down box. Select it.

Now, whenever we draw a new window, it will be assigned the properties of the window construction we just created.

If we already have a window drawn and we want to change its construction, we need to apply it.

Go into Apache
Select your geometry which contains the windows you wish to edit – you can choose a wall or a whole room for example. This geometry should appear red when selected.
Click Assign Constructions (small yellow button, centre-top)
Under ‘Select construction category‘, select External glazing
Under ‘Assigned construction types’, we can select all windows made of one kind of glazing within the geometry we’ve selected. Choose the material the windows are made from at the moment.
Under ‘Possible replacement construction types‘ choose the material you wish to assign to.
Click Replace

To check, in the same window, if you select the new material under ‘assigned construction types’ the windows should now appear red in the preview.