Hardware and Software Requirements

The ALF3 software runs under Windows95, Windows98 and Windows NT, and requires a minimum of 15Mb of hard drive storage. It is recommended to use at least a Pentium processor.

There is currently no version for Apple operating systems available. In order to run ALF3 on a Mac computer you will have to use a windows emulator, such as Virtual PC from Connetix (www.connectix.com Your local Mac retailer will be able to advise you on details.

Download and Installation Instruction

• 1. Click on the following link to download the ALF installation files: ALF3.1.1.exe (5.2MB).
• 2. Alternatively, you can contact BRANZ on 0800-80-80-85 (press 3 for publication sales) or via e-mail Miri Russell, Publications Sales to order the ALF program on a CD.
• 3. Once you have downloaded the file open the Windows Explorer, locate the folder where you have saved the file to and double click on the downloaded ALF Setup 3_1_1.exe file in order to start the setup-program. The setup program will guide you through the ALF3 installation. If you have not installed MSOffice 2000 the setup program may restart your computer to update some system files.

Upgrade Instruction

The latest version of ALF3 (3.1.1) includes the new insulation targets of Clause H1 (2000) of the New Zealand Building Code. This required some substantial modifications to the software. Therefore there is no patch available for this upgrade and you will have to download the full software.

Before installing the new version of ALF3 please remove the existing one using the Windows Add/Remove Programs program, which is part of the control panel. (Click on the Windows Start button, select Settings to open the Control Panel and run the Add/Remove Programs program.)

You do not have to repurchase the program and your user name and registration number stay the same. In most cases you will not have to re-enter the registration number after the upgrade. In case you do and you have forgotten your registration number, please contact our publication services (Miri Russell, Publications Sales), who have a record of your registration details on file.

To find out which version you are currently using start the ALF program and select About ALF from the Help menu.

For an ALF3 version-history please click here.

What the Installation Will Do?

The ALF installation will create a number of folders and files. By default it will create the C:\Program Files\ALF folder. In the C:\Program Files\ALF folder three files will be created: the ALF program itself (ALF.exe) and the help file for the ALF program (ALFHelp.hlp). The third file (ST6UNST.LOG) is used by Windows in case you want to remove the ALF program at a later stage. Two sub-folders will be created under the C:\Program Files\ALF? folder: Projects and Sources.

The Projects folder will by default contain the project files, which you create with ALF. These files are ASCII text files containing the definitions of the building designs in your project, such as wall areas, R-values, construction types, etc. These files have the extension .alf. One sample building description file will be automatically installed: Worked Example.alf

The Sources folder contains the following files that contain data and pictures required by the ALF program:
The default.alt file is a building description file loaded when the program starts up or when you create a new project.

The ALFClimate.txt file contains ALF values, AGF values, Wind exposure levels, NZS 4218 climate zones and BPI climate zones for a large set of New Zealand climates.

The Roof Construction.txt and WallConstruction.txt files contain the information about available construction types for roofs and walls. These data files contain similar information to the BRANZ House Insulation Guide.

The WindowConstruction.txt file contains a list of R-values and solar Heat Gain Coefficients for a set of glass and frame types.

The DesignGuide.txt file contains some hints about good thermal design and information on what effects design changes will most likely have. This file is loaded by the ALF program when you select Design Guidelines on the Tools menu. You can modify the file from within the ALF program in order to keep track of any tips and guidelines, which you discover using ALF. The guidelines are not linked to any particular projects but instead are available to all existing and new projects.

The *.jpg files contain the pictures showing the various construction types.

All these files are kept in common formats (ASCII, jpg) so that they can be modified by you in order add new constructions or different R-values etc. The files are generally tab-delimited lists. It is strongly recommended to create backup copies of any of the files before modifying them.