FenestraPro for Forma - Envelope Analysis Extension

If accessing this page from the Forma extension and you wish to view in a browser, please click HERE

For release notes for the current version of the FenestraPro Envelope Analysis extension in Forma, please see HERE

Note: Our Code Database is being improved to support more regions. Code values will be calculated from metric values for regions which use metric units (metric U-values for all elements) and imperial units for USA locations (imperial R-values for roof/floors and walls) and imperial U-values for glazing.

You can review our current regional Energy Codes or request a new Code be added on this page HERE

Summary of how to use the FenestraPro Forma Extension. Each of these are explained in more detail below.

Install the extension
Select the model proposal (if there are multiple models, one at a time can be analyzed)
Select an Energy Code from the list (if list is provided for that region)
Select whether to Use Code Benchmark Properties or Use Modelled Properties for calculations
Set the Window to Wall ratio for the overall model
Window to Wall ratios per Facade may also be set using the Apply by Facade option (if required)
Define Construction types for elements (if required, when using modelled properties)
Review Results and Charts for the overall model and per Facade

Video for FenestraPro Extension Version 1.8

Install the Extension

Go to Autodesk Forma online and open a project. It is currently recommended to use the Chrome Browser as other browsers may not be fully compatible. If you have view access only, you may need to join a project in your hub to get editing permission (please check if the project is locked or contact the project owner for access). Click on the ‘Extensions‘ icon. There are several ways to access this: (1) either on the left hand side toolbar, (2) on the main building modeller toolbar or (3) in the analyses options on the upper right of the screen.

Then click on ‘Add Extension‘.

Find the FenestraPro extension in the Autodesk App Store and click on the Add button. Agree to the terms of use and then close this window. Refresh your browser to update your Forma screen with the new extension.

When you hover over the extension option now (‘Analyses by Extension‘), the FenestraPro extension should be listed (among others). Click on the extension to load it into Forma and it will display in the panel below.

When the extension loads, there is an information panel. You may review this and close the panel if you wish, using ‘dismiss‘. There are also buttons to link to this Support Page.

Select the Proposed Design

It is important to select the entire building that was modeled in Forma before using the extension. Please select the geometry by clicking on the roof area (not the walls or floor).

The model should be created using the ‘Basic Building’ tool in Forma rather than the Line Building/House or 3D Sketching tool (which may produce separate volumes). Selecting an individual story or including the site context/surroundings should be avoided. Selecting only parts of the building will not produce expected results and the calculations may not complete. The model should be carefully created and modifying floor level outlines separately may create issues (where model surfaces do not exist exactly on the same plane). It may be good practice to select all levels in Forma when adjusting the footprint/outline.

You may need to hover over a corner or roof edge to assist in selecting the entire proposed design. If you are not able to select the proposal, check the ‘lock buildings’ padlock setting in Forma on the left hand side (this will disable user selection unless the padlock icon is open).

It is best to finalise your design before using the extension, rather than starting analysis and then adjusting the building height/shape etc. If the model is modified while the already extension has launched, refresh your browser to reset and select the entire model again (otherwise results for the original design will still be displayed). Then allow the application to calculate the overall results again. Then adjust the glazing percentage that you wish to apply. Note: the less storys the building has, the faster it will be to process calculations. You can select the roof of a building and push or pull in Forma to adjust the height or use the inputs on the right hand side panel to define storys and story heights.

Note: When modeling in Forma, please check your proposal carefully to avoid lines off axis or misaligned walls etc. This can affect the success of the application and ability to analyze the model. When modifying floor plans, lines can sometimes jump/snap to another gridline so that the walls do not align exactly. This can cause issues when analyzing later.

Gaps between geometry can currently also cause issues (these surfaces may not be included in the Facade), please see the image below. Please ensure that gaps are not left between spaces when creating the model (adjacent spaces must physically touch each other). This issue is to be addressed soon.

If you are using multiple proposals and switch between them while the FenestraPro extension is open, you may see ghost surfaces relating to a previous model version. Simply select the current active model on screen and it will be analyzed. You may also need to coordinate with other project members who may have editing permissions to change the model while your session is active. Attempting to analyze a model version which has been updated in another project member’s session may not be successful (refresh your browser window to update to the current model condition). More complex models will take longer to process, please be patient (spaces and surfaces need to be identified and Facades assigned). If results do not display in a reasonable time, please refresh your browser and select the model again.

Please Note: The application does not currently support some project designs such as slanted walls, curves, organic shapes using 3D Sketch or designs where there are large open spaces between geometry (or separate buildings as one model). Support for these model conditions is currently in development. If you need advice on your project please use the feedback form HERE or contact us by email support@fenestrapro.com.

Select an Energy Code

From the dropdown list, select an Energy Code for use with your project. For some regions where regional Codes are not yet supported, only a default FenestraPro Code will display. For other regions, you may see a list of options from which to choose. Note: Code values in metric units will be used for compliance checking if the model site location is in regions which use metric units (Europe, Canada, Australia, Asia, Africa, South America) and imperial code values will be used for model locations in the USA. The default setting is that the default Construction Type properties from the model will be used (the ‘Use Modelled Properties‘ option is initially checked). Non-Compliance with the selected Energy Code will then be indicated by red font for that element type. Note: Changing the Code will not have any effect on the results if the ‘Use Modelled Properties‘ option is checked since only compliance is checked. Note: The ability to access Construction Types is only available when this setting is checked. The selected Code also will not be remembered if you exit from a project or refresh and relaunch this project later, unless you had the ‘Use Code Benchmark Properties‘ setting checked.

You may also choose to use ‘Use Code Benchmark Properties‘. This second option may be activated by checking the box beside this setting and will assume that model elements will have thermal properties that comply with the selected Code. The target values listed in the selected Energy Code are then displayed in the Construction Types list and used to calculate the overall U-value for the results. Note: If you are using the ‘Use Modelled Properties’ option, and you close and later reopen the same project, the Code selected will not be saved so you will need to reset this again.

A default FenestraPro Energy Code is currently used for regions where actual Energy Codes are not yet in our database (these are typically countries that use metric units).

U-values used to calculate the results are as follows:

Wall 0.3067 metric u-value

Floor 0.5225 metric u-value

Roof 0.5225 metric u-value

Glazing 3.13 metric u-value / SHGC 0.39 / VLT 0.59

This default Code is used when no other energy standard can be found for the site location.

The default performance values of model elements are assumed to be:
Wall = 0.31 u-value, Floor = 0.15 u-value, Roof = 0.15, Glazing = 1.53 u-value (metric values)

Wall = 18.32 R-value, Floor = 37.86 R-value, Roof = 37.86 R-value, Glazing = 0.27 U-value (imperial values)

Note: The Construction Types in Forma do not display when you open the FenestraPro extension until the model proposal is selected. The Code checkbox must also be set to ‘Use Modelled Properties‘ to access the Construction Types panel to change the definitions.

Window to Wall Ratio

Next, select a Window to Wall ratio to apply to the Forma model. This will be the percentage glazing for the project. Use the slider provided to adjust the glazing percentage that you wish to apply. Once this is done, calculations will be performed. Please allow this to complete. Results will then display depending on the amount of glazing applied. Note: the less storys the building has, the faster it will be to process the calculations.

Apply by Facade

First ensure that the model proposal has been selected in Forma and the extension has calculated initial results and areas. You may use the tab key on your keyboard to help select the entire model. Opening the Façades List before this is done will not display any information.

You may open controls for the Façades List which will allow you to set glazing percentages separately for individual Facades.

Click on the icon for slider controls beside ‘Apply by Façade’ to open a panel, listing all Façades on the model. You can set the Total Window to Wall (WWR) ratio first and then adjust values for individual Façades, or open the Façades List first and set separate glazing percentages here (the Total WWR for the overall model will then update).

Depending on the design, there may be multiple model planes facing one orientation. There may be several South facing facades for example. Use the sliders to adjust the window to wall ratio for that Façade. A Façade can be set to any percentage in increments of 5 (from 5% to 95%). A Façade may also be set to zero percent. Any adjustments must then be applied using the Apply button to update the Overall Percentage setting for the model.

Important Note: If any changes are made to the project (surroundings are adjusted, the model geometry is changed, shades are added etc) and then settings are adjusted in the extension (percentage glazing, code type, construction types etc), the application may not refresh correctly, since the updates/changes will first need to be recalculated. If any changes are made to the model or project, the model should be re-selected or the browser refreshed FIRST to recalculate results with the updates included. Then you may make changes to the existing settings in the extension.

Highlighting a Facade

You may highlight the Façade which you wish to adjust using the eye icon in the Facade. Click on the eye icon and the relevant Facade will highlight for a few seconds on the model. The project will also rotate to display and highlight this area for easy identification.

Then use the ‘Apply Here’ button to update the Total WWR (window to wall ratio) for the model. Results for Solar Load and Heat Gain will also update in the dials. The glazing zones displayed on the model will also update to reflect the current percentages.

You may also minimize the Façades panel (to view more of the Forma screen), by using the icon at the top right of the panel. Façade settings will be preserved when the panel is maximized again. If the Façades panel is left open and the Total WWR is adjusted, this setting will override the Façades List. Glazing zones will also update on the model.

Values set for individual Facades will persist when the panel is closed and reopened or if you close your browser window or switch to another model. If you have not yet set any individual values in the Facades panel, once you set the overall percentage Window to Wall ratio slider, all sliders in the Facades will reset to this overall setting. Once the individual Facade sliders are adjusted, the application will remember these individual values instead.

If the Total WWR slider is subsequently adjusted after the individual Façade settings are defined, this overall percentage value will reset all Facades to this percentage (the Facades panel must be closed and reopened to allow the update to happen). If the Façade percentages are defined and applied (after the Total WWR is set), the Façade settings will then override the overall percentage (the overall percentage will update to display the average of the Facade settings). If the project browser is refreshed, the latest percentage setting will be saved and loaded when the model is selected again.

If you select an Energy Code and check the ‘Use Code benchmark properties’ setting, the selected Code will also be remembered even if you close your browser, switch to a different project and back again to this project or open a different Forma extension and later reopen FenestraPro again. Note: the selected Code is not saved if you check the ‘Use Modelled Properties’ setting.

Charts

Charts display for each Façade when opened from the Facades List (‘Apply by Facade’). Simply click on the icon beside the Facade name and a new panel will open to display monthly Heat Gain values for that Façade as well as the Window to Wall ratio (WWR ), Glazed and Wall areas, Average U-value or R-value and Daylight Factor. Multiple Chart windows may be opened for different Facades. With more glazing on a Facade, the U-value for metric models can be expected to be higher (the R-value for imperial models can be expected to be lower) both indicating a building envelope that allows more heat loss. This will also depend on the glass performance.

The ranges currently in use indicate blue for values less than 15 W/m² K (<4.75 BTU/ft²hr), green for values between 15 – 30 W/m² K (4.75 – 9.5 BTU/ft² hr) and red for values above 30 W/m² K (>9.5 BTU/ft² hr) . The chart below describes the color coding used for Heat Gain values.

Please Note: This Chart is a snapshot in time and does not dynamically update if the overall percentage glazing on the model is then modified. Each Chart opened has a timestamp for the user’s location (not the project location). If changes are made to settings and subsequent Charts are opened, the timestamp will indicate the sequence. To update the Chart, close the Chart panel, modify the Façade settings, Apply these settings and when new values are displayed in the dials, open a new Chart for that Facade. Closing the Facades panel will also close any open Charts. The settings in the Facades List will persist even if there is a subsequent change in the overall WWR setting (the Charts will reflect the Facade settings). This is to be be improved soon.

Overall Chart

An icon beside the Total WWR slider will open the overall building Chart summary. This will display data for Total Window to Wall ratio, Overall Glazed Area, Overall Solid Wall Areas (non-glazed), Average U-value or R-value for the model, Average Annual Heat Gain and Overall Daylight Factor. Existing Facades are listed by number and orientation. For reference, the Chart is timestamped for the user’s location (not the project location).

The Overall Chart has tab options to review the Average Annual Heat Gain or Average Annual Shading %.

For each of these options, there are 2 additional tabs to review:

Results for each Facade
Results per Orientation (grouped)

It is not recommended to have multiple projects open in browser tabs at the same time (since results and settings for each user are stored for the last user session and are not yet differentiated per project). Projects may also have multiple members and contributors who have access to modify the Forma project or settings in the FenestraPro extension.

Note: Dragging the mouse across two open windows should be avoided when using the extension (e.g. Facades List and Charts). This may cause a halftone or blue filter over one window. If this occurs, close and reopen the windows again. This issue is being investigated.

Copy to Clipboard

Both Overall and Facade Charts also have a copy function to take a screenshot of the active Chart and copy it to your clipboard. This can be then pasted into a document or pasted into a Forma Board. This can be useful for comparing results of previous model iterations with different model conditions such as glass types, shading devices, Heat Gain or Daylighting results etc. You may wish to paste multiple images to an interim application for temporary storage and then paste images to prepare a Forma Board for the project which can be made available to other project members. (When returning from the Forma Board to Site Design, the project will need to be reloaded into the FenestraPro extension (previous settings for the project are saved). You can also use the Forma Compare area to look at analyses for different project versions/proposals.

Construction Types

The assumed default Construction Types in Forma are listed here under the dials, with the associated thermal properties. When the ‘Use Modelled Properties‘ setting is used, values that do not comply with the selected Energy Code display in red. Access to adjust the Construction Types is only available when this setting is checked. A value which does comply with the target Code values will display in black. If you choose the option to ‘Use Code Benchmark Properties‘ (which assumes that the model will have thermal properties for each element type that comply with the target Energy Code), the Code values will display here and will be used for calculations.

When the setting for ‘Use Modelled Properties’ is used, an extra icon will display beside Construction Types. This will allow you to open a panel to adjust element performances to comply with your selected Code (there may be occasions where none of the listed options comply. In that case you may choose to use the code values directly). Overall element thicknesses will also display in the Construction Types panel for walls, roofs and floors.

The current Construction Types in use are highlighted in blue. A different element makeup may be selected from the list. You may want to select a different construction type for walls, roofs, floors and glazing if they do not comply with the Energy Code (the values display in red), or to improve the overall U-value or R-value (only walls and glazing properties will affect this).

Use the Apply button at the bottom of the panel to update the settings. The current construction type list will then update and the results will recalculate. If the model properties do not comply with the Energy Code target values, they will display in red. The extension will also remember your settings for glazing percentages and construction types if a project is closed and later reopened.

Window types also have Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC), and Visible Light Transmittance (VLT) which influence the performance of the building envelope and affect the results in the dials (the dials display a weighted average performance for wall and glazing elements).

metric model:

imperial models:

Shading Effects

Shading Effects are calculated in the Forma extension. This will factor in:

shading effects from other parts of the building (self-shading)
shading effects from surrounding buildings and from other geometries created in Forma (if they are close to the model)
shade devices created separately on the model

Shading effects from shade devices applied to the proposal can also be modeled and will cause shading effects. Shade canopies will affect both Heat Gain and Daylight results. Vertical fins currently will currently only affect Heat Gain results.

Shade devices (canopies or vertical fins) should be modeled using the volume tool with the cube or freeform function in Forma. Note: modeling these devices using other methods such as the surface or line tool in Forma is currently not supported and these geometries may therefore have no effect on results. Creating shades by extruding existing floors or roofs is not recommended as they may also get assigned glazing zones when the model is analyzed.

Model without Shading:

Model with shading:

To create a shade device (horizontal canopy or vertical fin)

Select the Volume tool and Cube/Freeform option in Forma
First define the length of the shade device over the glazing, then extend to define the depth out from the building envelope, then extrude upwards to create the thickness.
You may adjust these dimensions and exact location later by clicking onto edge surfaces and using the point handle to push/pull.
For multiple canopies, you may copy a ‘shade device’ by selecting the geometry and using the move tool in Forma while holding the control key on your keyboard.
Drag the geometry to another location by selecting a corner point and it will snap to a new point location.

Please see the video HERE for this workflow.

It is good practice after any changes to the model or surroundings, to refresh your browser to update the model conditions before recalculating and re-select the model. This applies when you add a shade device, change the depth, alter the model geometry or move the surroundings etc. You may also use another tool in Forma such as the Area Metrics feature on the toolbar to exit the FenestraPro extension and avoid any modifications being analyzed until you have fully completed the changes.

Shading Charts are also provided for each Façade and you can toggle between Heat Gain and Shading Charts using the tabs provided (these can be accessed by opening the details for Facades. Shading Charts are also provided for the overall model (this can be accessed from the icon beside the Total WWR slider).

Notes: If you find that recalculation is taking a long time, please refresh your browser and re-select the model to restart the analysis. If the analysis progress continues to spin and does not complete, the current model condition may not be suitable for analysis (it may be too complex). Calculations may take a few minutes depending on model complexity and shading conditions. Simplifying the model may improve success. Projects that have imported geometry, were created using 3D Sketch etc may not currently be suitable for analysis. Models must have Floor Levels before analysis is started. It may be possible to ‘Add Floors’ to the existing model (if they have none) and try selecting again. Remodeling using the ‘Basic Building’ method in Forma may also be an option.

Projecting a floor as shade geometry may not work in some cases since currently the extension is attempting to collect all surfaces on the same plane to create Facades. This is to be improved shortly.
Shade devices modeled using surfaces or line geometry will not create shading effects or affect the results. For the moment, please model shade devices as described above (using ‘volume – cube/freeform’ method).
Shading effects are always included in the results and there is currently no option to calculate without this feature. This ensures that the results reflect realistic site and model conditions.
Shade effects from Forma trees are not yet supported due to the calculation method currently employed. If required, significant large trees on site can be modeled as similar size building blocks as a workaround, by defining the story height and dimensions, similar to the planting.

Results

Results will then display in the dials for Glazing Percentage on the model, U-Value for the model facade (including walls and glazing), Heat Gain and Daylighting (total for the model) based on the window to wall ratio selected and if you are using the construction types’ properties or the selected Energy Code values. The arrow in the dial will indicate where the current result value is located within the range provided for that parameter. Results will be displayed as metric or imperial values depending on the model location.

Element Areas

These areas will be displayed for Glazing, Walls, Roofs and Floors. These areas will be displayed as metric (m²) or imperial (ft²) depending on the model location. Note: For models with multiple roof areas and balconies, all areas may not always be identified and therefore the total may may not always be accurate. You are advised to check areas using the measurement tools in Forma. Development is ongoing to improve the accuracy of these outputs.

Coming Soon!

Currently you can export a Forma model to Revit and the building elements can be converted to detailed Revit elements. FenestraPro will be releasing a new Add-in for Revit soon, where the Forma model will be converted to a Revit model with detailed elements and the same Glazing Areas and Construction Types as defined in Forma. We will provide Revit templates for this purpose bundled in the installer (which have element families with the same construction types as our extension in Forma). This will ensure that the when the geometry is converted to Revit elements, they will automatically use the same construction properties as the Forma model. These families can of course be swapped later for different/custom family types in Revit. The Revit model can then also be analyzed with FenestraPro for Revit (separate license required). Note: If you purge the template file after downloading, this will remove the custom families that were created for Forma models. In this case, you will need to import the Forma model to Revit again. A full explanation on this workflow will be provided soon and will be part of a new release soon!.

Notes:

Sharing Projects (multiple contributors)

If you are sharing a project with other users and they have permission to edit the same model, any changes that one project member makes to the model or changes to percentage settings for Facades using FenestraPro, will also update in other member’s screens when the Facades panel is reopened.

Also note that for the moment, if internal wall divisions are added to the model, this will divide the Facades into separate areas in Forma. This is currently being investigated.

Multiple Models

If you have multiple proposed buildings in the project, close the Façades List and reopen it when switching from one model to another, to allow it to reset with the new list (and possibly new number) of Façades for the active building.

Currently, there is no redistribution of glazing percentages throughout the model (e.g. if the Total value is defined and one Façade is adjusted, other Façades do not adjust to maintain the total).

Imported Models

If you import an .obj file from Revit or Rhino into Forma, this can be edited using the 3D Sketch tool and Floors may be added to the model. Once this is done, FenestraPro should be able to analyze the model (some complex models may not always be successful). Note: There may be some restrictions on file import size (currently 100mb) or the number of mesh objects allowed by Forma.

FAQ’s

What model areas can be selected? The model is arranged into Facades, which are model faces per orientation. You can get results for each Facade on the Forma model (glazing that contributes Heat Gain and Daylight). Results are based on spaces in the perimeter zones (6m/20ft depth from the glazed wall). If interior walls are placed in locations less than these values, these depths are used instead. Currently, the model is not isolated into Surfaces or Spaces to review results in specific rooms or spaces.
How should the model be created? It is recommended to use the ‘Basic Building‘ tool in Forma to create the model (rather than ‘3D Sketch’, ‘Line Building’ or ‘House’ options).
How do I select the model? Click on the uppermost roof on the model (if your model has multiple roof levels) to start the calculation process. Clicking on model walls or individual Floors will not initiate the analysis.
Will the results update automatically? Settings may need to be applied first before the changes are recalculated. If the model geometry is adjusted, the browser should be refreshed and the model re-selected to recalculate results for the new model condition. Selecting a different Energy Code or adjusting Overall Glazing Percentage should initiate an automatic recalculation.
What if my model cannot be analyzed? It is recommended to use the ‘Basic Building’ method in Forma to create models suitable for analysis. If you are not getting results for your project, it may have been created using the 3D Sketch method or imported from another software. The model must have floor levels to allow analysis. For these types of models, it may help to ‘Add Floors’ to the model by right clicking or editing. The model may then get results. For more complex models, it may help to simplify the model. Other models with large gaps between volumes, separate towers etc may not yet be supported. Development is ongoing to provide additional support for these conditions.
What happens if I reset Overall Glazing after setting individually for Facades? In this case, all Facades will reset to the single Overall Glazing value and separate Facade settings will be lost.
How can shade devices be added to the model? Using the ‘Volume – Cube’ option in Forma, shade objects (canopies or vertical fins) can be modeled separately on required levels (rather than extending floors or roofs). See the section on Shading above on this page for more details.
What if the existing model properties do not comply with the reference Energy Code? You may use the Construction Types panel to adjust constructions for walls, roofs, floors and glazing. Sample types are provided and selecting a different construction with an improved thermal performance, may then comply with the reference values. Note: there may be cases where no construction listed will be compliant with a reference value in an Energy Code/Building Regulation.

Known Issues

Currently the Basic Building type in Forma is supported to create geometry for analysis (‘Line Building’ and ‘House’ types are not yet supported). Geometry created using the 3D Sketch tool in Forma is also not currently supported. To analyze all parts of a project together, the model should be created at the same time (draw a footprint shape and extrude). Adjustments can then be made on each level using the ‘Floor Plan’ tool. Further use of the ‘Buildings – Basic Building‘ tool to add more geometry, will in effect create separate buildings which can be selected and analyzed separately.
Results will not be produced if the entire model is not selected (if only one floor or selected floors are selected). In this case please select the proposed design by clicking on the uppermost roof.
Adjusting the Forma model while the Envelope Analysis extension has already loaded will not automatically update the extension. In this case, please use the Escape key on your keyboard to disengage from the editing mode and select the model again to analyze.
Larger models will take a little longer to process since glazing has to be applied to each story, so please allow the calculations to complete.
If you are analyzing one proposal and switch to another proposal in the same project, facade renders may persist from the previous model. In this case refresh your browser to reset, select the new proposal and allow the extension to load the active model.
Energy Code values that are referenced may be simplified where there are multiple recommendations for construction types (eg. flat roof, sloped roof, heated/unheated floors, element materials wood/metal etc). When the ‘Use Modelled Properties’ option is used, the selection is not saved if the project is refreshed or closed and reopened (please check and select again).
Roof area should generally match the Ground Floor area displayed but may sometimes be different. Where there are multiple stepped roofs when floors are offset on plan, the total area may not always be reported correctly. In this case you are advised to get the areas in Forma manually using the area measurement tool. Ground Floors that are lifted off, or do not touch the base terrain, may not report any area value.
If you have multiple buildings in your project, only one can be analyzed at any one time. Selecting all buildings will only produce results for one. Currently, as you select another building, calculations will commence and then display for this (results for the previous building do not continue to display but are stored if you wish to return to the first building). Attempting to add geometry to existing proposals in Forma by using the Basic Building tool, sketching a new footprint and extruding, will typically produce another separate model. It is recommended to use the floor plans to make any revisions to an existing proposal.
Complex models with large openings separating volumes, detached geometry may not currently produce results as these conditions require more complex identification of spaces and elements. Better support for these conditions will be provided soon. There may still be some model conditions which will have difficulty being analyzed. These are currently being explored and improved. Glazing may not get applied to walls that are slanted (non vertical walls). If you have issues with a Forma project, please contact us at support@fenestrapro.com and we can advise.
If the Forma model is exported, you may need to refresh the browser to continue using the extension or to open the Facades List – this issue is being explored.
It is not recommended to have multiple projects open in separate browser tabs at the same time (since multiple simultaneous updates are not yet supported). Please work with one project at a time, close this and open another project.