IBPSA1997

Multiple regression analysis (MRA) is useful for developing energy prediction equations from the results of building energy simulation. However, if many design parameters are involved, a very large number of simulations is needed to generate data for the MRA. To tackle this problem, a randomised approach to MRA is proposed so that less simulations will be needed to generate the data. This paper presents a research study in Hong Kong that investigates building energy performance using a randomised MRA method.

This work describes the computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulation of flow and pollutant dispersion around a cube. The work attempts to model the characteristics of an atmospheric boundary layer type flow over a building which has a pollutant source at its roof centre. For the flow field, two different numerical schemes for the discretisation of convection have been employed namely the second order accurate QUICK scheme and the first order HYBRID-UPWIND scheme. The results for the velocity field appear to be inconclusive with reference to the merits of each of the schemes employed.

A new system for accessing wall and roof transfer function coefficients has been developed. The system is intended to allow users to quickly and easily retrieve the transfer functions for almost any combination of wall or roof materials, thus simplifying the use of the Transfer Function Method of simulation early in the design process. The new system has been designed as a tool that can be integrated with existing simulation software.

This paper presents a methodology to effectively model the performance of central chilled water plants in campus or multi-building complexes where detailed modeling of every building served by the plant is out of the question, usually due to budgetary and/or time constraints. The work presented has evolved through years of practical experience in the analysis of central chiller plant performance for the purpose of justifying the economic merit of loadshifting and energy-saving strategies.

This paper presents the results of a neuro fuzzy control setting the fan-coils air flow rate of three zones of a dwelling to improve the comfort. The zones temperature and humidity are the input variables from which the value of Fanger’s thermal comfort index PMV (predicted mean vote) is calculated and used as comfort variable. The TRNSYS simulation program has been used to simulate the building under different weather conditions. Under winter conditions in the heating mode hot water circulates through the fan coils and under summer conditions in the cooling mode, chilled water.

The design of a naturally ventilated atrium was assessed using both wind tunnel and CFD methods to appraise and modify the response of the system to wind forces.

This paper summarizes a two volume National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) report entitled "Home Energy Rating System Building Energy Simulation Test (HERS BESTEST)" (Judkoff and Neymark, 1995a). HERS BESTEST is a comparative validation method for evaluating the credibility of building energy software used by Home Energy Rating Systems.

A comparison is made between two thermal simulation modelling programs with particular reference to HVAC plant modelling. The two programs, APACHE and TRNSYS, were set up using identical building data, plant data and the same meteorological database. A seven zone constant air volume system with a further four heated and naturally ventilated zones was considered. Hourly time series results of a variety of plant and zone air conditions for a three-day winter period and three-day summer period were compared; each period containing a substantial plant shut down phase.