The sky view factor indicates the relationship between the visible area of the sky and the area covered by urban structures. A method of sky view factors (SVF) estimation for urban analysis was developed and implemented in a Geographical Information System (GIS). In order to validate this tool, this paper presents a comparison of actual SVF with the results obtained by simulating the SVF in particular areas of a medium sized city with the developed tool.
This paper describes the application of a building simulation program to construct a decision-support tool for use by policy makers addressing the needs of the Scottish domestic housing sector. The process of tool formulation is described and an example given of its use to identify best-value retrofit options while taking factors such as future climate change and improved standard of living into consideration. It is argued that the process of tool formation renders it applicable to the cumulative roll-out of upgrade measures in the long term, both within and outwith the UK.
The rapidly developing Internet broadband network offers new opportunities for deploying a range of energy, environment and health-related services for people in their homes and workplaces. Several of these services can be enabled or enhanced through the application of building simulation. This paper describes the infrastructure for e-services under test within a European research project and shows the potential for simulation support for these services.
Hourly energy simulation was used in combination with a life cycle assessment framework to model the environmental effects of energy consumption in buildings. The energy efficiencies and environmental impacts resulting from the construction and operation of alternative technnologies for providing space and water heating, cooling, and electrical power for equipment and lights in commercial buildings is evaluated.
Air infiltration through revolving doors may have significant impact on the heating load of commercial and institutional spaces, and may create discomfort to people. This paper modifies a 40-year old model by Schutrum et al. (1961), composed of two components: (1) estimation of air exchange between one segment of the revolving door and the indoor/outdoor and (2) estimation of net air infiltration rate.
This paper presents a simulation study employed for the optimization of the building envelope for a new university building located in Montreal (latitude 450N). The study involved simulation of façade design options, taking into account maximization of daylight, reduction in electricity consumption for lighting and optimal control of solar gains. Combinations of motorized shading devices in conjunction with controllable electric lighting systems are investigated in detail.
A two-level analysis was used to study the economic potential of implementing Building Cooling, Heating and Power (BCHP) technologies in the U.S. A simplified level allowed limiting the full evaluation to seven major metropolitan areas and seven typical service applications in three basic configurations. The more rigorous level of simulation involved studies of 147 cases and involved software developed at GTI. This software employed DOE21.E computational engine to generate 8760 hourly building load profiles.
HVAC systems that supply both space heating and domestic hot water are becoming more popular in residential buildings In North America. With these “combination systems” water from a fuel-fired storage tank is used to satisfy domestic hot water needs directly. Space heating is accomplished convectively, by circulating hot water from the tank through a water-to-air heat exchanger in a fan-coil system. An explicit plant modelling approach was used to represent a combination system within the ESP- r/HOT3000 simulation program.
A computer-model is used to simulate the evacuation of the occupants in a building. The aim of the simulations is to establish an equal level of fire safety in accordance of the building regulations. Simulations can also be used to optimise the design of the escape routes (numbers of exits, dimensions of staircases).
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