English

A comprehensive simulation model, based on the TRNSYS program, for the evaluation of thermalstorage system behaviour in building climatization is presented here. The algorithm is applied to the study of a typical office building in presence of an ice or water storage. Possible economic advantages are presented and analysed. The remarkable differences obtained with different plant options confirm the necessity of an accurate study and justify the use of comprehensive computer models.

Building performance evaluation requires accepted standards for comparison. Thermal comfort conditions are widely accepted. This is different for lighting issues: currently set standards are far from describing user comfort sensations. Since both natural and artificial lighting have significant impact on the total energy demand, future building performance evaluation will need to take this into account. Inclusion of daylight as an extremely variable light source makes it virtually impossible to perform subjective tests under reproducable test conditions.

The studies presented here aim at defining and setting out a calculation code allowing the prediction of outdoor ambient thermal quality. Designers of urban spaces are expecting more specialized information such as skilled rules which may be achieved by the presented code, at present in process of development. The physical system is identified as being representative of the urban network of an average town like Saint-Denis, Reunion Island (about 60 000 inhabitants). The calculation code, made up by assembling different models, describes the thermal behaviour of the physical system.

A new dynamic simulation model for buildings has been developed which emerges by itself as it receivesdata or signals from the building under consideration. The model exists in two forms: Software written for the PC Windows environment, and Hardware in the form of a silicon microchip. This paper describes the background of the mathematical model and compares the results of its simulations with those of a conventional simulation model, in both cases using data from monitoring of an existing building. New possibilities for the development of advanced control systems are discussed.

This paper describes an artificial neural network- (ANN) modeling approach forpredicting the energv anddemand savings resulting from energy conservation measure (ECM) retrofits in select buildings. Simulated data sequences were used to minimize the experimental uncertainty in the initial model, and to provide post period data for training. A university building was chosen to provide the data set for this study. The building was modeled and calibrated using the DOE-2.IE building energy analysis program.

There is increasing interest in Europe in the use of displacement ventilation and chilled ceiling coolingsystems. A modelling methodology is presented here that deals with the significantly different heat transfer characteristics of these systems compared with conventional all-air systems. The purpose of the work is to develop a room model that is computationally efficient enough for annual hourly simulation purposes and a nodal model has been developed that is intermediate in complexity between a single air node model and a CFD model.

This paper presents the concept of an "open" simulation environment for performance-driven designexploration as a multi-directional approach to computer-aided daylighting modeling. A prototypicalrealization of a Generative Simulation Tool for Architectural Lighting (GESTALT) for simultaneoustreatment of daylighting-related design and performance variables is introduced. Earlier studies demonstrated that GESTALT can operate in an "explicit" mode, using a fast-response computational module.

This paper deals with the problem of empirical validation of thermal performance computer programs. It begins with a brief review of a number of techniques which have been used as a measure of the goodness-of-fit between measured and predicted data in a variety of empirical validation exercises. Several inadequacies inherent in existing techniques are identified as, a) no attempt is made to take into account the severity of the validation test. b) none give a single measure of the success (or otherwise) of the test. c) isolation of sources of error are difficult.

Dealing with issues of acquiring and accessing design knowledge in the conceptual stage of the design process is the focus of this research. This research starts by presenting a brief background about the limitations of the available energy-based CAAD tools. It then provides an illustration and description of the entire architecture of the conceptual model, identifies its different components and explains the relationships and interactions among these components.

Starting from the basic governing equations for fluid flows, a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code is described. The pre-processing and post-processing software was integrated with the CFD code to form a more user-friendly computer package. This new computer package has been used to carry out several simulations on air and smoke movement in atrium with balconies. It has been found that the pre?processing and post-processing software can greatly reduce the data preparation and analysis time. It can also reduce the likelihood of making errors in data entry.