Simulation is useful in many aspects of the design, control, and evaluation of buildings and their associated heating and cooling equipment. Pure experimental studies are often limited by the bounds of cost and measurement techniques, whereas simulation studies are limited by theoretical understanding and computational constraints. In particular, experiments are needed to develop the fundamental understanding necessary to create new mathematical models and to validate larger scale simulation models.

A first question attendees from oversees may ask is: what is meant by building physics? In fact, the name is hardly used in the Anglo-Saxon and Roman countries. In Northern Europe instead, the indication building physics points to the discipline which covers all physical aspects of influence on building performance and building use. Three main fields of knowledge are involved: (1) heat and mass, (2) sound, (3) light. Energy for example belongs to the first. Room acoustics is part of the second. Day-lighting takes a big share in the third.