In this study the COwZ model (COMIS with sub-zones) was modified to allow dynamic simulations ofindoor thermal conditions, humidity and pollutant transport and concentrations throughout wholebuildings. The new version of COwZ may be used to predict the impact of heat supply and ventilation options on indoor conditions, particularly temperature and humidity, over extended periods, with dynamic weather conditions and varying occupant activities.

The optimization of building thermal performance has traditionally been based on designers’ experience. However, optimization algorithms such as Genetic Algorithms (GA) have lately been used extensively in order to find the optimization configuration of a

The paper discusses a methodology for thermal analysis applied to buildings in which the stochasticnature of the external forces is concerned. The considered forces are ambient temperature and solarradiation. The stochastic approach presented in this paper, consists in modelling the climatic inputs as a Markov process which have been injected on a reduced modal model describing the thermalbehaviour of the building.

This article presents the application of the zonal approach for modeling airflow and temperaturedistribution in Doube-Skin Facades (DSF). The airflow rate was calculated by using the power-lawmodel (PLM) and integral form of the energy equation was used to evaluate the temperaturedistribution. The predicted temperature distribution was compared/ verified using measured valuesand parametic studies were conducted to identify the influence of height, flowrate and pesence ofshading device on the temperature gradient in the cavity.

In most conditioned spaces, the Mixing Jet Ventilation (MJV) systems are commonly installed. Relying on turbulent mixing, MJV homogeneously controls the room environment. However, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), draft, and noise can sometimes be drawbacks of MJV systems. In late the 70s, Displacement Ventilation (DV) was first introduced. By supplying low supply velocity air from the floor or lower wall, a stratification zone is formed which forces pollutants to be collected near the ceiling and allows clean air to remain in the breathing zone.

In most conditioned spaces, the Mixing Jet Ventilation (MJV) systems are commonly installed. Relying on turbulent mixing, MJV homogeneously controls the room environment. However, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), draft, and noise can sometimes be drawbacks of MJV systems. In late the 70s, Displacement Ventilation (DV) was first introduced. By supplying low supply velocity air from the floor or lower wall, a stratification zone is formed which forces pollutants to be collected near the ceiling and allows clean air to remain in the breathing zone.

The design of ventilation equipment is important because it affects the ventilation performancedirectly. To improve the ventilation efficiency of the displacement ventilation, a new ventilation system was proposed in this study. The experiment was performed to measure the fume concentration and the visibility at four points under working conditions. In experimental results, the concentration of dust with a new ventilation system was decreased by about 42-60% compared to that of the existing system. The visibility was increased by about 11-18%.

The energy consumption of a building is evaluated by neglecting the heat loss which can occur when the air passes through the envelope. However, recent studies showed that air leakage plays asignificant role by affecting the thermal performances of walls and the energy consumption. Moststudies have focused on the quantification of air leakage flows through the building shell, withoutaddressing the problem of the heat exchange between this airflow and the construction materials asthe air passes through the envelope.

Modelling thermal and aerial behaviour of unconditioned buildings requires an accurate knowledge of the air temperature and velocities fields inside the considered spaces. Furthermore, in ourMediterranean context, thermal and aerial aspects must be considered coupled together, because oftheir very strong interdependence. We have then developed a three-dimensional dynamic modularmodel of coupled heat transfer and airflow calculation.

The prediction of air infiltration is very important when simulating a building, due to the couplingaspects of the thermal and ventilation problem. So, the development of codes capable of performingsimple yet precise calculations is of great usefulness. Their utility can even be enlarged if we addsubroutines capable of air quality calculation and automation of some preliminary but necessaryassessments, like local pressure coefficients over the building facades and wind speed profiles.