Simulation is proving more and more important in building physics. Programs of different levels of complexity are today available for researchers and designers to model and plan buildings. But the accuracy of the output is not usually provided as a common result. This paper is a short summary of a dissertation [1] focused on the accuracy of the simulation outputs as a function of the accuracy of the input parameters.
The UK factory stock is predominantly naturally ventilated. Measurements performed in this class of building have indicated that air infiltration rates in factories are usually excessive in relation to occupants' requirements for health and safety, resulting in an energy penalty. As part of a project to investigate construction options for energy efficient industrial buildings, three factories of different cladding construction types were designed and then built at Aberarnan, South Wales.
This paper presents the estimation of air infiltration in a building using the COMIS multi-zone model. The applicability of this information in the design of buildings is demonstrated and the effect of air infiltration in the thermal performance of buildings is investigated. An integrated method incorporating both air infiltration estimation and building thermal simulation is proposed.
Pressure distributions around buildings are important factors affecting the air infiltration and ventilation of a building and consequently energy. Existing methods of determining pressure coefficients are costly both in terms of time and resources. This report aims to show the benefits of using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) program in this field. Work was carried out to predict the pressure distribution around a sheltered building. The CFD program was used to investigate how pressure coeffieicnts vary with building separation and the degree of shelter offered by an upwind building.
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