COMFIE: a software for passive solar design

The "object oriented programming" and model reduction tniques give some new possibilities to develop computer tools. It is now possible to design a building on the computer, using computer objects corresponding to architectural concepts (materials, walls, windows .... ). Representing the building as a structure of objects is an approach which is particularly adapted to a thermal analysis and a comparison of designs, possibly with the help of an expert interface. On the other hand, a fast and accurate thermal evaluation of a project is now possible by simulation, thanks to mathematical models of reduced order. The simulation offers a sensitivity to the numerous design parameters, and provides both an estimation of the heating load and of the summer comfort. Such a design tool, COMFIE, has been developed on these bases at the Ecole des Mines in Paris, on an IBM compatible microcomputer (AT type). A version also exists on a macintosh. These machines are accessible to all professionnals, and not only to large consultant offices.