Simulation in Building Design and Services
Simulation models for design of building and systems have gained significant acceptance among designers, architects and building services engineers as a way to support design decisions for energy efficient buildings (Attia et al, 2012) as well as for decision making by policymakers and utilities (Summerfield et al, 2011), especially now, when more advanced building and building system technologies are becoming vital and are increasingly being employed in large public buildings, primarily due to the need for better energy efficient structures with reduced carbon footprint. These buildings often contain many spaces with different functions, structures and equipment, requiring cost-effective envelope design, complex building systems designs and interconnections, and improved controls sequences. According to Hensen (2004), there are many more professionals who use building performance simulation in practice than is commonly realised.
Modelling is employed for a great numbers of purposes other than design of building and building energy systems, like for analysing effect of optimized envelope system and schedules on building energy performance (Griffith et al. 2003), fault identification (Schumann et al, 2011) and performance validation and energy analysis (Salsbury and Diamond, 2000) of buildings energy systems (HVAC), analysing and evaluating the whole building energy consumption (Pan et al, 2009), as well as modelling occupant behaviour (Baetens and Saelens, 2011; Robinson et al, 2011; Liao and Barooah, 2010; Liao et al, 2010).
It also has benefits for use to aid in building and systems commissioning (Hensen, 2004) and for post occupancy evaluation when information from metered data and user feedback are incorporated (Schumann et al, 2011; Maile et al, 2010), because, according to Hensen (2004), “the model that is used for the design of the building and systems can become a useful dynamic living document with a potentially much higher value than traditional static drawings and blueprints”.
Although there exists an array of programs that are capable of delivering impressive performances, their application, especially in the UK, is not in a manner that harnesses their full invaluable potential.
All references can be found in the literature review page, which can be seen here.