Part of Climatic Design Course

1. Prepared by
Dr. Nedhal Al-Tamimi
Arch. Eng. Dept.,
Faculty of Engineering
Najran University, KSA
naaltamimi@nu.edu.sa
Building
Simulation
Tools
Lecture
No. 11
Climatic Design AE 353-2

2. Scope
of
Presentation
1. The Importance of Simulation
2. Type of computer simulations
3. Understand What a Model Is
4. Input Requirement
5. Advantages and Disadvantages of simulation
6. DesignBuilder (Demo-Presentation)

3. Green Building Rating System

4. Why Simulation?

5. Use of Building Simulation Software

6. What Building Simulation tools can calculate
In Thermal Performance
Simulation
▪ Indoor temperatures.
▪ Needs for heating and cooling.
▪ Consumption needs of HVAC
systems.
▪ Natural lighting needs of the
occupants.
▪ Interior comfort of the
inhabitants.
▪ Levels of ventilation.
In Energy Simulation
▪ Determine the appropriate size
of HVAC systems.
▪ Predict the monthly/annual
energy consumption and bills.
▪ Annual CO2 emissions.
▪ Compare different efficiency
options.
▪ Determine life cycle payback
on various options.

7. Type of computer simulations
Thermal/Solar/Energy
Simulation
• DOE
• Ecotect
• Energy-10
• IES-VE
• EnergyPlus
• DesignBuilder
• Equest
• …etc.
Lighting Simulation
• Radiance
• Ecotect
• DaiLux
• DesignBuilder
• …etc.
Air Flow Simulation
• Macroflo
• CFD
• …etc.

8. Creating a Model
A MODEL is a device or structure that helps us to:
• Understand the world around us
• A simplified representation of our surroundings in order
that we may pursue understanding

9. Models for Buildings
• It is possible in
today’s practice:
fewer models
serving multiple
purposes:
studying thermal,
energy, daylight,
solar, airflow,
comfort, etc.

10. What do we need before getting started? (Input Requirement)
▪ Building location and weather data and geometry
▪ Building envelope characteristics (walls, windows, u-values,
shading coefficients)
▪ General operation of the building
▪ All interior load values (Lighting, plug loads, occupant
numbers and activity level).
▪ Zoning requirements
▪ System types (is it constant volume or VAV? DX coils or
chilled water?) - If you don't
▪ know the system type, you can use a model to decide what's
best!
▪ You need to be smart.

13. ** Building Geometry

14. Output example:
Understanding Solar
Analysis
** Building Geometry

15. Thermal/Energy
Simulation
• Uses 8760 hours weather data for one year.
• A weather file used in building simulation tools is a weather data
for a particular city with an average period between 20-30years
• Output example:
▪ Must be validated with ASHRAE standard
** Building Geometry

16. Output example:
** Building Geometry

18. Glazing Details
▪ WWR and orientation are included in building geometry.
▪ Material properties (U-value, SHGC for glass, U-value for frame)

19. Occupancy Schedule

20. Space usage pattern

21. Understanding Glare & Solar Shades
Output example:

22. Daylight Analysis
Output example:

23. Airflow (CFD )
Output example:

24. ▪ New policies, operating procedures, information flows can be
explored without disrupting ongoing operation of the real system.
▪ ‫يمكن‬
‫للمصمم‬
‫الحصول‬
‫على‬
‫نتائج‬
‫المحاكاة‬
‫الي‬
‫متغير‬
(
‫األداء‬
،‫الحراري‬
‫استهالك‬
،‫الطاقة‬
‫شدة‬
‫اإلضاءة‬
‫وغيرها‬
)
‫لمدة‬
‫زمنية‬
‫قد‬
‫تكون‬
‫سنة‬
‫وقد‬
‫تكون‬
‫بعض‬
‫ساعات‬
‫من‬
‫النهار‬
.
▪ Insight can be obtained about interaction of variables and important
variables to the performance.
▪ Bottleneck analysis can be performed to discover where work in
process, the system is delayed.
▪ A simulation study can help in understanding how the system
operates.
▪ Results are accurate in general, compared to analytical model.
▪ Easy to perform ``What-If'' analysis.
Advantages of simulation

25. ▪ Model building requires special training.
▪ Vendors of simulation software have been actively developing
packages that contain models that only need input (templates).
▪ Simulation results can be difficult to interpret.
▪ Simulation modelling and analysis can be time consuming and
expensive.
Disadvantages of simulation

26. DesignBuilder
https://www.designbuilder.co.uk/

28. Dr. Nedhal Al-Tamimi
AE 353-2
Demo for:
https://drajmarsh.bitbucket.io/daylight-room.html

29. Climatic Design Thank You
Dr. Nedhal Al-Tamimi
AE 353-2
Demo for:
https://www.designbuilder.co.uk/