Building Thermal Simulator
This Simulator allows you view the effects of different design features on the thermal performance of a building (click here for running the simulator). Based on your “design” decisions, hourly temperatures inside the building are displayed for a typical day in summer (July) and winter (January) in a desert climate. The results of the simulation include maximum, minimum and average daily temperature (in oC), as well as a measure (in degree-hours) of the need for heating in winter and cooling in summer. The basic building being simulated is a single-story volume with a floor area of 100 m2(10m x 10m x 2.75m). The building is located climatically in the arid Negev Highlands region (30oN, 500m alt.).
According to your selections, the following building features are defined:
1. Orientation
- South-facing: large glazed openings on southern facade (glass area = 12.5 m2, transmissivity=85%); other facades have small openings only,
- West-facing: large glazed openings on western facade (glass area = 12.5 m2, transmissivity=85%); other facades have small openings only.
2. Construction - Heavyweight: the walls, ceiling and floor of the building envelope are of cast concrete, all 20 cm thick (high thermal mass),
- Lightweight: the walls, ceiling and floor of the building envelope are of wood frame drywall construction (low thermal mass).
3. Insulation- Insulated: the external walls and roof are covered with a 5 cm layer of thermal insulation (expanded polystyrene),
- Uninsulated: the external walls and roof are not covered with thermal insulation.
4. Finish
Operable Shutters: all glazed openings are protected by operable insulated shutters (white louvers with 1cm thick foam insulation); in summer shutters are closed in the daytime and opened at night, and in winter opened in the daytime and closed at night,
Full exposure: glazed openings are not protected by shutters.
6. Operation
Night ventilation: in summer, windows are opened from 22:00 in the evening to 9:00 the next morning, allowing 6 air changes per hour; in winter windows remain closed, - No ventilation: windows are not opened in summer or winter.
| 