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In this paper a numerical software, that simulates the building thermal behaviour with complex topology in transient conditions, was developed and used in the study of kindergarten thermal response and the occupants’ thermal comfort and air quality in Mediterranean conditions. In this numerical model a new building three-dimensional grid generation philosophy, closer to the reality, that considers the building and the surrounding buildings used in the long and short-wave calculus, the external and internal shading devices, the energy and mass balance integral equations philosophy generated by the building geometry, the equation system resolution done by the Runge-Kutta-Felberg with error control and the human thermal comfort level evaluated through human thermo-physiology, are developed.

In the simulation, with a real occupation cycle, the compartments, the building opaque bodies, the building transparent bodies, and the external shading devices were considered. In passive strategies the kindergarten is equipped with multiple inclined aluminium shading devices placed above the transparent windows level and in front to the transparent door facing south, removable inclined tissue shading devices placed in front to the transparent windows facing east, and horizontal fabrics shading devices placed above the transparent panel levels facing south, south-west and west.

In this study, made with natural and forced ventilation, the summer and winter conditions were used. In summer conditions, the forced ventilation active strategies in all spaces with cold air from the external environment during the night, and in occupied spaces with stored cold air from the underground space were used. In winter conditions forced ventilation from an internal greenhouse, to heat the internal occupied cold spaces, was used.


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Numerical simulation of passive and active solar strategies in buildings with complex topology

Show Author's information Eusébio Z. E. Conceição1( )Mª Manuela J. R. Lúcio2
Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
Vertical Grouping of Schools Professor Paula Nogueira, Rua da Comunidade Lusíada, 8700-000 Olhão, Portugal

Abstract

In this paper a numerical software, that simulates the building thermal behaviour with complex topology in transient conditions, was developed and used in the study of kindergarten thermal response and the occupants’ thermal comfort and air quality in Mediterranean conditions. In this numerical model a new building three-dimensional grid generation philosophy, closer to the reality, that considers the building and the surrounding buildings used in the long and short-wave calculus, the external and internal shading devices, the energy and mass balance integral equations philosophy generated by the building geometry, the equation system resolution done by the Runge-Kutta-Felberg with error control and the human thermal comfort level evaluated through human thermo-physiology, are developed.

In the simulation, with a real occupation cycle, the compartments, the building opaque bodies, the building transparent bodies, and the external shading devices were considered. In passive strategies the kindergarten is equipped with multiple inclined aluminium shading devices placed above the transparent windows level and in front to the transparent door facing south, removable inclined tissue shading devices placed in front to the transparent windows facing east, and horizontal fabrics shading devices placed above the transparent panel levels facing south, south-west and west.

In this study, made with natural and forced ventilation, the summer and winter conditions were used. In summer conditions, the forced ventilation active strategies in all spaces with cold air from the external environment during the night, and in occupied spaces with stored cold air from the underground space were used. In winter conditions forced ventilation from an internal greenhouse, to heat the internal occupied cold spaces, was used.

Keywords: numerical simulation, indoor air quality, building thermal behaviour, occupants’ thermal comfort, passive and active solar strategies

References(42)

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Publication history
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Acknowledgements

Publication history

Received: 01 March 2010
Revised: 12 July 2010
Accepted: 28 July 2010
Published: 08 September 2010
Issue date: September 2010

Copyright

© Tsinghua University Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010

Acknowledgements

This research activity is being developed inside a project financed by the City Council of Olhão.

This research activity is being developed inside a project approved and sponsored by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, POCI 2010, sponsored also by the European Comunitary Fund FEDER.

The authors are grateful for the collaboration of the City Council of Olhão team, in particular to the Arqª. Inês Neves and Arqª. Andreia Santos.

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