Methodology for the Next Generation of Building Thermal Modeling and Simulation

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This proposed research is aimed to investigate the fundamentals for the next generation of building thermal modeling and simulation and to establish a computational platform in which the resulting theories are implemented to produce solutions for future thermal modeling problems. This is to be achieved through research activities organized into three sub research projects:***Research Project 1 - Fundamental studies:(1) Thermal modeling integrated with structure modules that allows for the modeling of structure durability; (2)Theoretical study on the time horizon for thermal modeling: multiple-year simulation in comparison with Typical Meteorological Year (TMY) based annual simulation; (3) Validation of new method: experimental studies.***Research Project 2 – Technical advances: (1) Smart building modeling modules for integration with BIM (Building Information Model) based engineering tools; (2) Integration with commonly used thermal modeling software; (3) SIMULINK based platform.***Research Project 3 – Application studies: (1) Engineering case studies; (2) Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) and Feedback to designers.***Limited by the computational capability of the commercial computers available when the existing thermal modeling methods and simulation platforms were developed, these technologies are availed with compromises for use in both academic research and industrial applications. For example, the physical building system is normally oversimplified to generate mathematical models in which the value of relevant properties are considered constant, and the long-term performance of a building is simulated only based on one-year of climatic conditions, typically available in the format of TMY (Typical Meteorological Year). This significantly reduces the accuracy and representativeness of thermal simulation results and thus is likely to produce misleading information for the design process. With much more advanced computer technologies, it is appropriate to re-investigate this approach and to develop a new generation of thermal modeling technology that can significantly improve the performance of simulation studies at the cost of much higher demand on the computational capacity.***This research will generate new knowledge on the area of building performance simulation and add new ability for modeling the durability of building components and the entire system. Based on the outcomes of these fundamental studies, smart building models will be developed and implemented for easy use by BIM (Building information Model) based simulation platforms. It is anticipated that this research will improve the accuracy of thermal simulation studies that have become an important element for IDP (Integrated Design Process) and sustainable building development.