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Writer's pictureOmer T. Karaguzel
Mar 29, 20213 min read

SIMULATION-BASED TOTAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Simulation-based support to the design of high-performance buildings offers a very rich set of modeling and simulation techniques and related tool sets (software, program, plug-in, add-on) that can de deployed at various design stages. Here is my big list of simulation techniques and the tools (which is neither exhaustive nor complete, this is a fast growing field!):


TYPE 0 (T0): Core simulation engines for lighting, thermal and air flow analysis

These simulation engines are under the hood of many simulation interfaces in Type 1 and Type 2 below.

  • Thermal simulation engine: EnergyPlus (open source), DOE-2 (outdated!), IESVE (proprietary)

  • Lighting simulation engine: RADIANCE (open source)

  • CFD simulation engine: Open FOAM (open source)

  • Glazing Heat Balance (GHB) engine: Window 7.7 (interface only)

  • 2D Thermal Profiling: THERM (interface only)

TYPE 1 (T1): Whole-building energy performance modeling and detailed component performance modeling

(Tool Set: IESVE, Design Builder, OpenStudio, EnergyPlus, eQUEST, TRNSYS, RADIANCE, Window, Optics, Therm, COMFEN, ANSYS Fluent, etc.)

  • LEED v4.1 Energy & Atmosphere (EA) oriented energy modeling (ASHRAE 90.1 PRM Procedure modeling)

  • ASHRAE 90.1 Appendix G type BASELINE HVAC systems modeling

  • Heating-Cooling Loads Calculations for Room Loads and HVAC Equipment & System sizing (ASHRAE Heat Balance Method-Based Calculations)

  • High-Performance and advanced low energy HVAC systems and control modeling

  • Building integrated solar photovoltaic (BiPV) systems modeling

  • Solar thermal collector systems (as auxiliary service water heating systems) modeling

  • Daylight-controlled electric lighting systems modeling

  • High-performance dynamic envelope systems (adjustable shading devices, switchable-electrochromic glazing systems) modeling

  • High-performance static envelop system modeling (glazing systems) (COMFEN)

  • Customized Simulation Data Analytics: Parametric and iterative energy simulations coupled with advanced data analytics (batch simulations, large-scale energy performance databases, data visualizations for design decision support)

  • Passive architectural design strategies modeling (natural ventilation, mixed-mode/hybrid system modeling

  • Bulk air flow modeling (air flow networks) and CFD-based air flow and contaminant propagation analysis

  • Energy Modeling for Investment Decisions : Energy saving feasibility studies, alternative mechanical system comparisons and life-cycle costing (LCC) optimization analysis (building envelope, HVAC system, lighting system selections)

  • Fenestration system thermal and optical performance characterizations (LBNL’s Window 7.7 and Optics Programs, Therm programs)

TYPE 2 (T2): Parametric modeling and environmental performance simulations for early design support

(Tool Set: Rhino-Grasshopper, Autodesk-Dynamo, ClimateStudio, RADIANCE , Ladybug Tools (Ladybug-Honeybee), Sefaira, REVIT Conceptual Masses/Energy Analyzer, Autodesk Insight 360, Green Building Studio, Cove Tools, Climate Consultant, etc.)

  • Climate analysis and advanced visualizations (2D-3D plots)

  • Dynamic thermal modeling with IDEAL Loads (Purchased Air-Water Systems) (i.e., dynamic energy model without a detailed HVAC system definition)

  • Characterizations of indoor local and spatial thermal and visual comfort

  • Solar radiation mapping (building scale and neighborhood-campus scale)

  • Daylighting performance simulations (illuminance-luminance distributions, sDA, ASE, UDI predictions for LEED V4 Environmental Quality (EQ) - Daylight Credit Simulations, Quality Views Simulations)

  • Visual comfort and glare simulations (daylighting and electric lighting systems) (Predictions of UGR-DGP-VCP metrics)

  • Photorealistic luminance renderings

  • Conceptual design thermal simulations (Simple-Box Energy modeling for LEED V4 Integrative Process (IP) Credit) (Energy-Budget calculations)

  • Parametric and iterative solar-thermal-daylighting simulations coupled with numerical optimizers (Grasshopper’s Galapagos & Octopus plug-ins and Autodesk’s Dynamo Studio Tool)

  • Passive architectural design strategies modeling (building form, massing, plan layout/internal zoning, orientation, window dispositions, static shading devices, thermal mass utilization, natural ventilation effectiveness, high-performance envelopes (opaque + transparent), surface albedo (cool roofs)

  • Customized Energy performance data visualizations for sustainable design decision support (chord diagrams, parallel coordinates, heat maps, radar plots, Sankey diagrams, Grant diagrams)

Please note that the list that you see above is rather a high level classification each item can be analyzed in more detail which will reveal sub-categories of simulation studies and of course related tools and various computational approaches.


Below is the list of big players in the world of building energy/performance simulation (in no particular order):

Omer T. Karaguzel, PhD

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