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Compliance

Virtual Engineering for Building Standard Rating Systems

COMPLIANCE IS A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH

Compliance testing is traditionally performed using Dynamic Thermal Modelling (DTM) software. For this purpose, DTMs have been valuable tools for the assessment of various building characteristics for many years. For this purpose, DTMs have been valuable tools for the assessment of various building characteristics for many years. They were designed for specific purposes and are particularly suitable for determining static and spatially averaged parameters (zonal parameters).

In building design, however, there are a number of problems and tasks for which they are not suitable. This is particularly relevant when large and ambitious construction projects require new and complex designs to be taken into account.

Future-oriented, sustainable and energy-efficient projects require complex modelling even on smaller planning scales since a wide variety of mutually interacting processes and conditions must be considered. In this regard it is not sufficient to just determine key performance indicators on the basis of linearised and isolated approaches.

Virtual Engineering and DTM

In many application areas, DTM and CFD complement each other well. CFD can also answer many questions in areas where the application of DTM is not intended. Numerous studies have also shown that CFD simulations are often much more accurate than DTM – for the same application. In order to achieve the ambitious goals of holistic and sustainable projects, methods and processes are therefore required whose performance goes beyond traditional procedures and approaches. Tools are needed that can determine the required zonal and bulk parameters. They also must process the dynamic behaviour of material and environmental parameters seamlessly and in an automated manner under many different planning scenarios. They must be transparent and reproducible. CFD as an universal Multiphysics tool excellently satisfies all these requirements.

The advantage of CFD and FEM in compliance testing

The great advantage of CFD over DTM or other methods is the ability to determine sub-zonal parameters and transient, i.e. time-dependent, conditions and characteristics of your planned project in a simple and readily understandable way. These key performance indicators significantly improve the information content of your investigation and planning.

Possible causes of non-optimal performance indicators and increased risks can thus be identified more quickly and easily. In addition, CFD provides various optimisation procedures allowing manually controlled or automatic variation of design or functional parameters.

Using intuitive evaluation processes, these high-resolution CFD data can be quickly converted into zonal parameters that are decisive for rating standards.

Simple data exchange and the direct integration of other modelling frameworks, such as SimulinkTM , allow a wide range of further applications and investigations.

Compliance tests become increasingly complex as a result of dynamically interacting processes in building physics. This is particularly true for the determination of the following key values:

  • Temporal development of the temperature and moisture distributions indoors and within the building structure (diurnal variation, seasonal dynamics)
  • Heterogeneous air mass exchange
  • Special wind conditions on high-rise buildings in context with the built environment
  • Microclimate in the area around complex façades and high-rise structures
  • Comfort requirements under special climatic conditions on site
  • Extreme weather conditions

For which building standards is CFD suitable?

  • General

    ASHRAE, BN, BEAM, BREEAM, CIBSE, DGNB, Estidama/PEARL, GBAS, GBI, Green Mark, Green Star, HQE, ICC, IgCC, LEED, PART L, Passivhaus, PromisE, QSAS, RELi, VERDE, WELL

  • Indoor climate

    ASHRAE 55, 62, ISO 7730, BB 101, BN 311, CISBE AM 10, TM 52, TM 59, KS 16, EN 15251

  • Air Quality

    ASHRAE 62, BB 101, EN 15251, VDI 2262, VDI 3787

  • Building performance, energy efficiency, sustainability

    CIBSE AM 11, TM 65, EN 15251, EN 16643, EN 15804, EN 15978, DIN V 18599, ISO 10077, EPBD, DBSP

  • Climate, greenhouse gases (GHG)

    ASHRAE 105 & 169, CIBSE TM 36, 48, 49, CIBSE PCP, VDI 3785

  • Quality of Live (QoL)

    ISO 7243, VDI 3787

  • and many more.

We offer compliance testing based on CFD/FEM modelling

Thermal comfort

e.g. comfort indices of user perception and discomfort (PPD, PMV)

Impact of moisture on well-being, comfort and health, the product life cycle and building materials

Overheating risk

Determination of the distribution of wind pressure coefficients on façades of tall buildings, taking into account the existing building context (cP)

Energy performance & efficiency

Wind comfort in external spaces around buildings

Indoor and outdoor environmental quality

Ventilation, HVAC, CO2 , particulate matter, aerosols, bioparticles (pollen, bacteria, viruses, pathogens)

Urban comfort

Determination of sources and residence time of contaminants

Gases, liquids, particles

Consideration of terrain effects and geo-information (GIS)

Fresh air ratio

Incorporation of site-specific weather and climate factors

Tracing of air masses

Site-specific sustainability

Determination of the mean age of air (AoA)

Mean Age of Air (AoA)

Water efficiency and conservation of resources

We offer compliance testing based on CFD/FEM modelling

  • Thermal comfort
  • e.g. comfort indices of user perception and discomfort (PPD, PMV)
  • Overheating risk
  • Energy performance & efficiency
  • Indoor and outdoor environmental quality
  • Ventilation, HVAC, CO2 , particulate matter, aerosols, bioparticles (pollen, bacteria, viruses, pathogens)
  • Determination of sources and residence time of contaminants
  • Gases, liquids, particles
  • Fresh air ratio
  • Tracing of air masses
  • Determination of the mean age of air (AoA)
  • Mean Age of Air (AoA)
  • Impact of moisture on well-being, comfort and health, the product life cycle and building materials
  • Determination of the distribution of wind pressure coefficients on façades of tall buildings, taking into account the existing building context (cP)
  • Wind comfort in external spaces around buildings
  • Urban comfort
  • Consideration of terrain effects and geo-information (GIS)
  • Incorporation of site-specific weather and climate factors
  • Site-specific sustainability
  • Water efficiency and conservation of resources

Use Cases

Virtual Engineering application for microclimate investigations

Thermal comfort, overheating risk and air quality

CFD/FEM simulations of the natural ventilation of a multi-storey public building in a subtropical location. The Multiphysics modelling approach takes into account solar irradiance, thermal mass of the building and circulation forcing based on natural convection.

Comfort guidelines according to ISO 7730/EN 15251 are maintained throughout the year depending on certain design features. Higher rooftops increase the total volume flow of ventilation in the upper floor areas, but at the same time impede the ventilation efficiency . The ventilation characteristics of the indoor spaces do not require additional mechanical ventilation and air conditioning for most of the year.

Only transient and subzonal in-depth analyses of the heat flux can identify problem areas, such as local overheating. Design changes can be quickly and effectively incorporated into the audits if there is bidirectional data exchange with other CAE systems.

In the simulations, the overall circulation within the rooms is not driven by additional special boundary conditions, but generates itself through so-called differential heating. These are small temperature differences in the room induced by sources such as people or technical equipment, which lead to density gradients forcing the flow.

Natural convection

CFD/FEM simulations of occupant conditions and comfort parameters according to ISO 7730 / EN 15251 in an open-plan office, passively ventilated by natural convection based on the working principle of a solar chimney.

On the left side of the rooms (upper row of images) the temperature distributions are shown, on the right side the corresponding flow velocities (each averaged over three hours). Although the operation of the solar chimney (area within the yellow contour line) basically provides comfortable occupancy conditions in the entire room (Category 2), the flow field is characterised by quasi-stationary vortices extending over the entire height of the room.

An increase in this circulation strength is perceived as a breeze, which contradicts human comfort expectations. Valid indices for user perception and discomfort PMV (Predicted Mean Voting) and PPD (Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied) can then no longer be met.

Thermal comfort, passive natural ventilation, HVAC and microclimate
Thermal comfort, passive natural ventilation, HVAC and microclimate

Natural convection

CFD/FEM simulations of occupant conditions and comfort parameters according to ISO 7730 / EN 15251 in an open-plan office, passively ventilated by natural convection based on the working principle of a solar chimney.

On the left side of the rooms (upper row of images) the temperature distributions are shown, on the right side the corresponding flow velocities (each averaged over three hours). Although the operation of the solar chimney (area within the yellow contour line) basically provides comfortable occupancy conditions in the entire room (Category 2), the flow field is characterised by quasi-stationary vortices extending over the entire height of the room.

An increase in this circulation strength is perceived as a breeze, which contradicts human comfort expectations. Valid indices for user perception and discomfort PMV (Predicted Mean Voting) and PPD (Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied) can then no longer be met.

Virtual Engineering in building design and planning

High-resolution, accurate distributions of wind pressure coefficients cP at tall buildings, taking into account the surrounding building stock.

Determination of the pressure coefficient cP, which is important for energy modelling, for a 220-metre-high building. Not taking into account the building context in the simulation (left image) induces large errors in the vertical distribution of the pressure coefficient and is no longer representative of the flow conditions at the site (green curve in the diagram). Included in the comparison are cP values from a DTM (Dynamic Thermal Model) modelling that deviate by more than 100 percent (circles in the diagram). By default, DTMs only use estimated cP or those derived from idealised geometries, which are not valid for complex shapes.

The simulation software of HGE determines pressure distributions and loads with high accuracy, spatially and temporally resolved, and can also be used indoors, for example for the design of low-energy HVAC systems.

Urban Wind Comfort

High-resolution CFD investigation of wind comfort near the ground and on elevated public spaces of buildings (Pedestrian Wind Comfort) according to Lawson LDDC. In areas marked in red, wind conditions exceed comfort or safety criteria, so that activities and residence are classified as uncomfortable to unsafe. Areas marked in blue allow occasional to frequent occupancy.

The conditions for residence in external areas of buildings can be optimised also under difficult conditions through targeted design measures, such as planting trees. The evotranspirational properties of greening have an additional positive effect on the overall well-being factors.

Virtual Engineering for the optimisation of comfort criteria
Virtual Engineering for the optimisation of comfort criteria

Urban Wind Comfort

High-resolution CFD investigation of wind comfort near the ground and on elevated public spaces of buildings (Pedestrian Wind Comfort) according to Lawson LDDC. In areas marked in red, wind conditions exceed comfort or safety criteria, so that activities and residence are classified as uncomfortable to unsafe. Areas marked in blue allow occasional to frequent occupancy.

The conditions for residence in external areas of buildings can be optimised also under difficult conditions through targeted design measures, such as planting trees. The evotranspirational properties of greening have an additional positive effect on the overall well-being factors.

We are committed to support you in reconciling your digitisation projects and sustainability goals.

The cornerstone of your sustainable business strategy is knowledge about the right methods, technologies and tools, as well as their optimal and professional implementation.

We will guide you in enabling digital and climate-resilient innovations in order to create better offers, products and business models and to secure your competitive advantage in the long term.

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Virtual Engineering for Sustainability in Planning and Product Development

Osterfeldstr 79b

Hamburg, 22529

Germany

Tel: +49-(0)40-28 41 67 82

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