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Building Physics

Virtual Engineering for reducing embodied and operational carbon

THE NEED FOR ACTION

The task is to minimise energy consumption and potential heat losses through passive and active measures. There is enormous potential for optimisation in building physics in the two climate-relevant focus areas of the construction industry: operational and embodied carbon emissions.

There is enormous potential for optimisation in building physics in the two climate-relevant focus areas of the construction industry: operational and embodied carbon emissions. Up to 85 percent of operational emissions can be directly attributed to the field of Building Physics. Cumulatively, they result from the production of materials and components, the construction process, the product life cycle, the areas of maintenance, replacement and retrofitting, as well as from utilisation within the material life cycle. In total, operational emissions contribute nearly half of the carbon emissions of the built environment. Hence, it is obvious why building physics is relevant to climate protection.

Measures for Immediate Implementation:

  • Provide accurate inventories of the integrated performance of a building and its facilities through simulation rather than relying on bulk estimates based on traditional spreadsheets, assumptions or empirical correlations
  • Application of integrative digital methods holistically combining scientific methods and innovative design to enable sustainable planning and construction
  • Detailed planning with consideration of climatological factors on the micro-scale, that is site-specific, holistic, with long-term perspective
  • Application of circular economy principles for selection of materials and components even in early planning phases
  • Disclosure of data resources, for example the annual building energy consumption and production, as well as publication in zero-carbon and low-energy building databases

Climate-sensitive Building Physics is one of the greatest and one of the most important economic and industrial challenges of our time. Every stakeholder involved in the process is challenged to contribute to a solution.

The Application of CFD and FEM

Virtual Engineering not only allows static parameters to be determined. The application capabilities are far more versatile: Virtual Engineering methods can be used to test and optimise the functionality of a product, component or design under variable environmental conditions over longer periods of time. Sensor information, such as weather data or other measurement and model data, can be directly used as external parameters in the modelling process. In particular Computational Fluid dynamics (CFD) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA), thus complement conventional methods of Building Physics planning and development, such as Dynamic Thermal Models (DTM), and integrate seamlessly into existing workflows.

More information about our Virtual Engineering solutions →

Potential areas of application for CFD and FEM go far beyond the planning of buildings and quarters. Even in the early planning stage architects, designers and engineers can perform Building Physics analyses regarding the ecological, sustainable and circular economy-oriented production and utilisation of building materials and components.

CFD in particular allows complex investigations. For example, interactions of simultaneously occurring physical and chemical processes can be determined. Corresponding application fields in the area of building Physics for designing sustainable and low-energy technical building systems are almost unlimited.

Thus, CFD and FEM simulations are suitable for in-depth scientific analyses on long time scales and forensic investigations.

CFD/FEM simulations of thermal transmittance at windows and doors according to ISO 10077. Shown are the use cases D3 (left) and D10 (right), which are in excellent agreement with other benchmark models. Temperature distributions shown in the top row, the corresponding heat fluxes below.

CFD/FEM simulation of the heat conduction of a multistorey building according to EN ISO 10211 including site-specific environmental conditions. The thermal bridge induces significant heat losses on the upper floor and increases the risk of mould growth.

CFD/FEM simulation of the thermal performance of an underfloor heating system and heat distribution in a residential environment and in direct comparison with a thermal imaging camera (top).

CFD simulation of conjugate heat exchange between fluid and structure on a heat exchanger component of a passive HVAC system.

CFD/FEM simulations of thermal transmittance at windows and doors according to ISO 10077. Shown are the use cases D3 (left) and D10 (right), which are in excellent agreement with other benchmark models. Temperature distributions shown in the top row, the corresponding heat fluxes below.

CFD/FEM simulation of the heat conduction of a multistorey building according to EN ISO 10211 including site-specific environmental conditions. The thermal bridge induces significant heat losses on the upper floor and increases the risk of mould growth.

CFD/FEM simulation of the thermal performance of an underfloor heating system and heat distribution in a residential environment and in direct comparison with a thermal imaging camera (top).

CFD simulation of conjugate heat exchange between fluid and structure on a heat exchanger component of a passive HVAC system.

Potential areas of application for CFD and FEM go far beyond the planning of buildings and quarters. Even in the early planning stage, architects, designers and engineers can perform building physics analyses on the ecological, sustainable and circular economy-oriented production and utilisation of building materials and components.

CFD in particular allows complex investigations. For example, interactions of simultaneously occurring physical and chemical processes can be determined. Corresponding application fields in the area of building physics for designing sustainable and low-energy technical building systems are almost unlimited.

This makes CFD and FEM simulations suitable for in-depth scientific analyses on long time scales and forensic investigations.

Services - Building Physics

Our Virtual Engineering services in the field of Building Physics cover a wide range and are tailored to low-energy design as well as circular economy-oriented solutions.

With holistic methods and solutions we provide support to optimise the microclimate in your specific construction project.

Building physics is not only the key to well-being and better comfort through optimised facades and building elements. Its importance is far greater: The building performance of a quarter can be aligned to achieve climate resilience.

Low-energy design​

Energy balancing

Passive low-energy design

Passive natural ventilation

Optimisation of microclimate

Integrative Thermal Simulation

Insulation characteristics

Overheating risk

Balancing daylight and heating

Heat and cooling losses

Heat storage

Heat transfer

Conjugate heat transfer between solids and fluids
Solar irradiation
Radiant temperature
Surface to surface radiation
Wavelength resolved radiation

Thermal comfort

Considering the behaviour of occupants
Physiological, metabolic factors
Operative (experienced) temperature
Predicted Mean Voting PMV
Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied PPD

Humidity / Hygrothermal simulation

Condensation / Evaporation
Mould formation

Consideration of site-specific weather and climatological factors

Long-term climate projections, such as RPC and CORDEX

Circular Economy Principles

Regenerative design

Development of circular economy-oriented solutions for production, application, reuse and recycling of materials and components

LCA integration (Carbon Lifecycle Assessment)

Consideration of the entire life cycle and of the real value of a material or product

Development and use of sustainable building materials and nature-based solutions

Natural and Mechanical Ventilation

Infiltration / Air tightness

Buoyancy driven flows

Buoyancy
Stack ventilation
Thermal/Solar chimney etc.

HVAC system development and optimisation

Direct simulation of weather and climate effects

Alternatively to the integration of external weather and climate data

Urban Comfort

Lightweight shading structures

Visual Comfort

Light transmittance and optical thickness

Aerosol exposure of the atmospheric boundary layer

Climatological daylight analysis

Consideration of light effects of the biological circadian rhythm (circadian lighting)

Low-energy design​

Energy balancing

Passive low-energy design

Passive natural ventilation

Optimisation of microclimate

 

Natural and Mechanical Ventilation

Infiltration / Air tightness

Buoyancy driven flows

Buoyancy
Stack ventilation
Thermal/Solar chimney etc.

HVAC system development and optimisation

Direct simulation of weather and climate effects

Alternatively to the integration of external weather and climate data

 

Circular Economy Principles

Regenerative design

Development of circular economy-oriented solutions for production, application, reuse and recycling of materials and components

LCA integration (Carbon Lifecycle Assessment)

Consideration of the entire life cycle and of the real value of a material or product

Development and use of sustainable building materials and nature-based solutions

 

Urban Comfort

Lightweight shading structures

Integrative Thermal Simulation

Insulation characteristics

Overheating risk

Balancing daylight and heating

Heat and cooling losses

Heat storage

Heat transfer

Conjugate heat transfer between solids and fluids
Solar irradiation
Radiant temperature
Surface to surface radiation
Wavelength resolved radiation

Thermal Comfort

Considering the behaviour of occupants
Physiological, metabolic factors
Operative (experienced) temperature
Predicted Mean Voting PMV
Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied PPD

Humidity / Hygrothermal simulation

Condensation / Evaporation
Mould formation

Consideration of site-specific weather and climatological factors

Long-term climate projections, such as RPC and CORDEX

 

Visual Comfort

Light transmittance and optical thickness

Aerosol exposure of the atmospheric boundary layer

Climatological daylight analysis

Consideration of light effects of the biological circadian rhythm (Circadian Lighting)

Low-energy design​

Energy balancing

Passive low-energy design

Passive natural ventilation

Optimisation of microclimate

 

Integrative Thermal Simulation

Insulation characteristics

Overheating risk

Balancing daylight and heating

Heat and cooling losses

Heat storage

Heat transfer

Conjugate heat transfer between solids and fluids
Solar irradiation
Radiant temperature
Surface to surface radiation
Wavelength resolved radiation

Thermal Comfort

Considering the behaviour of occupants
Physiological, metabolic factors
Operative (experienced) temperature
Predicted Mean Voting PMV
Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied PPD

Humidity / Hygrothermal simulation

Condensation / Evaporation
Mould formation

Consideration of site-specific weather and climatological factors

Long-term climate projections, such as RPC and CORDEX

 

Natural and Mechanical Ventilation

Infiltration / Air tightness

Buoyancy driven flows

Buoyancy
Stack ventilation
Thermal/Solar chimney etc.

HVAC system development and optimisation

Direct simulation of weather and climate effects

Alternatively to the integration of external weather and climate data

 

Circular Economy Principles

Regenerative Design

Development of circular economy-oriented solutions for production, application, reuse and recycling of materials and components

LCA integration (Carbon Lifecycle Assessment)

Consideration of the entire life cycle and of the real value of a material or product

Development and use of sustainable building materials and nature-based solutions

 

Visual Comfort

Light transmittance and optical thickness

Aerosol exposure of the atmospheric boundary layer

Climatological daylight analysis

Consideration of light effects of the biological circadian rhythm (Circadian Lighting)

 

Urban Comfort

Lightweight shading structures

Want to find out more?

Use our contact form or give us a call to discuss how our experts can help.

Contact
  • Osterfeldstr 79b, Hamburg, 22529, Germany
  • +49-(0)40-28 41 67 82
  • co*****@en*.earth

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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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Decarbonisation of the Built Environment

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