Fundamentals of Building Performance Simulation

Book excerpt: Fundamentals of Building Performance Simulation pares the theory and practice of a multi-disciplinary field to the essentials for classroom learning and real-world applications. Authored by a veteran educator and researcher, this textbook equips graduate students and emerging and established professionals in engineering and architecture to predict and optimize buildings’ energy use. It employs an innovative pedagogical approach, introducing new concepts and skills through previously mastered ones and deepening understanding of familiar themes by means of new material. Covering topics from indoor airflow to the effects of the weather, the book’s 19 chapters empower learners to: Understand the models and assumptions underlying popular BPS tools Compare models, simulations, and modelling tools and make appropriate selections Recognize the effects of modelling choices and input data on simulation predictions And more. Each subject is introduced without reference to particular modelling tools, while practice problems at the end of each chapter provide hands-on experience with the tools of the reader’s choice. Curated reading lists orient beginners in a vast, cross-disciplinary literature, and the critical thinking skills stressed throughout prepare them to make contributions of their own. Fundamentals of Building Performance Simulation provides a much-needed resource for new and aspiring members of the building science community.