ABSTRACT
The total spectrum of “building simulation” is very wide as it spans energy and mass flow, structural durability, aging, egress and even construction site simulation. This chapter, and indeed the book, will deal with building performance simulation in the narrower sense, that is, limited to the field of physical transport processes. This area of building performance simulation has its origin in early studies of energy and mass flow processes in the built environment. Meanwhile, the role of simulation tools in the design and engineering of buildings has been firmly established. The early groundwork was done in the 1960s and 1970s, mainly in the energy performance field followed by an expansion into other fields such as lighting, Heating Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC), air flow, and others. More recent additions relate to combined moisture and heat transfer, acoustics, control systems, and various combinations with urban and micro climate simulations. As tools matured, their proliferation into the consultant’s offices across the world accelerated. A new set of challenges presents itself for the next decade. They relate to achieving an increased level of quality control and attaining broad integration of simulation expertise and tools in all stages of the building process.
