ABSTRACT
We present a multi-purpose simulation tool designed to evaluate the energy performance of double-skinned façade systems in comparison with conventional windows. The method used for estimating energy consumption consists of two separate simulations, a heating/cooling energy model and an electric-lighting energy model. The heating/cooling model is explained in this paper, and the electrical lighting model is described in a companion paper entitled, “A Simulation Tool for the Estimation and Optimization of Electrical Lighting Energy [1].” The simulation program is designed to return results in real time, and contains engineering assumptions intended to make the interface simple for lay users to master quickly.
