A Novel Approach to Modelling Air Flow Through Operable Windows in High-Rise Multi-Unit Residential Buildings Using Energy Plus ✓ Most Recent

Residents often open their windows to promote naturalventilation in attempts to achieve comfortable indoortemperatures, which can have significant energyimpacts. In EnergyPlus, there are two typical window airflow modelling techniques, which utilize the followingobjects: 1) ZoneVentilation:WindandStackOpenArea,and 2) AirFlowNetwork. While the first object is simpleto implement, it can produce unrealistic results. Thesecond object has produced accurate results in otherstudies, but the required inputs can be impractical toattain. This study proposes an alternative modellingtechnique in EnergyPlus where the window is modelledas an economizer. This technique was applied in thesimulation of a case study building in Toronto, Canada,to demonstrate that more stable air flow rates and interiortemperatures could be achieved using the economizermodel through the heating season. These results yield amore realistic representation of the effect of windowopening on building performance. See more