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On the impact of local microclimate on building performance simulation. Part I: Prediction of building external conditions

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  • Building Thermal, Lighting, and Acoustics Modeling
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Abstract

To better predict the effective energy performance of buildings in cities, this study addresses the modelling of local external radiative, thermal and aeraulic conditions. After reviewing existing modelling approaches that are suitable for estimating the building boundary conditions in energy simulation, this paper analyses external conditions derived from a building energy model (BuildSysPro) or a microclimatic model (SOLENE microclimat). Comparisons are made for the different faces of a generic building standing alone or located in an urban environment, with or without a thermally efficient envelope. When the modelling approach is adjusted, the results highlight significant deviations on the estimated radiative temperatures and wind-based quantities around the isolated building. When accounting for surrounding buildings, the results show a substantial reduction in short-wave radiative fluxes, which is explained by an imbalance between solar masks and multireflections, and a reduction in the wind-driven ventilation potential.

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Acknowledgements

The authors warmly thank Jean-Luc Hubert and Maya Milliez from EDF R&D and the BHEE for their support during this work, as well as the CRENAU laboratory for providing SOLENE microclimat.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Univ Lyon, CNRS, INSA-Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CETHIL UMR5008, F-69621, Villeurbanne, France

    Lucie Merlier, Loïc Frayssinet, Kévyn Johannes & Frédéric Kuznik

  2. BHEE: High Energy Efficiency Buildings, joint laboratory CETHIL / EDF, Villeurbanne cedex, France

    Lucie Merlier, Loïc Frayssinet, Kévyn Johannes & Frédéric Kuznik

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  1. Lucie Merlier
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  2. Loïc Frayssinet
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Correspondence to Lucie Merlier.

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Merlier, L., Frayssinet, L., Johannes, K. et al. On the impact of local microclimate on building performance simulation. Part I: Prediction of building external conditions. Build. Simul. 12, 735–746 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12273-019-0507-7

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