Design tool used to explore the complex dynamic behaviour of buildings for different designs. The behaviour is expressed in terms of temperatures, heating- and cooling loads and different comfort indices. The form of the building can be modelled in a flexible way. The model for assessing the solar insolation on building surfaces is detailed and includes the influence of different types of shading devices. The window model has been improved and calculates properties for a window package in an accurate way. The simulation uses a time step of one hour and calculates values in response to hourly values for climatic data, internal loads and airflows.
Keywords
energy performance, heating, cooling, thermal comfort, design
Validation/Testing
N/A
Expertise Required
An overall knowledge of the influence of different design parameters on the thermal behaviour of a buildings.
Users
150
Audience
Students, researchers and energy consultants
Input
Building geometry, thermal properties, internal loads and schedules, heating and cooling equipment and schedules, air flows and schedules. Properties for building elements are supported by a library. Hourly values for climatic data are read from a sequential data file.
Output
Lists, MS Excel- ready files, surface diagrams to show comfort indices
Computer Platform
PC- compatible, 486 or higher, MS Windows 95 / MS Windows NT
Programming Language
FORTRAN, Visual Basic
Strengths
DEROB-LTH has an user-friendly interface. The building form can be modelled in a flexible way. Solar insolation is calculated in detail. The influence of shading devices on solar insolation on building surfaces is calculated according to a detailed shading model. Window packages can be modelled on different levels of detail.
Weaknesses
The HVAC part of the program is still strongly simplified. The report facility should be further improved.
Contact
Company: |
Lund Institute of Technology |
Address: |
Lund University
Box 118
Lund 221 00
Sweden |
Telephone: |
+46 (46) 222 9662 |
Facsimile: |
+46 (46) 222 4719 |
E-mail: |
Maria.Wall@Ebd.Lth.Se |
Website: |
http://www.derob.se |
Availability
DEROB-LTH is available under research (500 Euro) and commercial license (2000 Euro) from the Department of Construction and Architecture. The program can be downloaded from the www.derob.se and requires a userid and password which can be obtained from the contact.
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