Strategy on applying computational fluid dynamic for building performance evaluation

Predicting and evaluating building performance plays an important role in the training of responsible architects. Building performance includes issues such as: structural stability, acoustic quality, natural lighting, thermal comfort, and ventilation and indoor air quality. These types of analyses are often laborious, non-intuitive, and non-graphical. As a result, these important issues do not arouse the enthusiasm of architecture students or building professionals. The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) research team proposes to explore and develop a long-term strategy to apply scientific visualization on teaching and research in environmental technology and building performance. This paper presents the development process and results of research projects for applying computational fluid dynamics (CFD) on building performance evaluation. CFD On-line Teaching project's aim is to develop a web-based training course for architecture students to apply CFD simulation on design problem solving. Each lesson not only illustrates basic principles regarding airflow in the building design, it also contains CFD sample files with predefined flow cells for students to test different concepts. GiLin Temple project's aim is to apply CFD simulation on investigating the wind resistance of Tong Dynasty heavy timber structure. Airflow information generated in the project includes the visual representation of the pressure distribution and velocity field on all slices through the temple, and the tracking of particles as they flow around or through a building. The China housing residential airduct study focuses on simulating the indoor airflow regarding the airduct design of China Experimental Urban Housing Scheme. The visual representation of the pressure distribution and velocity field in the airducts provides vital information for helping China Housing Research Center improve the current design. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.