Prediction of surface temperature of building surrounding envelopes using holistic microclimate ENVI-met model

Simulating the building's surface condition as one of the important factors helps to predict the building's energy consumption, mould growth and deterioration of materials. A microclimate ENVI-met model is one type of the existing software that can predict the building's surface temperature by considering the urban texture as well as the physical properties of the material. Since accurate determination of climatic variables largely depends on the adjustment of different computational parameters, this paper aims to evaluate the reliability of the ENVI-met with different model settings for both summer and winter in Hanover, Germany. According to the model verification, it is suggested to apply full-forcing weather data based on cloud cover for simulations and set a building's inside temperature constant during the winter and vary during the summer. Also, comparing the different facade modes shows that for the exposed smooth facade, the predicted surface temperature based on DIN 6946 is more accurate than the MO method. Finally, the accuracy of the model in predicting the building's surface temperature varies, depending on the urban structure and climate condition. The model is more reliable in common urban areas than semi-closed spaces. Moreover, an average RMSE during summer is similar to 2.2 degrees C higher than in winter.