Thermal Building Simulation and Computer Generation of Nodal Models

Building and Environment 31, 3 (1996) 207-214 The designer's preoccupation to reduce the energy needs and get a better thermal quality of ambiances helped in the development of several packages simulating the dynamic behaviour of buildings. This paper shows the adaptation of a method of thermal analysis, the nodal analysis, linked to the case of building's thermal behaviour. We take successively an interest in the case of conduction into a wall, in the coupling with superficial exchanges and finally in the constitution of thermal state models of the building. Big variations existing from one building to another, it's necessary to build the thermal model from the building description. This article shows the chosen method in the case of our thermal simulation program for buildings, CODYRUN