Review of infiltration and airflow models in building energy simulations for providing guidelines to building energy modelers

The impact of the infiltration and airflow pattern of the building envelope and structure on thermal load is significant. Building energy simulation tools take this feature into account when calculating the heating and cooling load and evaluating the indoor hygrothermal environment. However, in many cases, the infiltration and airflow modeling is performed without appropriate assumption and understanding in research and the industrial field of building energy simulations. This is due to not only the lack of understanding or ignorance of their significance but also the complex nature of the infiltration and airflow pattern in buildings. In this study, the history and theoretical background of the infiltration and airflow models, which have been developed for several decades by various researchers with different types of tools, are investigated. The historical evolution of the models and their adoption in different building energy simulation tools are discussed to facilitate the proper use and implementation of infiltration and airflow models. Finally, the guidelines and practical insight for selecting the appropriate infiltration and airflow models in building energy simulation are presented with different scenarios of modeling along with actual examples from previous studies. •Discussed history and theoretical background of infiltration and airflow models.•Illustrated adoption of infiltration and airflow models into building energy simulation tools.•Presented guidelines for selecting appropriate models for building energy modelers.