The ENVI-met BuildingModel is essential for accurately representing urban infrastructure and its influence on the microclimate. It allows for the creation of three-dimensional building geometry and the assignment of detailed thermal properties to individual surfaces. This module is critical for simulating how buildings interact with solar radiation, wind, and the surrounding environment.
Key Functions of the Building Model
The model's primary function is to serve as a high-resolution boundary condition for the atmospheric model. It calculates the complex exchange of heat and radiation between building surfaces and the air.
Thermal and Radiative Properties: The model enables the user to define a wide range of building materials (e.g., concrete, glass, brick) and their specific properties, including albedo (reflectivity) and emissivity (heat emission). These properties are used to calculate the surface temperature of walls and roofs under different weather conditions.
Heat Transfer and Storage: It simulates the conduction of heat through building facades and roofs, calculating the amount of heat absorbed during the day and released at night. This process, known as thermal mass, is a significant driver of the urban heat island effect.
Energy Balance: The model calculates the energy balance for each building surface, accounting for solar radiation, long-wave radiation exchange, and convective heat transfer with the atmosphere. This detailed calculation determines the thermal load that buildings contribute to their surroundings.
Green Wall and Roof Systems: ENVI-met allows a detailed simulation of the energy and vapor exchange processes take place at green walls and green roof tops. The Green Wall System (GWS) integrates seamlessly into the dynamic calculation of the building energy performance and the facade/ wall temperature and supports a wide range of different systems from simple climbing plants up to living wall systems.