Building energy simulation

Building energy simulation, or BES, is like playing with dollhouses, but for grown-ups who design and create real-life houses, offices, and other buildings.

When grown-ups want to create a new building or improve an existing one, they use special computer programs to create a virtual dollhouse of the building. They use little characters and furniture to show the different parts of the building, like rooms, windows, doors, and walls.

Once the virtual dollhouse is complete, the grown-ups use special tools to make it act like a real building. These tools let them set the temperature and humidity of the virtual air, add light and shade, and make the virtual sun shine in different ways. This helps the grown-ups see how the building would act in different weather conditions and at different times of day.

Using all this information, the grown-ups can figure out how much energy the building will need to stay at a comfortable temperature, provide light and air, and run appliances and machines inside. They can also figure out ways to make the building use less energy, like adding insulation to the walls or using special windows that let in sunlight but keep out heat.

Once they have made all these calculations and changes, the grown-ups can finally build the real-life version of the dollhouse they created. And because they used Building Energy Simulation, they can be sure that their building will be comfortable, efficient, and eco-friendly.