Evaluating the capability of EnergyPlus in simulating geometrically complex Double-Skin Facades through CFD modelling

This paper represents a preliminary investigation into the appropriateness of using EnergyPlus as a simulation tool for Double-Skin Façades (DSFs) that are considered geometrically complex. It builds upon previous research conducted by the authors in which a DSF was designed and simulated for an existing office building in Cairo. For this verification, the DSF was simulated once more using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to evaluate the accuracy of the previously obtained results. The cavity temperature and the volume flow rate of the airflow provided by EnergyPlus are compared with those obtained by OpenFOAM CFD software. The results give a credible indication of the reliability of EnergyPlus and encourages further investigations. The strengths and limitations of each software are discussed.