COMFIE : a software for passive solar design

摘要

The "object oriented programming" and model reductionrntechniques give some new possibilities to develop computer tools.rnIt is now possible to design a building on the computer, usingrncomputer objects corresponding to architectural conceptsrn(materials, walls, windows,…). Representing the building as arnstructure of objects is an approach which is particularly adaptedrnto a thermal analysis and a comparison of designs, possibly withrnthe help of an expert interface.rnOn the other hand, a fast and accurate thermal evaluationrnof a project is now possible by simulation, thanks tornmathematical models of reduced order. The simulation offers arnsensitivity to the numerous design parameters, and provides bothrnan estimation of the heating load and of the summer comfort.rnSuch a design tool, COMFIE, has been developed on thesernbases at the Ecole des Mines in Paris, on an IBM compatiblernmicrocomputer (AT type). A version also exists on a macintosh.rnThese machines are accessible to all professionnals, and not onlyrnto large consultant offices.