modelRectangularZoneTemplateInterface

Information

This model can be used to set up zones with a rectangular geometry more quickly. This template consists of a zone, four walls, a horizontal roof and a floor and five optional windows. Additional surfaces may also be connected through external bus connector. For the documentation of the zone parameters, see the documentation of Zone.

Main equations

This model incorporates IDEAS components such as IDEAS.Buildings.Components.OuterWall and reproduces the same results as a model that would be constructed without the use of this template.

Assumption and limitations

This model assumes that the zone has a rectangular geometry with width w, length l and height h. All walls are vertical and perpendicular to each other and both the roof and the floor are horizontal.

The surface area of each wall is calculated by default using the parameters h, w and l. If you want to split a wall and add external walls using the external bus connector, use the overwrite length parameters lA, lB, lC, lD from the Face tabs such that the surface area of the wall is correct. Also the ceiling or roof surface area can be overwritten using the parameter ACei from the Ceiling tab. This way the user can overwrite the default ceiling surface area, e.g. to better approximate an inclinated roof. Be also aware that the model slabOnGround has a parameter PWall which specifies the perimeter of slab on ground. The model cannot detect external walls connected using the external bus connector. When splitting outer walls by using the external bus connector you should update this parameter manually using the parameter PWall from the Advanced tab.

Typical use and important parameters

Parameters width w, length l and height h need to be defined and are used to compute the dimensions of each of the surfaces. Parameter aziA represents the azimuth angle of surface A (see icon). Other surfaces are rotated (clockwise) by multiples of ninety degrees with respect to aziA. Parameter nSurfExt may be used to connect additional surfaces to the template. When doing this, you may need to change the surface areas of the surfaces in the template as these are not updated automatically.

Seven parameter tabs allow to specify further parameters that are specific for each of the seven surfaces: six surfaces for the walls, floor and ceiling and one for an internal wall contained within the zone. For each surface the surface type may be specified using parameters bouTyp*. The construction type should be defined using conTyp*. Parameter hasWin* may be used for all orientations except for the floor to add a window. In this case the window surface area, shading and glazing types need to be provided. For non-default shading a record needs to be created that specifies the shading properties. The surface area of the window is deducted from the surface area of the wall such that the total surface areas add up.

The zone template also has a heat port for embedded heat gains in the floor. This can be used when the floor has a floor heating system or a concrete core activation system. Set then hasEmb from the tab Floor to true to get the gaiEmb heat port on the zone template. Notice that the zone template does not have a heat port for embedded gains in the ceiling. To model concrete core activation in the ceiling, use an external surface.

Options

Advanced options are found under the Advanced parameter tab. The model may also be adapted further by overriding the default parameter assignments in the template.

You can also use this model for non-rectangular zones by, for example, using the None type for a wall and by adding additional walls corresponding to a different geometry through the external bus connector. This model however then does not guarantee that all parameters are consistent. Therefore, some internal parameters of this model will need to be updated manually.

In the parameter group Windows, you can redeclare the window. This is useful when using a window model that has a pre-configured surface area, glazing type, frame fraction and shading. The parameters azi=aziA, inc=IDEAS.Types.Tilt.Wall, T_start=T_start, linIntCon_a=linIntCon, dT_nominal_a=dT_nominal_win, linExtCon=linExtCon, windowDynamicsType=windowDynamicsType, linExtRad=linExtRadWin, nWin=nWinA, are still computed from the zone model parameters but, the other windows parameters are those configured in the used window model, including the window surface area.

Dynamics

This model contains wall dynamics and a state for the zone air temperature. The zone temperature may be set to steady state using parameter energyDynamicsAir, which should in general not be done. The mass dynamics of the air volume may be set to steady state by overriding the default parameter assignment in the airModel submodel. This removes small time constants when the zone model is connected to an air flow circuit.

Shading

In order to choose the shading of the glazing, instead of selecting one shading type from the dropdown menu, click on the button right of the dropdown menu (edit). A menu will appear where the type of shading and corresponding parameters have to be defined. Alternatively, the shading template can be extended.

Validation

This implementation is compared with a manual implementation in IDEAS.Buildings.Validation.Tests.ZoneTemplateVerification2. This gives identical results.

Example

An example of how this template may be used can be found in IDEAS.Examples.PPD12.

Implementation

Shading types need to be declared using a record instead of by redeclaring the shading components. This is a workaround because redeclared components cannot be propagated.

Parameters

Components

Revisions

• June 20, 2025, by Lucas Verleyen:
  Implemented OuterWall for Floor construction. See #1168.
• June 13, 2025, by Jelger Jansen:
  Add parameter hasCavity as it is used in the enabling of some parameters and fix typo bouTyp. See #1437.
• February 4, 2025, by Jelger Jansen:
  Added Modelica.Units. to one or multiple parameter(s) due to the removal of import in IDEAS/package.mo. See #1415 .
• January 30, 2025, by Jelger Jansen:
  Updated default window glazing type to avoid obsolete type warning. See #1402 and #1410.
• March 27, 2024, by Lucas Verleyen:
  Added parameter T_start_gro for initial temperature of the ground (layGro).
  According to the changes in SlabOnGround.
  See #1292 for more information.
• January 8, 2024, by Jelger Jansen:
  Removed duplicate declaration of mSenFac. See #1343
• October 18, 2023, by Filip Jorissen:
  Added window height parameters.
• August 2, 2022, by Filip Jorissen:
  Added cavity support for horizontal internal walls (floor/ceiling) for supporting staircases. See #1294
• August 10, 2020, by Filip Jorissen:
  Modifications for supporting interzonal airflow. See #1066
• October 13, 2019, by Filip Jorissen:
  Refactored the parameter definition of inc and azi by adding the option to use radio buttons. See #1067
• April 10, 2019, by Filip Jorissen:
  Removed obsolete redeclaration. See #1009.
• August 29, 2018, by Damien Picard:
  Add embedded heat port for floor heating or CCA. See #903.
• August 28, 2018, by Damien Picard:
  Changes to allow multiple external surfaces connection per faces. See #901.
• August 26, 2018, by Damien Picard:
  Move all equations except windows equations of RectangularZoneTemplate to this interface model. See #891.
• August 16, 2018, by Damien Picard:
  Make windows replaceable. See #891. And correct wall surface computation. See #890.
• August 10, 2018, by Damien Picard:
  Added parameters for scaling factors for windows. See #888.
• Adapted model to make it possible to remove walls from the template. See #880.
• June 13, 2018, by Filip Jorissen:
  Added parameters for shade cast by external building. See #576.
• May 21, 2018, by Filip Jorissen:
  Added parameters for air flow through cavity. See #822.
• April 30, 2018 by Iago Cupeiro:
  Propagated boolean input connections for controlled shading. See #809. Shading documentation added.
• July 26, 2017 by Filip Jorissen:
  Added replaceable block that allows to define the number of occupants. See #760.
• April 26, 2017, by Filip Jorissen:
  Added asserts that check for illegal combinations of internal wall with exterior window. See issue #714.
• March 21, 2017, by Filip Jorissen:
  Changed bus parameters for JModelica compatibility. See issue #559. Also removed obsolete each.
• January 20, 2017 by Filip Jorissen:
  Removed propagation of nLay and nGain since this lead to warnings.
• January 11, 2017 by Filip Jorissen:
  Added documentation
• January 10, 2017, by Filip Jorissen:
  Added linExtRadWin for windows.
• November 14, 2016 by Filip Jorissen:
  First implementation