what is best way to model parking garage
May I know what is the best way to model underground parking garage which has opening to outdoor?
1. Is it possible to exclude garage from energy model? If so, how to set the boundary condition of above garage zone's floor? Set it as outdoor with no sun and wind exposure?
2. If it needs to be included in energy model, how to properly model the opening? Or make it as enclosed zone and set large ACH?
Many thanks for your suggestion!
Comments
This post discusses using "air walls" to model the openings, and this post discusses using CFD to compare garage zone air temperatures to outdoor air temperatures. Do those answer your question?
@Aaron Boranian, Thanks for your comment. Both posts all recommend including underground parking garage in the energy model, then can I get conclusion that it is not suggested to model garage as outdoor thermal condition?
Correct, an outdoor thermal condition means the garage surfaces are exposed to outdoor air. That is the case for the garage wall where the opening is, but the garage floor and other wall surfaces of this underground garage are exposed to soil instead. You can read more in this post about how EnergyPlus calculates soil-contact temperatures.
@Aaron Boranian, many thanks for your reply!
@szsz great, I've combined all my comments into an answer below.