Verification of an energy balance approach to estimate indoor wall heat fluxes using transfer functions and simplified solar heat gain calculations

This paper presents the results of a mathematical and computer model used to predict building indoor wall heat fluxes. The model is based on an energy balance approach that uses conduction transfer functions (CTF) and simplified solar heat gain calculations via solar heat gain factors (SHGF). The model was implemented via computer programming. The purpose of the research was to produce an accurate model driven by only a time series set of measured outdoor and indoor air temperatures. In addition to the model, an experimental test set up was constructed and instrumented to gather data for verifying the model. It was found that the energy balance/CTF/SHGF enabled heat fluxes to be predicted with accepted degrees of accuracy, from which space cooling and heating loads as well as building energy could be estimated.