Simulation tests in whole building heat and moisture transfer

An important part of the International Energy Agency project, ECBCS, Annex 41 is about modelling the integral heat, air and moisture transfer processes that take place in "whole buildings". Such modelling deals with all most relevant elements of buildings: The indoor air, the building envelope, the inside constructions, furnishing and systems. These building elements interact with each other and they are influenced by the use of the building, the building services, and the outside climate. IEA Annex 41 aims to reach new modelling possibilities in integral building simulation, and to document these. The paper explains about some new simulation tests used in IEA Annex 41 and elaborates about the challenges brought by these exercises.