SUNREL

SUNREL [84] developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is an hourly based building energy simulation software oriented to the design of small, energy-efficient buildings where the loads are governed by the dynamic interactions among the building envelope, environment, and occupants. It has a simplified multizonal airflow algorithm that can be used to calculate infiltration and natural ventilation. Users can enter the optical interactions of windows with identical layers of clear or tinted glass and no coatings on the layers. Thermal properties are modelled with a fixed Uvalue and fixed interface coefficients. SUNREL is particularly appropriate for passive solar buildings and incorporates specialized algorithms that treat the physical effects of Trombe walls, glazing, controllable window shading, active-charge/passive-discharge thermal storage, and natural ventilation. The building is represented by a thermal network model solved with forward finite differencing, among other techniques. Additionally, a simple graphical interface allows users to easily provide input and preview the output. Elzafraney et al. [85] used SUNREL to demonstrate the benefit of enhanced concretes containing coarse aggregates of recycled plastics. The tool was used to simulate the thermal and building energy performance of two building configurations with and without polymer aggregates, and it was found that the former one led to a substantial reduction of heating and cooling loads while ensuring thermal comfort.

#### TAS

TAS [86] simulates the dynamic thermal performance of buildings and their systems. Its prevailing module is the TAS Building Designer, which undertakes dynamic simulation with integrated convective airflow. It has a 3D graphics-based geometry input that includes a CAD link. TAS incorporates an HVAC systems/controls' simulator, which can be directly interconnected with the building simulator. The TAS Ambiens module incorporates a 2D CFD package, which produces space microclimate at a cross-section level. TAS combines

dynamic thermal simulation with natural ventilation calculations, which include advanced control functions on aperture opening as well as the ability to simulate mixed mode systems. The software has heating and cooling plant sizing procedures, which include optimum start.

Wong at al. [87] used TAS to investigate the impact of vertical greenery systems on the temperature and energy consumption of buildings. The results revealed a linear correlation between shading coefficient and leaf area, where a lower shading factor leads to a greater thermal insulation. As far as the use of TAS for understanding the influence of different architectural design strategies in energy demand is concerned, Pino et al. [88] demonstrated its efficient use for such purposes, especially for office buildings. Recently, it was employed to compare traditional and contemporary mosque buildings by means of dry bulb air temperature and various thermal loads in Oman [89]. As shown by Salem et al. [90], the software can adequately predict the impacts of both combined heating power (CHP) and combined cooling–heating power (CCHP) in a real-case scenario of a hotel building in the UK, regarding energy efficiency, energy cost, payback, and carbon emissions. In the same study, additional simulations under climate-change projections revealed that a CCHP system outperforms a CHP system. Amirkhani et al. [91] investigated the impact of a Low-emissivity window film on the overall energy consumption of an existing hotel building in the UK using the software, and estimated that by applying the suggested low-e film, savings in heating, cooling, and total energy consumptions may reach 3%, 20%, and 2.7%, respectively.
