Assessing Multizone Airflow Software

Multizone models form the basis of most computer simulations of airflow and pollutant transport in buildings. In order to promote computational effciency, some multizone simulation programs, such as COMIS and CONTAM, restrict the form that their flow models may take. While these tools allow scientists and engineers to explore a wide range of building airflow problems, increasingly their use has led to new questions not answerable by the current generation of programs. This paper, directed at software developers working on the next generation of building airflow models, identifies structural aspects of COMIS and related programs that prevent them from easily incorporating desirable new airflow models. The paper also suggests criteria for evaluating alternate simulation environments for future modeling efforts.