Numerical analysis of hygrothermal environment and energy conservation in biophilic building by coupling zonal energy simulation and computational fluid dynamics

Biophilic design is an emerging trend that artificially creates natural environments inside buildings, including greenery and water. In our previous study, field measurements revealed that an artificial waterfall, as a biophilic element, has a significant effect on humidification during winter and evaporative cooling during summer. To address the need for precise predictions in the architectural planning stage to optimize the design, this study developed a coupling method using building energy simulation software and computational fluid dynamics. This approach enhances the building energy simulation by integrating computational fluid dynamics for the detailed replication of air, heat, and moisture transport phenomena due to waterfall and includes a model for accurately simulating water evaporation. Validation against field measurements confirmed the strong correlation between the simulated and measured results. By applying this method, we conducted an in-depth assessment and quantification of the effects of artificial waterfalls on hygrothermal environments and energy consumption within buildings. The results highlight the role of waterfalls in regulating the hygrothermal environment and their potential for energy savings.