Knowledge: Building Simulation & Heat Networks
Technical Articles and Fundamentals
No articles found.
District Heating Networks
Heat Generation
Heat load demand, generation concepts, energy storage and efficiency
Network Design
Pipe dimensioning, loss calculation, network temperatures and heat density
Network Hydraulics
Pressurization, pressure profiles, operating modes and control
Heat Network Simulation
Thermo-hydraulic network simulation, solver technology and numerical methods
Piping Technology
Pipe systems, network structure, laying methods and thermal expansion
Cold District Heating
5GDHC networks, dimensioning and prosumer concepts
Plant Engineering
Transfer stations, pumps, heating curves, hydraulic balancing and domestic hot water
Planning
Supply area, planning phases and project workflow
Economics
Economic analysis, funding, tariff design and contracts
Operations Optimization
Return temperature, temperature reduction, monitoring and digital twin
Building Simulation
Building Simulation
Dynamic simulation, summer heat protection, BIM and comfort analysis
- Dynamic Building Simulation: Fundamentals
- Summer Thermal Protection (DIN 4108-2)
- IFC Import for Building Simulation
- Steady-State vs. Dynamic Calculation
- Building Simulation Software Comparison
- Indoor Climate & Comfort Analysis
- Validation Standards for Building Simulation
- VICUS Solver: the Engine Behind VICUS Buildings
- Building Energy Demand Calculation
- Hygrothermal Simulation
About the knowledge base
The knowledge base collects technical articles on planning thermal networks and on dynamic building simulation. The articles explain calculation methods, standards and key figures so that they can be applied directly in feasibility studies, design and compliance checks, and they cite their sources.
The heat network section follows the course of a project: from planning and the supply area through heat generation and network design to network hydraulics, piping technology, plant engineering, economics and operations optimization. Heat network simulation combines these individual topics into one time-dependent model; cold district heating networks (5GDHC) have their own topic area because they differ fundamentally in hydraulics and sizing.
The building simulation section covers the thermal calculation of individual buildings – from summer thermal protection to DIN 4108-2 and comfort analyses to energy demand calculation. Each category page describes which planning questions its articles answer and how the articles build on one another.