Zonal modelling for thermal and energy performance of large space buildings: A review

The expansion of modern cities has increased the popularity of large space buildings. However, without appropriate building designs and efficient heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems, large space buildings exhibit poor thermal comfort and high energy consumption. In this study, the thermal non-uniformity and energy migration in large space buildings were analysed. Considering the complex influential factors and large-span structure, zonal modelling as an intermediate approach between the nodal model and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can provide a rough and quick estimation of the airflow and temperature distributions in large spaces. The literature was reviewed comprehensively and in depth with a focus on the evolvement, principles, characteristics, validation, and applications of various zonal models over the past three decades. Recent zonal models have gradually overcome the initial imperfections and improve reliability by establishing simplified momentum equations. These models have exhibited remarkable superiority in computational efficiency, and the simulation accuracy is comparable to actual conditions and CFD. Moreover, the zonal model is promising for coupling with the multizone model and the building energy model, particularly in the dynamic, long-term analysis of large space buildings. Hence, its development and application should be promoted further.