3D-TTA: A Software Tool for Analyzing 3D Temporal Thermal Models of Buildings

Abstract

Many software packages are designed to process 3D geometric data, although very few are designed to deal with 3D thermal models of buildings over time. The software 3D Temporal Thermal Analysis (3D-TTA) has been created in order to visualize, explore and analyze these 3D thermal models. 3D-TTA is composed of three modules. In the first module, the temperature of any part of the building can be explored in a 3D visual framework. The user can also conduct separate analyses of structural elements, such as walls, ceilings and floors. The second module evaluates the thermal evolution of the building over time. A multi-temporal 3D thermal model, composed of a set of thermal models taken at different times, is handled here. The third module incorporates several assessment tools, such as the identification of representative thermal regions on structural elements and the comparison between real and simulated (i.e., obtained from energy simulation tools) thermal models. The potential scope of this software and its applications within the field of energy efficiency are presented in various case studies at the end of the paper.