Trial / Demo
IESVE's integrated CFD capabilities enabled Newcomb & Boyd, working with Lord Aeck Sargent Architects, to transform complex HVAC design decisions into confident, data-driven solutions for Clemson University's Tillman Auditorium renovation, ensuring thermal comfort while preserving the building's historic character.
When Newcomb & Boyd were appointed to support the renovation of Clemson University's century-old Tillman Auditorium, they were presented with a key challenge: how to transform a tiered auditorium, with occasional use, into a regularly occupied hybrid lecture hall, while preserving its historic integrity. With multiple HVAC design variables and historic constraints to navigate, they turned to IESVE's CFD capabilities to ensure occupant comfort could be maintained in a thermally challenging environment.
Auditoriums present inherent HVAC complexities due to their high peak occupancy and the potential for temperature stratification throughout the space. However, these challenges were amplified further by the building's historic constraints. The ornamental single-pane glazing, while architecturally significant, provided minimal thermal performance, and wall u-values fell well below modern standards. With the mass timber structure also limiting options for routing ductwork, and the underfloor air distribution system requiring careful fireproofing to meet current building codes, the team needed a reliable tool like IESVE to evaluate design options and ensure the selected HVAC configuration would perform optimally.
The team evaluated two HVAC design options for the auditorium, using IESVE's MicroFlo-CFD application to compare how different diffuser placements would affect thermal comfort. Both options incorporated underfloor air distribution at the rear, but varied in overhead diffuser positioning. Option 1 involved placing diffusers 18 feet above the stage to throw air horizontally across the auditorium, as well as from the roof on the South side, while option 2 involved mounting all diffusers at roof level.
The team leveraged IESVE's integrated platform to build a comprehensive thermal model for their analysis. The ApacheHVAC tool was key in enabling precise modelling of the HVAC system design, and establishing accurate boundary conditions for the CFD analysis. This integrated workflow proved invaluable for the team who were already using IESVE for energy modelling and load calculations, with the ability to perform CFD analysis in the same environment eliminating data transfer between platforms and accelerating the overall design process.
The CFD simulations revealed significant performance differences between the two design options. The horizontal throw from stage-mounted diffusers in Option 1 promoted substantially better air mixing throughout the auditorium, whereas the ceiling-only configuration in Option 2 created stagnant zones at the rear.
MicroFlo-CFD's visualisation capabilities made these differences immediately clear to the design team. Operative temperature distributions showed warm pockets developing in poorly-ventilated areas, while air velocity profiles identified zones with inadequate air movement.
PMV and PPD metrics quantified expected thermal comfort levels across different seating areas, while local mean age of air visualisations pinpointed locations where air circulation needed improvement.
Particle tracking analysis, generated in video form, proved particularly valuable, showing exactly how air moved through the space from supply diffusers to return grilles. These visualisations helped identify potential dead spots where air could stagnate, allowing the team to refine the design to ensure consistent circulation throughout the auditorium and clearly illustrate the performance variation to all project stakeholders.
Based on the comprehensive CFD analysis in IESVE, Newcomb & Boyd confidently recommended the optimum configuration that would provide superior air mixing, eliminating hot spots and ensuring consistent thermal comfort across all seating areas.
The analysis didn't just validate the final design – it provided a roadmap for potential future optimisation during building operation, with the detailed performance model creating a baseline for ongoing commissioning and fine-tuning as the building enters service.
The CFD work integrated seamlessly with concurrent acoustic analysis performed by specialist consultants. This coordinated approach ensured the final design satisfied thermal comfort, energy efficiency, and acoustic performance requirements simultaneously, all while respecting the building's historic architectural character.
"Our office uses IESVE for both energy modelling and HVAC load calculations. Having all the analysis in one platform significantly improves our productivity and workflow efficiency. We're already building our models in IESVE, so being able to do the CFD analysis there as well is a big plus.
As an energy modeller, I really value being able to access granular data that IESVE provides – for example, the temperature at a particular point in a loop – which many software tools make difficult. Being able to model advanced HVAC systems as we're designing them and troubleshoot them properly in the results application (VistaPro) is invaluable." - Ronnie Haldar, Senior Associate, Newcomb & Boyd
