FAQs

Find answers to commonly asked questions about the ABC model. Visit our GitHub Discussion page for more questions and answers.

What is the ABC model?

The Advanced Berkeley Comfort (ABC) model, developed by the Building Sciences Group at UC Berkeley, is a sophisticated thermal comfort model initially designed for evaluating human comfort in automobiles. It uniquely predicts thermal sensation and comfort for local body parts as well as the overall body.

The model integrates a physiological model to calculate skin and core temperatures and a comfort model to predict thermal comfort levels based on skin temperature. Unlike simpler models like PMV and 2-node models, the ABC model accounts for non-uniform and transient conditions by dividing the body into 16 segments and incorporating detailed blood flow and thermoregulatory functions. This allows for more accurate comfort predictions, especially in environments with rapidly changing or uneven temperatures.

For more detailed information, please refer to this page(What is the ABC model?).

What are the input/output parameters?

Please refer to this page (Input and output).

How can I use the ABC model?

Web interface: We provide a web interface to use the ABC model easily. Please visit the live deployment of our current web interface for the ABC model. For your reference, please see the documentation here.

ABC model API: We offer an official API (ABC model API) with example code written in several popular programming languages and recommend using this API for those who want to run the model programmatically for advanced simulations beyond the capabilities of the web interface. If you do not know about what an API is, please visit this page.

I have a question. How can I ask?

We have limited ability to answer questions, so please visit our GitHub Discussion page and post your questions. We will answer it as soon as we can. This helps us keep track of your queries more efficiently and ensures that everyone can benefit from the shared knowledge and solutions.

If you do not have a GitHub account, please reach out to the administrators of this project:

• Charlie Huizenga: [e-mail]

• Akihisa Nomoto: [e-mail]

I have an idea for a research project. How do I suggest?

We welcome suggestions from you. Please post your ideas to the Ideas page on GitHub Discussions.

I would like to corabolate with you about this topic. How can I reach out to you?

Please reach out to the administrators of this project:

• Charlie Huizenga: [e-mail]

• Akihisa Nomoto: [e-mail]

Is the code of ABC model availeble online?

No, the source code is not open at this time. However, you can access the model using the ABC model API.