METHODS OF INCREASING THE AVERAGE LIFE TIME OF BUILDING MATERIALS AS WELL AS REDUCING THE CONSUMPTION OF OTHER RESOURCES ASSOCIATED WITH OPERATING BUILDINGS

The invention concerns predominantly enclosed spaces, typically buildings, which are exposed to directionally and temporally varying levels of solar electromagnetic radiation, as well as temporally varying levels of ambient air temperature, flow velocity and direction. Such a building comprising at least one primary compartment and at least one secondary compartment. The primary compartment predominantly serves to achieve the primary purpose of the building. An electronic controller can modulate throughput or speed of active or passive air flow to and from the secondary compartment. The controller uses a descriptive model to predict thermal behavior of the building and to derive control signals. The control system acquires data from one or more sensors. In some embodiments the disclosed methods are at least partially incorporated in a home automation system, including internet connectivity.