Abstract
Recent nationwide efforts have provided reliable empirical data for ASHRAE standard 140, “Standard Method of Test for the Evaluation of Building Energy Analysis Computer Programs,” to enable improved accuracy of building energy modeling (BEM) engines and improved characterization of their accuracy. Use of reliable empirical validation datasets in the evaluation of BEM tools will lead to more consistent and validated simulation engines across all software vendors. This will expedite the use of BEM in designing new buildings and retrofitting existing buildings, which delivers more energy-efficient buildings. In this study, a set of validation tests was performed in an occupancy-emulated small office building during a cooling season based on the test plan carefully designed per ASHRAE standard 140. Without making any calibration effort, major building simulation modules such as main heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system and infiltration model are validated with actual experimental data. Finally, an EnergyPlus simulation model was built based on as-built drawings, HVAC specifications, and measured data. Hourly simulation outputs were compared with the measured datasets from the tests to examine the goodness of fit. The generated experimental datasets and model input documentation of the test building will help industries and researchers to validate new BEM tools and improve their simulation engines. The validated simulation models can be leveraged as a rigorously validated benchmark commercial building.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 114374 |
Journal | Applied Energy |
Volume | 261 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 1 2020 |
Funding
This material is based upon work supported by DOE ’s Office of Science and BTO . This research used resources of ORNL ’s Building Technologies Research and Integration (BTRIC), which is a DOE Office of Science User Facility. This work was funded by fieldwork proposal CEBT105 under DOE BTO activity nos. BT0302000 and BT0305000 . This manuscript has been authored by UT- Battelle LLC under contract DEAC05-00OR22725 with DOE . The US government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the US government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for US government purposes. This material is based upon work supported by DOE's Office of Science and BTO. This research used resources of ORNL's Building Technologies Research and Integration (BTRIC), which is a DOE Office of Science User Facility. This work was funded by fieldwork proposal CEBT105 under DOE BTO activity nos. BT0302000 and BT0305000. This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle LLC under contract DEAC05-00OR22725 with DOE. The US government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the US government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for US government purposes.
Keywords
- ASHRAE standard 140
- Building Energy Model
- Empirical validation
- EnergyPlus
- Infiltration model
- Rooftop units