I have built quite an accurate virtual model of an existing building and when I simulate it, the output energy results (peaks/patterns/annual totals) are very close to the metered energy data that I have from utility companies. I however wonder if there are guide lines that outline acceptable error margins for building thermal performance simulations?
Any thoughts?
Thank you both very much indeed,
Will check the sources you have suggested.
Best wishes,
m
I know ASHRAE Standard 100 deals with 'Energy Conservation in Existing Buildings', not sure if it addresses the issues you're dealing with.
The quest was to find a bench-mark that outlines acceptable ‘error margins’ on virtual simulation models of existing buildings. I however doubt if there are any ‘standards’ that cover that. I was interested to know what level of accuracy was acceptable to the research community.
Thanks
ASHRAE Guideline 14 recommends that a calibrated
model will have a NMBE of ± 5% and a CVRMSE of ±15% when using monthly data.
For hourly comparisons a NMBE of ± 10% and a CVRMSE of ±30% is
appropriate for a calibrated model.
Source: http://www.rmi.org/Knowledge-Center/Library/2010-12_PullingLeversExistingBuildings
Dear Ramana
Thank you so much for your contribution, I had never seen publications commenting on building energy model error margins before and ASHRAE 14 actually does (although it is primarily on statistical methods).
Ignacio is absolutely right; the nature of disturbances experienced by buildings is so varied and vast that no single index could capture them all. I work with engine designers and 3% error margin is too much for them !! Whereas we design buildings and they end up consuming twice the predicted energy levels ... Perhaps the insistence on BIM will change the landscape in years to come.
Thanks for your help gents,
Hi Ignacio
Thanks for the source. Interesting read.
Going back to what you said in your first comment, I think buildings are such extremely complex systems where several domains (heat, light, noise, …) interact and influence each other that the idea of calibration might be a bit academic.
Still thanks for your contributions.
M
dear roy,
recently we publish one paper on Energy and Buildings. This paper is also based on your query.
refer it:
Combined effect of energy efficiency measures and thermal adaptation on air
conditioned building in warm climatic conditions of India
shivraj
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