[BLDG-SIM] Calibrated models

I am a portuguese HVAC designer and consultant and a user o DOE2.1-E for over ten years. Usually I use DOE for new buildings, but five years ago I participated in an Energy Audit of six buildings in Portugal and had my first and only experience of DOE model calibration. I used the folowing methodology (work done with the colaboration of an electricall engineer):

1.Preparation of building inspections (average 2 days work).

-study of building and systems drawings and specifications,

-study of energy monthly bills,

-conception and organization of forms to be filled in the building

inspection work,

2.Building inspection (average 2 days work).

This included;

-filling a form for each room in the building, in wich all the relevant

aspects where characterized (lighting, equipment, hvac equipment,

people, schedules).

-characterization of the HVAC systems installed

-characterization of other energy consuming equipment installed

(elevators, water and sewage pumps, exterior lighting, etc.)

-interview with people responsible for building operations to determine

operating schedules and the way the building systems were operated

3.Field Measurements (average two weeks)

This included;

-total building energy consumption during one week registered with a

portable electricall energy analiser (output to a PC),

-registration of energy consumption of speciall energy consumers

(elevators, computer rooms, “plugs and lighting” in office floors, etc.)

-measurement of power consumption of speciall equipments (water and

sewage pumps, lighting, etc.)

-measurement of main airflows and hvac effective working conditions,

4.Creation of a DOE model (average 3 days)

This included;

-model in a room by room basis

-including all non HVAC consumers

5.Calibration (hourly) for a week day an weekend measured (average 1day).

This included;

-use of a meteorological day (in the TRY, only available meteorological data )

similar to the meteorological conditions of the day in wich the measurements

where taken,

-use of hourly energy use schedules for each zone of the building

for all energy consumers

-calibration against the actual hourly energy measured,

6.Verification of the calibrated model against existing monthly bills (average 1day)

This included;

-DOE calculation of monthly energy consumption using the calibrated

model and a TRY year (only available meteorological data)

-comparation of calculated monthly consumptions and the actual energy

consumption of the existing bills for the last years.

This experience showed the following;

I.The hourly calibration against a day of measured data allowed for a close match of

not weather dependent energy consumer sectors (equipment, lighting, escalators,

water and sewage pumps, etc.).

I I. The use of the hourly calibrated model for the monthly energy calculations (using TRY) showed in all cases an acceptable match with the existing bills.

I I I. The bigger energy consumers were lighting and equipment, wich are not weather

dependent and easy to calibrate. HVAC acounted for around 20 to 25% of the total building energy consumption.

Carlos Lisboa

Carlos Lisboa, Lda

TagusPark, Núcleo Central, 46

2780 920 OEIRAS