Improving simulation accuracy through the use of short-term electrical end-use monitoring

Hourly simulation programs such as DOE-2, HAP and BLAST can effectively simulate the performance of HVAC systems in response to seasonal weather patterns. However, the schedules of use for key internal loads are often given insufficient consideration, leading to a reduction in accuracy. Schedules are often overly simplified and based on insufficient information about how a building is used. By performing short-term monitoring  of  key electrical end-uses and extrapolating the measured load profiles over the course of a full year, the magnitude and variability of these loads can be better understood and the accuracy of a building model can be improved in a time-efficient manner. This paper will describe how short-term monitoring of key internal loads was successfully applied to DOE-2 simulation of a 49,053 square meter commercial  office  building  located  in  San  Diego, California.