Indoor Climate Prediction Performance of Dynamic BES Models in Dymola

How accurately can reduced-order dynamic building energy simulation models (with Dymola simulation software) simulate the indoor climate (i.e., indoor air temperature, relative humidity and CO2-concentration) in common inhabited residential buildings? In order to address this question, high resolution measurement data of a zero-energy case study dwelling were gathered through a measurement campaign. A dynamic multi-zone modelling approach has been applied to have room-level indoor climate results. Buoyancy driven airflow equations (validated with CONTAM) have been added to existing thermal heat balance components to allow for dynamic moisture and trace substance calculations as well as detailed air exchange and inter-zonal airflow calculations. The validation study reveals that dynamic multi-zone building energy simulation models (BES-models) can predict the indoor climate considerably well at room-level in inhabited dwellings (especially in the bedrooms).