Buildings.ThermalZones.Detailed.Validation.BESTEST.UsersGuide

User's Guide

Information

The package Buildings.ThermalZones.Detailed.Validation.BESTEST contains the models that were used for the BESTEST validation (ANSI/ASHRAE 2020). The basic model from which all other models extend from is Buildings.ThermalZones.Detailed.Validation.BESTEST.Cases6xx.Case600FF.

All examples have a script that runs an annual simulation and plots the results with the minimum, mean and maximum value listed in the ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 140-2020.

The script compares the following quantities:

Note that in addition to the BESTESTs, the window model has been validated separately in Nouidui et al. (2012).

Implementation

Heating and cooling is controlled using the PI controller Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Reals.PID with anti-windup.

Hourly averaged values and annual mean values are computed using an instance of Buildings.Controls.OBC.CDL.Reals.MovingAverage.

Validation results

The data used for validation are from "RESULTS5-2A.xlsx" in folder "/Sec5-2AFiles/Informative Materials" of Supplemental Files for ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 140-2020, Method of Test for Evaluating Building Performance Simulation Software.

For the cases with heating and cooling, the test acceptance criteria ranges are from Table A3-1, Table A3-2, Table A3-3 and Table A3-4 of ASHRAE Standard 140-2020 Addendum b.

Heating and cooling cases

The simulations of cases with heating and cooling are validated by comparing the annual heating and cooling energy, the peak heating and cooling demand with the validation data. In addition, one day load profiles are also validated. The detailed comparison, which also shows the peak load hours, are shown in the table after the plots below.

annual_cooling.png annual_heating.png

peak_cooling.png peak_heating.png

hourly_load_600_Jan4.png hourly_load_900_Jan4.png

Annual heating load (MWh)
Case Lower limit Upper limit BSIMAC CSE DeST EnergyPlus ESP-r TRNSYS MBL
Case600 3.75 4.98 4.05 3.993 4.047 4.324 4.362 4.504 4.452
Case610 3.61 5.27 4.163 4.066 4.144 4.375 4.527 4.592 4.478
Case620 3.67 5.38 4.37 4.094 4.297 4.485 4.514 4.719 4.562
Case630 3.69 6.12 4.923 4.356 4.677 4.784 5.051 5.139 4.743
Case640 1.58 3.76 2.682 2.403 2.619 2.662 2.654 2.653 2.715
Case650 0.00 0.00 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Case660 2.68 4.82 3.574 3.602 3.821 3.707 3.787 3.79 3.604
Case670 4.00 7.96 5.484 5.3 5.573 5.616 5.975 6.14 6.484
Case680 1.21 3.08 2.219 1.786 1.732 2.18 2.132 2.286 2.225
Case685 4.08 5.75 4.532 4.574 4.646 4.877 4.904 5.042 4.935
Case695 1.70 3.81 2.709 2.415 2.385 2.802 2.732 2.892 2.764
Case900 1.04 2.28 1.726 1.379 1.591 1.664 1.585 1.814 1.711
Case910 1.56 2.30 2.163 1.648 1.86 1.956 2.067 2.132 1.878
Case920 2.55 4.20 3.5 2.956 3.259 3.337 3.3 3.607 3.313
Case930 2.75 5.35 4.27 3.524 3.933 3.994 4.278 4.384 3.733
Case940 0.22 1.91 1.389 0.863 1.149 1.067 1.015 1.169 1.187
Case950 0.00 0.00 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Case960 2.00 3.40 0.0 2.522 2.771 2.689 2.624 2.86 2.652
Case980 -0.61 1.28 0.72 0.246 0.266 0.411 0.351 0.45 0.442
Case985 1.68 3.09 2.801 2.12 2.279 2.369 2.283 2.536 2.363
Case995 -0.15 2.02 1.33 0.755 0.77 1.006 0.905 1.077 0.98
Annual cooling load (MWh)
Case Lower limit Upper limit BSIMAC CSE DeST EnergyPlus ESP-r TRNSYS MBL
Case600 5.00 6.83 5.822 5.913 5.432 6.027 6.162 5.78 6.009
Case610 2.74 6.03 4.299 4.382 4.173 4.333 4.233 4.117 4.845
Case620 2.76 5.19 4.404 4.079 3.909 4.06 4.246 3.841 4.111
Case630 1.08 4.42 3.074 3.02 2.787 2.836 2.595 2.573 3.342
Case640 4.44 6.86 5.804 5.644 5.237 5.763 5.893 5.477 5.76
Case650 3.46 5.88 4.629 4.654 4.186 4.817 4.945 4.632 4.854
Case660 1.91 4.33 3.014 3.34 3.26 3.232 3.219 2.966 3.351
Case670 5.05 7.67 6.539 6.578 5.954 6.623 6.52 6.198 6.401
Case680 5.13 7.70 5.938 6.43 5.932 6.444 6.529 6.31 6.147
Case685 7.70 10.14 9.13 8.859 8.238 9.119 9.121 8.851 8.986
Case695 7.49 10.58 8.755 8.974 8.386 9.172 9.149 9.039 8.768
Case900 2.35 2.60 2.714 2.464 2.383 2.489 2.488 2.267 2.412
Case910 2.00 0.86 1.484 1.415 1.49 1.383 1.283 1.191 1.629
Case920 2.43 3.08 3.128 2.789 2.706 2.731 2.814 2.549 2.673
Case930 1.24 2.64 2.161 2.075 1.908 1.919 1.654 1.672 2.186
Case940 2.24 3.14 2.613 2.397 2.343 2.424 2.428 2.203 2.358
Case950 0.43 1.52 0.586 0.598 0.618 0.707 0.656 0.642 0.747
Case960 0.62 1.81 0.0 0.926 0.909 0.907 0.95 0.789 0.946
Case980 3.52 4.49 3.501 3.995 3.758 3.712 3.775 3.519 3.423
Case985 5.95 7.26 7.273 6.234 5.88 6.359 6.249 6.113 6.165
Case995 6.58 8.41 7.482 7.202 6.771 7.203 7.149 7.064 6.8

Peak heating load (kW)
Case BSIMAC CSE DeST EnergyPlus ESP-r TRNSYS MBL
kWhour kWhour kWhour kWhour kWhour kWhour kWhour
Case600 3.255 26-Nov:8 3.020 01-Jan:1 3.035 01-Jan:0 3.204 31-Dec:24 3.228 01-Jan:1 3.359 01-Jan:1 3.206 31-Dec:24
Case610 3.166 26-Nov:8 3.021 01-Jan:1 3.039 01-Jan:0 3.192 31-Dec:24 3.233 01-Jan:1 3.360 01-Jan:1 3.206 31-Dec:24
Case620 3.145 31-Dec:24 3.038 01-Jan:1 3.068 01-Jan:0 3.229 31-Dec:24 3.253 01-Jan:1 3.385 01-Jan:1 3.237 31-Dec:24
Case630 3.252 31-Dec:24 3.039 01-Jan:1 3.072 01-Jan:0 3.207 31-Dec:24 3.259 01-Jan:1 3.388 01-Jan:1 3.240 31-Dec:24
Case640 4.633 08-Feb:9 4.222 26-Nov:8 4.658 26-Nov:7 4.559 26-Nov:8 4.101 26-Nov:8 4.039 26-Nov:8 4.352 26-Nov:8
Case650 0.000 N/A 0.000 01-Jan:1 0.000 N/A 0.000 01-Jan:1 0.000 01-Jan:1 0.000 31-Dec:0 0.000 31-Dec:24
Case660 2.620 26-Nov:8 2.758 01-Jan:1 2.798 01-Jan:0 2.831 31-Dec:24 2.846 01-Jan:1 2.955 01-Jan:1 2.710 31-Dec:24
Case670 4.122 26-Nov:8 3.655 01-Jan:1 3.812 01-Jan:0 3.854 26-Nov:7 3.992 26-Nov:7 4.221 26-Nov:8 4.304 26-Nov:7
Case680 2.126 26-Nov:8 1.778 09-Feb:6 1.811 01-Jan:1 2.052 26-Nov:7 2.022 09-Feb:7 2.115 26-Nov:8 2.007 26-Nov:7
Case685 3.169 26-Nov:8 3.032 01-Jan:1 3.054 01-Jan:0 3.223 31-Dec:24 3.247 01-Jan:1 3.374 01-Jan:1 3.216 31-Dec:24
Case695 2.138 26-Nov:8 1.795 01-Jan:1 1.855 01-Jan:1 2.072 31-Dec:24 2.025 26-Nov:7 2.118 26-Nov:8 2.039 31-Dec:24
Case900 2.551 08-Feb:24 2.443 09-Feb:6 2.453 09-Feb:5 2.687 09-Feb:6 2.633 09-Feb:7 2.778 09-Feb:7 2.652 9-Feb:6
Case910 2.761 08-Feb:24 2.469 09-Feb:6 2.474 09-Feb:5 2.699 09-Feb:6 2.684 09-Feb:7 2.799 09-Feb:6 2.659 9-Feb:6
Case920 2.895 26-Nov:8 2.512 09-Feb:6 2.513 09-Feb:5 2.770 09-Feb:6 2.706 09-Feb:7 2.864 09-Feb:6 2.731 9-Feb:6
Case930 2.968 31-Dec:24 2.537 09-Feb:6 2.549 09-Feb:5 2.785 09-Feb:6 2.765 09-Feb:6 2.900 09-Feb:6 2.741 9-Feb:6
Case940 3.882 08-Feb:9 3.052 01-Jan:9 3.659 09-Feb:7 3.143 31-Dec:9 3.122 09-Feb:9 3.405 01-Jan:9 4.120 9-Feb:8
Case950 0.000 N/A 0.000 01-Jan:1 0.000 N/A 0.000 01-Jan:1 0.000 01-Jan:1 0.000 31-Dec:0 0.000 31-Dec:24
Case960 0.000 N/A 2.132 09-Feb:6 2.085 01-Jan:0 2.259 09-Feb:6 2.201 09-Feb:6 2.300 09-Feb: 2.134 9-Feb:6
Case980 1.693 08-Feb:24 1.254 09-Feb:6 1.382 09-Feb:5 1.538 09-Feb:6 1.473 09-Feb:7 1.592 09-Feb:7 1.521 9-Feb:7
Case985 2.754 08-Feb:24 2.452 09-Feb:6 2.458 09-Feb:5 2.695 09-Feb:6 2.642 09-Feb:7 2.785 09-Feb:6 2.650 9-Feb:6
Case995 1.711 26-Nov:8 1.370 09-Feb:6 1.462 09-Feb:5 1.622 09-Feb:6 1.560 09-Feb:7 1.662 09-Feb:6 1.583 9-Feb:6
Peak cooling load (kW)
Case BSIMAC CSE DeST EnergyPlus ESP-r TRNSYS MBL
kWhour kWhour kWhour kWhour kWhour kWhour kWhour
Case600 5.650 22-Jan:15 6.481 22-Jan:14 5.422 22-Jan:14 6.352 22-Jan:14 6.193 22-Jan:14 6.046 22-Jan:14 6.191 22-Jan:14
Case610 5.466 22-Jan:15 6.432 01-Dec:14 5.331 22-Jan:14 6.135 01-Dec:14 5.934 22-Jan:14 5.868 01-Dec:14 6.054 1-Dec:14
Case620 4.704 26-Jun:18 4.493 26-Jun:17 3.955 26-Jun:17 4.797 26-Jun:17 4.622 26-Jun:17 4.588 26-Jun:17 4.638 26-Jun:17
Case630 4.121 26-Jun:18 3.998 26-Jun:18 3.526 26-Jun:17 4.212 26-Jun:17 3.971 26-Jun:17 3.949 26-Jun:17 4.171 26-Jun:17
Case640 5.650 22-Jan:15 6.429 22-Jan:14 5.365 22-Jan:14 6.297 22-Jan:14 6.127 22-Jan:14 5.967 22-Jan:14 6.141 22-Jan:14
Case650 5.648 22-Jan:15 6.290 01-Dec:14 5.045 18-Oct:14 6.138 18-Oct:14 5.961 18-Oct:14 5.797 18-Oct:14 5.918 1-Dec:14
Case660 3.343 18-Oct:15 3.933 01-Oct:13 3.355 11-Oct:14 3.770 18-Oct:14 3.530 01-Oct:14 3.457 18-Oct:14 3.619 18-Oct:14
Case670 6.217 18-Oct:14 6.925 01-Oct:13 5.839 10-Oct:13 6.806 22-Jan:14 6.482 18-Oct:14 6.401 18-Oct:14 6.559 22-Jan:14
Case680 5.761 22-Jan:15 7.051 22-Jan:14 5.861 22-Jan:14 6.770 22-Jan:14 6.676 22-Jan:14 6.557 22-Jan:14 6.507 22-Jan:14
Case685 6.318 22-Jan:15 7.159 22-Jan:14 6.071 22-Jan:14 7.107 22-Jan:14 6.934 22-Jan:14 6.867 22-Jan:14 6.938 22-Jan:14
Case695 6.232 22-Jan:15 7.541 22-Jan:14 6.355 22-Jan:14 7.334 22-Jan:14 7.239 22-Jan:14 7.175 22-Jan:14 7.073 22-Jan:14
Case900 3.039 01-Oct:15 3.376 01-Oct:14 2.556 11-Sep:14 3.040 01-Oct:14 2.896 12-Oct:15 2.940 01-Oct:14 2.943 1-Oct:15
Case910 2.493 18-Oct:14 2.722 02-Oct:15 2.103 12-Oct:14 2.222 18-Oct:15 2.212 02-Oct:15 2.081 12-Oct:15 2.279 1-Oct:15
Case920 3.481 26-Jun:18 3.057 26-Jun:18 2.710 26-Jun:17 3.260 26-Jun:18 3.099 26-Jun:18 3.154 26-Jun:18 3.191 26-Jun:18
Case930 3.052 26-Jun:18 2.662 26-Jun:18 2.335 26-Jun:17 2.782 26-Jun:18 2.494 26-Jun:18 2.613 26-Jun:18 2.833 26-Jun:18
Case940 3.158 01-Oct:15 3.376 01-Oct:14 2.556 11-Sep:14 3.040 01-Oct:14 2.891 12-Oct:15 2.938 01-Oct:14 2.943 1-Oct:15
Case950 2.366 10-Sep:15 2.364 04-Sep:15 2.054 11-Sep:14 2.388 11-Sep:15 2.202 10-Sep:15 2.236 11-Sep:15 2.370 11-Sep:15
Case960 0.000 N/A 1.377 26-Jun:17 1.367 26-Jun:16 1.480 26-Jun:17 1.403 26-Jun:17 1.338 26-Jun:17 1.463 26-Jun:17
Case980 3.384 18-Oct:14 3.668 02-Oct:14 2.930 18-Oct:14 3.450 18-Oct:15 3.341 12-Oct:15 3.313 12-Oct:14 3.273 18-Oct:15
Case985 3.977 18-Oct:14 4.225 01-Oct:14 3.208 11-Oct:14 3.915 18-Oct:15 3.736 12-Oct:15 3.885 01-Oct:14 3.840 1-Oct:14
Case995 4.129 22-Jan:14 4.224 22-Jan:15 3.315 22-Jan:14 4.177 22-Jan:15 3.954 22-Jan:15 4.115 22-Jan:15 3.968 22-Jan:15

Free floating cases

The following plots compare the maximum, minimum and average zone temperature simulated with the Modelica Buildings Library with the values simulated by other tools. The simulation is also validated by comparing one-day simulation results in different days, and by comparing the distribution of the annual temperature. The detailed comparisons, which also show the peak temperature hour, are shown in the table after the plots.

max_temperature.png min_temperature.png

FF_temperature_600FF_Feb1.png FF_temperature_900FF_Feb1.png

FF_temperature_650FF_Jul14.png FF_temperature_950FF_Jul14.png

ave_temperature.png bin_temperature_900FF.png

Maximum temperature (°C)
Case BSIMAC CSE DeST EnergyPlus ESP-r TRNSYS MBL
°Chour °Chour °Chour °Chour °Chour °Chour °Chour
Case600FF 63.4 18-Oct:17 68.4 01-Oct:16 65.0 11-Oct:15 63.8 18-Oct:16 64.6 01-Oct:16 62.4 01-Oct:15 63.4 18-Oct:16
Case650FF 62.1 18-Oct:17 66.8 01-Oct:16 62.6 11-Oct:15 62.5 18-Oct:16 63.3 01-Oct:16 61.1 01-Oct:15 62.3 18-Oct:16
Case680FF 72.5 22-Jan:17 78.5 22-Jan:16 75.0 12-Oct:15 70.1 22-Jan:16 72.2 12-Oct:16 69.8 22-Jan:16 69.1 22-Jan:16
Case900FF 46.0 01-Oct:17 45.1 04-Sep:15 44.5 11-Sep:15 44.3 12-Sep:15 44.3 12-Sep:16 43.3 12-Sep:15 43.9 12-Sep:15
Case950FF 37.1 01-Oct:17 36.8 11-Sep:15 36.4 11-Sep:15 36.7 11-Sep:16 36.4 05-Aug:16 36.1 11-Sep:16 36.9 11-Sep:16
Case960 0.000 N/A 48.9 02-Oct:16 53.2 20-Oct:14 49.9 12-Oct:15 49.5 12-Oct:15 48.1 12-Oct:15 48.1 12-Oct:15
Case980FF 49.7 01-Oct:17 52.2 12-Sep:15 52.8 21-Oct:14 49.6 12-Sep:16 50.2 12-Sep:15 48.5 12-Sep:15 48.6 12-Sep:15
Minimum temperature (°C)
Case BSIMAC CSE DeST EnergyPlus ESP-r TRNSYS MBL
°Chour °Chour °Chour °Chour °Chour °Chour °Chour
Case600FF -9.9 26-Nov:8 -12.9 09-Feb:7 -13.5 09-Feb:6 -12.6 09-Feb:7 -13.5 09-Feb:7 -13.8 09-Feb:7 -12.9 9-Feb:7
Case650FF -16.7 31-Dec:24 -17.8 01-Jan:1 -17.4 30-Dec:23 -17.1 31-Dec:24 -17.5 01-Jan:1 -17.5 31-Dec:24 -16.8 31-Dec:24
Case680FF -5.7 08-Feb:11 -6.2 09-Feb:7 -6.9 09-Feb:7 -7.1 09-Feb:7 -7.2 09-Feb:7 -8.1 09-Feb:7 -7.2 9-Feb:7
Case900FF 0.6 08-Feb:11 2.2 09-Feb:7 1.3 09-Feb:7 1.2 09-Feb:7 1.6 09-Feb:7 0.6 09-Feb:7 1.2 9-Feb:7
Case950FF -13.2 31-Dec:24 -13.2 01-Jan:1 -13.4 30-Dec:23 -12.8 09-Feb:7 -12.5 09-Feb:6 -12.8 09-Feb:6 -11.9 9-Feb:6
Case960 0.000 N/A 8.0 09-Feb:8 6.7 09-Feb:6 5.1 09-Feb:7 5.0 09-Feb:7 4.2 09-Feb:7 3.9 9-Feb:7
Case980FF 7.3 08-Feb:11 12.5 04-Nov:7 12.4 05-Nov:6 9.9 04-Nov:7 10.5 04-Nov:8 9.5 04-Nov:7 9.7 4-Nov:8

Implementation

To generate the data shown in this user guide, run

  cd Buildings/Resources/src/ThermalZones/Detailed/Validation/BESTEST
  python3 simulateAndPlot.py

References

ANSI/ASHRAE. 2021. ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 140-2020, Standard Method of Test for the Evaluation of Building Energy Analysis Computer Programs.

Thierry Stephane Nouidui, Michael Wetter, and Wangda Zuo. Validation of the window model of the Modelica Buildings library. Proc. of the 5th SimBuild Conference, Madison, WI, USA, August 2012.

Extends from Modelica.Icons.Information (Icon for general information packages).