%0 Journal Article %D 2013 %T Building energy modeling programs comparison Research on HVAC systems simulation part %A Xin Zhou %A Da Yan %A Tianzhen Hong %A Dandan Zhu %K Building energy modeling programs %K comparison tests %K HVAC system simulation %K theory analysis %X

Building energy simulation programs are effective tools for the evaluation of building energy saving and optimization of design. The fact that large discrepancies exist in simulated results when different BEMPs are used to model the same building has caused wide concern. Urgent research is needed to identify the main elements that contribute towards the simulation results. This technical report summarizes methodologies, processes, and the main assumptions of three building energy modeling programs (BEMPs) for HVAC calculations: EnergyPlus, DeST, and DOE-2.1E, and test cases are designed to analyze the calculation process in detail. This will help users to get a better understanding of BEMPs and the research methodology of building simulation. This will also help build a foundation for building energy code development and energy labeling programs.