A Study on Modelling Energy Performance in Buildings

The UK property industry needs to verify its energy usage; without this, the market cannot achieve the performance improvements necessary in order to achieve net zero carbon by 2050. In the UK, there is a stock of buildings with ‘performance gaps’. This means that the energy performance of a modelled building does not equate to its actual operational performance. Design focuses on theoretical performance under standard conditions instead of paying attention to how buildings perform in reality. In this study, TAS software was used to perform conventional dynamic thermal simulation and advanced simulation for the chosen building. The aim of the dynamic simulation is to verify compliance with Building Regulations. The advanced simulation focused on the HVAC plant and its predicted energy use. The results of these two simulations were compared and analysed, and demonstrate that there are strong drivers and a coherent rationale for establishing a scheme to support Design for Performance. Dynamic simulation models include simplifications and assumptions compared to how a real building operates and underestimates the real energy consumption of the building.