Influence of Temporal- and Spatial Resolutions on Building Performance Simulation Models: A Danish Residential Building Case Study

Abstract

This study aims to assess the accuracy of a building performance simulation (BPS) model developed in IDA ICE software, focusing on heating energy use and indoor air temperatures in a low-energy multi-story residential building located in Northern Denmark. Six apartments were analyzed, and a comparative analysis was conducted between the measured parameters and the results obtained from BPS models with different spatial and temporal resolutions. The findings indicate that while the BPS models can provide reasonably accurate estimates of heating energy use, they may not fully capture the nuanced response to factors such as indoor air temperature This highlights the importance of incorporating qualitative inputs and environmental variables into these BPS models, including heating and/or cooling setpoints, internal gains, and weather conditions. Overall, this study provides insights into the limitations and opportunities of BPS models for accurately estimating heating energy use and indoor air temperatures in low-energy residential buildings.