Thermal calibration of an existing institutional building

Abstract

Building performance simulation (BPS) exhibits an interplay of various physical parameters, only portraying limited building fundamental characteristics. Therefore, BPS calibration can increase simulation accuracy and better depict the physical space. We aimed to calibrate/validate an institutional building model in Viçosa-MG, testing parallel and serial uncertainty procedures. We conducted a manual/statistic hygrothermal calibration using surveyed indoor/outdoor air dry-bulb temperature (DBT) and relative humidity (RH). We evaluated site-specific weather files and compared simulation outputs and measured data using the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE). As a result, the validated model presented 0.56°C to 0.85°C DBT discrepancies and 3.10% to 5.90% RH differences.