Weather Data for Building Simulation: Grid Resolution for Climate Zone Delineation

Classification of climate zones for building design and energy assessment purposes plays a vital role in aiding building engineers and architects in achieving energy efficiency in buildings using building performance simulation. Previous studies highlighted the need for climate assessments at higher resolutions for the purpose of climate classification but failed to infer the resolution requirement. In this study, climate zones of Kerala (one of the 29 States in India) are defined and delineated with climate data from grid resolutions of 10, 15, 20 and 25 km. The delineated zones are then assessed by comparing them with the thermal performance of a building representative of building typology of Kerala to identify the grid resolution necessary for zone delineation.