Calibration of low-rise multifamily residential simulation models using regressed estimations of transmission losses

In this study, we evaluated a proposed calibration (PC) approach for whole-building energy simulation models. This approach was based on a regression analysis of measured data collected during a time period when the global solar radiation was the lowest. The proposed approach was compared with a more conventional calibration approach with different degrees of complexity, starting from design stage (DS) assumptions, through audits, and lastly by refining the model with detailed measurements and numerical calculations. The evaluation was performed using measured data from two multifamily buildings located in Umea, Sweden, and the IDA-ICE 4.61 simulation software. The best agreement between simulated and measured data was obtained with the PC approach. The monthly normalized mean bias error and the coefficient of variation were less than 5.0% and 6.0%, respectively. For the conventional calibration approach, detailed measurements and time-consuming numerical calculations were required to reach similar results.