Evaluation of different thermal models in EnergyPlus for calculating moisture effects on building energy consumption in different climate conditions

Building energy simulation is essential for most architectural design projects. Many models have been developed to predict the indoor air temperature and relative humidity as well as the building’s heating and cooling loads. However, in most building energy analysis the calculation of heat conduction through walls usually neglects the transport and storage of moisture in porous building materials, and the interaction between hygrothermal transfer and airflow inside the building. An accurate heat load (both sensible and latent load) determination requires a calculation of the coupled heat and moisture transfer in building envelopes and the hygrothermal interactions between the envelope and the environment. This paper evaluates the accuracy and the applicability of three thermal models in EnergyPlus (CTF—Conduction Transfer Function model, HAMT—Combined Heat and Moisture Transfer model, EMPD—Effective Moisture Penetration Depth model) for calculating moisture effects on building energy consumption in different climate conditions. The simulation results are compared with field measurements. The effects of different room infiltration rate on the accuracy of different models are also analyzed.