File 11: Building energy modelling
Models that estimate performance: inputs, assumptions, software, and the gap between model and meter.
The file guide
Working guides on this file
Building energy modelling Choosing Modelling Support How to choose a modeller or energy adviser, what to ask before engaging them, and how to judge whether their work is careful or merely confident. Building energy modelling Energy Modelling Software Types The main kinds of energy modelling software, from compliance tools to dynamic simulation, and how to match the tool to the question being asked. Building energy modelling How to Read a Model Report How to read a building energy model report section by section, what to look for, and what to question before acting on it. Building energy modelling Model Calibration With Bills How to adjust a building energy model so it reflects real bills, what calibration can and cannot fix, and when to stop adjusting. Building energy modelling Model Data From an EPC What model data can be recovered from an EPC, what an EPC does not contain, and how to use EPC data as a starting point for further modelling. Building energy modelling Model Inputs That Matter Most Which inputs move a building energy model most, from wall construction and window area to heating controls, and how to check the ones that deserve the most attention. Building energy modelling Model Sensitivity Checks How sensitivity checks reveal which inputs a model result depends on, and how to run simple what-if tests before committing to work. Building energy modelling Model Software Accuracy What makes modelling software accurate, how accuracy is tested, and how to judge a software result without trusting its polish. Building energy modelling Model Uncertainty, Explained What model uncertainty means, where it comes from, and how to make decisions when a model result is honestly uncertain. Building energy modelling Model vs Measured Performance Why modelled energy demand and real metered use often differ, what the performance gap usually comes from, and how to compare the two fairly. Building energy modelling Modelling and Compliance Checks When a model is used to show compliance with a rule, what counts as evidence, who checks it, and what happens when a model and a rule disagree. Building energy modelling Modelling Assumptions to Question The assumptions hidden inside every energy model, from standard temperatures to default U-values, and the questions that surface the ones worth challenging. Building energy modelling Modelling Data Quality What good modelling data looks like, where poor data usually creeps in, and how to improve a model's evidence base before relying on it. Building energy modelling Modelling for Heat Pump Sizing How energy models inform heat pump sizing, why oversizing and undersizing both cause problems, and what inputs a sizing model must get right. Building energy modelling Modelling for Insulation Choices How models compare insulation options for walls, roofs and floors, and what a model does not show about moisture, detailing and suitability. Building energy modelling Modelling for New Builds How energy modelling works for new homes, from design-stage predictions to as-built checks, and why a design rating and a finished home can still differ. Building energy modelling Modelling for New Heating Systems How models compare new heating systems for a home, beyond headline efficiency, including temperatures, controls and running patterns. Building energy modelling Modelling for Retrofit Choices How to use a model to compare retrofit options fairly, in the right order, without letting a single headline figure drive a whole programme of work. Building energy modelling Modelling for Retrofit Packages How to model a whole package of retrofit measures together, rather than adding up single measures, and how to stage a package sensibly. Building energy modelling Modelling for Solar Sizing How models size solar panels and related solar systems for a home, what drives the result, and why bigger is not always better. Building energy modelling Modelling for Ventilation Design How models inform ventilation design, balancing fresh air, heat loss, moisture and indoor air quality in a home. Building energy modelling Models and Actual Bills Reconciliation A step-by-step reconciliation between modelled energy use and actual bills, separating weather, behaviour, system and building explanations. Building energy modelling SAP and Energy Models, Explained What SAP is, how it differs from other energy models, and why a SAP result is a standardised rating rather than a prediction of one household's bills.