Design tool to assess the exploitation of renewable energy in buildings

This paper consists in the presentation of a new simulation tool aimed at the detailed prediction of HVAC systems, developed by the authors in order to fulfill specific needs derived from particular research topics in the field of design and tailored control of HVAC systems fed by heat pumps. This simulation tool has a modular programming design and is developed in order to easily use input data available in documentation from manufacturers and to provide the user with a flexible system design and a full set of control options. In this paper, it is used to evaluate the energy performance of HVAC systems based on heat pumps for DHW (Domestic Hot Water) production and heating/cooling purposes in low energy buildings.