Modeling and simulation of HVAC faults in EnergyPlus

One of the big challenges in comparing measured and simulated energy performance of buildings is that most energy models do not capture the significant impact of installation, operational and degradation HVAC system faults on actual energy performance in buildings. EnergyPlus, a comprehensive whole building performance simulation tool, also has limited capability of modeling HVAC faults. The research described in this paper identifies, characterizes and prioritizes common faults of HVAC equipment and control systems, some of which are incorporated in EnergyPlus. This research primarily supports the objective of assessing the effect of HVAC faults on whole building performance – energy consumption, and occupant comfort – for use in retrofit decision analyses for existing buildings.