Simulation of energy-efficient office buildings in Norway

Design of different energy-efficient office buildings in Norway with different energy concepts were studied with a number of different simulation tools. With the help of dynamic computer simulations of energy and indoor environment the impact on energy use and indoor environment was analyzed. A focus was put on a comparison of different simulation tools and their accuracy in predicting the performance in terms of thermal comfort and energy consumption of various cases.  The results show that significant differences in output of the various tools make an objective evaluation difficult. In particular, significant improvements of a standard model description are needed. The importance of a clear simulation and reporting strategy and level of details became obvious. Here, national and international efforts are needed in order to make building regulations more effective and its implementation successful.