HVAC Fault Modeling.pdf

Key Findings:

Operational faults in HVAC systems can lead to a 15-30% increase in energy consumption in commercial buildings.
Faults can significantly impact building energy performance and occupant thermal comfort.
Modeling and simulating HVAC operational faults can help quantify the impact of faults and support decision-making for timely fault corrections.
A new fault-modeling feature in EnergyPlus enables the quantification of fault impacts on building energy use and occupant comfort.

Methodology:

The study developed a novel fault-modeling feature in EnergyPlus to simulate the impacts of operational faults on building energy performance.
The feature was tested using EnergyPlus version 8.6 to investigate the impacts of typical operational faults in an office building across several US climate zones.

Results:

The results demonstrate that operational faults have significant impacts on building energy performance and occupant thermal comfort.
The study highlights the importance of modeling operational faults in energy models to improve the accuracy of baseline models and support commissioning efforts.

Conclusion:

Modeling and simulating HVAC operational faults is crucial for reducing energy consumption, improving indoor air quality, and enhancing occupant comfort.
The new fault-modeling feature in EnergyPlus provides a valuable tool for building owners, operators, and commissioners to identify and prioritize fault corrections, leading to more efficient and reliable building operations.