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A method for reducing simulation performance gap using Fourier filtering

This is the researcher’s original work on a new method for eliminating inaccuracies of design simulation methods, involving experimental research into reducing the simulation performance gap in buildings, using a novel application of digital signal processing.

The experimental building used in this research is the Birmingham Zero Carbon House, which has been extensively monitored, and the researcher has extensively reported on the results of its performance elsewhere. The discrepancy between monitoring and simulation results for this building comprise the simulation performance gap between the two.

The method uses Fast Fourier Transform to create an accurate response function as a ratio between monitored and simulated performance of the experimental building, and applies it to a simulation of another, non-existing building, thus reducing the gap between design simulation results on the one hand and performance of completed buildings on the other. This method effectivelly enables the simulation results of a building before the retrofit into a zero carbon building building to be morphed into the results of its future zero carbon retrofitted and monitored equivalent.

This approach opens new area of research into building performance simulation of zero carbon retrofit, and in addition to leading to smaller performance gap, it also leads to simplified but accurate dynamic models with considerably shorter computational times.

International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA) is founded to advance and promote the science of building performance simulation in order to improve the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of new and existing buildings worldwide. Building Simulation 2013 is part of biennial IBPSA World Conference Series, which have been held in different countries across the world since 1985.