When Building Energy Models Outperform Their Buildings: What Happens and How to Prevent It

Abstract

Energy models have become a commonly used service for several
new construction and existing renovation projects. The accuracy of en-
ergy models has improved greatly over the past decade and they have
the potential to provide important information about utility consump-
tion and costs on the design of a building. So, why do the buildings
sometimes not operate as predicted? Even after one year of operation,
the building performance can drop off rapidly over the next few years.
Building owners who paid for the energy modeling service to help
make design decisions want to see the anticipated payback. This article
will investigate several causes that have the potential to alter the energy
model results throughout design, construction, and facility operation.
Possible solutions to these issues will also be discussed.