BREDEM: Testing monthly and seasonal versions against measurements and against detailed simulation models

Abstract

This paper presents the results of testing BREDEM-8 and BREDEM-12 against measurements in real dwellings and against detailed simulation models. BREDEM-8 is a monthly calculation whereas BREDEM-12 works on a nominal heating season of 8 months. The BREDEM-8 results have been presented before but it is instructive to present them here again because this highlights the performance of the two versions of BREDEM relative to one another. Often all that is required of an energy calculation is a prediction of annual energy use. The results obtained indicate that in this respect the two versions of BREDEM are as good as the detailed simulation models. Both versions of BREDEM perform well in both types of test, and the predictions from the simpler seasonal calculation are as good as those from the more complex monthly calculation. This suggests that for many purposes, and in particular for those where a hand calculation option needs to be available, a seasonal calculation is quite adequate. For example, there is no point in basing an energy label such as the Standard Assessment Procedure on anything more complicated than a seasonal calculation. In situations where a computer would always be used to do the calculations, either a seasonal or a monthly calculation could be employed. The amount of data input is not significantly different in the two cases but the monthly calculation has the advantage that information on seasonal variations is available and this can be important, particularly for passive solar and low energy design purposes.

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