Experimental validation of a co-simulation architecture for modeling whole-building and detailed electrical distribution performance

This article presents an experimental validation of a co-simulation architecture for simultaneously modeling whole-building energy performance and detailed building electrical distribution system performance. The cosimulation architecture consists of a whole-building energy model (EnergyPlus®) embedded within a Modelicabased building electrical distribution system library called the Building Electrical Efficiency Analysis Model (BEEAM) using the Functional Mock-up Interface standard. We validate the model using experimental data collected at a full-scale test cell within Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s FLEXLAB® facility. We show that the co-simulation model accurately predicts the electrical, mechanical, and thermal performance of the test cell for typical loads with both an AC and a DC electrical distribution topology.