RESEM-CA: Validation and testing

This report documents the results of an extended comparison of RESEM-CA energy and economic performance predictions with the recognized benchmark tool DOE2.1E to determine the validity and effectiveness of this tool for retrofit design and analysis. The analysis was a two part comparison of patterns of (1) monthly and annual energy consumption of a simple base-case building and controlled variations in it to explore the predictions of load components of each program, and (2) a simplified life-cycle cost analysis of the predicted effects of selected Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs). The study tries to analyze and/or explain the differences that were observed.

On the whole, this validation study indicates that RESEM is a promising tool for retrofit analysis. As a result of this study some factors (incident solar radiation, outside air film coefficient, IR radiation) have been identified where there is a possibility of algorithmic improvements. These would have to be made in a way that does not without sacrifice the speed of the tool, necessary for extensive parametric search of optimum ECM measures.