Autotune E+ Building Energy Models

Abstract

This paper introduces a novel Autotune methodology under development for calibrating building energy models (BEM). It is aimed at developing an automated BEM tuning methodology that enables models to reproduce measured data such as utility bills, sub-meter, and/or sensor data accurately and robustly by selecting best-match E+ input parameters in a systematic, automated, and repeatable fashion. The approach is applicable to a building retrofit scenario and aims to quantify the trade-offs between tuning accuracy and the minimal amount of ground truth data required to calibrate the model. Autotune will use a suite of machine-learning algorithms developed and run on supercomputers to generate calibration functions. Specifically, the project will begin with a de-tuned model and then perform Monte Carlo simulations on the model by perturbing the uncertain parameters within permitted ranges. Machine learning algorithms will then extract minimal perturbation combinations that result in modeled results that most closely track sensor data. A large database of parametric EnergyPlus (E+) simulations has been made publicly available. Autotune is currently being applied to a heavily instrumented residential building as well as three light commercial buildings in which a de-tuned model is autotuned using faux sensor data from the corresponding target E+ model.