Tools

Our group has developed multiple open source modeling and simulation tools to support the research and applications of building energy efficiency, indoor environment design, net-zero energy community operations, and smart city infrastructure interdependencies. The development is supported by the National Science Foundation and US Department of Energy.

Building Energy Models For Commercial Buildings Based On CBECS Data

As an outcome of ASHRAE RP-1771, we have developed building energy models based on Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) data to support the development of the ASHRAE building energy quotient (bEQ) standard. These building energy models can be used as a starting point to reconcile the differences between the empirical and modeled baselines for energy performance comparison for new and existing commercial buildings, allowing seamless translation of building energy performance metrics among LEED, Standard 90.1, Standard 189.1, Standard 100, and the bEQ As Designed and In Operation ratings.

Fast Fluids Dynamics Model

Originating from the computer game industry, Fast Fluid Dynamics (FFD) is a faster alternative to Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) used for fluid flow simulation. Dr. Zuo developed the FFD model for indoor environment modeling in his Ph.D. thesis “Advanced Simulations of Air Distributions in Buildings” at Purdue University.

GED

Modelica Buildings Library

The Modelica Buildings library is a free open-source library with dynamic simulation models for building and district energy and control systems. The development of Modelica Buildings library is led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). The Modelica Buildings library website is https://simulationresearch.lbl.gov/modelica/

Smart and Connected Communities (SCC) Library

This open source Modelica library contains an integrated modeling framework and component models for designing coupled energy, transportation, and communication systems. The framework features a multi-level, multi-layer, multi-agent (3M) approach in order to enable flexible modeling of the interconnected systems.

Net Zero Energy Community (NZEC) Library

A open source Modelica library for the Net Zero Energy Community (NZEC) is built to facilitate the design and operation of NZECs. Using this library, a virtual testbed is built based on Historic Green Village, a real-world NZEC on Anna Maria Island, Florida. The project site is here.

End-to-End Modeling and Optimization Package for Data Center Cooling

This package is an outcome of our data center project sponsored by the DOE. See this research page for more information. It contains 4 system models and 30+ component models for data center cooling systems have been released in the DOE’s Modelica Buildings library (V5.0.0): Buildings.Applications.DataCenters.

DOE IBUILD Kathryn Katy Hinkelman BICEPS Biomimicry Community Energy Power System

Biomeimetic Integrated Community Energy and Power Systesm (BICEPS) Modelica Library

The open source Biomimetic Integrated Community Energy and Power System (BICEPS) Modelica library contains modeling heterogenous community energy systems — involving thermo-fluid, electrical, and biofuel systems — and their controls.  It is to our knowledge the first system-level engineering study to bio-mimic the cybernetics and flow dynamics of energy resources in natural ecosystems for the control of heterogeneous energy infrastructures in the built environment.

Modelica Sand Heating Package

This open-source Modelica package contains models for particle-based silica-sand thermal energy storage (TES) in heating applications. Silica sand is an abundant, low-cost, and efficient storage medium for concentrated solar power and electricity generation.

 

 

 

 

 

Training

We organize workshops occasionally to disseminate our libraries. Below is a list of all the workshops where slides, recording, and tutorials can be accessed.