Experimental Validation of the EnergyPius Low-Temperature Radiant Simulation

The EnergyPlus low temperature radiant model was experimentally validated by comparing measured data with results predicted by the model for radiantly heated and cooled residence. The measured data were obtained from an instrumented house located in Carefree, Arizona, and monitored by Arizona State University. The study showed that that the low temperature radiant model is sensitive to both the construction parameters, including specification of the thermal mass, and the system parameters. Interaction of the complex thermal processes that result in a given thermal comfort level can be accurately predicted by a carefully tuned EnergyPlus model. On the other hand, a high degree of uncertainty in either the building specification or the system specification can lead to significant errors in the predicted space comfort and energy consumption.