Model implementation and verification of the envelope, HVAC and controller of an office building in Modelica

Modelica is a promising open-source modelling language for simulation and derivative-based optimization of multi-zone buildings, including detailed pressure-driven flow networks and building controllers. Such Modelica models have however not yet been demonstrated for buildings with many zones and complex HVAC systems. This paper presents and provides implementation details of the simulation model of a 32-zones building model in Modelica, with pressure-driven flow networks and a building controller, demonstrating the potential of Modelica. The modelling approach and computational aspects are presented. Furthermore, the model is calibrated and verified using on-site measurement data, which shows that, for the presented case study, HVAC can be modelled with errors up to only a few percent, while larger errors are observed for the building envelope model. A detailed building description is provided as supplementary material.