Skip to content

FastSmoothBuildings against Buildings and IDEAS

The models of the FastSmoothBuildings library translate into a CasADi ODE: FastSmoothBuildings simulates the building in closed loop with its own controllers, FastSmoothBuildingsMPC takes the controls as inputs for optimal control. How close they stay to the Buildings and IDEAS models of the same YAML file is measured by study/replay, in two ways:

  • --models FastSmoothBuildings replays the controls of the reference through the runnable FastSmoothBuildingsMPC model: the envelope, the zones and the systems are compared with the controls taken out of the comparison;
  • --models FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop simulates the closed-loop FastSmoothBuildings model with its own controllers, as the reference runs with its own: nothing is replayed.
python -m study.replay compare 600FF residential_before --models FastSmoothBuildings FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop
python -m study.replay compare residential_after --models FastSmoothBuildings FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop --references Buildings IDEAS
python -m study.replay report

For each case the Buildings model (or the IDEAS model, --references IDEAS) is simulated with its own controls, then the runnable model of the other library replays what its systems did:

  • the heat of the ideal emitters of each zone, for the envelope cases;
  • the flow of each radiator branch, the position of each three-way valve and the part load ratio of the boiler (or the speed of the heat pump compressor), for the hydronic cases, and the air flow of the ventilation unit. Everything else is simulated by the FastSmoothBuildings model: the production, the water circuits, the radiators, the ventilation, the PV array and the zones.

Weather, solar irradiance (direct, Perez diffuse) and occupancy come from the same Buildings blocks in both models. The zone air temperatures are compared every 15 minutes; the radiator heat hour by hour (ASHRAE Guideline 14 CV(RMSE) and NMBE); the water temperatures of the circuits every 15 minutes. The thermostatic valves of the hydronic cases modulate the flows faster than that, so their Buildings reference is recorded every minute and the controls are replayed as means over 5 minutes, which conserves the heat the water carries.

Thresholds

Stage Compared outputs Threshold
Envelope, single zone (BESTEST) free-floating zone temperature RMSE ≤ 1.0 K
Envelope, several zones heated zone temperatures RMSE ≤ 0.5 K
Emitters radiator heat CV(RMSE) ≤ 15 %, NMBE within ±5 %
Distribution and production water temperatures, zone temperatures RMSE ≤ 1 K, zone RMSE ≤ 0.5 K

Results: replaying the controls

Generated by python -m study.replay report (28 days in January for the multi-zone cases, a year for BESTEST). The water temperatures are compared while the water circulates (at least 10 % of the largest radiator flow): the temperature a sensor reads in a pipe without flow is that of the water standing there, not of the circuit. The reference models are generated with trano's default simulation performance options (actuators without stroke time, sensors without dynamics).

Case Model Reference Zone RMSE [K] Bias [K] Max error [K] Mean reference [degC] Heat [kWh] Radiator heat CV(RMSE) Radiator heat NMBE
600FF FastSmoothBuildings Buildings zone_001 0.39 +0.09 1.64 24.66 0
900FF FastSmoothBuildings Buildings zone_001 0.33 -0.08 1.42 24.93 0
600 FastSmoothBuildings Buildings zone_001 0.65 -0.07 2.73 23.12 -1523
900 FastSmoothBuildings Buildings zone_001 0.41 -0.11 1.76 24.04 -677
three_zones_ideal FastSmoothBuildings Buildings space_001 0.18 -0.03 0.77 18.46 1441
three_zones_ideal FastSmoothBuildings Buildings space_002 0.22 -0.03 1.07 18.51 793
three_zones_ideal FastSmoothBuildings Buildings space_003 0.49 -0.05 1.69 18.50 683
heat_pump_house FastSmoothBuildings Buildings bedroom_1_001 0.18 +0.10 0.84 18.76 57 3.2 % +0.6 %
heat_pump_house FastSmoothBuildings Buildings livingroom_001 0.28 +0.18 0.67 18.59 146 3.0 % -0.2 %
heat_pump_house FastSmoothBuildings Buildings kitchen_001 0.33 +0.20 1.03 20.09 64 3.0 % -0.2 %
heat_pump_house FastSmoothBuildings Buildings bathroom_001 0.21 +0.11 1.65 20.94 41 3.5 % +0.1 %
heat_pump_house FastSmoothBuildings Buildings bedroom_2_001 0.22 +0.18 0.92 19.72 82 2.3 % -0.6 %
heat_pump_house FastSmoothBuildings Buildings bedroom_3_001 0.15 +0.09 0.52 18.17 4 27.7 % +2.3 %
residential_before FastSmoothBuildings Buildings living_001 0.17 -0.11 0.50 19.35 827 1.2 % -0.2 %
residential_before FastSmoothBuildings Buildings kitchen_001 0.14 -0.07 0.53 19.35 414 1.1 % -0.2 %
residential_before FastSmoothBuildings Buildings bedroom_1_001 0.15 -0.07 0.53 17.32 482 0.8 % -0.3 %
residential_before FastSmoothBuildings Buildings bedroom_2_001 0.14 -0.07 0.71 17.31 544 0.7 % -0.3 %
residential_before FastSmoothBuildings Buildings bedroom_3_001 0.12 -0.06 0.51 17.32 250 0.8 % -0.3 %
residential_before FastSmoothBuildings Buildings bathroom_001 0.20 -0.05 1.35 17.58 239 2.8 % -0.3 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings Buildings living_001 0.17 -0.13 0.56 20.16 201 1.8 % -0.3 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings Buildings kitchen_001 0.14 -0.09 0.34 20.08 125 1.8 % -0.6 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings Buildings bedroom_1_001 0.13 -0.08 0.38 18.14 23 2.9 % -0.2 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings Buildings bedroom_2_001 0.12 -0.08 0.34 17.90 46 2.3 % -0.3 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings Buildings bedroom_3_001 0.12 -0.06 0.36 18.02 15 2.2 % -0.4 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings Buildings bathroom_001 0.13 -0.06 0.49 19.10 51 4.3 % -0.6 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings IDEAS living_001 0.36 +0.25 0.98 20.14 215 1.8 % -0.5 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings IDEAS kitchen_001 0.36 +0.25 1.01 20.08 129 1.6 % -0.5 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings IDEAS bedroom_1_001 0.32 +0.14 0.84 18.11 21 3.3 % +0.8 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings IDEAS bedroom_2_001 0.31 +0.16 0.83 17.88 45 2.2 % +0.5 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings IDEAS bedroom_3_001 0.33 +0.18 0.86 17.99 14 2.4 % +0.4 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings IDEAS bathroom_001 0.39 +0.23 1.16 19.05 52 4.1 % -0.7 %
Case Model Reference Water temperature RMSE [K] Bias [K] Mean reference [degC] Time compared (circulating)
heat_pump_house FastSmoothBuildings Buildings boiler_001 supply 0.66 +0.09 37.8 64 %
heat_pump_house FastSmoothBuildings Buildings boiler_001 return 1.35 +0.08 26.6 64 %
heat_pump_house FastSmoothBuildings Buildings temperature_sensor_001 1.21 +0.10 37.8 64 %
residential_before FastSmoothBuildings Buildings generator_001 supply 0.55 -0.18 74.7 84 %
residential_before FastSmoothBuildings Buildings generator_001 return 1.40 -0.30 39.6 84 %
residential_before FastSmoothBuildings Buildings temperature_sensor_001 0.57 -0.23 74.7 84 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings Buildings generator_001 supply 0.72 -0.09 35.4 68 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings Buildings generator_001 return 1.75 -0.49 29.3 68 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings Buildings temperature_sensor_001 1.39 -0.05 35.3 68 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings Buildings ahu_001 supply air 0.30 +0.29 16.0 100 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings IDEAS generator_001 supply 0.80 +0.28 35.4 69 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings IDEAS generator_001 return 1.68 -0.11 29.6 69 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings IDEAS temperature_sensor_001 1.41 +0.32 35.4 69 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings IDEAS ahu_001 supply air 0.27 +0.16 16.4 100 %
Case Model Reference System Energy Reference [kWh] Model [kWh] Deviation
heat_pump_house FastSmoothBuildings Buildings boiler_001 electricity 117.9 116.0 -1.6 %
residential_before FastSmoothBuildings Buildings generator_001 fuel 3387.0 3387.1 +0.0 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings Buildings generator_001 electricity 130.6 128.3 -1.8 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings Buildings ahu_001 electricity 17.2 17.0 -0.6 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings Buildings pv_001 production 139.3 139.3 +0.0 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings IDEAS generator_001 electricity 134.8 133.5 -1.0 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings IDEAS ahu_001 electricity 17.2 16.8 -2.1 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildings IDEAS pv_001 production 139.3 139.3 +0.0 %

Results: closed loop

The closed-loop FastSmoothBuildings model of each case, with its own controllers and pressure-driven water circuits, against the reference with its own controls (the column Heat is the heat of the reference):

Case Model Reference Zone RMSE [K] Bias [K] Max error [K] Mean reference [degC] Heat [kWh] Radiator heat CV(RMSE) Radiator heat NMBE
600FF FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings zone_001 0.39 +0.08 1.63 24.66 0
900FF FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings zone_001 0.33 -0.09 1.42 24.93 0
600 FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings zone_001 0.06 -0.01 0.51 23.12 -1523
900 FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings zone_001 0.14 -0.02 0.74 24.04 -677
three_zones_ideal FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings space_001 0.06 +0.01 0.95 18.46 1441
three_zones_ideal FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings space_002 0.08 +0.02 0.91 18.51 793
three_zones_ideal FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings space_003 0.11 +0.02 1.01 18.50 683
heat_pump_house FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings bedroom_1_001 0.18 +0.13 0.82 18.76 57 9.6 % +0.5 %
heat_pump_house FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings livingroom_001 0.21 +0.12 0.78 18.59 146 15.2 % -1.8 %
heat_pump_house FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings kitchen_001 0.25 +0.15 0.78 20.09 64 13.3 % -2.0 %
heat_pump_house FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings bathroom_001 0.15 +0.08 0.69 20.94 41 16.0 % -4.1 %
heat_pump_house FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings bedroom_2_001 0.16 +0.09 0.63 19.72 82 9.3 % -3.1 %
heat_pump_house FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings bedroom_3_001 0.15 +0.11 0.52 18.17 4 106.7 % -9.6 %
residential_before FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings living_001 0.06 +0.01 0.47 19.35 827 4.1 % +1.9 %
residential_before FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings kitchen_001 0.07 +0.02 0.43 19.35 414 2.7 % +0.8 %
residential_before FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings bedroom_1_001 0.05 +0.01 0.53 17.32 482 2.7 % +0.3 %
residential_before FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings bedroom_2_001 0.05 +0.01 0.51 17.31 544 1.9 % +0.3 %
residential_before FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings bedroom_3_001 0.05 +0.01 0.51 17.32 250 2.1 % +0.0 %
residential_before FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings bathroom_001 0.11 +0.01 0.69 17.58 239 4.4 % +0.0 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings living_001 0.10 -0.03 0.61 20.16 201 10.7 % +1.0 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings kitchen_001 0.10 -0.02 0.58 20.08 125 5.8 % -0.9 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings bedroom_1_001 0.07 +0.02 0.41 18.14 23 14.6 % +4.8 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings bedroom_2_001 0.06 +0.02 0.40 17.90 46 6.6 % +2.1 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings bedroom_3_001 0.07 +0.03 0.40 18.02 15 9.1 % +2.6 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings bathroom_001 0.14 -0.01 0.66 19.10 51 11.7 % -3.7 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop IDEAS living_001 0.14 -0.02 0.88 20.14 215 14.7 % -5.4 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop IDEAS kitchen_001 0.14 -0.02 0.88 20.08 129 10.3 % -4.4 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop IDEAS bedroom_1_001 0.20 +0.05 0.96 18.11 21 24.6 % +14.4 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop IDEAS bedroom_2_001 0.19 +0.05 0.95 17.88 45 11.5 % +3.2 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop IDEAS bedroom_3_001 0.20 +0.06 0.94 17.99 14 17.6 % +8.3 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop IDEAS bathroom_001 0.23 +0.03 1.05 19.05 52 16.9 % -5.5 %
Case Model Reference Water temperature RMSE [K] Bias [K] Mean reference [degC] Time compared (circulating)
heat_pump_house FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings boiler_001 supply 2.02 -0.10 37.8 64 %
heat_pump_house FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings boiler_001 return 1.77 -0.38 26.6 64 %
heat_pump_house FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings temperature_sensor_001 2.23 -0.10 37.8 64 %
residential_before FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings generator_001 supply 0.11 -0.02 74.7 84 %
residential_before FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings generator_001 return 1.82 +0.02 39.6 84 %
residential_before FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings temperature_sensor_001 0.14 -0.08 74.7 84 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings generator_001 supply 1.93 -0.23 35.4 68 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings generator_001 return 2.07 -0.48 29.3 68 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings temperature_sensor_001 2.26 -0.19 35.3 68 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings ahu_001 supply air 0.37 +0.36 16.0 100 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop IDEAS generator_001 supply 1.96 -0.28 35.4 69 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop IDEAS generator_001 return 2.12 -0.76 29.6 69 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop IDEAS temperature_sensor_001 2.27 -0.24 35.4 69 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop IDEAS ahu_001 supply air 0.12 +0.01 16.4 100 %
Case Model Reference System Energy Reference [kWh] Model [kWh] Deviation
heat_pump_house FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings boiler_001 electricity 117.9 114.3 -3.1 %
residential_before FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings generator_001 fuel 3387.0 3427.2 +1.2 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings generator_001 electricity 130.6 129.2 -1.1 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings ahu_001 electricity 17.2 16.8 -2.1 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop Buildings pv_001 production 139.3 139.3 +0.0 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop IDEAS generator_001 electricity 134.8 129.2 -4.1 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop IDEAS ahu_001 electricity 17.2 16.8 -2.1 %
residential_after FastSmoothBuildingsClosedLoop IDEAS pv_001 production 139.3 139.3 +0.0 %

Reading the results

Envelope. The FastSmoothBuildings zone follows Buildings within 0.33–0.39 K (RMSE) in the free-floating BESTEST cases. In the heated and cooled BESTEST cases the replay of the Buildings heat is open loop, so that any difference accumulates until the envelope removes it; the FastSmoothBuildings zone stays within 0.41–0.65 K.

Multi-zone envelope. With walls and floors shared between zones, the three-zone house stays within 0.18–0.49 K of Buildings.

Hydronics. In the three hydronic houses (the residential house before renovation with its gas boiler, after renovation with its heat pump, ventilation and PV, and the heat pump test house), only the branch flows, the three-way valve positions and the boiler part load ratio or the heat pump compressor speed are replayed; the production, the water circuits, the radiators and the zones are simulated by the FastSmoothBuildings model. The radiators deliver the heat of Buildings within 0.7–4.3 % CV(RMSE) and a bias below 1 % (the 28 % of the nearly unheated bedroom 3 of the heat pump house is on 4 kWh in four weeks); the zones follow within 0.12–0.33 K; the boiler supply and the heat pump buffer within 0.55–0.75 K. The supply errors were 0.3–0.5 K before the Buildings models took trano's default performance options, with the same zone temperatures and meters: most likely the Buildings sensors, now without dynamics, follow every start and stop of the production that the 5-minute replay smooths. The meters of the renovated house follow Buildings over the four weeks: heat pump electricity −1.8 % (−1.6 % in the heat pump test house), fans −0.6 %, PV production 0.0 %.

IDEAS. The renovated house is also replayed from its IDEAS simulation: FastSmoothBuildings stays within 0.31–0.39 K of the IDEAS zones, 0.14–0.25 K too warm on average, the radiators within 1.6–4.1 % CV(RMSE), the heat pump electricity within −1.0 % and the fans within −2.1 %. The envelope of FastSmoothBuildings is that of Buildings: the bias comes from the envelope models of the two libraries, above all the ground below the slab (ISO 13370 in IDEAS, a fixed temperature in Buildings and FastSmoothBuildings). See the FastSmoothBuildings reference for the figures.

Ventilation. The supply air of the renovated house's unit stays within 0.30 K of Buildings, 0.29 K too warm on average: in Buildings the extract flow is 3 % below the supply flow (part of the supply leaves through the infiltration paths of the zones, as the pressures set it), so that the heat exchanger recovers on a smaller stream; the FastSmoothBuildings unit is balanced. The return temperatures (1.35–1.75 K, small bias) mix the outlets of radiators whose flows the thermostatic valves modulate within the replay interval.

Closed loop. With its own controllers, FastSmoothBuildings follows the zones of Buildings within 0.05–0.25 K, closer than the replay: a controller corrects the small differences of the envelope as the Buildings controller does, where the replayed heat is open loop (BESTEST 600 and 900: 0.06 and 0.14 K against 0.65 and 0.41 K). The free-floating cases have no controller and match the replay. Against IDEAS, the renovated house stays within 0.14–0.23 K. The meters follow within a few percent: boiler fuel +1.2 %, heat pump electricity −1.1 to −3.1 % (−4.1 % against IDEAS), fans −2.1 %, PV 0.0 %. The boiler supply follows within 0.11 K. The heat pump circuits differ most: the supply and return water within about 2 K and the radiator heat within 6–16 % CV(RMSE) hour by hour (the bedrooms that barely need heat aside), because the heat pump of FastSmoothBuildings has no minimum on and off times and its hysteresis switches within 10 s, so that it starts and stops at other instants than in Buildings.

Differences that remain

  • In the replay, each Valve of FastSmoothBuildingsMPC sets the flow of its branch, y·m_flow_nominal, as an MPC decides it; in Buildings the flow that a valve opening gives depends on the pressures of the whole circuit. The closed-loop FastSmoothBuildings computes them, with the resistances linearised at their nominal flows.
  • The closed-loop controllers have no event: a hysteresis switches within 10 s, and the heat pump has no minimum on and off times (see above).
  • The heat pump interpolates the EN 14511 tables in the source temperature as Buildings does, smoothed at the knots, and is quadratic in the condenser temperature (within 1 % of the tables up to 55 °C); its condenser outlet is approximated explicitly from the buffer temperature.
  • Ventilation units are balanced (see above).