Building energy model calibration: A review of the state of the art in approaches, methods, and tools

Building energy simulations can be effective in the real world only if the building energy model is appropriately tuned, i.e., calibrated. Whatever the purpose, from detailed energy design to energy audits or HVAC system control strategies, building energy simulations can provide accurate results only if the energy model itself is accurately developed. The aim of this article is to review and analyze the current methodologies and approaches used when assessing building energy performance through simulations, focusing on the need for a calibrated model to enhance the simulation's credibility. This literature review identifies novel and practical methodologies, focusing on data collection, energy modeling approaches, simulation software, and calibration techniques. Although several studies have focused on building energy simulation, partially covering the topics addressed in this review, a detailed analysis and comparison of methods through normalized scores to derive possible recurrences and reproducible methods have not yet been presented.