The heat transfer components define the thermal balance of buildings, affecting their internal temperatures. Cooling and heating degrees-hours, obtained from simulations, are parameters for building thermal performance analysis. This study aims to determine the most appropriate conduction and convection algorithms available in the EnergyPlus v. 6.0, for computer simulation of the Casa Eficiente, an experimental dwelling located in Florianopolis, SC. EnergyPlus 6.0 simulations were calibrated against field measured data during summer, analyzing surfaces inside heat balance and room cooling degree hours. The simulation results for the Conduction Finite Difference Solution algorithm overestimated the measured heat gains by up to 4.4 times. For the CTF algorithm, the measured heat gains were underestimated by up to 90%. The cooling degree hours (period: 22 to 25/01/2008, base temperature = 26 ºC) ranged from 12.1 ºC to 21.5 ºC, depending on convection coefficients. Lower air temperature deviations were obtained by using the Simple algorithm for the walls and the Adaptive algorithm for the ceiling and floor: ranging from 0.3 ºC to 0.9 ºC. This analysis enabled the selection of accurate conduction and convection algorithms for this building's thermal simulation, reducing the deviations in results for the studied environment.
Field measured data; Thermal performance; Building simulation
