Availability of monitored hourly building performance data for validating dynamic thermal models of buildings

As part of the SERC/BRE sponsored exercise to develop tools for validating dynamic thermal models, Leicester Polytechnic undertook a review and evaluation of monitored structures to identify data sets suitable as the basis for empirical validation tools. Over 580 monitored buildings located throughout the world were classified and assessed; all had produced hourly building performance data and had associated weather data. Data from only 18 structures, located at six sites in Europe and the USA, were deemed to be of high enough quality that they could be used for validating a wide range of complex dynamic and simpler thermal models. This Note gives an overview of the evaluation procedure, the types of data available and the major conclusions of the research.