Design and Analysis Tool Validation

The Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) is developing a procedure for the validation of Building Energy Analysis Simulation Codes (BEAS). These codes are being used increasingly in the building design process, both directly and as the basis for simplified design tools and guidelines. The importance of the validity of the BEAS in predicting building energy performance is obvious when oneconsiders the money and energy that could be wasted by energy-inefficient designs. However, to date, little or no systematic effort has been made to ensure the validity of the various BEAS.