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What is Building Performance Simulation?

We generally understand simulation as a procedure for analyzing complex systems, which are usually dynamic. A computational model abstracts the real system. The simulator applies the model by assigning specific values to the model (parameterizing) and then running it. A simulation is an experiment with the aim of gaining knowledge about the real system.

Building Performance Simulation (BPS) is one of many types of simulation such as fluid flow simulation, traffic simulation, flight simulation, weather simulation, climate simulation, etc. The simulated system mainly consists of three subsystems: the building envelope, the technical building equipment and the building control system.

Performance always refers to a ratio of costs to benefits. In our case, the benefit of a building is the comfort of its users in its interior spaces. To be satisfied, a building user needs good air quality, pleasant air and surface temperature as well as air humidity, little air draughts and sufficient light. In order to achieve this benefit, costs are incurred, both in monetary terms and in the form of resource consumption or costs to the environment and climate.

Hence the system analyzed with BPS is very complex and highly dynamic. Depending on what knowledge you want to gain for the real system, there are many different applications that focus on different subsystems. We either focus on energy or power demand calculation or comfort assessment but should rather always look at both. Furthermore, we can look at daylight, moisture transport, interaction with soil, the HVAC system, control functions, thermal district networks, PV electricity production, air flows in rooms etc. etc.

See also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Building_performance_simulation

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