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Review

From White to Black-Box Models: A Review of Simulation Tools for Building Energy Management and Their Application in Consulting Practices

by
Amir Shahcheraghian
1,
Hatef Madani
2,* and
Adrian Ilinca
1
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, École de Technologie Supérieure, Montreal, QC H3C 1K3, Canada
2
Department of Energy Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Energies 2024, 17(2), 376; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17020376
Submission received: 6 November 2023 / Revised: 25 December 2023 / Accepted: 5 January 2024 / Published: 12 January 2024
(This article belongs to the Topic Advances in Building Simulation)

Abstract

Buildings consume significant energy worldwide and account for a substantial proportion of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, building energy management has become critical with the increasing demand for sustainable buildings and energy-efficient systems. Simulation tools have become crucial in assessing the effectiveness of buildings and their energy systems, and they are widely used in building energy management. These simulation tools can be categorized into white-box and black-box models based on the level of detail and transparency of the model’s inputs and outputs. This review publication comprehensively analyzes the white-box, black-box, and web tool models for building energy simulation tools. We also examine the different simulation scales, ranging from single-family homes to districts and cities, and the various modelling approaches, such as steady-state, quasi-steady-state, and dynamic. This review aims to pinpoint the advantages and drawbacks of various simulation tools, offering guidance for upcoming research in the field of building energy management. We aim to help researchers, building designers, and engineers better understand the available simulation tools and make informed decisions when selecting and using them.
Keywords: BES; simulation tool; white-box; black-box; machine learning; deep learning; building energy BES; simulation tool; white-box; black-box; machine learning; deep learning; building energy

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Shahcheraghian, A.; Madani, H.; Ilinca, A. From White to Black-Box Models: A Review of Simulation Tools for Building Energy Management and Their Application in Consulting Practices. Energies 2024, 17, 376. https://doi.org/10.3390/en17020376

AMA Style

Shahcheraghian A, Madani H, Ilinca A. From White to Black-Box Models: A Review of Simulation Tools for Building Energy Management and Their Application in Consulting Practices. Energies. 2024; 17(2):376. https://doi.org/10.3390/en17020376

Chicago/Turabian Style

Shahcheraghian, Amir, Hatef Madani, and Adrian Ilinca. 2024. "From White to Black-Box Models: A Review of Simulation Tools for Building Energy Management and Their Application in Consulting Practices" Energies 17, no. 2: 376. https://doi.org/10.3390/en17020376

APA Style

Shahcheraghian, A., Madani, H., & Ilinca, A. (2024). From White to Black-Box Models: A Review of Simulation Tools for Building Energy Management and Their Application in Consulting Practices. Energies, 17(2), 376. https://doi.org/10.3390/en17020376

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