Modelica Buildings library

Abstract

This article describes the Buildings library, a free open-source library that is implemented in Modelica, an equation-based object-oriented modelling language. The library supports rapid prototyping, as well as design and operation of building energy and control systems. First, we describe the scope of the library, which covers heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, multi-zone heat transfer and multi-zone airflow and contaminant transport. Next, we describe differentiability requirements and address how we implemented them. We describe the class hierarchy that allows implementing component models by extending partial implementations of base models of heat and mass exchangers, and by instantiating basic models for conservation equations and flow resistances. We also describe associated tools for pre- and post-processing, regression tests, co-simulation and real-time data exchange with building automation systems. The article closes with an example of a chilled water plant, with and without water-side economizer, in which we analysed the system-level efficiency for different control setpoints.