Semantics for assembling modular network topologies in FMI-based building performance simulation

As current literature states, the development of Building Performance Simulation (BPS) tools in terms of holistic assessment capabilities of today's building systems as well as their transfer to the daily design process has stagnated. To antagonize this development, the present work investigates a modular simulation setup based on the recently developed Functional Mock-up Interface (FMI) standard. A procedure for the realization of such an approach is presented and implemented. The main obstacle of the modular simulation is identified to be the collocation of simulation modules, which is addressed using a knowledge-based method enabled by ontology. The procedure allows to automatically derive a simulation topology based on information about the interfacing variables. A single- and a multi-zone BPS serve as examples and illustrate the information requirements as well as the integration of information from building information modeling (BIM) to instantiate a simulation.