Why and how to assess the quality of Building Performance Data

Over the past decade buildings have become much more complex technical artefacts due to the fact that numerous energy co-generation and storage capabilities can be integrated into buildings. The integration of complementing operation of generation, storage, and building services systems is not a trivial task. Numerous data streams need to be analysed to ensure that the operation of the aforementioned systems contributes to overall energy savings and CO2-reductions without undermining the tenants’ comfort and wellbeing in those buildings. One could assume that through the emergence of wireless monitoring systems an improved knowledge base can be quickly and efficiently build-up to support the decisions which must be made by building automation systems or systems’ operators. However, the pure availability of additional data compiled from sensors, meters, access control systems and local weather stations can worsen the situation in case the compiled data is incomplete or of insufficient quality. Therefore, this paper discusses the question of why and how to satisfy the building user by optimising the operational cost and convincing the building owner to constantly invest in upgrades and retrofit activities to maintain a building and its systems on a satisfactory standard representing the state-of-the-art of building technology (products) and available building operational strategies (processes)