Question-and-Answer Resource for the Building Energy Modeling Community
 | 1 | initial version |
Just because there is a difference between EnergyPlus and DOE-2 doesn't make one right and the other wrong. With limited information, it's hard to pinpoint exactly what the difference is, but here are some ideas:
Lighting Return Air Fraction - is the amount of heat from the lighting that is returned to the plenum modeled identically in the two models?
Thermal mass of construction assemblies - it's my understanding that DOE-2 and EnergyPlus handle the thermal mass of construction assemblies fairly differently. Try running various models with both lightweight and heavyweight assemblies.
Minimize variables - it seems like your example zone has too many variables. Run models with a core zone - no exterior surfaces at all - and see what the difference is. This would help identify whether the difference in the models is due to the plenum, or if there are larger differences in the building envelope.
HVAC Systems - if you're getting started with EnergyPlus, setting up HVAC systems can take some getting used to. It's likely that the HVAC systems are not operating identically.
