Validating the Simulation Model for the Investigation of Applying Saudi Building Code 601 to Najran Governmental Office Building in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The application of the Saudi Building Code (SBC) 601 to the building envelope improved the monthly thermal performance by 1.75 °C was conducted in the Saudi Arabia, Governmental office building in Najran. The building industry accounts for a significant portion of the nation's electrical energy usage, consuming 29% of the country's primary energy. This is partly a result of the country's hot and dry environment, which necessitates a lot of energy to ensure thermal comfort in buildings. The absence of thermal insulation in many Saudi buildings, which results in a greater reliance on air conditioning, is another contributing cause. According to the Kingdom's 2030 vision, which includes an emphasis on energy conservation. This study uses DesignBuilder simulation software to examine the impact of implementing the various SBC 601 provisions on the cover of the building to validate the software a base case comparison was carried and the validation report is presented in this study. It is important to validate the model while evaluating the building's thermal performance. This helps make the adjustments made during the study effective and realistic, however, there can be significant differences between real data and simulated results. With many software available, the choice of DesignBuilder has proven to be a reliable software within the industry through various energy standards as the validation results show the compact ability of the software and real-life scenario measurement carried out.