Twin2Sim - Test building and test bench for building envelope and building technology systems

Office and test building for the holistic investigation of complex building envelopes and building services delivery systems.

The test stand is used for the holistic investigation of complex building envelopes. Complex building envelopes are envelope components that either contain new - e.g. biogenic - materials or have functions that go beyond the traditional functions of building envelopes (room closure, heat, moisture, sound and fire protection, lighting and ventilation) (multifunctional facades) and, for example, contain new ventilation, sun protection or energy conversion functions or have unknown interactions with the room and user. As a rule, complex building envelopes (envelope components and envelope-integrated (building services) systems) will have a combination of these factors

Project objective

The overarching aim of Twin²Sim is to strengthen R&D expertise at the location through a testing and trial infrastructure for building envelopes, envelope- and component-integrated as well as building technology systems and rooms as hardware (testing facility) coupled with software (digital twin). This will open up new potential in research and create the basis for increased cooperation between science and industry for the transfer of research results to regional companies and for their innovation and exploitation of results. In detail, the following goals are being pursued:

Structured and well-founded project management and dissemination/transfer through collaborative project management for the appropriate use of funds, communication with the funding body, securing scientific publications and the transfer of project results to companies

- Concept and planning of the test facilities and test rooms as well as the digital twin by defining test scenarios, planning the test facilities and the digital twin in preparation for construction and commissioning

Installation of the system, metrological commissioning, calibration using known reference test specimens, ongoing execution monitoring, documentation and calibration of the system for real in-situ tests and for initial validation of the digital twin

- Modeling, simulation and validation in the planning and validation phase by selecting simulation programs, modeling the digital twin with the integration of measured values and carrying out tests using numerical methods

- Measurement and validation of the test facility using prototypes and known systems (reference systems) by measuring the test bench with reference test specimens, prototypes and known systems with plausibility checks, error calculation and data analysis to validate the real test facility and the digital twin.

1. project object and focus

Development and use of a test stand for the holistic investigation of complex building envelopes.

Innovative envelope components are examined, e.g. with:

Biogenic materials

Multifunctional properties such as integrated ventilation, sun protection, energy conversion, etc.

Novel interactions with indoor climate and user behavior

2. objective of the project

Strengthening R&D expertise at the site through a combined hardware/software infrastructure:

Test facility (hardware) for real tests

Digital twin (software) for model-based analysis and simulation

Promoting the transfer of scientific knowledge to the economy

Creation of a basis for regional innovation processes through user-oriented validation and application

3. individual goals and central work packages

Project management & dissemination

Structured implementation, communication with funding bodies, transfer & publication of results

Concept & planning

Development of the test strategy, test bench planning and digital twin concept

Construction & commissioning

Construction of the system, calibration with reference systems, documentation for real tests

Modeling & simulation

Construction of the digital twin, selection of suitable software tools, numerical investigations

Validation & calibration

Comparison of real measurement results with reference and prototype systems to validate the hardware and software