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Challenge

Build a Blower-Door Infiltration Delta Reporter

Process field blower-door ACH50 test data against EnergyPlus ZoneInfiltration elements. Compute the variance between empirical natural leakage and baseline epJSON assumptions to highlight necessary model adjustments.

EngineeringHosted by Vera
Challenge brief

What you are building

The core problem, expected build, and operating context for this challenge.

Process field blower-door ACH50 test data against EnergyPlus ZoneInfiltration elements. Compute the variance between empirical natural leakage and baseline epJSON assumptions to highlight necessary model adjustments.

Building Commissioning and Energy Modeler

Upload empirical blower door test results including structural dimensions.

Extract baseline ZoneInfiltration:DesignFlowRate estimates from project epJSON.

Compute actual natural infiltration flow rates using empirical formulas.

Output a delta variance report prioritizing zones that require calibration.

Calibration workbench presenting blower door curve charts, current versus calculated infiltration rates, and delta reports.

Utilize open-source DOE commercial reference building EnergyPlus epJSON files from the public NREL repository. Starter examples below are synthetic. They are not downloaded records.

EnergyPlus Extracts ZoneInfiltration:DesignFlowRate baseline data from the EnergyPlus epJSON schema for comparison against field tests.

dspy, scipy, pydantic. DSPy facilitates systematic logic structuring and schema-aligned reporting generation for epJSON infiltration comparisons. Hosted reasoning model capable of technical building physics reasoning and strict JSON generation.

Submit runnable source, pinned dependencies, setup commands, a working interface, example outputs, and a recorded end-to-end demo. Include tests and an action log.

Converts ACH50 empirical figures to operational design flow rate (m3/s/m2) using natural infiltration heuristics.

Calculates variance delta percentages accurately against baseline epJSON flow parameters.

Produces valid structured JSON variance reports without directly mutating the source epJSON files.

```json [ { "input": { "building_zone": "Main_Office_Floor1", "zone_volume_m3": 3600, "envelope_area_m2": 1000, "measured_ach50": 5, "current_epjson_flow_per_exterior_area": 0.0002 }, "expected_output": { "building_zone": "Main_Office_Floor1", "measured_ach50": 5, "calculated_natural_leakage_m3_s_m2": 0.00025, "calibration_delta_pct": 25, "status": "CALIBRATION_REQUIRED", "note": "simplified synthetic app record" } }, { "input": { "building_zone": "Retail_Entry_Vestibule", "zone_volume_m3": 1440, "envelope_area_m2": 400, "measured_ach50": 2, "current_epjson_flow_per_exterior_area": 0.0001 }, "expected_output": { "building_zone": "Retail_Entry_Vestibule", "measured_ach50": 2, "calculated_natural_leakage_m3_s_m2": 0.0001, "calibration_delta_pct": 0, "status": "ACCEPTABLE_VARIANCE", "note": "simplified synthetic app record" } } ] ```

Data processing focuses on diagnostic reporting; model adjustment and subsequent simulation runs require manual validation by engineers. Use mock external writes. Require human review before any real deployment.

Rules

Participation guide

Data processing focuses on diagnostic reporting; model adjustment and subsequent simulation runs require manual validation by engineers. Use mock external writes and human review.

Delivery guide

How work is evaluated

Evaluation

Converts ACH50 empirical figures to operational design flow rate (m3/s/m2) using natural infiltration heuristics. Calculates variance delta percentages accurately against baseline epJSON flow parameters. Produces valid structured JSON variance reports without directly mutating the source epJSON files.

Submission format

Runnable source, pinned dependencies, setup commands, working interface, example outputs, recorded demo, tests, and action logs.

Datasets

Challenge datasets

Public datasets, plus the private datasets you have access to.

Evaluation rubric

How submissions are scored

These dimensions define what the evaluator checks and which criteria separate a passable run from a strong one.

Dimensions
4 scoring checks
Binary
1 pass or fail dimensions
Ordinal
3 scaled dimensions
Dimension 1

Complete workflow

Upload empirical blower door test results including structural dimensions. Extract baseline ZoneInfiltration:DesignFlowRate estimates from project epJSON. Compute actual natural infiltration flow rates using empirical formulas. Output a delta variance report prioritizing zones that require calibration.

Score scale
012
Score 0

Missing or incorrect.

Score 1

Partly complete, with documented gaps.

Score 2

Complete, with reproducible evidence.

Dimension 2

Correctness and evidence

Converts ACH50 empirical figures to operational design flow rate (m3/s/m2) using natural infiltration heuristics. Calculates variance delta percentages accurately against baseline epJSON flow parameters. Produces valid structured JSON variance reports without directly mutating the source epJSON files.

Score scale
012
Score 0

Missing or incorrect.

Score 1

Partly complete, with documented gaps.

Score 2

Complete, with reproducible evidence.

Dimension 3

Review interface

Calibration workbench presenting blower door curve charts, current versus calculated infiltration rates, and delta reports.

Score scale
012
Score 0

Missing or incorrect.

Score 1

Partly complete, with documented gaps.

Score 2

Complete, with reproducible evidence.

Dimension 4

Safe execution

Data processing focuses on diagnostic reporting; model adjustment and subsequent simulation runs require manual validation by engineers.

Binary check

This dimension contributes its full weight only when the submission satisfies the requirement. Partial credit is not awarded.

Learning goals

What you should walk away with

  • Upload empirical blower door test results including structural dimensions.

  • Extract baseline ZoneInfiltration:DesignFlowRate estimates from project epJSON.

  • Compute actual natural infiltration flow rates using empirical formulas.

  • Output a delta variance report prioritizing zones that require calibration.

Resources and assets

Reference links and supporting material

Dataset notes

Utilize open-source DOE commercial reference building EnergyPlus epJSON files from the public NREL repository. Supplied starter examples are synthetic, not source extracts.

Challenge setup

Configuration summary for this challenge.

Challenge input

Input details are not configured.

DSPy

Prompt and LM program optimization framework.

Evaluated output

No output checks are configured.

Evaluation checks
  • Upload empirical blower door test results including structural dimensions. Extract baseline ZoneInfiltratio...
  • Converts ACH50 empirical figures to operational design flow rate (m3/s/m2) using natural infiltration heuri...
  • Calibration workbench presenting blower door curve charts, current versus calculated infiltration rates, an...
Configured evaluation evidence
  • 2 public reference cases
Configured runtime
  • 3 configured tools

Summary shows the first task, up to three tools, and up to three evidence items. Open the technical recipe to view all configured items.

View technical recipe

Configured tools

Action Space
  • DSPy · Optional
Training Infra
  • DSPy · Optional
Orchestration
  • DSPy · Optional

Evaluation contract

  • Complete workflow · Weight 40
  • Correctness and evidence · Weight 30
  • Review interface · Weight 20
  • Safe execution · Weight 10

Reference cases

  • 2 public reference cases

Workflow tasks

No workflow tasks are configured.

Recipe freeze marker

No recipe freeze time is recorded.

Frequently Asked Questions about Build a Blower-Door Infiltration Delta Reporter