Standard 205 defines common data models and serialization formats for facility equipment performance data, allowing automated exchange among data sources (manufacturers), simulation models, and other engineering applications.
The main body of the standard provides rules and definitions used for generating representation specifications, including data groups that are common to all representation specifications, requirements for the structure of a representation specification, common definitions such as abbreviations, and informative material. This portion of the main body can be viewed as a meta-standard in that it specifies how to produce a representation specification.
The Standard 205 JSON schema (with online access) provides a machine-processable equivalent statement of the data model, allowing automated reading, writing, and validation of data files.
The formats and procedures specified by Standard 205 are developed under ASHRAE and ANSI consensus processes with participation of equipment manufacturers, application software developers, and engineering practitioners.
The intent is that all data publishers write common-format data files and all application software include procedures to read files using that format. Standard procedures will improve the accuracy and consistency of model results relative to the mix of correlation and application-specific approaches traditionally used.
Standard 205 does not define or restrict distribution schemes for representation files. Data publishers may establish distribution policies that fit their business needs.