Open the file in HxD (Windows) or xxd (Linux). Look for headers:
Some might argue that these cryptic files should be discarded. However, building lifespan is measured in decades, while software updates happen yearly. A skyscraper built in 1995 with a simulation model from 1998 will still have its bldgpropvol1dat hot file in some archived folder. As long as we perform retrofits, life safety upgrades, or energy audits on older buildings, we must interpret these historical datasets. bldgpropvol1dat hot
Moreover, the concept—a dedicated file for hot, transient volumetric properties—is timeless. Modern equivalents exist (e.g., ZoneAirHeatBalance.dat in EnergyPlus), but the direct, no-frills naming of the original has a unique clarity. Open the file in HxD (Windows) or xxd (Linux)
After exhaustive searching, you may still find nothing. In that case, the most honest and helpful conclusion is one of the following: A skyscraper built in 1995 with a simulation