Alternative strategies for supply air temperature control in office buildings
Journal article, 2014

A key element for a reduced energy usage in the building sector is to improve the systems for indoor climate control. But, it is important that such measures are fairly simple and easy to implement in order to facilitate a widespread utilization. In this work, four alternative strategies for supply air temperature control in offices were investigated through simulations. Their level of complexity stretches from linear SISO (Single-Input, Single-Output) structures with standard inputs to an optimal algorithm with information about the entire set of disturbances acting on the building. The study was conducted with a conventional outdoor-air-temperature based method as benchmark, and two different heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems as well as two types of building structures were taken into account. Compared to the benchmark, all alternative strategies resulted in lower energy usages while thermal comfort and indoor air quality was satisfied, and simple strategies could perform almost equally well as more complex. But, it was also shown that the benefits were highly dependent on the considered HVAC system and somewhat dependent on the considered building structures.

Energy efficiency

Supply air temperature control

Office buildings

Heating

Building automation

Optimal control

Indoor air quality

Thermal comfort

ventilation and air-conditioning

Genetic algorithm

Author

Mattias Gruber

Chalmers, Energy and Environment, Building Services Engineering

Anders Trüschel

Chalmers, Energy and Environment, Building Services Engineering

Jan-Olof Dalenbäck

Chalmers, Energy and Environment, Building Services Engineering

Energy and Buildings

0378-7788 (ISSN)

Vol. 82 406-415

Subject Categories

Energy Engineering

Areas of Advance

Energy

DOI

10.1016/j.enbuild.2014.06.056

More information

Created

10/7/2017