FEEdBACk: An ICT-Based Platform to Increase Energy Efficiency through Buildings’ Consumer Engagement

Abstract

Energy efficiency in buildings can be enhanced by several actions: encouraging users to comprehend and then adopt more energy-efficient behaviors; aiding building managers in maximizing energy savings; and using automation to optimize energy consumption, generation, and storage of controllable and flexible devices without compromising comfort levels and indoor air-quality parameters. This paper proposes an integrated Information and communications technology (ICT) based platform addressing all these factors. The gamification platform is embedded in the ICT platform along with an interactive energy management system, which aids interested stakeholders in optimizing “when and at which rate” energy should be buffered and consumed, with several advantages, such as reducing peak load, maximizing local renewable energy consumption, and delivering more efficient use of the resources available in individual buildings or blocks of buildings. This system also interacts with an automation manager and a users’ behavior predictor application. The work was developed in the Horizon 2020 FEEdBACk (Fostering Energy Efficiency and BehAvioral Change through ICT) project.

Assessing the Impact of the Digital Economy on Green Total Factor Energy Efficiency in the Post-COVID-19 Era

“…Subsequently, scholars have conducted extensive empirical studies to validate the findings of Berkhout and Hertin (2001). For example, Soares et al (2021) state that an integrated platform of information and communication technology (ICT) can help building managers save energy.…”

“…Subsequently, scholars have conducted extensive empirical studies to validate the findings of Berkhout and Hertin (2001). For example, Soares et al (2021) state that an integrated platform of information and communication technology (ICT) can help building managers save energy. However, some scholars have come to a different conclusion through studies that there is a significant positive correlation between ICT and internet applications because of a "rebound effect."…”

Real-World Implementation of an ICT-Based Platform to Promote Energy Efficiency

“…An interested reader can find more details about each of the four groups encompassing the tools developed in the FEEdBACk project in [9]. The applications developed using Python programming language are based on opensource libraries and run in an exclusive virtual machine operating on the Ubuntu server.…”

“…The temperature and relative humidity refer to values in the building exterior and their forecasted values are calculated on the weather station's side. The input power metering data corresponds to 185 smart meters installed at INESC TEC and can be divided into the following categories: lights, outlets, HVAC, fan, splitter, hand dryer, lifts, server room, and server HVAC [9]. In some cases, we use these data to monitor a single room's load; otherwise, we aggregate it at the building level.…”

“…The FEEdBACk project deploys various gamification techniques supported by the advanced algorithmic landscape and extensive metering and sensing infrastructure, making it stand out from the cohort of similar projects [6][7][8]. While the idea, methodology, contribution, and main results of the FEEdBACk project are well detailed in respective papers [9], this work aims to demonstrate the real-world implementation and functionality of the developed ICT-based platform, suitable for different types of tertiary and residential buildings. In the context of the current study, the platform's operations are showcased on an office building and multiple residential dwellings.…”