Multi-agent Control System with Intelligent Optimization for Building Energy Management

Abstract

Abstract. Smart, sustainable and energy-efficient buildings have recently become a trend for intelligent and green building industry. One of the challenges for such a building is to minimize power consumption without compromising the occupant comfort. It is possible to sustain high comfort level with minimal energy consumption through intelligent multi-agent control and optimization. Our work focuses on a new algorithmic aspect of a multi-agent control system that makes buildings more intelligent, resource efficient and comfortable for occupants. A multi-agent control system with intelligent optimization is proposed to optimize HVAC (heating, ventilation and airconditioning) processes using computational intelligence approaches. The optimum solutions generated through the optimization engine and task scheduling for each agent will be used to sustain a high level of occupant comfort with minimal power consumption, increase energy utilization efficiency, and consequently reduce energy cost. Experimental results and comparisons with other evolutionary approaches demonstrate the overall performance and potential benefits of the new framework.

Contributing to the Modeling of a Multi-Agent System for Comfort Control in Smart Buildings Applications

“…A similar architecture is proposed in [11], although this latter approach focuses on the implementation details of the agents that mainly meet the needs of compactness since, in the first approach, these concepts are not taken into account. The MAS based on the oriented approach interactions were developed in [22] by coordinating a human machine interface (HMI) and agent-based communities, to optimize the comfort management as well as the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) processes.…”

Significant Implication of Optimal Capacitor Placement and Sizing for a Sustainable Electrical Operation in a Building

“…Energy efficiency improvement is a popular research stream that comprises the implementation of several types of advanced technological concept in large-scale buildings [1,2]. Previous studies report that the major cause of inefficient energy usage in most large-scale buildings is the disproportionate management and unsustainable operation of space heating and conditioning, water heating, lighting, electrical system, as well as the use of computers, electrical appliances, and other electronic devices [3]. The basic principle of energy efficiency enhancement within large-scale buildings is to use less energy in the operation of its system without causing discomfort and health deficiency to the occupants.…”