Model based optimal control for integrated building systems

Building performance simulation has traditionally concentrated on the use of basic and conventional control methods, which are of limited use since they cannot solve all the challenges encountered. With this regard, there is a great interest in the concept of modern control strategies for integrated building systems. To explore this potential, the paper focuses mainly on the application of model-based optimal control to buildings. In this case, a performance criterion minimized by linear programming is proposed in order to maintain the temperature of indoor environment comfortable while minimizing energy consumption. Particularly, this paper is concerned with the relevance and reliability of integrating control and building performance simulation environments by run-time coupling, over TCP/IP protocol suite. In addition, this paper involves a case-study with two important steps; the first step consists of experiments obtained in a test-cell that demonstrate the potential ability of advanced control strategies in buildings, and then simulation results are obtained with the use of distributed control and building performance simulation software by run-time coupling