Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Under this CRADA, LBNL in collaboration with Community Energy Labs proposed to demonstrate a low-cost, highly scalable control solution for Small and Medium-Sized Commercial Buildings (SMCB) and assess the business potential at multiple building sites. The proposed technology built on a previously developed and demonstrated model predictive control (MPC). The minimal sensor requirement and less need of control expertise are the unique feature of the algorithm that leads to low capital and maintenance costs, and short installation and implementation time. The technology can be applied to any buildings served by multiple units, with the benefits being greatest for open-spaced buildings, such as banks, retail stores, restaurants, and factories. This project aims at developing an affordable control solution for: 1) grid responsiveness of SMCBs, 2) GHG reduction by changing unit operations, 3) greater utility cost reduction, and 4) rapid adoption in the marketplace.