Center for the Built Environment

An innovative sensor feedback structure for multiple sensors with single HVAC system control was developed. The disadvantage of the traditional control method using single sensor which can only measure one of the series rooms controlled by the same actuator as this newly developed method can take advantage of all room temperature information. A modular commercial building model for system analysis was also built for making a huge system element replaceable. The occupancy comfort index was modified using the concept of comfort zone to provide the system a metric of comfort. In order to verify the benefits of the new method, a computer simulation program was developed. One year of real weather data and precise mathematical model with 48 states was created to make steady state simulation. The result shows that by using the new feedback information system, we can make the number of comfort rooms increase, reduce the percentage of occupancy discomfort, and save about 15% of energy at the same time.