Movement Based Energy Management Models for Smart Buildings

Abstract

Providing suitable conditions for the presence of humans is commonly the main cause for the energy consumption of buildings, but until now the movements of people to and from buildings are rarely taken into account by energy management systems. The arrival or presence of inhabitants is in some advanced systems recognized by location-based geofences or with on-site sensors, but not monitored in advance. This study aims to develop a dynamic concept that connects the real-time movement data of smartphone GPS sensors with building energy management systems. The novel concept uses the speed of movement of people towards or away from the building, the inertia of the controllable applications and the differential between the current state and set point as input for the energy management systems of the building. The purpose is to control energy applications before a person reaches the home, workplace or public space. In this way, optimal conditions in the space are available precisely when they are needed. The duration of the average daily commute of a person is in the same magnitude that is needed to activate devices that have inertia, for example, heating, ventilation or cooling.