Smart operation and control of offices to improve comfort and energy performance

建筑物在我们的环境影响中发挥着重要作用（例如，53%的电力使用和35%的温室气体排放），包括约15%的加拿大国内生产总值，并代表我们的生活和工作环境超过90%的时间。净零能耗建筑在减少建筑物影响方面具有巨大潜力。然而，为了实现这一雄心勃勃的目标，至关重要的是，建筑物不仅要设计，而且还要以接近最佳的方式运营。拟议的项目包括互补的部分，以显着提高办公室和区域规模的商业建筑的性能：1）开发和实验验证的新型虚拟传感器，用于估计舒适度和能源相关的变量和状态和2）开发和现场测试的自适应，建筑/居住者学习控制，以前由申请人的团队开发。该项目涉及两个领先的卡尔顿大学研究人员，一个新的和一个有成就的博士生，和加拿大的三角洲控制公司，任期四年Delta Controls在楼宇控制市场处于领先地位，过去三年来一直与研究人员合作。他们有能力吸收研究成果，并将其开发成可销售的产品或服务。Delta Controls致力于发挥重要的支持作用，包括：学生培训，设备和软件，技术咨询和支持，以及现场测试和实验室设置的协助。这项研究的新成果包括开发虚拟传感器和办公室自适应控制。这些系统预计将减少30%以上的能源使用，同时提高乘员舒适度和生产力。除了帮助加拿大实现其排放目标和减少对能源基础设施的需求外，开发的虚拟传感器和控制算法将使该行业合作伙伴成为先进办公楼控制和运营的全球市场的第一个。

Buildings play a significant role in our environmental impact (e.g., 53% of electricity use and 35% of greenhouse gas emissions), comprise of about 15% of Canada's gross domestic product, and represent our living and working environment for over 90% of the time. Net-zero energy buildings have great potential to reduce buildings' impact. However, in order to achieve this ambitious target, it is critical that buildings not only be designed, but also operated, near-optimally. The proposed project comprises of complementary parts to significantly improve the performance of commercial buildings at the office and zone scale: 1) development and experimental validation of novel virtual sensors for estimating comfort and energy-related variables and states and 2) development and field testing of adaptive, building/occupant-learning controls that were previously developed by the applicant's team. The project involves the partnership of two leading Carleton University researchers, one new and an accomplished PhD student, and Canada-based Delta Controls Inc., for a four-year term. Delta Controls leads the building controls market and has previously collaborated with the researchers for the past three years. They have the capacity to uptake the research results and develop them into marketable products or services. Delta Controls has committed to playing a major supporting role, including: student training, equipment and software, technical advice and support, and the assistance with field testing and laboratory setup. The novel outcomes of this research include development of virtual sensors and adaptive controls for offices. Together, these systems are expected to reduce energy use by over 30%, while increasing occupant comfort and productivity. Aside from helping Canada achieve its objectives in emissions and reducing the need for energy infrastructure, the developed virtual sensors and control algorithms will position the industry partner to be first to the global market in advanced office building controls and operations.