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In many modern buildings, different monitoring and control systems are used, but majority of them are not directly connected with the energy consumption optimisation. This paper presents a concept of an integrated performance monitoring system for promotion of energy awareness in buildings. The reference architecture of the envisioned system evolved from the traditional management structure, plan-do-check-act model. Traditional plan-do-check-act model has been upgraded with the integration of prediction engine, knowledge repository and modern scientific approaches for supporting energy awareness including early warning, optimisation and supervision. The proposed concept is constituted upon three modules: (1) data acquisition and processing, (2) knowledge repository, (3) performance monitoring system including prediction engine, consumption modelling, emissions calculation and decision support. The concept of three modules evolved from the idea to enrich existing solutions with the awareness about possible future abnormal situations and to enable preventive actions. Presented case study represents a repeatable application of the energy cost centres based modelling of energy consumption in educational and research buildings by using neuro-fuzzy modelling approach. Initial testing results are indicating the potential of electricity savings up to 15% enabled by visualisation and awareness about electricity consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper discusses the issue of selecting the design solution that best accords with an articulated preference of multiple criteria with an acceptable performance band. The application of a newly developed multi-criteria decision-making tool called RR-PARETO2 is presented. An example of HVAC design is used to illustrate how solutions could be selected within a multi-criteria optimization framework. In this example, five criteria have been selected, namely, power consumption, thermal comfort, risk of airborne infection of influenza and tuberculosis and effective differential temperature (Δt eq) of body parts. The goal is to select the optimal air exchange rate that makes reasonable trade-offs among all the objectives. Two scenarios have been studied. In the first scenario, there is an influenza outbreak and the important objective is to prevent the spread of infection. In the second scenario, energy prices are high and the primary objective is to reduce energy. In both scenarios, RR-PARETO2 algorithm selects solutions that make reasonable trade-offs among conflicting objectives. The example illustrates how objectives such as reduction of airborne disease transmission and maximizing thermal comfort can be incorporated in the design of a practical, full-scale HVAC system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Improving the heating performance of district heating networks (DHNs), one of the most important components in district heating systems, has significant influence on the promotion of energy efficiency. Based on the entransy theory, this paper develops an entransy dissipation-based method for global optimization of DHNs. We analyze the irreversibility of three types of heat transfer processes in DHNs: (1) the heat transfer process between the waters in primary heating networks and DHNs in substation heat exchangers; (2) the heat transfer process between supply water and indoor airs in radiators; and (3) the return water mixing process, then derive the expressions of entransy dissipation for each process, and finally deduce two different formulas of the total entransy dissipation in DHNs by the users’ demands and the structural and operating parameters of DHNs, respectively, from which we establish the mathematical relation between the users’ demands and the structural and operating parameters of DHNs. Based on this relation, two typical optimization problems of DHNs are converted into conditional extremum problems to deduce two optimization equation groups. Solving the equation groups gives the optimal structural and operating parameters for DHNs with highest energy efficiency. Finally, the method is proved valid and advantageous through the optimization for both 1-column-2-user and 2-column-4-user DHNs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]