Research Areas

Modeling and Simulation
Laboratory and Field Testing
Research Projects Overview

Faculty members and students affiliates with the Building Systems Program perform research in the broad area of energy management. Most efforts focus on energy use in buildings. The work includes both applied research in the analysis of energy systems as well as practical implementation of energy-efficient technologies. The following lists describe some recent research activities:

Modeling and Simulation

Evaluation of optimal control strategies for ice storage systems
Analytical treatment of ground coupling heat transfer from slab-on-grade floors, basements, and earth-sheltered buildings
Development of a simplified tool for foundation heat transfer calculations
Modeling of indoor air quality in buildings to evaluate the interactions between building thermal demands and air quality
Analytical and numerical models for dynamic walls to assess their thermal efficiency.
Development of simulation models for all significant secondary systems used in the HVAC industry for buildings
Deterministic models for indirect ice storage systems
Development of a new analytical design method for stand alone PV systems
Design of a prototype soft energy community (SEC) in the Fukuyama city area in Japan
Validation and improvement of the modified bin method for building energy analysis
Evaluation of thermal bridging effects in wall corners
Application of Neural networks (NNs) for building parameters determination and predicting future energy use
Application of neural networks (NNs) for on-line control and optimization of central heating and cooling systems
Computerization of energy audit techniques for selecting energy conservation measures, for diagnosing HVAC system problems and for decision analysis
Development of a real time diagnostic expert system for commercial buildings
Development of a real time expert systems for HVAC and solar system diagnostics
Development of a prototype expert system for commercial building HVAC diagnostics

Laboratory and Field Testing

Field implementation and evaluation of on-line optimal supervisory control of cooling plants without storage
Development of a methodology to measure in-situ chiller, fan, and pump performance
Laboratory testing of over forty commercial building HVAC control configurations
Field implementation and testing of a real time commercial building diagnostic expert system
Monitoring of eight large, chilled water, commercial building storage facilities in the US and Canada
Testing and evaluation of motor controllers for appliances and furnace fans
Field testing of evaluation of operating strategies of dehumidification systems in supermarkets and retail stores
Design and field testing of a photovoltaic based device for beam insolation measurement
Testing of a matrix solar central receiver fabricated by Sandia Laboratories
Development and testing of wind-powered ice-making systems for remote international villages