A Fuzzy-Based Building Automation Control System: Optimizing the Level of Energy Performance and Comfort in an Office Space by Taking Advantage of Building Automation Systems and Solar Energy

Abstract

Building automation systems (BASs) are the key to improving the energy performance of buildings as well as the occupants? comfort. There is a need to build a knowledge base on the matter and to grow suitable algorithms for a smart management of intelligent buildings. Therefore, fuzzy logic is a valuable candidate for developing robust algorithms. The scope of this article is to validate a fuzzy-logic approach with the ability to optimize the level of energy performance and comfort in an office space by taking advantage of BASs and solar energy. In BASs, dynamic elements, e.g., dynamic facade and luminaires, can exploit daylight and solar gain based on the condition that well-programmed integrated multicriteria decision-making methods are used. In this article, a virtual model of a smart office room (SOR) equipped with dynamic shading, lighting, and an air-conditioning control system was studied, and four different scenarios were considered: control versus no control, economy versus comfort mode, fluorescent versus lightemitting diode (LED), and dimming versus switching. Both economy and comfort mode showed a better energy performance than the noncontrolled scenarios. In conclusion, the proposed model is a valuable tool for optimizing comfort features and energy demand.