Building Modeling & Control

Objectives: System identification of linear systems, controller design, RLC circuit models of non-electrical phenomena.
Tools: Matlab/Simulink, EnergyPlus, MLE+
Models: linear systems, first-principles physical modeling.

We are asked to design a network of 1000s of controllers for the air conditioning of large building, and we can’t begin to understand the underlying physical models. In this project, we replace the complex black box model with a simpler linear system using System Identification, how principles of physics can be used to create a ‘thermal’ RC-network model of the energy-use dynamics of any building, and how to design and test controllers for it.