Field Performance of a MPC Coordinating Multiple Rooftop Units (LB-17-C057)

Small and medium sized commercial buildings, such as retail stores, restaurants and factories, often utilize multiple roof top units (RTUs) to provide cooling and heating for open spaces. A conventional control approach for these buildings relies on local feedback control, where each unit is cycled on and off using its own thermostat. Because a thermostat operates regardless of the overall building’s behavior, the conventional control approach could result in unnecessary energy use and high electrical peak demand via poor coordination among the units. The control solution is not site-specific and provides reduced energy consumption and peak demand with low sensor requirements. This paper provides recent results of long-term performance of the RTU Coordinator at field sites for small/medium commercial buildings.