Occupant-Integrated Model Predictive Control of Building HVAC Systems: Benefits, Drawbacks and Challenges

Within the last decades, needs for building control systems that reduce cost, energy, peak demand and that facilitate building-grid integration, district-energy system optimization and occupant interaction have come about. Model Predictive Control (MPC) is a control technique that utilizes system models and forecasts to predict performance and optimize control inputs in real-time. This presentation discusses in detail the ways occupant interaction with MPC-controlled building systems can occur, particularly as related to the control of HVAC systems, including benefits, drawbacks and challenges. This presentation discusses progress on current work that is exploring and implementing these interactions in demonstration buildings.