Real world deployment of a data driven cloud based cooling solution for HVAC control in commercial buildings

Abstract

This demonstration shows a data driven cloud based cooling solution for reducing the energy and cost footprints associated with building HVAC. The cooling solution is hosted on the IBM cloud platform. We describe the motivation behind implementing the solution on the cloud and highlight one of its key features, namely the ability to use secure RESTful APIs alongside the Project Haystack IoT initiative to configure various set-point parameters in a building management system located on-site at a building. Our solution is currently being used to control the zone set-point temperature settings of a large office building situated in Townsville, Australia. Preliminary results from a trial performed in March 2018 shows that the zone peak air conditioning power can be reduced by over 5% and cooling energy consumption can be lowered by over 7% (amounting to substantial savings in annual electricity cost) without impacting the thermal comfort of the occupants. This cooling solution forms part of our more sophisticated data driven pre-cooling framework for HVAC energy cost optimisation in commercial buildings.