From Buildings to Smart Buildings - Sensing and Actuation to Improve Energy Efficiency

Commercial buildings consume a significant amount of energy today and are slated to consume even more in the future. This consumption necessitates the use of carbon-producing fuels such as coal and natural gas, both of which have significant environmental impacts. While renewable energy sources remain promising, it is expected that most of the electricity generation will still use fossil fuels in the near term. Therefore, improving the energy efficiency in commercial buildings is critical, and one of the central visions of “smart buildings” is to reduce their energy use while maintaining the same level of service. In this paper we examine how such a building can be designed, focusing on the central role of actuation within buildings. We describe what is required for effective control and actuation (such as sensing), how it can be accomplished, and show the results and findings from our own deployments in a commercial mixed-use building.