Embedded Intelligence in Buildings Program

Congress has established a national goal of achieving net-zero energy buildings by 2030.^[1] Approximately 84% of the life cycle energy use of a building is associated with operating the building rather than the materials and energy used for construction.^[2] This program will provide the measurement science to realize energy efficient building operation through integrated cybernetic building systems with distributed, embedded intelligence that can optimize building system performance, detect and respond to faults and operational errors, and enable integration of building systems with smart grid technologies.

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[1]Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007

[2]World Business Council EEB Report  p. 11

Objective:  To develop and deploy advances in measurement science that will improve building operations to achieve energy efficiency, occupant comfort, and safety through the use of intelligent building systems by 2016.

What is the problem?   "The world is facing twin energy related threats: that of not having adequate and secure supplies of energy at affordable prices and that of environmental harm caused by consuming too much of it."^[1]  Any successful response to these threats must consider buildings. Buildings account for 40% of the United States' energy use and a similar percentage of carbon dioxide emissions, more than the transportation or industrial sectors.^[2] Emissions associated with buildings and appliances are projected to grow faster than those from any other sector.^[3] In order to ensure adequate supplies of energy and to curtail the projected growth of CO₂ emissions, it is essential that building energy consumption be significantly reduced. Congress has established a national goal of achieving net-zero energy buildings by 2030.

Approximately 84% of the life cycle energy use of a building is associated with operating the building rather than the materials and energy used for construction. "Building systems almost never achieve their design efficiencies at any time during building operation and their performance typically degrades over time."^[4]

In addition to energy issues, building operation practices face pressure to improve safety, security, and occupant comfort and health. Building control companies, equipment and system manufacturers, energy providers, utilities, and design engineers are under increasing pressure to improve performance and reduce costs by developing building systems that integrate more and more building services, including energy management, fire and security, vertical transportation, fault detection and diagnostics, optimal control, the real time purchase of electricity, and the aggregation of building stock.  Measurement science is lacking to enable these systems to have the intelligence to communicate, interact, share information, make decisions, detect and respond to faults, and perform in a synergistic and reliable manner. Specific needs include standard data models, communication protocols, user interface standards, security procedures, testing tools, and performance metrics. Overcoming these barriers is critical if building systems are to meet these operational needs and if the U.S. is to obtain a significant share of the developing world wide market for such systems.

Why is it hard to solve? Buildings are complex systems of interacting subsystems. Most commercial buildings are "one off" designs with unique operating needs. Interactions between subsystems can be complex and are often not well understood. The industry is very sensitive to first cost of new technologies and performance goals such as energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and comfort often conflict. There are no simulation tools that can realistically capture all of the necessary details of a complex interacting building system. Past improvements in the capabilities of building automation systems have not resulted in the expected reductions in overall building energy consumption or improvement in occupant comfort^[5].

An integrated portfolio of measurement science capabilities is needed that not only supports innovation in the design and manufacturing of individual components and systems, but also captures the system complexities and interactions seen in real buildings.  Each individual measurement capability presents technical challenges, and the overall goal of significantly improved energy performance can only be achieved by applying an integrated portfolio of such measurement science capabilities.

How is it solved today, and by whom?   The measurement science problems that inhibit development and effective deployment of integrated intelligent building systems have not been solved. However, there has been progress in some areas. As a result of past NIST leadership, the BACnet standard has been created and adopted by over 30 countries and most HVAC control system manufacturers. Conformance testing tools and processes have been developed and industry run certification programs are in place. This provides an effective base upon which to build more comprehensive solutions.

There are related efforts to improve building energy performance. The U.S. Department of Energy focuses on development and demonstration of energy technologies. The European Union is promoting building energy efficiency through a directive that requires efficiency improvements through a combination of education, financial incentives, and mandatory performance targets. In the U.S. efforts to improve building energy efficiency have been promoted by the Green Building Council. The International Energy Agency sponsored research programs to advance the state of building commissioning. None of these efforts, however, address the underlying measurement science needs.

Why NIST?    This program is closely aligned with the EL mission to promote U.S. innovation and competitiveness by anticipating and meeting the measurement science, standards, and technology needs of the U.S. building industry. It builds on the EL core competencies of Energy Efficient and Intelligent Operation of Buildings with Healthy Indoor Environments, and Intelligent Sensing, Control Processes, and Automation for Cyber-Physical Systems. It also aligns with our strategic goal of Sustainable and Energy-Efficient Manufacturing, Materials, and Infrastructure.

Because a mismatch exists between who invests (manufacturers) and who benefits (public), public sector involvement is necessary to overcome the initial barrier of developing the measurement science.  EL is in a position to leverage its strong ties to industry stakeholders, academia, and standards organizations. EL has the needed technical expertise and an international reputation for excellence in the technical areas relevant to cybernetic building systems[6] as a result of over two decades of technical work and collaboration. EL staff has leadership positions on the key U.S. and international committees that will make use of the program results.

What is the new technical idea?  The new idea is to address the measurement science needs of cybernetic building systems in a holistic, integrated manner that considers complex system interactions and their impact on energy consumption, comfort, safety, and maintenance. Measurement science is needed that will:

• Lead to enhancements in communication protocol standards that enable the practical use of integrated HVAC, lighting, security, vertical transport, energy management, and emergency response systems to achieve increased comfort, safety, and energy efficiency;
• Be used to create a laboratory testbed capable of whole building emulation of normal operation and a variety of faulty and hazardous conditions suitable for evaluating the needs and performance of cybernetic building systems in identifying and responding to equipment failures and abnormal conditions;
• Enable more energy efficient building operation through development of information models and software tools that improve the design and commissioning process and embedded intelligence in building control systems that can detect and respond to problems and optimize the control and performance of building systems; and
• Enable secure real-time communication of building system information to outside parties such as interconnection of building automation and control systems with a future "smart" utility grid.

 

Why can we succeed now?  Success is likely because of a combination of factors. There is heightened public recognition that energy security and efficiency is a highly desirable national goal. There have been significant technological advances in microprocessor-based technologies, new and lower cost sensors, and the ability to integrate building control systems.  EL staff has the needed expertise and established relationships with key industry stakeholders and relevant professional societies and standards development organizations that will use the results. Finally, there is already a track record of success from early work that has had demonstrable worldwide impact.

What is the research plan?   The research plan consists of a portfolio of interrelated projects that focus on key areas of measurement science needed to achieve successful development and implementation of cybernetic building systems. Collectively they provide a comprehensive approach that will lead to new industry standards and practices that will result in a radical market transformation in building system design and operation.

The Smart Building Automation and Control Testbed and Standards project is the cornerstone upon which other aspects of the research program are built. It supports ongoing development and refinement of a unique laboratory facility, the Virtual Cybernetic Building Testbed (VCBT). This realistic, whole-building emulator is used by other projects in the program to conduct research under controlled conditions that cannot be accomplished in actual buildings. This project also provides technical support for the ongoing development of key enabling standards that create the communication infrastructure used in the VCBT and upon which embedded intelligent systems will be built. EL's past work has led to international adoption and commercialization of BACnet, one of the most widely used and successful standards in ASHRAE history. In FY 2012, EL will work with industry partners to enhance BACnet capabilities in ways that eliminate barriers to extending BACnet beyond HVAC applications, provide technical support to the Office of Science and Technology Policy to carry out the objectives of the Better Buildings Initiative, and expand the capabilities of the VCBT while modernizing some of its key components.

Commissioning^[7] Building Systems for Improved Energy Performance is a project intended to address the problem that building automation systems are rarely commissioned and are poorly maintained, resulting in excessive energy consumption and other operational issues. The commissioning research builds on international collaborations through the International Energy Agency and will focus in FY 2012 on field testing of an EL developed commissioning tool for air-handling units and developing and refining new automated tools for commissioning chiller plants using the VCBT.  

Two projects address automated fault detection and diagnostics (FDD) for HVAC system components. One focuses on residential systems and one on commercial building systems. Both projects involve developing and testing FDD tools that can be implemented using commercially available instrumentation and control products, and demonstrating the energy benefits of detecting and responding to faults before building conditions degrade to the point that occupants complain. In FY 2012 the work will focus in the residential area on developing a new test procedure for evaluating the performance of FDD tools for heat pumps and air conditioners. For commercial building systems the work will focus on developing an inference engine that can be used to assist operators responding to multiple FDD alarms and developing new FDD tools for specific types of equipment.

A research project on control optimization using intelligent agents seeks to enable a fundamental paradigm shift in the way in which building system operation is optimized for energy efficiency. Classical optimization techniques have not been successful in buildings but adapting intelligent agent technology from other fields offers the promise of significant improvement in building operations. In FY 2012 the work will focus on refining prototype intelligent agent solutions, construction of a new laboratory facility, and improvements to the EL Intelligent Agent Simulation Platform.

Cybernetic building systems involve communication and interaction with entities outside the building as well as within. The Integrating Building Automation Systems with a Smart Utility Grid project will result in control strategies and standards that pioneer a new era of real-time electricity pricing, increased use of renewable energy sources, and building electrical load management.

How will teamwork be ensured?   The projects that make up the Embedded Intelligence in Buildings Program involve EL staff from two research groups and numerous outside partners through CRADAs and established relationships with professional society technical committees and standards committees. Each project has specific plans in place for coordination and information exchange needed to accomplish its goals. These plans include details for internal EL collaborations and also interactions with outside parties. Periodic meetings with project leaders will enable high level coordination and information exchange between project teams.

What is the impact if successful?   Work being conducted under the Embedded Intelligence in Buildings Program will result in the adoption of new and improved industry standards, codes and regulations. It will advance industry practices and improve productivity, life cycle cost savings, energy conservation, and occupant satisfaction and safety. It will also increase U.S. market leadership through the commercial application of tested, integrated, and open cybernetic building systems and concepts.   It is estimated that a key impact of this research will be a 20% reduction in energy consumption and CO₂ emissions linked to commercial building heating, ventilating and air-conditioning.

What is the standards strategy?  The development and adoption of industry standards, building codes, and best practice guidelines is a critical aspect of achieving commercial success in embedding intelligence in cybernetic building systems. Industry needs include:

• Communication protocol standards that enable complete integration of multi-vendor building systems and integration of building systems with utility providers;
• Improved commissioning best practice guidelines and standards for documenting the economic, energy, and other benefits of quality commissioning practices;
• Methods of test for characterizing the performance of FDD tools and to verify correct implementation of communication protocol standards; and
• Information models and communication standard to characterize key market transactions and control actions needed to integrate building systems with a smart grid.

Collectively, the projects in this program address all of these needs. The approach is to identify the industry needs, conduct research needed to fill gaps in industry knowledge, and contribute directly to industry standards and guideline committees, often in a key leadership position.

In the area of communication protocol standards, EL led the development of BACnet and its companion testing standard. These standards have been adopted worldwide, spawned industry run testing and certification programs, and achieved enormous market success. The ongoing work involves supporting enhancements to the standards in critical areas and ensuring their international adoption. The continuous maintenance process in place results in multiple addenda being approved each year. Addenda that are most critical for the success of this program are expected to be completed in two years. EL staff have key leadership positions on the relevant national and international committees.

The focus for commissioning is modernizing and enhancing a family of ASHRAE guidelines and supporting the adoption of an emerging new standard. The changes involve increasing the scope of the commissioning process to span the life building life cycle, increasing the use of automation, and documenting the costs and benefits. EL staff are directly involved in the relevant committees. First results are expected within 18 months. Additional results will appear over time with some significant improvements expected each year and substantial completion expected within five years.

In the area of FDD, the state of knowledge is not yet mature enough to support industry standards. The research in this program is targeted at filling these knowledge gaps creating a technical basis for new standards. There has already been impact on building energy codes which are beginning to recognize FDD technology.

For smart grid, NIST has a Congressional mandate to lead a national effort to develop a standards infrastructure to support a future smart electrical grid. This is a huge effort involving thousands of participants and dozens of standards organizations. The work in this program targets standards specific to building integration needs and includes leadership in committees developing standards to support real-time pricing, characterization of energy features for market interactions, and information models for facility control interactions. These standards are now in draft form and will be finalized in the next year. It is anticipated that they will need ongoing maintenance.

How will knowledge transfer be achieved?  Knowledge transfer will be achieved through technical publications, development of new or enhanced industry standards and guidelines, and by working collaboratively with industrial partners.

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[1] IEA's World Energy Outlook, http://www.iea.org/Textbase/npsum/WEO2006SUM.pdf

[2] DOE Buildings Energy Data Book  http://buildingsdatabook.eren.doe.gov/

[3] Reducing U. S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions:How Much at What Cost?http://www.mckinsey.com/clientservice/ccsi/pdf/US_ghg_final_report.pdf

[4]Federal Research and Development Agenda for Net-Aero Energy, High-Performance Green Buildings, NSTC Report, October, 2008

[5]Turner, C. and M. Frankel.  2008. "Energy Performance of LEED for New Construction Buildings.  U.S. Green Building Council.

[6]A Cybernetic Building System integrates building automation and control systems for energy management, fire detection, security and vertical transport systems. It also integrates the building systems with outside service providers and utilities.

[7] Commissioning is a quality assurance process that spans the entire design and construction process, helping ensure that the building's performance meets owner expectations.

Improved Energy Efficiency of Operations

Outcome: Fault detection tools for variable air volume (VAV) air handlers and VAV box controls

Outcome: Completed IEA Annex 40, Commissioning of Building HVAC Systems for Improving Energy Performance and IEA Annex 47, Cost Effective Commissioning for Existing and Low Energy Buildings

Outcome: Disseminated state of the art review on commissioning, including cost benefit, persistence, automated commissioning tools, and needs for zero-energy buildings

Outcome: CITE-AHU tool for automated commissioning of air-handling units

Outcome: Developed standard cost-benefit methodology for the development of an international, on-line commissioning database

Outcome: Prototype intelligent building agent simulation tool completed

Outcome: Rapid prototyping tool developed for investigating FDD algorithms

Outcome: Cooling and heating mode fault-applied performance data for heat pumps provided to industry and academia

 

New Integrated Functionality for Building Systems

Outcome: Establishment of an ISO Maintenance Agency to fast track changes to BACnet and its companion testing standard in the CEN and ISO standards process

Outcome: Draft OASIS Energy Market Information Exchange standard

Outcome: Draft OASIS Energy Interoperation standard

Improved Occupant Safety

Outcome: Adoption of an Annex F to NFPA 72 covering NEMA SB 30 fire service annunciator displays

Outcome: A successful demonstration of real-time tactical decision aid displays in an emergency responder field exercise with the Wilson, NC Fire Department

Outcome: Developed a new simplified approach to dynamically changing the size and characteristics of the emulated buildings in the VCBT, increasing utility and reducing set up time

Recent Impacts

Impact:Adoption of the BACnet standard, based on NIST measurement science work, by CEN, ISO, and over 30 countries.

Impact: Establishment of BACnet International and BACnet Interest Groups in Australasia, Europe, Finland, Middle East, Russia, Sweden

Impact:Implementation of BACnet by over 500 companies including every major HVAC control system manufacturer as the protocol of choice for integrated building automation systems.

Impact:Industry adoption and use of ASTM building economic standards, based on NIST measurement science work, for improved decision-making.

Impact:Industry adoption of VPACC and APAR fault detection algorithms for performance monitoring of HVAC products, based on NIST measurement science work, leading to better performing and more energy efficient HVAC systems.

Impact: Cooling and heating mode performance data used by commercial developers of residential FDD equipment.

 

Recognition of EL:   Recognition received by EL and its staff from this program includes:

• A Department of Commerce Gold Medal;
• A National Performance Review "Hammer Award;"
• A Department of Commerce Bronze Medal;
• William P. Schlicter Award;
• Edward Bennet Rosa Award;
• Special citations and Distinguished Service Award from ASHRAE; and
• BACnet International Fellow.