Building Digital Twin Simulation for Adaptive Control Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Building management systems face challenges in developing and deploying analytic and control algorithms that are time-consuming and lack flexibility, with output data being difficult for users to conceptualize in relation to physical building components.
Innovation Solution
A building system that utilizes a digital twin, a virtual representation of the building with artificial intelligence, to generate inference values and provide user interface data for graphic representations of future or historical states, including recommendations for updates to building operations such as air handling units, occupancy levels, and disinfectant lights.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional analytic and control algorithms are developed and deployed in building management systems, then building control functionality is achieved, but the development and deployment process becomes time-consuming and requires significant software development
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital twin (virtual copy) of the building that replicates physical building components, data points, and interrelationships. This digital copy enables simulation and testing of control algorithms without requiring extensive software development and deployment in the physical system, thereby reducing development time while maintaining control functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary simulation and validation of analytic and control algorithms in the digital twin environment before deploying them to the actual building management system. This preliminary action allows algorithms to be tested and refined without time-consuming deployment cycles in the physical system.
2Reliability
If traditional analytic and control algorithms are used in building management, then control operations are performed, but the algorithms lack flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances in the building
Solution Approach 1:
The digital twin system enables dynamic adaptation of control algorithms by allowing users to modify parameters, test scenarios, and reconfigure control logic in the virtual environment. These changes can be simulated and validated before implementation, providing flexibility to adapt to changing building circumstances while maintaining reliable control operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback loops where simulation results from the digital twin inform algorithm optimization. User interactions, simulation outcomes, and building performance data feed back into the algorithm development process, enabling continuous improvement and adaptation of control strategies.
3Productivity
If building data is processed through analytic algorithms, then control decisions are generated, but the output data becomes hard for users to conceptualize and relate to physical building components
Solution Approach 1:
The digital twin maintains a direct correspondence between virtual data points and physical building components through the building graph data structure. This mapping allows users to visualize and understand algorithm output data in the context of actual physical components, making abstract data concrete and actionable while maintaining efficient control decision generation.
Data Source
AI summary
A building system of a building operates to receive historical data values of the plurality of data points for a plurality of historical times, receive a selection of a proposed update to the building, the proposed update changing control of the building or physical characteristics of the building at a past time, a current time, or a future time, execute an artificial intelligence to generate a plurality of inference values of the plurality of data points for the plurality of historical times or a plurality of future times based on the historical data values and the proposed update, and generate user interface data causing a user device to display a graphic representation of the building with a plurality of states at the plurality of future times or the plurality of historical times.