Systems and methods for optimization of a building management system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bespoke building management system (BMS) software upgrades are time-consuming and costly, necessitating a more efficient and cost-effective method to optimize building behavior and energy efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A cloud-based platform analyzes building behavior, generates optimized control strategies, and implements them via an onsite controller to override set points in the BMS, utilizing a data network and BACnet protocol to enhance energy savings and climate control without modifying the native control logic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bespoke BMS software upgrades are implemented to optimize building behavior, then building optimization performance is improved, but deployment time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a digital twin (virtual model) of the building to simulate and optimize control strategies without modifying the actual BMS software. The digital twin copies the building's physical characteristics and behavior, allowing optimization testing and deployment of optimized setpoints without time-consuming software upgrades. This resolves the contradiction by enabling optimization through virtual modeling rather than direct software modification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary optimization system that sits between the existing BMS and the building equipment. This intermediary layer generates optimized control commands based on digital twin simulations and sends them to the BMS, avoiding the need to modify the native BMS software. The intermediary enables optimization performance improvement while maintaining compatibility with existing systems and avoiding deployment time associated with software upgrades.
2Reliability
If bespoke BMS software upgrades are implemented to optimize building behavior, then building optimization performance is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By creating a digital twin instead of modifying expensive proprietary BMS software, the patent avoids costly software licensing and customization fees. The virtual model can be developed and updated independently, reducing dependency on vendor-specific software upgrades and associated costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediary optimization system provides a cost-effective alternative to expensive bespoke software upgrades. It uses open-standard communication protocols to interface with existing BMS equipment, avoiding the need for proprietary software licenses and custom development costs associated with vendor-specific optimization solutions.
3Reliability
If native BMS control logic is modified to implement optimization strategies, then optimization effectiveness is improved, but system complexity and risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the optimization function from the native BMS control logic by implementing it in an independent intermediary layer. This segmentation allows the existing BMS to remain unchanged while adding optimization capabilities through a separate digital twin-based system, reducing system complexity and risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediary optimization system acts as a mediator between the control strategies and the native BMS logic. It translates optimization decisions into BMS-compatible commands without requiring modifications to the existing control logic, thereby maintaining system simplicity and reducing the risks associated with modifying proven control systems.
4Speed
If real-time optimization is implemented through cloud-based analysis, then optimization responsiveness is improved, but data communication requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis and optimization strategy development in the cloud based on historical data and digital twin simulations. Once optimized strategies are determined, they are deployed to the onsite controller for real-time execution. This preliminary action reduces the need for continuous real-time data communication, as the system only needs to transmit updated setpoints rather than continuously stream all operational data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts heavy computational analysis functions to the cloud-based digital twin environment, leaving only lightweight execution functions at the onsite controller. This extraction allows real-time optimization responsiveness through cloud intelligence while minimizing data communication requirements by only transmitting essential control commands rather than processing all data locally.
Data Source
AI summary
A building management system (BMS) optimization system for optimizing an existing BMS of a building. The system has a cloud platform that is configured to analyse existing building behaviour and recommend one or more optimized control strategies from a strategy library to improve the building behaviour. An onsite controller is provided that is in data communication with the pre-existing BMS of a building, and which is configured to implement the recommended optimized control strategies from the cloud platform by overriding set points in the BMS in real-time to thereby optimize the building behaviour. A data network or data communication link is provided between cloud platform and onsite controller.