Occupancy-Driven Supervisory Control Strategies to Minimise Energy Consumption of Airport Terminal Building

Abstract

The most cost-effective way to improve the energy efficiency of a building is often achieved through efficient control strategy. Such strategies may include shutting down plant or setting back/up setpoints of indoor environment systems as the case may be during the period that the building is not occupied and providing optimal setpoints for comfort during occupancy. In most cases, airport terminal indoor environment systems run on designed conditions and do not have fine control based on detailed passenger flow information. While opportunities for complete shut-down of HVAC and lighting systems are limited in busy airport terminals due to round-the-clock operations, this paper uses a professional building software to examined the potentials of applying appropriate setpoints during occupancy conditions and setback operation during inoccupancy conditions as an energy saving strategy for the indoor spaces of airport terminal. Based on some acquired site information, existing HVAC and lighting control system, a thermal model of a real UK airport terminal building was constructed. This base model was upgraded to a more energy efficient model based on real-time passenger flow. Results showing improved energy and CO₂ savings are presented.