Building HVAC control systems - Role of controls and optimization

As building systems become more integrated, one inherently introduces coupling between previously independent designs. Model-based controls and analysis tools are key to identify problems and solution-paths early on. A model-based approach facilitates the developments of monitoring equipment, fault-tolerance, diagnosis and controls algorithms, that are critical in the operation of integrated system. This paper introduces a rich set of problems in controls and optimization related to commercial chilled water cooling plants and related systems. The problems range from opportunities in multivariable optimal control, dynamic resource allocation and control over networks. As an example, dither-based extremum seeking based controls is proposed as a online optimization algorithm for chilled water plant control.