LightMBC-tool: A web-based platform to support industrial HVAC system energy efficiency

Modeling and simulating indoor temperature changes is crucial for improving the energy efficiency of HVAC systems in smart buildings. This study created and compared two models, Random Forest and Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), to study indoor temperature changes and make 24-hour temperature predictions. The dataset used contained 97,606 readings from IoT sensors on Kaggle, which were then processed into 38,334 observations with a 5-minute interval. The feature engineering process included creating lag features, moving statistics, and temperature differences in order to capture the time patterns and thermal properties of the building. The Random Forest model showed better results with MAE of 0.146°C, RMSE of 0.285°C, and R² of 0.986, far better than the MLP which had MAE of 0.470°C, RMSE of 0.731°C, and R² of 0.907. A 24-hour simulation proved the Random Forest's ability to make step-by-step predictions, achieving an MAE of 0.057°C and an R² of 0.993 without any cumulative errors. Random Forest was able to capture dynamic temperature changes (29.5-35°C), while MLP provided more stable results (32.5-35°C). The results of the study show that Random Forest is more efficient in modeling temperature changes, with the potential for HVAC energy savings of 15-25% through more precise settings based on predictions.

According to extant Italian legislation implementing the Renewable Energy Directive, the mandatory renewable quota for a new building is 60% referring to a single service (e.g., heating during winter) or to multiple services (e.g., heating during winter and air conditioning during summer), depending on which services are actually present. The obligation to satisfy this minimum value often leads heating and ventilation plant designers to provide heat pump systems in industrial buildings, typically air/water or direct expansion type coupled with air terminals (air heaters or ventilation units) or radiant floors. The question is: Is this always the most advantageous option for industrial buildings? A typical industrial building was modeled by Trnsys® in two different climates. Based on the calculated thermal heating loads, the condensing radiant tubes and heat pump coupled with the air heaters systems were analyzed through dynamic simulation, evaluating their performance from an energy, environmental impact, and economic point of view. The analysis carried out revealed that a heat pump system is not always the most advantageous solution depending on the climate, the characteristics of the building (less or more thermal insulation, which corresponds to existing buildings rather than new ones), and the size of the photovoltaics system eventually installed on the roof.

Economic and development growth are mainly supported by the construction industry. Consequently, the escalation and advancement in the building industry had produced massive wastes, affecting the environments’ quality. The problem highlighted is supported by previous studies which proved that it is one of the main concerns to be resolved in future. This paper is based on a review of the construction waste and its scenario in Malaysia. Based on the data collected from previous studies, it can be identified that wood is the main waste materials that are generated in the construction industry due to the high usage of wood in the conventional method of the formwork system. The high amount of construction waste generated also resulted in more illegal waste dumping impacting the environment in Malaysia. This paper discusses on the construction technique that can help in minimising construction waste. Industrialised Building System (IBS) is one of the methods which apply prefabrication and factory-produced construction in Malaysia. It is one of the efforts reducing the production of construction debris on site due to the structural components being produced in a regulated space such as a factory rather than on the construction site. RBM Building System and the new digital IBS is one of the other construction methods that are improvised from the previous IBS which maximise the potential of minimisation of waste construction.

Industrialised Building System (IBS) is defined as method for thorough integration of subsystems, components, and parts into a single overall system that utilizes industrialised manufacturing, transportation, assembling, and erection on site. Buildings that are built by using IBS method have many benefits, including high quality, low cost, fast construction, high flexibility, minimal wastage, and less environmental impact. However, adopting IBS in Sarawak has several hindrances such as logistical situation in rural Sarawak and the overpriced IBS adoption due to lack of manufacturer in the areas which causes lack of readiness among contractors. Thus, the aim of this research is to identify the G7 contractors’ readiness and investigate the challenges of IBS adoption for construction in Sarawak. One hundred and twenty-five sets of questionnaire surveys were distributed to G7 contractors in Kuching area by using google form as online medium and were analysed using SPSS version 26 software. The findings from the survey showed that Sarawak G7 contractors still lack readiness in IBS adoption due to challenges faced. Thus, further research needed on steps to be taken to reduce challenges in adopting IBS in Sarawak.

Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in industrial and commercial buildings constitutes 40% of the world energy consumption. Many recent studies put more emphasize on developing efficient control strategies in order to deliver acceptable occupants' comfort while maintaining optimal energy consumption. This paper introduces a state feedback control approach for heating and air conditioning systems by optimizing set points and operation modes while providing the desired indoor environmen's quality at minimum energy consumption. Simulations have been conducted using the BCVTB framework by developing the interface that allows data exchange between EnergyPlus for building's envelope and MATLAB for integrating the proposed controller. Simulation results are reported to show the potential of the state feedback control approach for saving energy while keeping suitable occupant's comfort.

The recycle air-handling unit (RCU) is a very important type of air-conditioning equipment for high-tech electronics factories and also consumes a lot of energy. Its main purpose is to stabilize the indoor temperature and humidity, appropriately treat the outside air supplement in order to maintain positive indoor pressure, and supply the required additional exhaust to ensure the balance of air in the factory. Recycled heated air is one of the necessary processes for RCU. To enhance the energy efficiency of HVAC systems in high-tech factories, this paper proposes a methodology for RCU energy management by using variable recycled air controls. The proposed method utilizes the heat produced by the manufacturing processes and the high quality of recycled air to replace or reduce the output of the reheating devices. A variable frequency control also shall determine the required recycled air, the circulating air flow, heater output, and cooling water control valve output according to the system operation. A practical high-tech semiconductor plant is selected for field testing in order to demonstrate the performance of proposed method. Test results indicate that it significantly benefits the processing environments with a small sensible heat load and a large change in loads.

The article is devoted to the study of development and maintenance methodologies for information systems based on the Internet of Things (IoT) technology, with a particular focus on the use of the DevOps methodology. The Internet of Things is rapidly evolving, penetrating various industries, including infrastructure management, security systems, resource management, and water supply and sewage control. Modern IoT systems require a high level of reliability, scalability, and security as they interact with numerous devices and process large volumes of real-time data. Therefore, the relevance of this study lies in the need to determine the most effective methodologies for designing, supporting, and updating IoT systems, considering the complexity of such solutions and the rapid technological advancements. Research results show that the DevOps methodology is one of the most suitable for developing IoT systems, as it enables process automation, continuous integration, regular updates, and high system stability. Using DevOps significantly enhances the productivity of development and operations teams working on IoT solutions. The study examines the main stages of IoT system development, including requirements analysis, architectural design, testing, deployment, and maintenance. Modern approaches to ensuring the security, integration, and scalability of IoT systems are described, which include automated monitoring and managing updates of software and hardware. The article also provides an overview of real examples of the DevOps methodology application in several projects by domestic and foreign IT companies. For instance, successful cases of DevOps implementation in residential complex security systems, water supply and sewage control systems for large cities, microclimate control systems in industrial buildings and offices, and city lighting control systems are reviewed. The research results demonstrate the high effectiveness of using DevOps for IoT projects that require stability, flexibility, and scalability. Applying this methodology allows optimizing development and maintenance processes, ensuring the uninterrupted operation of IoT systems, and enhancing cybersecurity levels, which is critically important for modern infrastructure solutions. The use of the DevOps methodology in projects such as security systems for residential complexes, water supply and sewage management systems, as well as city climate control and lighting systems, demonstrates its effectiveness. The DevOps methodology enables easy scaling of information systems to meet the growing needs of cities, which is critically important for infrastructure solutions where the number of connected devices may continuously increase.

Industrialization represents the concept of highly productive industrial methods of production, which in the construction industry are usually interpreted in various forms of prefabrication. The degree of prefabrication of building structures greatly affects the speed and productivity of construction. One approach to determine this degree of prefabrication is the IBS (Industrial Building Systems) score methodology. The IBS Content Scoring System (IBS Score) is a systematic and structured rating system that can be used to consistently measure the use of industrial building systems (IBS). IBS is a term used in Malaysia for construction techniques in which larger or smaller construction components are manufactured in a controlled environment outside the construction site and then transferred and incorporated on site. The aim of this paper is to explore the context and principles of IBS scoring systems, and its potential for a consistent approach to assessing the degree of industrialization of construction projects, based on a case study.

Problem statement: In the Malaysian construction industry, there is a pressing issue of minimizing construction waste, which cause significant impacts on the environment. With the increasing demand for major infrastructure projects, commercial buildings and housing development programmers, a large amount of construction waste is being produced. Adoption of prefabrication and industrialized building systems is now a priority in the industry and also an important means of reducing waste. Approach: Discussion of the prefabrication adoption were based on a comprehensive review of literatures and studies that contained data, information, findings and evidences related to prefabrication and industrial building systems in Malaysia. This study also highlighted a comparative study of material wastage and recycling based on two project sites e.g., conventional and prefabrication construction. Results: In the Malaysia construction industry, adoption of prefabrication and IBS is strongly encouraged to reduce construction time as well as the industry’s dependency on foreign workers. In addition, this study confirms that a huge amount of material wastage can be reduced by the adoption of prefabrication. This study also revealed that the rates of reused and recycled waste materials are relatively higher in projects that adopt prefabrication. Conclusion: Thus, the adoption of prefabrication and IBS has potential in the reduction of huge waste generation and management problems in the construction sector of Malaysia although there are some challenges in the adoption of prefabrication.

At present, debates on climate change, fossil fuel depletion, and energy saving highlight the need for a sustainable built environment to reduce energy consumption and emission trends. The Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system is a priority due to its significant share of a building’s electricity consumption. While energy efficiency strategies for central air conditioning systems focus on both waterside and airside components, implementing airside efficiency strategies is notably lacking in Sri Lanka. This is a concern because airside inefficiencies lead to excessive energy use, higher operational costs, and compromised indoor air quality. Thus, the study aims to address this gap by identifying the barriers to implementing energy efficiency strategies for HVAC airside systems in Sri Lankan commercial buildings. To explore these barriers, a qualitative research approach was employed, involving interviews with 17 industry experts. The study identified 27 barriers, with key barriers being a lack of technical expertise, rapid technological advancements, misalignment with organisational objectives, limited financial resources, inadequate training and technical knowledge, and insufficient regulatory support. The insights gained from this study can assist industry professionals in enhancing HVAC energy performance and encourage further academic research on this sub-branch of HVAC systems in the Sri Lankan context.

Given the significant impact of indoor air quality (IAQ) on human health, regulations and standards have been imposed to maintain high air quality. Conformity with regulations necessitates ventilation, a process that significantly consumes energy. This study employs computational methods to analyze the temperature distribution inside the breathing zone and evaluate the effectiveness of the air supply setup in an office environment. The investigation relies on the widely utilized metric referred to as the age of air. This study analyzes three different inlet configurations while maintaining a constant airflow rate. The results indicate that the age of air decreases when the air inlet is situated in a central location. Conversely, positioning the supply air inlet at the lowest elevation results in the most uniform temperature distribution, which is crucial for occupant comfort. The findings suggest that changing the airflow rate in systems with minimal air duration can enhance the energy efficiency of HVAC systems.

An HVAC system contains heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment used in office or industrial buildings. The goal of this research is to design a controller for the process of cooling an office building that is made up of three rooms. The desired room temperature can be achieved by controlling the fans making up the fan coil units and the cooling medium’s temperature. By these means the building connected to the electrical grid becomes a smart office. The used building model includes several dynamically changing interior and exterior heat sources affecting the inner climate, which introduces a level of uncertain prediction into the system. We have determined the controller’s performance by the rate of deviation from the expected temperature, the consumed electrical energy and the generated noise. The controller was created in Matlab Simulink with the possibility of migration to a Siemens PLC.

Nowadays, reducing energy consumption is the fastest way to reduce the use of fossil fuels and, therefore, greenhouse gas emissions. Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems are used to maintain an indoor environment in comfortable conditions for its occupants. The combination of these two factors, energy efficiency and comfort, is a considerable challenge for building operations. This paper introduces a design approach to control an HVAC, focused on an energy consumption reduction in the operation of the HVAC system of a building. The architecture was developed using a Raspberry Pi as a coordinator node and wireless connection with sensor nodes for environmental variables and electrical measurement nodes. The data received by the coordinator node is sent to the cloud for storage and further processing. The control system manages the setpoint of the HVAC equipment, as well as the turning on and off the HVAC compressor using an XBee-based solid state relay. The HVAC temperature control system is based on the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) index calculation, which is used by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) to find the appropriate setpoint to meet the thermal comfort of 80% of users. This method combines the values of humidity and temperature to define comfort zones. The coordinator node makes the compressor control decisions depending on the value obtained in the PMV index. The proposed PMV-based temperature control system for the HVAC equipment achieves energy savings ranging from 33% to 44% against the built-in control of the HVAC equipment, when operating with the same setpoint of 26.5 grades centigrade.

Housing shortages has been a recurring dilemma for Malaysia and the domination of traditional methods have made it hard to deliver targets. With today’s construction industry being more complex, specialized, and demanding, Industrialized Building System (IBS) has been promoted to help the sector deliver citizen’s house demands. However, this initiative has been hampered by fragmentation issues causing IBS to be inefficient. Joint Effort and Technological Collaboration, which stems from Supply Chain Management (SCM) philosophy has been suggested as the way forward for the industry by capitalizing on the various tools available to improve coordination, integration, and information flow. However, many proven successes have not translated to higher adoption rate in Malaysia. Implementations are rather scarce. This paper therefore sheds light into the barriers and enablers of Joint Effort and Technological Collaboration uptake among Malaysian IBS housing project supply chains from the perspective of industry experts. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken on five (5) practitioners with a minimum of twenty (20) years’ experience for a deep scrutiny on the matter and responses were analysed using content analysis. Finding indicated that the main barriers stemmed from commitment issues, indicating their hesitance towards committing to positive changes in practice, which hampers virtually any initiative. On the other hand, most significant enabler to Joint Effort and Technological Collaboration rooted on the willingness of industry players to transform themselves and adapt to new technologies and working culture. The outcome of this study not only contributes to the body of knowledge regarding collaborative initiatives in construction, but it is also expected to benefit the industry on identifying the stopping blocks and ways forward for better diffusion of these initiatives for future success.

Inefficient logistic management can expose the project to the construction waste and eventually can effects the project performance.Just in time (JIT) is excellent in managing the construction logistic and achieving the project’s goal by eliminating waste.The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the knowledge and addressing the logistical issues in IBS and integrating lean construction to tackle that particular issue. The literature review has been conducted through relevant database.It was found that there is a need for more holistic approaches to be adopted in JIT implementation in Industrialized Building System (IBS) project.IBS were well known for the cost saving benefit that can be derived from the implementation of the system, but logistical problem during the performance of the project can affected the profit of the project which later may consume the benefit of cost reduction made on site. Suggestion on how JIT can contribute for improving the construction logistic management process in order to enhance IBS uptake in Malaysian construction projects will be concluded.