Most of the existing EU building stock has low energy performance. Many small to medium sized buildings do not have a Building Automation System (BAS) to enable more efficient management and control of energy use. Larger buildings with BAS, such as Building Management Systems (BMS), underperform due to a lack of knowledge on controlling the BMS daily and limited of access to the data. These issues slow the adoption of emerging services in the areas of energy management, optimisation, and demand response. In recent years the fast evolution of the Internet of Things (IoT) and wider availability of smart meters and thermostats enabled low-cost installation of BMS hardware components in every type of building.
iBECOME aimed to show the functionality and viability (technical and economical) of a virtual BMS platform (vBMS) deployed as a software solution to a building to optimise its energy performance, comfort conditions, and electricity flexibility potential, allowing 3rd parties to connect and provide other services. The demonstration took place in 4 buildings of different types and climates: a food processing facility in Ireland, an office building in Glasgow, Scotland, a care home in Italy, and a business centre in Grenoble, France. The backbone of the vBMS is a 3D digital twin, an accurate replica of the real operation of a building, built upon static and monitoring data, which uses physics-based energy simulations, combined with Artificial Intelligence.
The first aim of iBECOME was to define virtual sensors for thermal, visual comfort and air quality, calculated by simulations and AI, to replace the need of expensive equipment installations on a building. Then, all technical, engineering and cybersecurity specifications related to the vBMS deployment were finalised, to allow its operation in any building. vBMS services developed include intelligent solutions for Fault Detection and Diagnosis (FDD), Predictive Control, and Demand Response (DR). Alongside with the technological advancements, new business models were created, including data privacy and collaboration of different actors (e.g. ESCOs, Facility managers, building owners). These business models were created so that all upfront investments can be paid back through the revenue generated from energy savings and demand response services. The functionality of the operational business models has been proven, together with the effectiveness of key retrofits to maximise the benefits of the vBMS. Its deployment in iBECOME showed it can deliver substantial comfort improvements for the occupants while reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions, with short payback times.
