Enhancing climate resilience in buildings using Collective Intelligence: A pilot study on a Norwegian elderly care center

• DOI: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2024.114030
• Publication Date: 2024-02-24T16:33:34Z
• Authors: Mohammad Hosseini; Silvia Erba; Parisa Hajialigol; Mohammadreza Aghaei; Amin Moazami; Vahid M. Nik
• Keywords: Overheating (electricity); Extreme Weather; Resilience; Demand Response

The combined challenge of climate change and population aging requires novel solutions that enhance the resilience building energy systems secure indoor comfort for vulnerable occupants in extreme weather conditions. This research investigates performance a newly developed Energy Management (EM) system based on Collective Intelligence (CI) Reinforcement Learning (RL), called CIRLEM, managing an urban complex Ålesund, Norway, including elderly care center with decentralized PV generation, EV charging storage, while connected to main electricity grid. CIRLEM controls multiple flexibility assets independent thermal zones (the demand-side agents) Electric Vehicle (EV) stations local storage). In approach, coordinates distributed storage generation together demand side control react collaboratively environmental variations. Under conditions, without applying can be more than double typical implementation double-layer reduce total by 35 % over month. Furthermore, inclusion photovoltaic (PV) allows from grid almost 40 its operational hours, adding increase it around 70 %. Finally, application reduced overheating hours 17 h ∙°C 2 under maintaining comfortable conditions even during temperature ramps.