Design of an Advanced Shade Control for Energy Efficiency and Occupant Comfort

In major metropolitan areas, multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs) are becoming the main housing form. Newer MURBs also come with large exterior windows and doors, resulting in discomfort such as overheating and higher energy expenditure. An effective solution is to leverage the use of window shadings by automating their controls, but more commonly, they are operated entirely manually according to users’ commands. This research will also explore other innovative control design, including peak load shaving, collaborative control with thermostats, and an exploration of alternative control algorithms. Proof-of-concept testing of the control design will be conducted in both simulations and three households in MURBs. These innovations will help Roll-A-Shade expand their product offerings and offer them the opportunity to become a leader in the market.

Faculty Supervisor:

Marianne Touchie;Liam O'Brien

Student:

Partner:

Roll-A-Shade

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

University of Toronto

Program: