Center for the Built Environment

We provide a detailed study of the application of wireless sensor networks to a real-world building management system. A set of design requirements was discussed for the development of a sensor network architecture for an HVAC control system. We propose a system architecture that can be easily integrated into any existing building control system. We implemented a testbed to evaluate control strategies using ad hoc wireless sensors. The testbed was designed within the controlled environment chamber in the College of Environmental Design and UC Berkeley. Preliminary results from control strategies have allowed us to determine the effectiveness of the sensor network. The design of the system was suited for the kind of control applications that are indicative of the field. We discussed the lessons learned from our tests and propose future experiments with multiple ad hoc sensors to fully investigate the value added benefit of integrating this technology into the legacy architecture.