Evaluation of simultaneous control of window system and air-conditioner in Smart House

Recently in Japan, new window systems with controllable windows and blinds are being used widely in many houses. For this reason, it is considered very useful to be able to estimate the effects of energy-load reduction on control of the residential thermal environment. This control is achieved using HEMS, an air conditioner, and controllable building materials suitable for managing residential environmental conditions. In this study, the power consumption needed for simultaneous control of natural ventilation windows, solar-radiation-shielding blinds, insulating blinds and an air-conditioner, was compared with the consumption needed for control of an air-conditioner alone. The greater effectiveness of simultaneous control was verified. First, by comparing the indoor temperature measured in the object building with the temperature calculated using a simulation of this control system, the validity of the indoor-temperature change-calculation model is shown. Second, using this model, simulations were performed under two conditions: performance related to different insulation materials, and performance related to different comfort levels of residents. Under all conditions, the power consumption needed for simultaneous control was less than that needed for control of the air conditioner alone. It was concluded that the simultaneous control of multiple devices forming a collaborative system was more effective.