Building as a power plant proposed control architecture

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), led by the Center for Building Performance and Diagnostics (CBPD)-a National Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Research Center-in close cooperation with the Advanced Building Consortium (ABSIC) and the Robert L. Preger Intelligent Workplace (IW) is preparing the design of the Building as Power Plant (BAPP) on the CMU campus. The project anticipates meeting all of the building´s energy needs for heating, cooling, power, ventilating and lighting on-site by the use of a decentralized combined heating and power plant. This will include a 250 kW Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC), steam turbine and absorption chiller/boiler technologies. In addition, advanced photovoltaic, solar, hot water and geo-thermal systems are to be integrated. This energy management integration goes far beyond the typical building control strategy requirements. A control architecture is needed which will provide the necessary integration to meet user, organizational, and environmental goals.