An architecture for enabling distributed plug load control for commercial building demand response

Traditionally, a commercial building´s responsiveness to a demand response event is limited to actuation of the building HVAC and/or lighting system. However, current technological innovations allow for a more “integrated” energy control system via the incorporation of plug-loads as actionable load. This paper outlines the software architecture of such a system to enable plug-loads as a demand response resource. Distributed local plug-load control is facilitated via the use of smart communicating power strips and Energy Information Gateways (EIGs), which bridge the gap between the central building controller an individual loads. Coordinated control of these distributed EIGs is accomplished via the central building controller, which receives and interprets external demand response signals and hosts a bidding process amongst the EIGs to meet the load shed criteria. The deployment of prototype systems based on this design architecture at UC Berkeley and the United States Air Force Academy will also be discussed.