Energy efficiency and green buildings are an important challenge for developed countries in order to achieve the commitments of the Kyoto Protocol. In this field, the WF4E project’s aim was to identify and define solutions for energy retrofitting, environmental monitoring, as well as controls and energy savings in large and complex buildings.
Moreover, the goal was to determine strategies by using multidisciplinary techniques and, in particular, by exploiting wireless sensor networks (WSNs). From this perspective, it is necessary to perform an overall analysis evaluating the energy inflows and outflows of a system in order to identify factors that affect energy consumption and waste. To obtain a simple and effective sensor system, only the most influential among these factors are taken into account and used to determine the most significant variables that need to be monitored. Finally, an effective user interface has to be defined to display the data gathered by the sensors and to highlight anomalies and wastes as well as to solve critical situations and increase energy consciousness in users with the general goal of energy saving in a comfortable environment.
The innovative idea that has driven both teams was based on a different approach concerning energy management. Based on evidence, the comfort of users has always been considered during the design phase of modern buildings. However, it has never been monitored nor controlled during the operative life cycle and the focus in energy management is mainly devoted
to energy saving. The general idea was therefore to develop an ongoing commissioning system composed of a suitable network of sensors capable of detecting the most significant parameters, and a strong and powerful control interface. This system focused on the importance of controlling both energy consumption and the comfort situation of the given environment. The project demonstrated the feasibility of the WSN technology for energy applications.
Principal Academic Tutors
Maurizio Rebaudengo
Control and Computer Engineering, Politecnico di Torino
Academic Tutors
Elena Baralis
Control and Computer Engineering, Politecnico di Torino
Cristiana Bolchini
Electronics and Information, Politecnico di Milano
Vincenzo Corrado
Energetics, Politecnico di Torino
Giovanni Fracastoro
Energetics, Politecnico di Torino
Giuseppina Gini
Electronics and Information, Politecnico di Milano
Cosimo Greco
Control and Computer Engineering, Politecnico di Torino
Stefano Malan
Control and Computer Engineering, Politecnico di Torino
Livio Mazzarella
Energetics, Politecnico di Milano
Bartolomeo Montrucchio
Control and Computer Engineering, Politecnico di Torino
Mario Motta
Energetics, Politecnico di Milano
External institution
INGENIA s.r.l.
External Tutor
Federico Bari
INGENIA s.r.l.
Team members
TEAM A
Marco Torello [Team controller], Computer Engineering
Paolo Andreazza, Telecommunication Engineering
Daniela Dazzi, Physics Engineering
Benedetta Gaglioppa, Energy Engineering
Paulin Kitieu Nanfack, Computer Engineering
TEAM B
Marco Leogrande [Team controller], Computer Engineering
Ju Liu, Computer Engineering
Matteo Minola, Physics Engineering
Filippo Pizzocchero, Physics Engineering
Diego Tonelli [Project Communication Coordinator], Aerospace Engineering