Providing systems engineering perspective in a capstone project setting to monitor performance of HVAC systems

K. Knox, A. Sanchez, X. Liu, S. Ergan, B. Akinci

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Today's engineering problems require complex solutions from multiple disciplines. Hence, engineering classes should teach students to learn about how to solve multidisciplinary problems. This paper describes a project-based course that allows a group of students to learn and utilize knowledge and approaches from multiple disciplines and to gain systems engineering perspective to solve a real-world problem. The objective of the project is to develop a system that can facilitate the monitoring and analysis of the performance of HVAC systems, which account for about 40% of total energy consumption in buildings. Students with various backgrounds worked together to develop a prototype system that automatically collects dynamic data from HVAC systems and visualizes the real-time and historical data with floor plans using a web-browser-based interface. This prototype system also embeds fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) algorithms that frequently analyze the performance of HVAC systems. In developing such a system, the students had to learn and utilize knowledge in the domains of civil, mechanical, electrical engineering, computer science, and project management, and approach the problem from a systems engineering perspective. This paper discusses the processes that the students went through to learn, implement and test the system in a real-world testbed.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationComputing in Civil Engineering - Proceedings of the 2013 ASCE International Workshop on Computing in Civil Engineering
PublisherAmerican Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
Pages194-201
Number of pages8
ISBN (Print)9780784477908
DOIs
StatePublished - 2013
Event2013 ASCE International Workshop on Computing in Civil Engineering, IWCCE 2013 - Los Angeles, CA, United States
Duration: Jun 23 2013Jun 25 2013

Publication series

NameComputing in Civil Engineering - Proceedings of the 2013 ASCE International Workshop on Computing in Civil Engineering

Other

Other2013 ASCE International Workshop on Computing in Civil Engineering, IWCCE 2013
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityLos Angeles, CA
Period6/23/136/25/13

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Civil and Structural Engineering

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