The cloud-based House Management System (HMS) is a concept similar to the building monitoring system, combining data coming from indoor and outdoor sensors (e.g. T, RH, particles, solar radiation, wind speed and direction), RES production, common electric or thermal storages (if foreseen), web-services (i.e. weather data, outdoor pollution, weather forecast), signals from the local grid and signals from the other apartments in the building.
To minimise energy consumption and leverage the local exploitation of renewable energy systems (RES) over time, each technology in the building should operate in an orchestrated and seamless way to achieve the common objective of energy consumption reduction and decarbonization. This includes aligning the users to the best practices when dealing with their needs, and the interaction with technologies and control systems.
The cloud-based HMS is the element coordinating the functioning of each technology towards a plus energy target and a healthier indoor environment, while providing a useful interface to inform and guide the user.
The cloud-based HMS implements all the logics to operate the different systems by combining data coming from indoor and outdoor sensors (e.g. temperature, humidity, particles, solar radiation, wind speed and direction), RES production, electric or thermal storages, webservices (i.e. weather data, outdoor pollution, weather forecast), signals from the local grid and signals from the other apartments in the building or neighbourhood.
The control level is comprehensive including:
- different interacting systems: buildings, energy infrastructure, e-mobility
- different user types: inhabitants, owners, energy managers
- different user approach to technology: beginner, advanced
The user interface deserves a special role here, as different user types and cultural aspects largely influence the way to communicate information to different users (inhabitants, facility managers, decision makers). It is implemented by a web-based portal and a related app.
Goals of the cloud-based HMS:
- to provide the users with the means to interact with the systems, while increasing user understanding and suggesting energy efficient user behaviour and settings
- to optimise renewable energy consumption across the day by balancing supply and demand whenever possible, without affecting comfort conditions
- to ensure the interoperability of the different technologies to be integrated as a service in the cloud, down to local software and hardware infrastructure