Session: 09-07-01: Energy Sustainability for Buildings and Cities

Paper Number: 172226

Introducing an Iot-Integrated Platform for Optimizing Energy Efficiency, Thermal Comfort, and Indoor Environmental Quality 

The increasing interest in optimizing energy efficiency, occupant thermal comfort, and wellbeing through the integration of smart sensors with Internet of Things (IoT) technologies is transforming the way the indoor environment was typically managed. This presentation introduces two complementary innovations addressing these priorities: the patented Heat Index Thermostat (HiT) and the Indoor Environment Building Platform. Unlike conventional thermostats, HiT is an IoT-integrated, energy-efficient, thermal comfort-driven thermostat that incorporates both dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity (RH) to regulate the effective or “feels-like” temperature, aligning it with the user comfort preferences. The thermostat dynamically adjusts the air conditioning (AC) setpoint based on real-time RH and temperature data, maintaining thermal comfort while optimizing energy use due to the potential of upward adjustment of temperature setpoint in cooling mode and vice versa in the heating mode. Energy savings are realized when the indoor RH is below 60%. The experimental and simulated results demonstrated an average annual energy reduction of approximately 9%. For a standard 5-ton AC unit operating 2000–4000 hours annually, this translates to 2100–6400 kWh saved per year. The thermostat hardware includes temperature and RH sensors, a microcontroller, memory, power and signal interfaces, and IoT connectivity via cloud or Ethernet for remote monitoring, data logging, and system control. A key feature of the HiT is its modular support for multiple indoor air quality (IAQ) sensors modules, iwhere each module includes the following sensors PM2.5, CO2, NOx, and TVOC. These sensors continuously monitor pollutant levels that impact the occupant wellbeing. IAQ data is processed alongside the thermal measurements for informed system responses. When pollutant concentrations exceed preset thresholds, the HiT embedded controller can initiate mitigation strategies such as adjusting HVAC settings or activating ventilation and purification systems. The HiT-IAQ integrated platform represents a holistic, user-centered approach to indoor environmental quality optimization. HiT ensures precise thermal comfort and energy efficiency, while its integration with multiple IAQ sensing modules enables proactive air quality monitoring and management within a single IoT-enabled device. This unified platform addresses the multivariate nature of indoor environments, enabling data-driven decisions that enhance energy performance and occupant wellbeing in residential and commercial spaces. This work demonstrates a scalable approach to intelligent environmental control and highlights the potential of IoT-connected technologies to improve comfort and wellbeing while minimizing building energy demand. The integration of the IoT-connected energy-efficient, thermal comfort driven thermostat with the multi-parameter IAQ monitoring modules enable the advancement of next-generation, wellbeing-focused, indoor environmental quality management and control technologies.

Presenting Author: Monem Beitelmal Hamad Bin Khalifa University/QEERI

Presenting Author Biography: Dr. Beitelmal is a Principal Scientist leading research efforts on energy efficiency, indoor environment management systems, and operational sustainability at the Qatar Environment and Research Institute (QEERI). He previously served as an associate professor of mechanical engineering with the Mechanical Engineering Department at Santa Clara University (2009-2013). Before joining SCU, Dr. Beitelmal spent eight years as a Research Scientist at Hewlett-Packard Laboratories in Palo Alto California. His research work at HP Labs covered various areas in energy, thermal management, and sustainability from smart thermal control in handheld devices and systems to data centers. He currently holds over 60 US-granted patents. Dr. Beitelmal is actively involved in developing and implementing energy-efficiency strategies and indoor air quality management programs for buildings. His work focuses on reducing the building operations' environmental impact while improving the comfort and well-being of occupants. He was elected to ASME in 2024, He is also an Associate Editor with the ASME Journal of Engineering for Sustainable Buildings and Cities and a senior member of the US National Academy of Inventors and.

Authors:

Monem Beitelmal Hamad Bin Khalifa University/QEERI