MATLAB and Simulink for Building Automation

Abstract

Building automation is the need of the hour to save energy and improve occupant safety and comfort. Matlab and Simulink play an important role in building automation and control systems (BACS). This paper firstly presents a brief review of the various elements of BACS including its user-centricity, integration with building information modeling (BIM), heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), energy consumption, BACS in industries, sports facilities and its security aspects. The subsequent section presents the various toolboxes of Matlab and Simulink used in the application of BACS. These toolboxes include Simscape, Simulink Real Time, Speedgoat, Stateflow, Simulink Coder, Simulink PLC coder, Simulink report generator, fixed point designer, Simscape multibody, Simscape fluids, control systems and more. Lastly, a section has been dedicated to the Matlab-Simulink enabled elevator dynamics environment for BACS operated smart elevator systems. Hence, this paper establishes the importance of Matlab and Simulink in design, operation and maintenance of BACS architectures.