Intrusive Plug Management System Using Chatbots in Office Environments

“Only 44 percent of computers, 32 percent of monitors, and 25 percent of printers were turned off at night” [1], with energy efficient appliances employed in office environments, occupant’s energy-conscious behavior plays a vital role in monitoring the plug load. In an attempt to involve the occupants to the building’s energy management suite, a natural language-based plug management system is proposed. This article aims to develop a rule-based chatbot that helps users manage (schedule) their plugged-in appliances through smart plugs in an office environment. Considering the nature of the application and the accuracy of the intended operation, a rule-based chatbot is developed to schedule the smart plugs. It is developed using Python to be integrated with instant messaging application Slack.