Integration of an internal optimization module within EnergyPlus

An optimization module is developed and incorporated within EnergyPlus. As an application of the optimization module, improved controls are determined for building passive thermal energy storage inventory. The paper describes the implementation of the optimization module within EnergyPlus. Moreover, the paper presents results of a comparative analysis to assess the performance of various optimization algorithms evaluated as part of the implementation of the internal optimization module within EnergyPlus. Parametric analyses are carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of the optimization module integrated with EnergyPlus in harnessing the building thermal mass to reduce either energy use or peak-demand associated with  cooling a prototypical  office building under various operating conditions. Selected results of the parametric analyses are presented in this paper. In particular, the performance of the internal optimization module is compared against that of GenOpt, an external optimization system. The study reveals that the Nelder- Mead simplex method provides an appropriate compromise between computational   efficiency, robustness, and accuracy of the optimal solution.