Swarm intelligence for energy-efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems: A case study in smart buildings

This research utilizes swarm intelligence algorithms—Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), and hybrid PSO-ACO-to optimize energy efficiency and thermal comfort in smart building HVAC systems. A thorough experimental analysis was done in a 500-kW cooling capacity smart bui...

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Main Authors: Vinoth Kanna I, Raja Subramani, Maher Ali Rusho, Shubham Sharma, Ramachandran T, Abinash Mahapatro, Deepak Gupta, Jasmina Lozanovic
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-10-01
Series:Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25010834
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author Vinoth Kanna I
Raja Subramani
Maher Ali Rusho
Shubham Sharma
Ramachandran T
Abinash Mahapatro
Deepak Gupta
Jasmina Lozanovic
author_facet Vinoth Kanna I
Raja Subramani
Maher Ali Rusho
Shubham Sharma
Ramachandran T
Abinash Mahapatro
Deepak Gupta
Jasmina Lozanovic
author_sort Vinoth Kanna I
collection DOAJ
description This research utilizes swarm intelligence algorithms—Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), and hybrid PSO-ACO-to optimize energy efficiency and thermal comfort in smart building HVAC systems. A thorough experimental analysis was done in a 500-kW cooling capacity smart building in 20 monitored temperature zones for 12 months. The hybrid PSO-ACO model performed the best energy savings of 28.9 %, better than PSO (23.7 %) and ACO (20.5 %), and also saving 29.2 % peak load demand. Thermal comfort analysis through Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) and Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied (PPD) metrics showed better indoor conditions, with the hybrid model keeping room temperatures within ±0.8 °C of the setpoint and bringing the PPD index down to 8.5 %. Statistical validation through ANOVA and t-tests supported the energy and comfort gains with p-values always less than 0.05. The hybrid model also exhibited faster convergence, completing the optimization in 120 iterations, 20 % faster than ACO. Economic analysis estimated annual cost savings of $12,000 for a 10,000 m2 building with a return on investment within 2.5 years, while saving 35.2 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year. The results illustrate the outstanding performance of hybrid swarm intelligence algorithms to improve HVAC efficiency and occupant comfort, a scalable and inexpensive solution for smart building management. Future research will utilize machine learning combined with swarm intelligence for adaptive and predictive HVAC control.
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spelling doaj-art-aa57ee220c5445a28e806b3f77d6e8932025-08-24T05:12:42ZengElsevierCase Studies in Thermal Engineering2214-157X2025-10-017410682310.1016/j.csite.2025.106823Swarm intelligence for energy-efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems: A case study in smart buildingsVinoth Kanna I0Raja Subramani1Maher Ali Rusho2Shubham Sharma3Ramachandran T4Abinash Mahapatro5Deepak Gupta6Jasmina Lozanovic7Center for Advanced Multidisciplinary Research and Innovation, Chennai Institute of Technology, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India, 600069Center for Advanced Multidisciplinary Research and Innovation, Chennai Institute of Technology, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India, 600069; Corresponding author.Lockheed Martin Engineering Management, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80308, USADepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Lloyd Institute of Engineering & Technology, Knowledge Park II, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201306, India; Department of Technical Sciences, Western Caspian University, Baku, Azerbaijan; Centre for Research Impact and Outcome, Chitkara University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Chitkara University, Rajpura, 140401, Punjab, India; Corresponding author. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Lloyd Institute of Engineering & Technology, Knowledge Park II, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201306, India.Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering and Technology, JAIN (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, Karnataka, IndiaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan (Deemed to be University), Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751030, IndiaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Graphic Era Hill University, Dehradun, 248002, Uttarakhand, India; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graphic Era Deemed to be University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, 248002, IndiaHochschule Campus Wien (HCW) - University of Applied Sciences, Department of Engineering, Clinical Engineering, Favoritenstraße 226, 1100, Vienna, Austria; Corresponding author.This research utilizes swarm intelligence algorithms—Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), and hybrid PSO-ACO-to optimize energy efficiency and thermal comfort in smart building HVAC systems. A thorough experimental analysis was done in a 500-kW cooling capacity smart building in 20 monitored temperature zones for 12 months. The hybrid PSO-ACO model performed the best energy savings of 28.9 %, better than PSO (23.7 %) and ACO (20.5 %), and also saving 29.2 % peak load demand. Thermal comfort analysis through Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) and Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied (PPD) metrics showed better indoor conditions, with the hybrid model keeping room temperatures within ±0.8 °C of the setpoint and bringing the PPD index down to 8.5 %. Statistical validation through ANOVA and t-tests supported the energy and comfort gains with p-values always less than 0.05. The hybrid model also exhibited faster convergence, completing the optimization in 120 iterations, 20 % faster than ACO. Economic analysis estimated annual cost savings of $12,000 for a 10,000 m2 building with a return on investment within 2.5 years, while saving 35.2 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year. The results illustrate the outstanding performance of hybrid swarm intelligence algorithms to improve HVAC efficiency and occupant comfort, a scalable and inexpensive solution for smart building management. Future research will utilize machine learning combined with swarm intelligence for adaptive and predictive HVAC control.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25010834Swarm intelligenceParticle swarm optimizationAnt colony optimizationHVAC optimizationEnergy efficiencySmart buildings
spellingShingle Vinoth Kanna I
Raja Subramani
Maher Ali Rusho
Shubham Sharma
Ramachandran T
Abinash Mahapatro
Deepak Gupta
Jasmina Lozanovic
Swarm intelligence for energy-efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems: A case study in smart buildings
Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
Swarm intelligence
Particle swarm optimization
Ant colony optimization
HVAC optimization
Energy efficiency
Smart buildings
title Swarm intelligence for energy-efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems: A case study in smart buildings
title_full Swarm intelligence for energy-efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems: A case study in smart buildings
title_fullStr Swarm intelligence for energy-efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems: A case study in smart buildings
title_full_unstemmed Swarm intelligence for energy-efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems: A case study in smart buildings
title_short Swarm intelligence for energy-efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems: A case study in smart buildings
title_sort swarm intelligence for energy efficient heating ventilation and air conditioning hvac systems a case study in smart buildings
topic Swarm intelligence
Particle swarm optimization
Ant colony optimization
HVAC optimization
Energy efficiency
Smart buildings
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25010834
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