Occupancy based demand response HVAC control strategy

Heating, cooling and ventilation accounts for 30% energy usage and for 50% of the electricity usage in the United States. Currently, most modern buildings still condition rooms assuming maximum occupancy rather than actual usage. As a result, rooms are often over-conditioned needlessly. This paper proposes an HVAC control strategy based on occupancy prediction and real time occupancy monitoring via a sensor network of cameras. This strategy shows 20.0% potential energy savings while still maintaining ASHRAE building standards.