Humans-in-the-building: active thermal comfort control and validation via digital twin

Ensuring thermal comfort in indoor environments while optimizing energy efficiency remains a significant challenge in building management. This thesis explores different control strategies for thermal regulation, integrating both conventional and innovative techniques. In particular, a novel control approach, Feedback Thermal Control, is introduced, leveraging Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) principles to dynamically adjust airflow based not only on room temperature but also on individual users' thermal preferences. This method enables a more personalized and adaptive climate control strategy, improving occupant satisfaction while maintaining energy efficiency. To evaluate its effectiveness, the study first examines traditional control methodologies, such as PID, and ON-OFF controllers, before introducing Feedback Thermal Control as an alternative approach. The performance of these control strategies is analyzed and compared through simulations in Matlab/Simulink and IDA ICE, a state-of-the-art building performance simulation tool.