Accelerating Coupled HVAC/Building Simulation with a Neural Component Architecture

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Program:
DIFFERENTIATE
Award:
$2,697,922
Location:
Newton, Massachusetts
Status:
ALUMNI
Project Term:
05/12/2020 - 07/31/2022
Website:

Technology Description:

Julia Computing, Inc. will develop a neural component machine learning tool to reduce the total energy consumption of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in buildings. As of 2012, buildings consume 40 percent of the nation’s primary energy, with HVAC systems comprising a significant portion of this consumption. It has been demonstrated that the use of modeling and simulation tools in the design of a building can yield significant energy savings—up to 27 percent of total energy consumption. However, these simulation tools are still too slow to be practically useful. Julia Computing seeks to improve upon these tools using the latest computing and mathematical technologies in differentiable programming and composable software to enhance the ability of engineers to design more energy efficient buildings.

Potential Impact:

DIFFERENTIATE aims to enhance the productivity of energy engineers in helping them to develop next-generation energy technologies. If successful, DIFFERENTIATE will yield the following benefits in ARPA-E mission areas:

Security:

Seek U.S. technological competitive advantage by leading the development of machine-learning enhanced engineering design tools.

Environment:

Use these tools to solve our most challenging energy and environmental problems by facilitating an economically-attractive transition to lower carbon-footprint energy sources and systems.

Economy:

Reap the economic productivity benefits associated with the commercial adoption of the resulting higher-value energy technologies and associated products.

Contact

ARPA-E Program Director:
Dr. Rakesh Radhakrishnan
Project Contact:
Dr. Viral Shah
Press and General Inquiries Email:
ARPA-E-Comms@hq.doe.gov
Project Contact Email:
viral@juliacomputing.com

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Release Date:
04/05/2019