Simulation-aided development of automated solar shading control strategies using performance mapping and statistical classification

This paper presents a structured, generically applicable, method for using building performance simulation to aid the development of comfort-driven solar shading controls by mapping predicted occupant comfort conditions to sensor measurements. The method uses confusion matrices as a statistical classification approach to facilitate (i) selection of sensor deployment strategies that offer beneficial trade-offs considering multiple performance aspects and (ii) identification of control algorithms that optimise comfort conditions using non-ideal sensors. The support method requires relatively little effort from a developer, only a small number of simulations and fits well within the current practice of shading control development. The method is tested using a sun-tracking control strategy for indoor roller blinds as a case study, which demonstrates that the method can identify high-performance solutions. Finally, generally applicable features of the method are extrapolated from the case study, and alternative applications and the method’s limitations are discussed.