The parameter input consists of settings used to characterize the building and its systems being optimized by the controller. The parameter object is a nested python dictionary containing subsidiary dictionaries, lists, or values. The structure and content of each of the components is outlined below:
controller: General settings of the controller such as optimization horizon, timestep, and location of solvers.facade: Data used to describe the building and facade system on which the controller is implemented.fuels: Energy providing fuels within the model to power generators and other assets. This is typically not used in AFC.objective: Definition of the controller’s objective such as weights that are applied when constructing the optimization’s objective function.occupant: Configuration of occupant comfort and internal load demand settings.radiance: Configuration of the facade system.site: Site specific general characteristics, interconnection constraints, and regulation requirements.solver_options: Settings specific to the solver such as maximal solver time.system: System specific settings such as enabling or disabling other distributed energy resources or load assets.tariff: Tariff related energy and power rates. Note that tariff time periods are provided in the separate time-series input below.wrapper: Configuration to manage the execution of AFC.zone: Configuration of each control zone within the building.
The documentation for system, controller, solver_options, objective, site, tariff and fuels can be found in the dedicated DOPER documentation.
This dictionary contains data needed to characterize the building and facade system:
convection_window_offset: [float] Window convection quantity offset. Default value is 4.convection_window_scale: [float] Window convection quantity scale. Default value is 4.fstate_initial: [list] Initial state of each facade zone. Note: only available if the type is'ec-71t'. Default value is [3, 3, 3].rad_cutoff: [dict] Numeric low-end (first list element) and high-end (second list element) cutoffs for Radiance quantities:abs1: [list] Solar absorption on outer window pane, in W. Default value is [50, 1e6].abs2: [list] Solar absorption on inner window pane, in W. Default value is [5, 1e6].ev: [list] Vertical illuminance at eye level, in lux. Default value is [250, 1e6].iflr: [list] Transmitted and incident radiance on the floor surface, in W. Default value is [5, 1e6].shg: [list] Solar heat gain, in W. Default value is [0, 1e6].tsol: [list] Total transmitted radiance, in W. It includesiflr. Default value is [5, 1e6].wpi: [list] Work plane illuminance, in lux. Default value is [5, 1e6].
states: [list] List representing the possible states for each dynamic facade zone. Note: only available if the type is'ec-71t'. Default value is [0, 1, 2, 3].type: [str] Type of the facade. Note: currently only supports'ec-71t'.windows: [list] List of all window zones of the facade. Note: only available if the type is'ec-71t'. Default value is [0, 1, 2].window_area: [float] Total window area of the facade, in m2. Default value is 7.12.
This dict contains data about the occupant comfort expectations in the building zone:
equipment: [float] Electric equipment load in room, in W. Note: only available if the zone type is'single_office'. Default value is 150.glare_max: [float] Maximum acceptable value for glare. Default value is 0.4.occupancy_light: [int] Occupancy light in room (unoccupied (0) or occupied (1)). Note: only available if the zone type is'single_office'. Default value is 1.occupant_load: [float] Thermal occupant load in room, in W. Note: only available if the zone type is'single_office'. Default value is 100.plug_load: [float] Thermal plug loads in room, in W. Note: only available if the zone type is'single_office'. Default value is 150.schedule: [str] Path to occupant schedule file to compute occupancy.temp_room_max: [float] Maximum acceptable temperature in the building zone, in °C. Default value is 24.temp_room_min: [float] Minimum acceptable temperature in the building zone, in °C. Default value is 20.wpi_min: [float] Minimum work plane illuminance, in lux. Default value is 500.
This dict contains physical data needed to calculate the various dependencies (see above under rad_cutoff ) through Radiance:
dimensions: [dict] Dimensions of the building as well as position and size of the window(s):depth: [float] Depth of the building, in m. Default value is 4.57.height: [float] Height of the building, in m. Default value is 3.35.width: [float] Width of the building, in m. Default value is 3.05.window1: [str] Position of window 1 (bottom), in cartesian coordinates, in meters. Default value is '.38 .22 2.29 .85'. These values represent respectively: starting X, starting Y, width, and height. More specifically, the origin of x=0; y=0 is the ground level and the south facade is always at -y, north at +y, west at -x, and east at +x.
window2: [str] Position and size of window 2 (middle), in cartesian coordinates, in meters. Default value is '.38 1.07 2.29 .85'. These values represent respectively: starting X, starting Y, width, and height. More specifically, the origin of x=0; y=0 is the ground level and the south facade is always at -y, north at +y, west at -x, and east at +x.window3: [str] Position and size of window 3 (top),in cartesian coordinates, in meters. Default value is '.38 1.98 2.29 .51'. These values represent respectively: starting X, starting Y, width, and height. More specifically, the origin of x=0; y=0 is the ground level and the south facade is always at -y, north at +y, west at -x, and east at +x.elevation: [float] Elevation of the building from sea level, in m. Default value is 100.location: [dict] Data defining the location of the building:latitude: [float] Latitude of the building, in Degree. Default value is 37.7.longitude: [float] Longitude of the building, in Degree. Default value is 122.2.orientation: [float] Orientation of the building, in Angular Degree. Note that 0 corresponds to South. Default value is 0.timezone: [int] Timezone in which the building is located, in Hourly difference to GMT. Default value is 120.view_orient: [float] Orientation of the occupant inside the building, in Degree relative to the building orientation. For ‘orientation’ 0 deg (South) a ‘view_orient’ of -90 would correspond towards East. Default value is 0.
paths: [dict] Internal paths to access resource files for the dynamic facade system required by Radiance:rad_bsdf: [str] Path to the resources folder. For example:'afc/resources/radiance/BSDFs'.rad_config: [str] Path to the radiance file. For example:'afc/resources/radiance/room0.6WWR_ec.cfg'.rad_mtx: [str] Path to the matrices folder. For example:'afc/resources/radiance/matrices/ec/0.6'.
regenerate: [bool] Flag to indicate if Radiance matrices should be regenerated. This is usually not necessary but can be forced through the flag. Default value is ‘False’.wpi_loc: [str] Location of the modeled work plane illuminance sensing in Radiance. Supported options are:'23back'Uses a virtual sensor located at the ⅔ in the back of the room.‘all’Uses all virtual sensors in the room and takes the average.‘Center’Uses a virtual sensor located at the center of the room.
wwr: [float] Window to wall ratio of the building zone. Default value is 0.4.
This dict contains optimization settings specific to the execution of AFC:
cols_fill: [list] Columns to apply stepped fill method for rapidly changing quantities when variable timestep resampling is used, such as setpoints. Default is['temp_room_max', 'temp_room_min'].inputs_cutoff: [int] Cutoff at X digits to prevent numeric noise. Default value is 6.instance_id: [float] Unique instance identifier. Default value is 0.- limit_slope`: [float] limit the temperature variation, in degree Celsius per 5 minute timestep. Default value is 1.
log_dir: [str] Directory to store logs.log_overtime: [float] Force log dump when solving time is greater than this, in sec. Default value is 55.output_list: [list] List of the various metrics contained in the output data frame. The output metrics are those of DOPER, to which some AFC-specific metrics have been added.precompute_radiance: [bool] Flag to pre-compute radiance for all weather forecast data. This is typically only used in simulation and should be set to False.printing: [bool] Flag to enable console printing of the solver. Default value is ‘False’.reduced_start: [int] Time offset when variable timestep starts, in min. Default value is 60.reduced_ts: [int] Resampled timestep for variable timestep, in min. Default value is 60.resample_variable_ts: [bool] Flag to enable use of variable timestep in model. Default value is ‘True’.solver_dir: [str] Path of the solver.solver_name: [str] Name of the solver that is used. Example :'cbc'.tariff_name: [str] Name of the used tariff rate.
This dict contains configuration of the building zone:
cooling_efficiency: [float] Electric efficiency of the cooling system. Default value is 0.29.cool_max: [list] Maximum power of the cooling system, in Wth/m2.glare_diff: [float] Lower bound of glare penalty (glare_max - glare_diff). Default value is 0.1.glare_scale: [float] Scale of glare cost function (ATTENTION absolute value). Default value is 10.heating_efficiency: [float] Electric efficiency of the heating system. Default value is 0.95.heat_max: [list] Maximum power of the heating system, in Wth/m2.lighting_capacity: [float] Maximum output of the lighting system, in lux. Default value is 1000.lighting_efficiency: [float] Electric efficiency of the lighting system. Default value is 0.24.- lighting_split: [float] Thermal split of electric lighting (1=rad, 0=conv). Default value is 0.5.
occupancy_split: [float] Thermal split of occupants (1=rad, 0=conv). Default value is 1.param: [dict] Parameters of the reduced order resistance capacitance (RC) model.Ci: [float] Thermal capacity of /interior/ node, in W.m-1K-1. Default value is 492790.131488945.Cs: [float] Thermal capacity of /slab/ node, in W.m-1K-1. Default value is 3765860.3115474223.Ris: [float] Thermal resistance between /interior/ and /slab/, in K.W-1. Default value is 0.023649372856050448.Row1: [float] Thermal resistance between /outdoor/ and /window outer layer/, in K.W-1.Default value is 0.0030454206460150783.Rw1w2: [float] Thermal resistance between /window outer layer/ and /window inner layer/, in K.W-1. Default value is 0.14425660371050014.Rw2i: [float] Thermal resistance between /window inner layer/ and /interior/, in K.W-1. Default value is 0.0002577364781085182.type: [str] Name of the RC model. Options are:'R2C2’,'R4C2’,'R5C3’,'R6C3’and default is'R4C2’.
plugload_split: [float] Thermal split of plug loads (1=rad, 0=conv). Default value is 0.shg_split: [float] All SHG on air (1=rad, 0=conv). Default value is 0.temps_initial: [list] Initial value of the temperatures, in °C. Default value is [22.5, 22.5, 22.5]temps_name: [list] Temperature zone names. Default value is ['room', 'slab'].tsol_split: [float] All Tsol on surfaces (1=rad, 0=conv). Default value is 1.view_scale: [float] Scale of view cost function (ATTENTION absolute value). Default value is 0.1.