Technologies toward thermal comfort-based and energy-efficient HVAC systems: A review

This paper reviews thermal comfort based control strategies for modern commercial buildings with heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. In order to make HVAC systems more energy-efficient, better system operations and control algorithms for HVAC systems are demanded. Research conducted predominately within the last decade suggests that commercial building HVAC significantly influences the health, satisfaction, and productivity of the building occupants. This paper also projects the use of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) to enhance energy efficiency of HVAC systems as well as provides comfortable environment to assure occupants' productivities.