Elite bias genetic algorithm for optimal control of double-skin facade

The double-skin facade (DSF) is an intelligent building structure which has been widely used for high modern buildings in the recent years. The air channel between the exterior and interior glazing helps to insulate noise, improve thermal and visual comfort and is able to save energy through controllable air flow. To achieve the optimal outcome, an intelligent control strategy is needed. An improved numerical model of DSF based on Kuznik model is proposed and validated with full-scale experiment. Then the control problem is formulated as optimal control of a complex time-varying linear system with a non-linear objective. The elite bias genetic algorithm dedicated to solve this problem is developed and examined in simulation experiment. The result is very close to the best control possible and it improved the objective by up to 45% compared with the all-closed DSF without intelligent control.