A First Order Hybrid Petri Net Model for Building Energy Management

In recent years, the rationalization of building energy usage is one of the most virtuous ways to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and the containment of the environmental impact, associated with the production, distribution and consumption of electrical and thermal energy. In this context, this paper proposes a First Order Hybrid Petri Net (FOHPN) model to simulate and control the energy consumption of the main building electric appliances by a modular approach. The aim of the paper is two-fold: i) helping to recognize how the building electric appliances contribute to peak demand; ii) managing efficiently the building energy consumption. Finally, a case study shows how the FOHPN system works and highlights the advantages of the proposed approach.