Intelligent Control for Office Climate Conditioning Using Low-Enthalpy Wells

Abstract

Low-enthalpy systems for building climate conditioning, such as Canadian wells based on ground–air heat exchange, offer a sustainable alternative for improving indoor thermal comfort by exploiting the thermal inertia of the subsoil. However, their performance strongly depends on the control strategy used to manage air injection and extraction under variable temperature and humidity conditions. This work presents the implementation of an intelligent control system for a low-enthalpy Canadian well installed in an office environment. The proposed solution is based on a small-scale programmable logic controller (PLC) integrated with industrial temperature and humidity sensors, enabling real-time monitoring and adaptive process control. Sensor data are visualized through a web-based interface, while the PLC executes a control algorithm designed to regulate ventilation according to thermal comfort requirements during occupied periods. Baseline measurements of thermal comfort and electrical energy consumption were first obtained. Subsequently, improvements were introduced, including upgraded ventilation equipment, higher-precision sensors, surface insulation measures, and refined control parameters. System performance was evaluated through a comparative analysis of temperature, relative humidity, and electrical energy consumption before and after automation. The results show improved stability of indoor temperature and humidity conditions, at the expense of increased electrical energy consumption. These findings highlight the trade-off between thermal comfort and energy use and demonstrate the relevance of intelligent control strategies to achieve controlled and predictable operation of low-enthalpy systems in office environments.