Bernardo A. Huberman and Scott H. Clearwater
Dynamics of Computation Group
Xerox Palo Alto Research Center
Palo Alto, CA 94304
huberman@parc.xerox.com
Bernardo A. Huberman and Scott H. Clearwater A Multi-Agent System for Controlling Building Environments in Proc. of the International Conference on Multiagent Systems (ICMAS-95), pp. 171-176, 1995
A working solution to the problem of thermal resource distribution in a
building is demonstrated using a market-based system. In this system
computational agents representing individual temperature controllers bid
to buy or sell cool or warm air. They do so via a double-blind
computerized auction which is moderated by a central computer
auctioneer. The auctioneer sees to it that no agent buys resources for
more than its bid and no agent sells resources for less than its bid.
The market system has been implemented and runs on a regular basis as
part of a building energy management system. Results show that the
thermal auction leads to an equitable temperature distribution
throughout the area under its control without incurring any extra costs
such as excessive actuator movement.
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