Wenhao Zhang 张文浩

Wenhao Zhang 张文浩

PhD Student at BUDS_Lab@NUS

Posts by Collection

portfolio

publications

Energy Efficient Operation Optimization of Building Air-conditioners via Simulator-assisted Asynchronous Reinforcement Learning

Published in IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science, 2022

Developed an energy efficient operation strategy for VRF system during the cooling season for a case office and achieved energy savings of up to 16.1% as well as improved thermal comfort compared to a rule-based control strategy.

Recommended citation: Zhang, W., & Zhang, Z. (2022). Energy Efficient Operation Optimization of Building Air-conditioners via Simulator-assisted Asynchronous Reinforcement Learning. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1048(1), 012006. doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1048/1/012006 https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/1048/1/012006

Reinforcement Learning in Building Controls: a Comparative Study of Algorithms considering Model Availability and Policy Representation

Published in Journal of Building Engineering, 2024

Model-free and model-based reinforcement learning algorithms were implemented; Reinforcement learning of value-based, policy gradient and actor-critic are discussed.

Recommended citation: Wu, Z., Zhang, W., Tang, R., Wang, H., & Korolija, I. (2024). Reinforcement learning in building controls: A comparative study of algorithms considering model availability and policy representation. Journal of Building Engineering, 90, 109497. doi:10.1016/j.jobe.2024.109497 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352710224010659?via%3Dihub

Recommender systems and reinforcement learning for human-building interaction and context aware support: A text mining-driven review of scientific literature

Published in Energy and Buildings, 2024

Employ text mining and Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques to thoroughly examine the connections among these approaches in the context of human-building interaction and occupant context-aware support.

Recommended citation: Zhang, W., Quintana, M., & Miller, C. (2025). Recommender systems and reinforcement learning for human-building interaction and context aware support: A text mining-driven review of scientific literature. Energy and Buildings, 329, 115247. doi:10.1016/j.enbuild.2024.115247 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037877882401363X

talks

Energy Efficient Operation Optimization of Building Air-conditioners via Simulator-assisted Asynchronous Reinforcement Learning

Published:

The presented study explored a reinforcement learning (RL)-based strategy for optimizing the energy-efficient operation of variable refrigerant flow (VRF) air-conditioners in office settings. The research addressed the significant energy consumption of air-conditioning systems, which account for a substantial proportion of building energy usage, and proposed an innovative solution using asynchronous reinforcement learning coupled with detailed building energy simulation models.

Invited Talk at China Academy of Building Research (CABR) on “The Opportunities and Challenges of Reinforcement Learning for Smart Building Control”

Published:

Reinforcement learning (RL) emerged as a transformative approach for optimizing smart building control systems, offering dynamic and adaptive solutions that significantly enhanced energy efficiency, occupant comfort, and operational sustainability. In this invited talk, the speaker delved into the evolving role of RL in the context of smart building technologies, emphasizing its potential to revolutionize how buildings responded to environmental conditions, occupancy patterns, and energy demands.

Text-Mining-Driven Review of Recommender Systems and Reinforcement Learning for Building Control and Occupant Interaction

Published:

This invited talk explored the application of text-mining techniques in conducting literature reviews, with a focus on the integration of recommender systems and reinforcement learning for smart building control and occupant interaction. Text-mining was presented as a powerful alternative to conventional literature review methods, enabling the analysis of large volumes of academic publications with improved efficiency and reduced subjectivity.

teaching

Mentorship

Student mentoring, National University of Singapore, Department of The Built Environment, 2024

(Chronologically ordered) Name, University, Degree, Year, Project Title