Strategy for efficiently utilizing a heat-pump based hvac system with an auxiliary heating system

A computer program product for efficiently utilizing an HVAC system, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therewith, the program code comprising the programming instructions for:

• selecting each of a plurality of possible actions over a first period of time;
• recording effects of selecting actions in terms of a data set of tuples during said first period of time;
• selecting a model to fit a regression using regression features during a second period of time, wherein said regression features comprise a current indoor temperature, a current outdoor temperature and a plurality of historic indoor temperatures;
• fitting said regression to model a transition function for each of said plurality of possible actions using said data set of tuples during said second period of time;
• determining an action to take using a lookahead planning approach of said selected model during said second period of time for every time-step within each sub-period of said second period of time until an end of said sub-period of said second period of time, wherein said time-step corresponds to a fixed segment of time within said second period of time, wherein said action corresponds to implementing one of said plurality of possible actions;
• and
• recording effects of selecting actions in terms of said data set of tuples during said second period of time.

A heat-pump based HVAC system, comprising:

• a heat-pump for providing heat energy from a source of heat to a destination;
• an auxiliary heating system for heating a residence, office or building when it is not energy effective to utilize said heat-pump;
• and
• a control unit connected to said heat-pump and said auxiliary heating system, wherein said control unit comprises:
• a memory unit for storing a computer program for controlling a utilization of said heat-pump and said auxiliary heating system;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory unit, wherein the processor is configured to execute the program instructions of the computer program comprising:
• selecting each of a plurality of possible actions over a first period of time;
• recording effects of selecting actions in terms of a data set of tuples during said first period of time;
• selecting a model to fit a regression using regression features during a second period of time, wherein said regression features comprise a current indoor temperature, a current outdoor temperature and a plurality of historic indoor temperatures;
• fitting said regression to model a transition function for each of said plurality of possible actions using said data set of tuples during said second period of time;
• determining an action to take using a lookahead planning approach of said selected model during said second period of time for every time-step within each sub-period of said second period of time until an end of said sub-period of said second period of time, wherein said time-step corresponds to a fixed segment of time within said second period of time, wherein said action corresponds to implementing one of said plurality of possible actions;
• and
• recording effects of selecting actions in terms of said data set of tuples during said second period of time.