The paper presents a zero‑shot model predictive control (MPC) approach for buildings that uses excitation‑based generalized transfer learning models. By pretraining on purposefully probed operational data from multiple source buildings, the authors demonstrate that these models achieve superior control performance in 32 simulated target buildings, outperforming both an online linear MPC and a PI controller. This method eliminates the need for target‑specific data, reducing setup cost and facilitating broader deployment of energy‑efficient MPC in the building sector.
By Fabian Raisch, Felix Koch, Zack Xuereb Conti, Christoph Goebel, Benjamin Tischler
The paper introduces the Estimator from Scratch, a neural network that embeds RC thermal building equations to estimate parameters, and its extension, the Pretrained Estimator, which is pretrained on multiple buildings to avoid initial‑guess dependence. Both methods outperform a genetic‑algorithm estimator and a fully black‑box neural network across simulated and real buildings, achieving superior prediction accuracy and lower, more consistent MPC costs. The Pretrained Estimator is highlighted as a robust, computationally efficient, and initial‑guess‑free alternative for RC parameter estimation, with potential applicability to other control‑oriented dynamical systems.
By Fabian Raisch, Timo Germann, Sang-Woo Ham, J. Nathan Kutz, Christoph Goebel, Benjamin Tischler
arXiv:2606. 02852v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Accurate short-term forecasting of residential energy load and indoor temperature is essential for home energy management systems, grid-level demand response, and community energy efficiency efforts.
By Jainam Dhruva, Yousaf Raza, A. B. Siddique, Simone Silvestri
arXiv:2606. 18567v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: This paper presents a methodology-centered transfer learning framework for fragility adaptation under domain shift, class imbalance, and scarce target labels while preserving engineering interpretability and supporting decision-making under uncertainty.
By Narges Saeednejad, Jamie Ellen Padgett
arXiv:2607. 16534v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: Reinforcement learning (RL) has achieved strong results in control, yet learned policies remain brittle to changes in dynamics, action spaces, observation spaces, or goals, a critical limitation for real-world deployment.
By Vincent Taboga, Justin Veilleux, Doseok Jang, Anushree Rankawat, Pierre-Luc Bacon
The paper introduces NOMAD‑RL, a reinforcement learning controller for HVAC systems that learns to adapt across diverse thermal zones via a universal thermostat interface. It employs an adaptive domain randomization scheme using physics‑informed normalizing flows to generate realistic, multimodal training data, enabling the recurrent policy to handle partial observability. Experiments show NOMAD‑RL outperforms constant‑setpoint PID and non‑randomized RL, and rivals well‑tuned model predictive control, especially in multi‑zone scenarios.
By Pablo Boitel, Kun Zhang
Buildings account for roughly one-third of global energy consumption and CO$_2$ emissions. Optimizing indoor climate systems plays a critical role for urban climate mitigation aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals 11 and 13.
arXiv:2608. 19804v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Buildings account for roughly one-third of global energy consumption and CO$_2$ emissions.
By Xu Yang, Kailai Sun, Dianyu Zhong, Qianchuan Zhao
arXiv:2606. 24459v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Bearing fault diagnosis faces critical challenges when dataset heterogeneity, operating condition variations, and limited labeled data occur simultaneously in industrial environments.
By Jinghan Wang, Feng Cheng, Wentao Wu, Hang Li, Gaoliang Peng, Tianchen Liu
arXiv:2608. 09255v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Residential energy estimates are often needed before detailed envelope characteristics, equipment efficiencies, infiltration, sensor, or billing data are available.
By Aditya Ramnarayan, Fatih Evren, Patti Gunderson, Samuel Rosenberg
This paper presents a comparative study of two distinct approaches, XGBoost and Long-Short Term Memory (LSTM), for forecasting transmitted heat energy in District Heating Systems (DHS). The objective is to explore scenarios in which conventional ML algorithms demonstrate better performance over deep learning networks in time series forecasting and the associated benefits in terms of computational cost and environmental impact.
arXiv:2606. 11463v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: Accurate loss reserving is foundational to insurer solvency, yet accelerating climate driven catastrophes systematically violate the stability assumptions on which traditional actuarial methods depend.
By Thomas Mbrice, Shashwat Panigrahi