Energy saving in smart homes based on consumer behavior: A case study

Abstract

This paper presents a case study of a recommender system that can be used to save energy in smart homes without lowering the comfort of the inhabitants. We present an algorithm that mines consumer behavior data only and applies machine learning to suggest actions for inhabitants to reduce the energy consumption of their homes. The system looks for frequent and periodic patterns in the event data provided by the digitalSTROM home automation system. These patterns are converted into association rules, prioritized and compared with the current behavior of the inhabitants. If the system detects opportunities to save energy without decreasing the comfort level, it sends a recommendation to the inhabitants.