Quantum-Powered Design Makes HVAC Greener

An interdisciplinary team has developed a model for the sustainable design of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems for complex buildings that could be solved by quantum computers. 

The proof-of-concept project brought together international participants that included engineering company Vinci Energies, uptownBasel, QuantumBasel and D-Wave.

For the first stage of the project, the group translated the HVAC network generation problem into a constrained quadratic model (CQM) that could potentially be solved by D-Wave's quantum-classical hybrid solvers.

The next phase saw the CQM translated into Python code and processed by D-Wave’s hybrid solvers, which identified better HVAC designs faster than classical, data-driven methods. The hybrid quantum solutions used shorter duct lengths and fewer construction elements, such as elbows.

Vinci Energies visually and manually inspected the solutions that were based on one representative building plan and diverse HVAC systems, confirming the quality was better, and paving the way for using the solution in the wider construction industry.

Future stages of the project aim to translate these technical improvements into tangible business impacts, such as reduced computation time and less manual engineering effort.

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