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2017
Paiva, L., P. Pereira, B. Almeida, P. Maló, J. Hyvärinen, K. Klobut, V. Dimitriou, and T. Hassan, "Interoperability: A Data Conversion Framework to Support Energy Simulation", Sustainable Places 2017, vol. 1, no. 7, 2017. Abstract

In this paper an interoperability solution is proposed, aiming to go from (building) construction models to energy simulation. Moreover, the energy simulation results will feed the KPI’s analysis of a designed building. The proposed solution will be used to translate different data formats allowing the communication between different systems in an automated environment. The solution presented in this paper exploits the concept of Plug’n’Interoperate (PnI), that is supported by the principle of self-configuration as to automate, as much as possible, the configuration and participation of systems into a shared interoperability environment. In order to validate this approach two different scenarios were taken into account, translating from a CAD (Computer- Aided Design) model data format to an energy simulation data format.

2016
Noack, F., P. Katranuschkov, R. Scherer, V. Dimitriou, S. K. Firth, T. M. Hassan, N. Ramos, P. Pereira, P. Maló, and T. Fernando, "Technical challenges and approaches to transfer building information models to building energy", Proceedings of ECPPM 2016: CRC Press, pp. 355-362, 2016/08/15. Abstract

The complex data exchange between architectural design and building energy simulation constitutes the main challenge in the use of energy performance analyses in the early design stage. The enhancement of BIM model data with additional specific energy-related information and the subsequent mapping to the input of an energy analysis or simulation tool is yet an open issue. This paper examines three approaches for the data transfer from 3D CAD applications to building performance simulations using BIM as central data repository and points out their current and envisaged use in practice. The first approach addresses design scenarios. It focuses on the supporting tools needed to achieve interoperability given a 74 wide-spread commercial BIM model (Autodesk Revit) and a dedicated pre-processing tool (DesignBuilder) for EnergyPlus. The second approach is similar but addresses retrofitting scenarios. In both workflows gbXML is used as the transformation format. In the third approach a standard BIM model, IFC is used as basis for the transfer process for any relevant lifecycle phase.

Kchaou, B. O., A. Garbaya, M. Kotti, P. Pereira, M. Fakhfakh, and H. M. Fino, "Sensitivity aware NSGA-II based Pareto front generation for the optimal sizing of analog circuits", Integration, the \{VLSI\} Journal, vol. 55, pp. 220 - 226, 2016. AbstractWebsite

Abstract This paper deals with multiobjective analog circuit optimization taking into consideration performance sensitivity vis-a-vis parameters' variations. It mainly considers improving computation time of the inloop optimization approaches by including sensitivity considerations in the Pareto front generation process, not as a constraint, but by involving it within the used metaheuristic evolution process. Different approaches are proposed and compared. NSGA-II metaheuristic is considered. The proposed sensitivity aware approaches are showcased via two analog circuits, namely, a second generation \{CMOS\} current conveyor and a \{CMOS\} voltage follower. We show that the proposed ideas considerably alleviate the long computation time of the process and improve the quality of the generated front, as well.

2015
Kchaou, O. B., A. Sallem, P. Pereira, M. Fakhfakh, and M. H. Fino, "Multi-objective sensitivity-based optimization of analog circuits exploiting NSGA-II front ranking", Synthesis, Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Methods and Applications to Circuit Design (SMACD), 2015 International Conference on, Istanbul, Turkey, pp. 1-4, Sept, 2015. Abstract

This work deals with the multi-objective optimization of analog circuits by generating the Pareto front where elements are low sensitive to parameters' variations. NSGA-II is used for obtaining the non-dominated solutions. Richardson extrapolation technique is used for the in-loop optimization approach for computing partial derivatives and, thus, the solutions' sensitivity. NSGA-II Pareto fronts' intrinsic ranking is exploited for the generation of the new ‘low-sensitive’ Pareto front. The case of the optimal sizing of a CMOS voltage follower is considered to exemplify the proposed approach.

2013
Pereira, P., M. Kotti, H. Fino, and M. Fakhfakh, "Metaheuristic algorithms comparison for the LC - Voltage controlled oscillators optimal design", 5th International Conference on Modeling, Simulation and Applied Optimization (ICMSAO), Hammamet, Tunisia, pp. 1 - 6, 28-30 April 2013. Abstract

The goal of this paper is to present a comparison among three known metaheuristics: Genetic Algorithm (GA), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Simulated Annealing (SA). For the comparison, the design of an LC - Voltage Controlled Oscillator (LC-VCO) is considered, where the minimization of both VCO phase noise and power consumption is envisaged. The objective of this comparison is to find the algorithm yielding the best solution. The validity of the solution obtained with each metaheuristic algorithm is checked against HSPICE/RF simulation results. Robustness checks for each algorithm are presented at the end of this paper.