RETROLITE - AN ARTIFICIAL-INTELLIGENCE TOOL FOR LIGHTING ENERGY-EFFICIENCY UPGRADE

A prototype software tool integrating knowledge-base and database appr oaches is developed to solve lighting-retrofit problems for energy con servation and management purposes. Founded on the types of problems an d the conceptual differences between conventional programming and know ledge-based expert systems, it is felt that a system which combines bo th approaches is best for solving Lighting-retrofit problems. The arch itecture of the system is built on the concept of knowledge-based expe rt systems and its links to a database. A commercially available knowl edge-engineering tool and a dBase III-compatible compiler are used for system development. Improvements necessary to upgrade the current res earch system into a deliverable tool are suggested.