Artificial neural networks (ANNs) used to control the operation of energy systems is an important field of research. This paper deals with the use of ANNs as a technique of modelling real non-linear energy systems such as the flow and pressure processes related to pump and valve input voltages of a small scale central heating system aiming at low electric energy consumption. The system is located in the Energy Economics Laboratory of Democritus University of Thrace in Greece and its operational parameters were accurately captured using a backpropagation neural network. The approach described in this paper has the advantages of computational speed, low cost for feasibility and ease of design by operators. (c) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.