OCCUPANT CONTROLLED ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN A MULTI-UNIT BUILDING
First Claim
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1. An occupant controlled energy management system for a unit of a multi-unit building, the system comprising:
- at least one appliance disposed in the unit and configured to effect a change in a condition within the unit; and
an appliance control device in operable communication with said at least one appliance, said appliance control device being accessible to an occupant of the unit;
wherein said appliance control device is configured to include an energy conserving setting that limits energy consumption by said at least one appliance, and wherein said energy conserving setting is actuatable by said occupant by one touch of an actuator disposed on said appliance control device.
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Abstract
A system and a method for allowing an occupant of a single unit of a multi-unit building to select an operating state of the unit which consumes less energy than a normal operating state.
133 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An occupant controlled energy management system for a unit of a multi-unit building, the system comprising:
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at least one appliance disposed in the unit and configured to effect a change in a condition within the unit; and an appliance control device in operable communication with said at least one appliance, said appliance control device being accessible to an occupant of the unit; wherein said appliance control device is configured to include an energy conserving setting that limits energy consumption by said at least one appliance, and wherein said energy conserving setting is actuatable by said occupant by one touch of an actuator disposed on said appliance control device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for managing energy in a multi-unit building, the method comprising:
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providing an appliance control device in an area accessible to an occupant of a unit of the building; operably communicating said appliance control device with at least one appliance disposed to effect a change in a condition within the unit; configuring said appliance control device to include an energy conserving setting that limits energy consumption by said at least one appliance; and implementing said energy conserving setting within the unit upon the occupant'"'"'s actuation of the an actuator disposed on said appliance control device. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A method of operating or managing a multi-unit building, comprising:
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informing an occupant upon arrival at the multi-unit building of an environmental effect of an occupant controlled energy management system provided in each unit of the building; encouraging the occupant to select an energy conservation setting of the energy management system by maneuvering an actuator disposed in the unit; providing reduced energy consumption within the unit upon the occupant'"'"'s actuation of the actuator; and optionally providing further information and/or benefits to the occupant having selected and utilized the reduced energy consumption setting.
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Specification