METHOD FOR DETERMINING AND USING A CLIMATE ENERGY INDEX

• US 20100332044A1
• Filed: 04/29/2010
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Integrated Environmental Solutions, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Integrated Environmental Solutions, Ltd.
• Inventors: MCLEAN, Donald John
• Granted Patent: US 8,532,835 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/291
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/14 Activity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/50 Load
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/026 using a predictor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25011 Domotique, I-O bus, home automation, building automation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

A system and method for determining at least one climate energy index, comprising: at least one server and/or at least one client coupled to at least one application, the at least one application capable of: identifying at least one geographic location; identifying at least one human comfort zone; performing at least one energy calculation for weather ordinates associated with the at least one geographic location and the at least one human comfort zone; summing the at least one energy calculation for at least one time period; combining all the energy calculations to produce at least one energy total for the at least one geographic location; and determining at least one first index value associated with delivered energy based on the at least one energy total for the at least one geographic location.

Claims

1. A computerized method for determining at least one climate energy index, comprising:

at least one application coupled to at least one computer, the at least one application configured to;

identify at least one geographic location;

identify at least one human comfort zone;

perform at least one energy calculation for weather ordinates associated with the at least one geographic location and the at least one human comfort zone;

sum the at least one energy calculation for at least one time period;

combine all the energy calculations to produce at least one energy total for the at least one geographic location; and

determine at least one first index value associated with delivered energy based on the at least one energy total for the at least one geographic location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one time period comprises:

a year; and

/or

at least one occupancy schedule associated with the use of a building.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one energy calculation comprises:

at least one heating energy calculation;

at least one cooling energy calculation;

at least one humidification energy calculation; and

at least one dehumidification energy calculation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one comfort zone is based upon values associated with:

occupant comfort values;

or

different comfort zones;

the different comfort zones being determined by;

at least two geographic locations;

or

cultural and/or economic differences;

or

any combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy calculation includes:

one or more sources of energy including;

fossil fuel energy; and

/or

renewable energy.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the weather ordinates associated with the at least one geographic location include:

any weather variable data.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one occupancy schedule includes data associated with occupancy and/or activities for a building in the at least one geographic location at various times of the day, on different days, or both.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one application is further configured to:

produce at least one monthly energy load breakdown, or at least one annual energy load breakdown, or both, for the at least one geographic location; and

determine at least one delivered energy monthly breakdown from the at least one monthly energy load breakdown, or at least one delivered energy annual breakdown from the at least one annual energy load breakdown, or both.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one application is further configured to:

determine at least one building air change factor for at least one building design;

determine auxiliary load benchmark data for the at least one building design;

determine occupancy hours of the at least one building design;

determine the floor area of the building design; and

calculate at least one second index value utilizing the at least one first index value, the at least one air change factor, the auxiliary load benchmark data, the occupancy hours, and the floor area.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one application is further configured to:

determine whether to adjust the at least one building design based on building simulated delivered energy data and whether the at least one building design meets pre-determined comfort conditions and at least one second index; and

/or

determine whether to adjust the at least one building design based on building measured delivered energy data and whether the at least one building design meets pre-determined comfort conditions and at least one second index.

3. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

8-9. -9. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

16-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A system for determining at least one climate energy index, comprising:

at least one server and/or at least one client coupled to a network;

at least one application coupled to the at least one server and/or the at least one client, the at least one application configured for;

identifying at least one geographic location;

identifying at least one human comfort zone;

performing at least one energy calculation for weather ordinates associated with the at least one geographic location and the at least one human comfort zone;

summing the at least one energy calculation for at least one time period;

combining all the energy calculations to produce at least one energy total for the at least one geographic location; and

determining at least one first index value associated with delivered energy based on the at least one energy total for the at least one geographic location.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one time period is:

a year; and

/or

at least one occupancy schedule associated with the use of a building.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one energy calculation comprises:

at least one heating energy calculation;

at least one cooling energy calculation;

at least one humidification energy calculation; and

at least one dehumidification energy calculation.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one comfort zone is based upon values associated with:

occupant comfort values;

or

different comfort zones;

the different comfort zone being determined by;

at least two geographic locations;

or

cultural and/or economic differences;

or

any combination thereof.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the energy calculation includes:

one or more sources of energy including;

fossil fuel energy; and

/or

renewable energy.

30. The system of claim 21, wherein the weather ordinates associated with the at least one geographic location include:

any weather variable data.

31. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one occupancy schedule includes data associated with occupancy and/or activities for a building in the at least one geographic location at various times of the day, on different days, or both.

32. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one application is also configured for:

producing at least one monthly energy load breakdown, or at least one annual energy load breakdown, or both, for the at least one geographic location; and

determining at least one delivered energy monthly breakdown from the at least one monthly energy load breakdown, or at least one delivered energy annual breakdown from the at least one annual energy load breakdown, or both.

33. The system of claim 21, wherein the at least one application is also configured for:

determining at least one building air change factor for at least one building design;

determining auxiliary load benchmark data for the at least one building design;

determining occupancy hours of the at least one building design;

determining the floor area of the building design; and

calculating at least one second index value utilizing the at least one first index value, the at least one air change factor, the auxiliary load benchmark data, the occupancy hours, and the floor area.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the at least one application is also configured for:

determining, using the at least one application, whether to adjust the at least one building design based on building simulated delivered energy data and whether the at least one building design meets pre-determined comfort conditions and at least one second index; and

/or

determining, using the at least one application, whether to adjust the at least one building design based on building measured delivered energy data and whether the at least one building design meets pre-determined comfort conditions and at least one second index.

23. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

28-29. -29. (canceled)

34. (canceled)

36-46. -46. (canceled)