SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATED BUILDING SERVICES DESIGN

• US 20110153524A1
• Filed: 12/22/2010
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AEA Integration Incorporated
• Original Assignee: AEA Integration Incorporated
• Inventors: Schnackel, Gregory R.
• Granted Patent: US 10,346,768 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/400
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/13 Architectural design, e.g. computer-aided architectural design [CAAD] related to design of buildings, bridges, landscapes, production plants or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination

Abstract

A building systems design process uses computer hardware and software to examine multiple possible solutions to the design of building services systems including plumbing, heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, electrical power and lighting through automated calculation procedures and iterative computing methods. The process examines multiple valid solutions to the system design requirements, while preparing construction cost estimates of each valid solution examined and comparing the cost of each solution to determine the least costly solution that meets or exceeds all required design parameters entered into the system. The solution returned by the optimization process includes a complete representation of the best solution found placed in a CAD database ready for reproduction and use in the bidding and construction of the building.

Claims

1. A system for designing building services systems, comprising:

at least one processor operable to execute at least one computer program;

at least one user interface coupled to the at least one processor and operable for receiving plurality of data sets, the plurality of data sets comprising a first data set comprising the locations of a plurality of component devices of at least one building services system, and a second data set comprising at least one operating parameter associated with at least one of the plurality of component devices;

the at least one computer program using the plurality of data sets to generate a plurality of design solutions, each of the plurality of design solutions comprising an arrangement of interconnections between the plurality of component devices;

the at least one computer program operable to determine a construction cost associated with each of the plurality of design solutions.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer program is further operable to determine an operating cost associated with each of the plurality of design solutions.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one computer program is further operable to determine an optimized design solution from among the plurality of design solutions based on operating cost and construction cost.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the number of the plurality of design solutions is predetermined.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of design solutions comprises a first design solution and a second design solution, the first design solution being determined based on at least a first value of a first parameter, and the second design solution being based on at least a second value of the first parameter, the first and second values being different by a predetermined amount.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer program is further operable to run a pre-check of at least one of the first data set and the second data set, the pre-check comprising a determination of whether at least one value of the first and second data sets meets a predetermined threshold.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein a user enters at least one of the first and second data sets, and wherein the user is prevented from accessing the at least one processor.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer program determines a final design solution based on at least one of operating cost and construction cost.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer program is further operable to determine a capacity of at least one component device based on one or more predetermined building requirements.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer program is further operable to produce a set of design documents incorporating at least one of the plurality of design solutions.

11. A method of designing building services systems, comprising:

establishing a first data set comprising the locations of a plurality of component devices of at least one building services system,

establishing a second data set comprising at least one operating parameter associated with at least one of the plurality of component devices;

employing at least one computer program operable to use the first and second data sets to generate a plurality of design solutions, each of the plurality of design solutions comprising an arrangement of interconnections between the plurality of component devices;

the at least one computer program operable to determine a construction cost associated with each of the plurality of design solutions.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one computer program is further operable to determine an operating cost associated with each of the plurality of design solutions.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one computer program is further operable to determine an optimized design solution from among the plurality of design solutions based on operating cost and construction cost.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the number of the plurality of design solutions is predetermined.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of design solutions comprises a first design solution and a second design solution, the first design solution being determined based on at least a first value of a first parameter, and the second design solution being based on at least a second value of the first parameter, the first and second values being different by a predetermined amount.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one computer program is further operable to run a pre-check of at least one of the first data set and the second data set, the pre-check comprising a determination of whether at least one value of the first and second data sets meets a predetermined threshold.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein a user enters at least one of the first and second data sets, and wherein the user is prevented from accessing the at least one processor.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one computer program determines a final design solution based on at least one of operating cost and construction cost.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one computer program is further operable to determine a capacity of at least one component device based on one or more predetermined building requirements.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one computer program is further operable to produce a set of design documents incorporating at least one of the plurality of design solutions.