MANAGING ENERGY IN A MULTI-DWELLING UNIT

• US 20150369847A1
• Filed: 06/23/2014
• Published: 12/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Roosli, Philipp Anton
• Granted Patent: US 10,697,660 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing

Abstract

Methods, devices, and systems for managing energy in a multi-dwelling unit are described herein. One method includes determining an energy consumption of each of a plurality of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units, wherein each of the plurality of HVAC units is associated with a different space of a multi-dwelling unit having a plurality of spaces, normalizing the energy consumption of each of the plurality of HVAC units, and ranking the normalized energy consumptions.

Claims

1. A method for managing energy in a multi-dwelling unit, comprising:

determining an energy consumption of each of a plurality of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units, wherein each of the plurality of HVAC units is associated with a different space of a multi-dwelling unit having a plurality of spaces;

normalizing the energy consumption of each of the plurality of HVAC units; and

ranking the normalized energy consumptions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes:

receiving operational data from each of the plurality of HVAC units; and

normalizing the energy consumption of each of the plurality of HVAC units based on the respective operational data from each of the plurality of HVAC units.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the operational data from each of the plurality of HVAC units includes a run time associated with a heat setting and a run time associated with a cool setting of each of the plurality of HVAC units.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes:

receiving a plurality of parameters associated with each of the plurality of spaces; and

normalizing the energy consumption of each of the plurality of HVAC units based on the respective plurality of parameters associated with each of the plurality of spaces.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of parameters associated with each of the plurality of spaces includes occupancy data associated with each of the plurality of spaces.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of parameters associated with each of the plurality of spaces includes a volume of each of the plurality of spaces.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of parameters associated with each of the plurality of spaces includes a distance of the plurality of spaces from an HVAC feeder pipe associated with the multi-dwelling unit.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of parameters associated with each of the plurality of spaces includes a sun exposure associated with each of the plurality of spaces.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of parameters associated with each of the plurality of spaces includes a space type of each of the plurality of spaces.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of parameters associated with each of the plurality of spaces includes a rental history associated with each of the plurality of spaces.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of parameters associated with each of the plurality of spaces includes an HVAC unit type associated with each of the plurality of spaces.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon executable by a processor to:

determine an energy consumption of each of a plurality of HVAC units during a period of time, wherein each of the plurality of HVAC units is associated with a different space of a multi-dwelling unit having a plurality of spaces;

normalize the energy consumption of each of the plurality of HVAC units during the period of time; and

rank the plurality of HVAC units according to the normalized energy consumption associated with each of the plurality of HVAC units.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions are executable to prioritize a maintenance budget according to the ranked plurality of HVAC units.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions are executable to designate a portion of a maintenance budget to a subset of the plurality of HVAC units having a normalized energy consumption exceeding a particular threshold.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions are executable to compare the normalized energy consumptions associated with each of the plurality of HVAC units to normalized energy consumptions associated with each of an additional plurality of HVAC units of an additional multi-dwelling unit.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the period of time is a year.

17. A system for managing energy in a multi-dwelling unit, comprising:

a plurality of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units, each associated with a different space of a multi-dwelling unit having a plurality of spaces; and

a computing device, configured to;

receive operational data from each of the plurality of HVAC units;

receive a plurality of parameters associated with each of the plurality of spaces;

normalize an energy consumption of each of the plurality of HVAC units based on the respective operational data from each of the plurality of HVAC units and the respective plurality of parameters associated with each of the plurality of spaces; and

schedule maintenance for each of a subset of the plurality of HVAC units having a normalized energy consumption exceeding a particular threshold.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the computing device is part of a building control system associated with the multi-dwelling unit.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the energy consumption of each of the plurality of HVAC units includes energy consumption during:

a cooling run time;

a heating run time; and

a fan run time.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein normalizing the energy consumption of each of the plurality of HVAC units includes normalizing the energy consumption during the cooling run time, the heating run time, and the fan run time.