Apparatus, system, and method for quantifying energy usage and savings

• US 8,266,076 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2008
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EQS Incorporated
• Original Assignee: EQS Incorporated
• Inventors: Lopez, Teresa, Baker, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): BORISSOV, IGOR N
• Application Number:
  US12/347,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20090228406A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7, 705/10, 705/29, 705/30, 705/34, 705/306, 705/400, 705/412, 705/14.1, 705/14.11, 705/14.15, 705/14.17, 705/14.18, 705/14.19, 705/14.23, 705/14.34, 705/14.36, 705/14.39, 705/35, 705 38- 40, 705313-316, 705/348, 705/1.1
• US Class Current: 705/412
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 40/70 Smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the energy generation sector
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/50 Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method for quantifying energy usage and savings enables applying the savings to a financial transaction. Quantification includes estimating and/or monitoring usage of utilities by detectors, comparing the usage to a predetermined baseline value, and valuating an energy savings. Quantification relies on a comprehensive database to establish the baseline and to predict usage and savings. A portion of the savings may be applied to any of early repayment of a mortgage loan, investment in securities, and a request for a credit. The method and system standardizes values of energy units and/or monetary units, and quantifies savings. The method and system aids in qualifying the building project based on a concrete estimation of energy savings or a savings within a range. Thus, the method forms a bridge between green, other energy conserving, or sustainable technologies and the financial markets.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining an energy savings and applying at least a portion of the savings to a financial transaction, the apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a computer readable storage medium comprising;

a metering module configured to receive signals representing usage of one or more of energy, temperature, flow, current, volume, and mass of at least one utility related to an identified property for a mortgagee, the identified property comprising a new building, the mortgagee owning the identified property;

an analysis module configured to predetermine a baseline value of usage of the at least one utility and compare actual usage of the at least one utility, based on the received signals, to the predetermined baseline value and determine a savings in cost of energy for the identified property by calculating a difference between the actual usage and the baseline value, the baseline value based on one or more of modeling data and historic data of properties similar to the identified property;

an execution module configured to interface with a mortgagor to automatically apply at least a portion of the savings in cost of energy to repayment of a mortgage loan for the new building, the mortgage loan held by the mortgagor; and

wherein the metering module, the analysis module, and the execution module are executed by the processor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one of the modules configured to convert a plurality of units of usage for a plurality of utilities into a single common energy unit.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising at least one of the modules configured to convert at least one of the units of usage and energy usage into a single unit of currency.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an energy usage factors module configured to receive input regarding at least one energy usage factor category from the categories consisting of a building shell, climate zone, HVAC, renewable energy, appliance, building occupancy, and utilities.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the analysis module further comprises a modeling module configured to model financial risk to facilitate capital funding for at least one of a retrofit construction and a new build construction that includes at least one of sustainable energy features and green energy features.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the execution module applying at least a portion of the savings in cost of energy to repayment of the mortgage loan further comprises the execution module applying the at least a portion of the savings in cost of energy to principal of the mortgage loan to accelerate repayment of the mortgage loan, the portion being in addition to other payments on the mortgage loan by the mortgagee.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the analysis metering module is further configured to quantify the actual usage based on the received signals.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one utility is a first utility of a plurality of utilities from the group including fuel, water, power, sewer, and trash; and

the metering and analysis modules quantify actual usages of the plurality of utilities and compare the usages with predetermined baseline values of the respective utilities.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the analysis module further comprises a calculation module for calculating a concrete value of energy savings.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the analysis module quantifies a plurality of financial incentives;

the execution module further comprises a bundling module configured to selectively combine the plurality of financial incentives into a package, and

the execution module selectively applies the package to at least one of a retrofit construction or a new building construction that involves at least one of sustainable energy features and green energy features.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a tax incentive module configured to identify, quantify, and apply at least one tax incentive for at least one of a retrofit construction and a new build construction having at least one of sustainable energy features and green energy features.

12. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the energy usage factors module comprises a user interface configured to prompt a user for input into a plurality of the usage factor categories.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an energy efficient appraisal calculation module configured to add a value of energy savings to an appraised building value.

14. A method for determining an energy savings and applying at least a portion of the savings to a financial transaction, the method comprising:

receiving signals representing usage of one or more of energy, temperature, flow, current, volume, and mass of at least one utility related to an identified property for a mortgagee, the identified property comprising one of a property associated with a retrofit construction and a new building, the mortgagee owning the identified property;

predetermining, by a processor, a baseline value of usage of the at least one utility and compare actual usage of the at least one utility, based on the received signals, to the predetermined baseline value, the baseline value based on one or more of modeling data and historic data of one or more of properties similar to the identified property and the property associated with the retrofit construction;

determining, by the processor, a savings in cost of energy for the identified property by calculating a difference between the actual usage and the baseline value; and

interfacing, by the processor, with a mortgagor to automatically apply at least a portion of the savings in cost of energy to one of repayment of an existing mortgage loan for the property associated with the retrofit construction and repayment of a mortgage loan for the new building, one of existing mortgage loan and the mortgage loan held by the mortgagor.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising converting a plurality of units of usage for the plurality of utilities into a single common energy unit.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising converting at least one of the units of usage and energy unit into a single unit of currency.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein applying at least a portion of the savings in cost energy to one of repayment of the existing mortgage loan and repayment of the mortgage loan further comprises applying the at least a portion of the savings in cost of energy to principal of one of the existing mortgage loan and the mortgage loan to accelerate repayment of one of the existing mortgage loan and the mortgage loan, the at least a portion being in addition to other payments on one of the existing mortgage loan and the mortgage loan by the mortgagee.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving input regarding at least one energy usage factor category from the categories consisting of a building shell, climate zone, HVAC, renewable energy, appliance, building occupancy, and utilities.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising adding a value of energy savings to an appraised building value.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the at least one utility is a first utility of a plurality of utilities from the group including fuel, water, power, sewer, and trash;

the method further comprising quantifying actual usages of the plurality of utilities and compare the usages with predetermined baseline values of the respective utilities.

21. An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory computer program storage medium readable by a processor and storing one or more instructions executable by the processor to perform a method for determining an energy savings and applying at least a portion of the savings to a financial transaction, the method comprising:

receiving signals representing usage of one or more of energy, temperature, flow, current, volume, and mass of at least one utility related to an identified property for a mortgagee, the identified property comprising a new building, the mortgagee owning the identified property;

predetermining a baseline value of usage of the at least one utility and compare actual usage of the at least one utility, based on the received signals, to the predetermined baseline value, the baseline value based on one or more of modeling data and historic data of properties similar to the identified property;

determining a savings in cost of energy for the identified property by calculating a difference between the actual usage and the baseline value; and

interfacing with a mortgagor to automatically apply at least a portion of the savings in cost of energy to repayment of a mortgage loan for the new building, the mortgage loan held by the mortgagor.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 21, further comprising converting a plurality of units of usage for the plurality of utilities into a single common energy unit.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 21, further comprising converting at least one of the units of usage and energy unit into a single unit of currency.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 21, further comprising quantifying the actual usage based on the received signals.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein applying at least a portion of the savings in cost of energy to repayment of the mortgage loan further comprises applying the at least a portion of the savings in cost of energy to principal of the mortgage loan to accelerate repayment of the mortgage loan, the at least a portion being in addition to other payments on the mortgage loan by the mortgagee.