Method and system for tracking and budgeting energy usage

• US 20060161450A1
• Filed: 01/18/2006
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yardi Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mc Energy Inc. (Mitsubishi Corporation)
• Inventors: Pfeister, Douglas L., Carey, Margaret M., Putnam, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 7,818,270 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/82 Energy audits or management systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/845 Inventory and reporting systems for greenhouse gases [GHG]

Abstract

An energy tracking and reporting system can receive data inputs from multiple sources regarding one or more properties. A central database receives the information and correlates the information for numerous outputs. Information received by the central database can include, for example, property location, property size, property type and property use. Also, occupancy information, energy sources, utilities servicing the property, weather, ISO, environmental guidelines, and the traded or other standard price for the utilities can be stored. The system can calculate a number of factors from the data and return values to the central database. The system can track data trends and store additional information for budgeting, user reporting and certification compliance reporting. Modules can analyze the market rates, calculate efficiency benchmarks, analyze the data stored on the central database and provide the user with multiple tables and charts analyzing all of the factors that tie into energy usage.

Claims

1. A method of calculating future energy consumption, comprising the steps of:

receiving a selection of a time period;

calculating a historical energy consumption for the time period;

modifying the historical energy consumption, comprising the steps of;

optionally, receiving an input of a defined factor; and

optionally, receiving a selection of a calculated factor;

calculating the future energy consumption.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculated factor is one of increasing and decreasing at least one of Cooling Degree Days and Heating Degree Days.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculated factor is a change in occupancy for the property.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculated factor is an efficiency factor for the property.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of calculating a future energy cost.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of calculating a future energy budget by multiplying the future energy consumption by the future energy cost.

7. A method to calculate a future cost basis for energy consumption, comprising the steps of:

receiving a selection of a budget time period;

receiving a selection of an energy supplier from at least one of a supplier and a distributor; and

optionally, for the distributor;

calculating a distributor rolling average for the energy over a time period including one of a predefined period and a selected period; and

optionally, modifying the distributor rolling average by a cost modifier;

optionally, for the supplier;

calculating a supplier rolling average for handling charges from the distributor over a time period including one of a predefined period and a selected period; and

modifying the supplier rolling average with a contract supply cost;

calculating the future cost from at least one of the distributor and supplier rolling averages and the distributor and supplier modified rolling averages.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

retrieving available tariff rates for at least one of the budget time period and a portion of the budget time period; and

replacing the distributor rolling average with one of the tariff rates or a calculated modified tariff rate.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

retrieving available tariff rates for at least one of the budget time period and a portion of the budget time period;

calculating an average of the tariff rates;

calculating a trend factor comprising the step of subtracting the calculated rolling average from the average tariff rate; and

modifying the rolling average by the trend factor for periods of time where the tariff rates are unavailable.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

setting a threshold for the trend factor; and

modifying the rolling average if the trend factor is greater than or equal to the threshold.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of replacing the supplier rolling average with a calculated value based on the type of supply contract.

12. A method of budgeting future energy consumption for a property, comprising the steps of:

receiving a selection of a budget period;

receiving a selection of a starting month and starting year for the budget period;

retrieving historical consumption data for each month in the budget period, wherein the historical consumption data is from the same month and one year previous from the starting year;

calculating an average sum of at least one of heating degree days and cooling degree days for each month of the budget period using the historical consumption data;

calculating at least one of a heating factor and a cooling factor for the property using the historical consumption data;

modifying the historical consumption by at least one of the heating factor and the cooling factor;

modifying the historical consumption by a per-capita consumption; and

modifying the historical consumption data by an efficiency factor.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the retrieving historical consumption data step includes retrieving historical consumption data from two years previous from the starting year.

14. The method of claim 12, the retrieving historical consumption data step further comprising the steps of:

extrapolating a target month historical consumption data from the historical consumption data of a previous month, comprising the steps of;

summing an energy consumption for the months of the two years previous where at least one of heating degree days and cooling degree days equal zero; and

dividing by selected months in the budget period to find at least one of a non-heating monthly consumption and a non-cooling monthly consumption;

summing an energy consumption for months of the one year previous where at least one of heating degree days and cooling degree days equal zero; and

dividing by selected months in the budget period to find at least one of a non-heating monthly consumption and a non-cooling monthly consumption;

calculating one of a heating consumption factor and a cooling consumption factor by 1+(((one of a non-heating monthly consumption and non-cooling monthly consumption, year one)−

(one of non-heating monthly consumption and non-cooling monthly consumption, year two))/one of non-heating monthly consumption and non-cooling monthly consumption, year two);

determining if the target month experiences at least one of heating degree days and cooling degree days; and

modifying the target month historical consumption data, year two by at least one of the heating consumption factor and the cooling consumption factor.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the calculating at least one of the heating factor and the cooling factor for the property comprises the steps of:

plotting a daily energy consumption against at least one of the heating and the cooling degree days;

determining an average slope increase in consumption per at least one of the heating and the cooling degree days;

dividing the average slope by a square footage of the property;

determining at least one of a non-heating baseline and a non-cooling base line by calculating at least one of an average non-heating energy use and a non-cooling energy usage for the one year previous;

calculating an expected energy consumption from at least one of the heating factor and the non-heating baseline and the cooling factor and the non-cooling baseline; and

modifying the expected energy consumption by at least one of an average heating degree days and average cooling degree days.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the modifying the historical consumption by the per-capita consumption step, comprising the steps of:

retrieving historical occupancy data for the one year previous;

calculating at least one of energy-per-capita non-heating and energy-per-capita non-cooling using the historical energy data and the historical occupancy data;

calculating at least one of energy-per-capita heating and energy-per-capita cooling using the historical energy data and the historical occupancy data;

determining a difference between a current occupancy and an occupancy the one year previous; and

modifying historical consumption by multiplying the difference by at least one of energy-per-capita non-heating, energy-per-capita non-cooling, energy-per-capita heating, and energy-per-capita cooling.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the modifying the historical consumption by the per-capita consumption step, comprising the step of calculating a property baseline consumption by at least one of calculating at least one of off-peak non-cooling consumption and off-peak non-heating consumption and performing a public light and power analysis.