Estimation method, estimation device, and program

Abstract

To appropriately present an energy saving effect of an air conditioner.SOLUTION: An estimation device (10) including a control unit (101) executes a step of acquiring first information indicating an energy-saving effect obtained by applying an energy-saving measure to a first air conditioner (20-1), a step of estimating second information on a distribution of the energy-saving effect obtained by applying the energy-saving measure to a second air conditioner (20-2) based on the first information and operation data of the second air conditioner (20-2), and a step of outputting the second information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an estimation method, an estimation device, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] There are known techniques for estimating the energy-saving effect of an air conditioner. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an energy-saving effect estimation device that compares a heat load feature amount of a property where energy-saving control is being implemented with a heat load feature amount of a property where energy-saving control is not being implemented, and calculates an estimated value of the energy-saving effect of a property where energy-saving control is not being implemented from a value indicating the energy-saving effect of the property where energy-saving control is being implemented. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-82007 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, conventional technologies have not been able to properly present the energy-saving effect. For example, because the energy-saving effect varies due to various factors, outputting a single estimated value does not allow a user to correctly understand the expected energy-saving effect.

[0005] The present disclosure provides a technique for appropriately presenting the energy-saving effect of an air conditioner. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An estimation method according to a first aspect of the present disclosure includes an estimation device (10) having a control unit (101) performing the steps of acquiring first information indicating the energy-saving effect resulting from the application of an energy-saving measure to a first air conditioning device (20-1), estimating second information relating to the distribution of the energy-saving effect when the energy-saving measure is applied to the second air conditioning device (20-2) based on the first information and operation data of the second air conditioning device (20-2), and outputting the second information.

[0007] According to the first aspect of the present disclosure, the energy-saving effect of the air conditioner can be presented appropriately.

[0008] A second aspect of the present disclosure is an estimation method according to the first aspect, wherein the step of acquiring the first information calculates an index relating to the energy saving effect based on operating data of the first air conditioning device (20-1) when the energy saving measure is applied and operating data of the first air conditioning device (20-1) when the energy saving measure is not applied.

[0009] According to the second aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to accurately calculate the energy-saving effect of an air conditioner to which an energy-saving measure has been applied based on operating data.

[0010] A third aspect of the present disclosure is the estimation method according to the second aspect, wherein the first information includes an index related to the energy-saving effect for each operating condition of the first air conditioner (20-1).

[0011] According to the third aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to calculate the energy-saving effect for each operating condition of an air conditioner to which an energy-saving measure has been applied.

[0012] A fourth aspect of the present disclosure is an estimation method according to the third aspect, in which the step of estimating the second information calculates third information indicating the frequency of occurrence of the operating condition in the second air conditioning apparatus (20-2), and estimates the distribution of the energy-saving effect based on the third information.

[0013] According to the fourth aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to estimate the distribution of energy-saving effects according to the occurrence frequency of operating conditions of air conditioners to which no energy-saving measures are applied.

[0014] A fifth aspect of the present disclosure is the estimation method according to the second aspect, wherein the first information includes an index related to the energy-saving effect for each attribute of the first air conditioner (20-1).

[0015] According to the fifth aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to calculate the energy-saving effect for each attribute of an air conditioner to which an energy-saving measure has been applied.

[0016] A sixth aspect of the present disclosure is an estimation method according to the fifth aspect, in which the step of estimating the second information includes acquiring attributes of the second air conditioning device (20-2) and estimating the distribution of the energy-saving effect based on the attributes.

[0017] According to the sixth aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to estimate the distribution of energy-saving effects according to the attributes of air conditioners to which no energy-saving measures have been applied.

[0018] A seventh aspect of the present disclosure is an estimation method according to the fourth aspect, in which the step of estimating the second information further acquires attributes of the second air conditioning device (20-2), and estimates the distribution of the energy-saving effect based on the third information and the attributes.

[0019] According to the seventh aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to estimate the distribution of energy-saving effects according to the combination of the frequency of occurrence of operating conditions of air conditioners to which no energy-saving measures are applied and the attributes.

[0020] An eighth aspect of the present disclosure is an estimation method relating to any of the first to eighth aspects, wherein the step of outputting the second information outputs the second information including a range of the energy saving effect or statistical information of the energy saving effect.

[0021] According to the eighth aspect of the present disclosure, the variations in energy-saving effects can be presented in an easily understandable manner.

[0022] An estimation device (10) according to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure is an estimation device (10) having a control unit (101), which acquires first information indicating an energy-saving effect resulting from application of an energy-saving measure to a first air conditioning device (20-1), estimates second information indicating a distribution of energy-saving effects when the energy-saving measure is applied to the second air conditioning device (20-2) based on the first information and operation data of the second air conditioning device (20-2), and outputs the second information.

[0023] A program according to a tenth aspect of the present disclosure causes a control unit (101) of an estimation device (10) to execute the following process: acquire first information indicating the energy-saving effect resulting from the application of an energy-saving measure to a first air conditioning device (20-1); estimate second information indicating the distribution of the energy-saving effect when the energy-saving measure is applied to the second air conditioning device (20-2) based on the first information and operation data of the second air conditioning device (20-2); and output the second information. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of an energy saving effect estimation system. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a computer. [Figure 3] 4 is a flowchart showing an example of an estimation method according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of operating condition frequency information. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an energy saving effect index. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of energy-saving effect distribution information. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of an estimation method according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an attribute. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an energy saving effect index. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification and drawings, components having substantially the same functional configurations are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0026] [First embodiment] A first embodiment of the present disclosure is an energy saving effect estimation system that estimates the energy saving effect of an air conditioner (hereinafter referred to as "energy saving effect"). In this embodiment, the energy saving effect estimation system estimates the energy saving effect when an energy saving measure (hereinafter referred to as "energy saving measure") is applied to a property in which an air conditioner is installed.

[0027] Energy-saving measures are measures that allow an air conditioner to efficiently use energy, such as electricity, consumed during operation. For example, energy-saving measures may include using energy-saving operation control (hereinafter referred to as "energy-saving operation control") to operate the air conditioner so as to reduce energy consumption. In this case, the energy-saving measure may include setting the outdoor unit of the air conditioner to operate under energy-saving operation control. Note that the energy-saving measure is not limited to energy-saving operation control, and any measure that reduces the energy consumption of the air conditioner may be applied. For example, energy-saving measures may include using demand control to suppress power consumption or a demand value below a target value. For example, energy-saving measures may include using control that assumes relaxing the set temperature, relaxing the compressor rotation speed or frequency, or relaxing the refrigerant temperature, such as the evaporation temperature or condensation temperature, of the refrigerant in the refrigeration cycle.

[0028] The purpose of this embodiment is to appropriately present the energy-saving effects of air conditioners. To this end, this embodiment acquires first information indicating the energy-saving effects resulting from the application of an energy-saving measure to a first air conditioner, estimates second information relating to the distribution of energy-saving effects when the energy-saving measure is applied to the second air conditioner based on the first information and operating data of the second air conditioner, and outputs the second information.

[0029] In one aspect, according to the present embodiment, information regarding the distribution of energy-saving effects when energy-saving measures are applied to an air conditioner is output, so that the energy-saving effects of the air conditioner can be appropriately presented. In another aspect, according to the present embodiment, the variation in energy-saving effects when energy-saving measures are applied can be confirmed before applying the energy-saving measures, so that information for determining whether or not to apply the energy-saving measures can be provided to users or owners of the air conditioner.

[0030] <Overall structure> The overall configuration of the energy saving effect estimation system in this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of the energy saving effect estimation system.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 1, the energy saving effect estimation system 1000 includes an estimation device 10, a plurality of air conditioners 20 (20-1 to 20-4), a plurality of control devices 30 (30-1, 30-2), and one or more terminal devices 40.

[0032] Hereinafter, when there are multiple air conditioning devices 20, they will be distinguished from one another by using sub-numbers such as "air conditioning device 20-1" and "air conditioning device 20-2." When "air conditioning device 20" is used without using a sub-number, it applies to all air conditioning devices 20. The same notation will be used for the control device 30.

[0033] The estimation device 10, the air conditioning device 20, the control device 30, and the terminal device 40 are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate data via a communication network N such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or the Internet. The communication network N may include, for example, a wireless LAN, a mobile communication network, or a network using short-range wireless communication.

[0034] The energy saving effect estimation system 1000 includes multiple properties B (B-1, B-2, ...). The properties B are, for example, buildings such as offices, stores, or residences. One or more air conditioning units 20 and one or more control devices 30 are installed in the properties B. For example, air conditioning units 20-1, 20-3, ... and a control device 30-1 are installed in the property B-1. Furthermore, air conditioning units 20-2, 20-4, ... and a control device 30-2 are installed in the property B-2. Note that one air conditioning unit 20 installed in the property B corresponds to one system.

[0035] The number of properties B included in the energy saving effect estimation system 1000, or the number of air conditioners 20 or control devices 30 installed in each property B, are examples. These numbers may be configured as desired. For example, while Fig. 1 shows an example in which one control device 30 is installed for multiple air conditioners 20, one control device 30 may also be installed for one air conditioner 20.

[0036] In this embodiment, it is assumed that the property B-1 has energy-saving measures applied. It is also assumed that the property B-2 has no energy-saving measures applied. Hereinafter, the property B-1 to which the energy-saving measures have been applied will be referred to as the "applied property," and the property B-2 to which the energy-saving measures have not been applied will be referred to as the "target property."

[0037] The estimation device 10 is an information processing device such as a personal computer, server, or workstation that estimates the energy-saving effect of air conditioners 20-2, 20-4, ... installed in target property B-2. The estimation device 10 may estimate the energy-saving effect of air conditioners 20-2, 20-4, ... in response to a request from a terminal device 40. The estimation device 10 may transmit the estimated results of the energy-saving effect to the terminal device 40.

[0038] The air conditioner 20 is a facility device that conditions the air of a specified indoor space. The air conditioner 20 performs at least one of the following air treatments for the specified indoor space: cooling, heating, air purification, ventilation, humidification, dehumidification, and air circulation. The air conditioner 20 may include one or more outdoor units and one or more indoor units. The outdoor unit is installed outside the indoor space to be air-conditioned. The indoor unit is installed inside the indoor space to be air-conditioned. The outdoor unit and the indoor unit are connected by refrigerant piping. A refrigerant circuit that performs a vapor compression refrigeration cycle is formed by the circulation of refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant piping. In the refrigerant circuit, the refrigerant sealed inside is compressed, condensed, decompressed, evaporated, and then compressed again, performing a refrigeration cycle.

[0039] The outdoor unit of the air conditioner 20 accumulates operating data indicating the status of the equipment in a storage device during operation. The outdoor unit of the air conditioner 20 outputs the operating data accumulated in the storage device to the control device 30. As one example, the outdoor unit of the air conditioner 20 may output the operating data at predetermined time intervals, or may output the operating data in response to a request from the control device 30.

[0040] The control device 30 is an information processing device that controls the air conditioning device 20. The control device 30 may be installed in any property B and control one or more air conditioning devices 20 installed in the same property B. For example, the control device 30-1 installed in property B-1 may control the air conditioning devices 20-1, 20-3, ... installed in property B-1. Furthermore, the control device 30-2 installed in property B-2 may control the air conditioning devices 20-2, 20-4, ... installed in property B-2. The control device 30 may control one air conditioning device 20 installed in the same property B.

[0041] The control device 30 may be integrated with and configured inside the outdoor unit of the air conditioning device 20. The control device 30 may be installed in a data center or the like that is capable of communicating with the outdoor unit of the air conditioning device 20 via a communication network N.

[0042] The control device 30 collects operating data output by the outdoor unit of the air conditioner 20. The control device 30 transmits the collected operating data to the estimation device 10. The control device 30 may transmit control signals to the air conditioner 20 that control the operation of the outdoor unit and indoor unit of the air conditioner 20 based on the collected operating data.

[0043] The terminal device 40 is an information processing terminal such as a personal computer, smartphone, or tablet terminal operated by a user U of the energy saving effect estimation system 1000. The terminal device 40 may transmit an estimation request for the energy saving effect to the estimation device 10 in response to an operation by the user U. The estimation request is information or a signal requesting an estimation of the energy saving effect of the air conditioning device 20.

[0044] The terminal device 40 may present the estimated results of the energy saving effect received from the estimation device 10 to the user U. For example, the terminal device 40 may display a screen including the estimated results on a display device connected to the terminal device 40. The terminal device 40 may print a document including the estimated results from a printing device connected to the terminal device 40. The terminal device 40 may send an email including the estimated results to the account of the user U.

[0045] Note that the overall configuration of the energy-saving effect estimation system 1000 shown in Fig. 1 is one example, and various system configuration examples are possible depending on the application and purpose. For example, the energy-saving effect estimation system 1000 may include multiple units of one or more of the estimation device 10, air conditioning device 20, control device 30, and terminal device 40. For example, the estimation device 10 may be realized by multiple computers, or may be realized as a cloud computing service. The classification of devices such as the estimation device 10, air conditioning device 20, control device 30, and terminal device 40 shown in Fig. 1 is one example.

[0046] <Hardware configuration> The estimation device 10, the control device 30, and the terminal device 40 included in the energy saving effect estimation system 1000 can be implemented by a computer. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a computer.

[0047] 2, the computer 100 includes a processor 101, a memory 102, an auxiliary storage device 103, an operation device 104, a display device 105, a communication device 106, and a drive device 107. The hardware components of the computer 100 are connected to each other via a bus 108.

[0048] The processor 101 (hereinafter also referred to as a "controller") has various arithmetic devices such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), etc. The processor 101 reads various programs installed in the auxiliary storage device 103 onto the memory 102 and executes them.

[0049] The memory 102 has a main storage device such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The processor 101 and the memory 102 form a so-called computer, and the processor 101 executes various programs read onto the memory 102, thereby enabling the computer to realize various functions.

[0050] The auxiliary storage device 103 (hereinafter also referred to as a "storage unit") stores various programs and various data used when the processor 101 executes the various programs.

[0051] The operation device 104 is an operation device that allows a user of the computer 100 to perform various operations. The display device 105 is a display device that displays the results of various processes executed by the computer 100.

[0052] The communication device 106 is a communication device for communicating with external devices via a network (not shown).

[0053] Drive device 107 is a device for loading storage medium 109. The storage medium 109 here includes media that store information optically, electrically, or magnetically, such as CD-ROMs, flexible disks, and magneto-optical disks. Storage medium 109 may also include semiconductor memories that store information electrically, such as ROMs and flash memories.

[0054] The various programs to be installed in the auxiliary storage device 103 are installed, for example, by setting the distributed storage medium 109 in the drive device 107 and reading out the various programs stored in the storage medium 109 by the drive device 107. Alternatively, the various programs to be installed in the auxiliary storage device 103 may be installed by being downloaded from a network via the communication device 106.

[0055] <Estimation method> The estimation method executed by the energy saving effect estimation system 1000 will be described with reference to Fig. 3 to Fig. 6. Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the estimation method according to the first embodiment.

[0056] In step S1, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 collects operating data output by the air conditioning device 20. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may acquire operating data of the air conditioning device 20 installed in property B from a control device 30 installed in property B. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may request operating data from the control device 30 installed in property B at predetermined time intervals. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may receive operating data transmitted by the control device 30 regularly or irregularly.

[0057] In this embodiment, the operating data of the air conditioner 20 includes at least information regarding energy consumption. For example, the information regarding energy consumption may include power consumption [W] (or [kW]) and power consumption amount [Wh] (or [kWh]). The operating data may include information regarding refrigerant temperature, compressor rotation speed or frequency, information regarding the control mode, information regarding the thermostat state, and information regarding the load. For example, the information regarding refrigerant temperature may include at least one of the evaporation temperature (Te) or the condensation temperature (Tc). For example, the information regarding the control mode may include information indicating protection, oil return, or defrost control. For example, the information regarding the thermostat state may include information indicating whether the air conditioner 20 is operating or stopped. For example, the information regarding the load may include the air conditioning load [kW] or a load factor [%] based thereon, an actual air conditioning capacity value [kW], an outdoor air temperature [°C], an indoor temperature [°C] (intake temperature), a set temperature [°C], a difference between the indoor temperature (intake temperature) and the set temperature, or a combination of these.

[0058] In this embodiment, the operating data of the air conditioning apparatus 20 includes operating data when no energy-saving measures are applied and operating data when the energy-saving measures are applied. The operating data when no energy-saving measures are applied may include operating data before the energy-saving measures are applied to the applied property B-1, or may include operating data when the energy-saving measures are not being used after the energy-saving measures are applied to the applied property B-1 (for example, during a time period when energy-saving operation control is off). The operating data when the energy-saving measures are applied may include operating data after the energy-saving measures are applied to the applied property B-1, or may include operating data when the energy-saving measures are being used after the energy-saving measures are applied to the applied property B-1 (for example, during a time period when energy-saving operation control is on).

[0059] The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 stores the collected driving data. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may store the driving data in the storage unit 103 of the estimation device 10. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may store the driving data in an external storage device connected to the estimation device 10.

[0060] In step S2, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 divides the operation data of each of the air conditioners 20-1, 20-3, ... installed in the application-completed property B-1 into time intervals of a predetermined length, and classifies each time interval according to the operation conditions. The operation conditions may include a condition related to an interval where the energy saving effect is large when the energy saving measure is applied (hereinafter referred to as a "large energy saving effect interval"), and a condition related to an interval where the energy saving effect is small when the energy saving measure is applied (hereinafter referred to as a "small energy saving effect interval").

[0061] Examples of low-energy-saving effect sections include sections where the compressor is operating at the minimum rotation speed, sections where protection / oil return / defrost control is activated, sections where the load is extremely high (for example, a load factor of 90% or more), and sections where the refrigerant temperature before the application of energy-saving measures is sufficiently relaxed. Note that a relaxed refrigerant temperature means that the evaporation temperature is sufficiently high during cooling, and that the condensation temperature is sufficiently low during heating. In these sections, there is little room for reducing energy consumption, so even if energy-saving measures are applied, the energy-saving effect is thought to be small.

[0062] An example of a section with a large energy-saving effect is a section with a large number of thermostat on / off times. A large number of thermostat on / off times indicates that the system is operating at an excessive capacity, and therefore it is considered that the energy-saving effect of applying energy-saving measures is large. A section with a large energy-saving effect may be any section that is not classified as a section with a small energy-saving effect.

[0063] The operating conditions may be set according to the energy-saving measures. As an example, the operating conditions may be set assuming that an energy-saving measure that is premised on relaxing the refrigerant temperature is applied. For example, when applying an energy-saving measure that is premised on relaxing the set temperature, the large energy-saving effect section may be a section in which the set temperature is sufficiently low during cooling operation. In this case, the small energy-saving effect section may be a section in which the set temperature is sufficiently high during cooling operation. As another example, the operating conditions may be set assuming that an energy-saving measure that is premised on relaxing the compressor rotation speed or frequency is applied. Furthermore, the operating conditions may be set assuming that demand control is applied.

[0064] The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 calculates the occurrence frequency of each operating condition for each of the air conditioning units 20-1, 20-3, ... installed in the application property B-1, based on the operating data classified by operating condition. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may calculate, for each of the large energy-saving effect section and the small energy-saving effect section, the proportion of operating data that falls under that operating condition among the operating data classified into that section. This generates operating condition frequency information that indicates the occurrence frequency of operating conditions for each property and system.

[0065] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of operating condition frequency information. As shown in Fig. 4, the occurrence frequency for each operating condition is calculated for each property and system. The occurrence frequency for each operating condition may include the occurrence frequency calculated for each operating condition by classifying the large energy-saving effect section and the small energy-saving effect section by operating condition. The occurrence frequency for each operating condition may include the occurrence frequency for the entire large energy-saving effect section and the occurrence frequency for the entire small energy-saving effect section.

[0066] Returning to Figure 3, the explanation will be given. In step S3, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 calculates an index showing the energy saving effect for each operating condition (hereinafter referred to as an "energy saving effect index") for each of the air conditioning units 20-1, 20-3, ... installed in the applied property B-1, based on the operating data classified by operating condition. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may calculate the energy saving effect index for each operating condition by comparing, for each operating condition, operating data when the energy saving measure is not applied with operating data when the energy saving measure is applied. The energy saving effect index for each operating condition is an example of first information.

[0067] The energy saving effect index may include, for example, the amount or rate of reduction in energy consumption (electricity), or the rate of improvement in operating efficiency (COP: Coefficient of Performance), etc. The energy saving effect index is an example of an index related to the energy saving effect.

[0068] In step S4, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 determines the degree of energy saving effect (hereinafter referred to as "energy saving degree") based on the energy saving effect index calculated in step S3. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may determine the energy saving degree for each property or system. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may determine the energy saving degree based on the energy saving effect index for all sections. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may determine the energy saving degree by comparing the energy saving effect index for the large energy saving effect section with the energy saving effect index for the small energy saving effect section.

[0069] The energy saving level may be a class that classifies the magnitude of the energy saving effect into a predetermined range. As an example, the energy saving level may be classified into three classes: "large," "medium," and "small." The number of energy saving level classes may be set arbitrarily, such as two, four, or more. The energy saving level may be determined by dividing the value of the energy saving effect index into multiple intervals, and associating each interval with a class. For example, the interval from the minimum to maximum value that the energy saving effect index can take may be divided into three equal parts, and the class of the interval to which the energy saving effect index of the property or system applies may be determined as the energy saving level of the property or system.

[0070] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of an energy saving effect index. FIG. 5 shows a power consumption reduction rate [%] as an example of the energy saving effect index. As shown in FIG. 5, the energy saving effect index is calculated for each property and each system. The energy saving effect index may include a power consumption reduction rate calculated for each of the large energy saving effect section and the small energy saving effect section. The energy saving effect index may include a power consumption reduction rate for all sections including the large energy saving effect section and the small energy saving effect section.

[0071] The energy saving effect index is added with the energy saving level. The energy saving level is determined for each property and system. Figure 5 shows an example of the energy saving level, where the power consumption reduction rate for all sections is classified into "large," "medium," and "small."

[0072] Returning to FIG. 3 , the explanation will be given. In step S5, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 constructs an estimation model. As an example, the estimation model may be a machine learning model that receives operating condition frequency information as input and outputs an estimated value of the energy saving degree. As an example, the machine learning model may be a model based on any method such as a statistical method or deep learning. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may construct the estimation model based on learning data including the operating condition frequency information calculated in step S2 and the energy saving degree determined in step S4.

[0073] The estimation model is not limited to a machine learning model, and may be a model based on a rule-based method, such as a matrix, map, graph, or function with the frequency of occurrence of an operating condition and the energy saving level as variables.

[0074] The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may construct an estimation model that takes into account the attributes of the air conditioning device 20. The attributes may include information related to operational conditions, installation conditions, equipment conditions, or property conditions. The operational conditions are conditions related to the operation of the air conditioning device 20. The installation conditions are conditions related to the installation environment of the air conditioning device 20. The equipment conditions are conditions related to the equipment specifications of the air conditioning device 20. The property conditions are conditions related to property B in which the air conditioning device 20 is installed.

[0075] The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 stores the trained estimation model. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may store the trained estimation model in the storage unit 103 of the estimation device 10. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may store the trained estimation model in an external storage device connected to the estimation device 10.

[0076] In step S6, the terminal device 40 sends an estimation request for energy saving effects to the estimation device 10 in response to an operation by the user U. The estimation request includes information indicating the air conditioning device 20 to be estimated. The estimation request may include attributes of the air conditioning device 20 to be estimated. The air conditioning device 20 to be estimated may be selected by the user U. The air conditioning device 20 to be estimated may be an air conditioning device 20 installed in property B to which no energy saving measures have been applied. In this embodiment, the description will be given assuming that the air conditioning device 20-2 installed in the target property B-2 is specified as the estimation target.

[0077] The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 receives a request for estimation of energy-saving effects from the terminal device 40. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 acquires operating data of the air conditioning device 20-2 indicated in the estimation request. For example, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may read out the operating data of the air conditioning device 20-2 from the operating data stored in the storage unit 103. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may acquire the operating data of the air conditioning device 20-2 from the control device 30-2.

[0078] In step S7, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 divides the operating data of the air conditioning device 20-2 into time intervals of a predetermined length, and classifies each time interval according to the operating conditions. The operating conditions may include conditions related to a large energy-saving effect interval and conditions related to a small energy-saving effect interval.

[0079] The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 calculates the occurrence frequency for each operating condition of the air conditioning device 20-2 based on the operating data classified by operating condition. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may calculate, for each operating condition, the proportion of operating data that falls under that operating condition among the operating data classified into that operating condition for each large energy-saving effect section and small energy-saving effect section. This generates operating condition frequency information that indicates the occurrence frequency of the operating conditions of the air conditioning device 20-2. The operating condition frequency information of the air conditioning device 20-2 is an example of third information.

[0080] In step S8, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 acquires an estimation model. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may read the estimation model from the storage unit 103. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 estimates the degree of energy saving when energy saving measures are applied to the air conditioning device 20-2, based on the operating condition frequency information of the air conditioning device 20-2 calculated in step S7 and the estimation model. Specifically, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 inputs the operating condition frequency information of the air conditioning device 20-2 to the estimation model. The estimation model outputs an estimated value of the energy saving degree based on the input operating condition frequency information. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 acquires the estimated value of the energy saving degree output from the estimation model.

[0081] In step S9, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 acquires information on the distribution of energy saving effect indices (hereinafter referred to as "energy saving effect distribution information") based on the estimated value of the energy saving degree acquired in step S8. Specifically, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 extracts, from the energy saving effect indices calculated in step S3, energy saving effect indices to which the same energy saving degree as the estimated value acquired in step S8 has been added. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 generates energy saving effect distribution information based on the distribution of the extracted energy saving effect indices. The energy saving effect distribution information is an example of second information.

[0082] In step S8, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 estimates the energy saving degree based on the operating condition frequency information of the air conditioning device 20-2, and in step S9, acquires energy saving effect distribution information based on the estimated value of the energy saving degree. Therefore, it can be said that the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 estimates the energy saving effect distribution information based on the operating condition frequency information of the air conditioning device 20-2.

[0083] The energy saving effect distribution information may include, for example, a graph showing the distribution of energy saving effect indices, a range of energy saving effect indices, statistical information regarding the distribution of energy saving effect indices, etc. The graph may, for example, be a distribution curve showing the shape of the distribution, or a histogram. The range may, for example, be a range from a minimum value to a maximum value, an interquartile range, or a range from (average value - 2 × standard deviation) to (average value + 2 × standard deviation). The range may be a range that is included in the range with a predetermined probability or higher. The range from a minimum value to a maximum value is an example of a range that is included in the range with a 100% probability, and the interquartile range is an example of a range that is included in the range with a 50% or higher probability. The statistical information may, for example, include a mean value, a median, a mode, a standard deviation, a minimum value, a maximum value, etc.

[0084] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of energy-saving effect distribution information. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the energy-saving effect distribution information may include a distribution of energy-saving effect indices for each energy-saving level. FIG. 6 illustrates a power consumption reduction rate as an example of the energy-saving effect indices. Note that in FIG. 6, a probability density function estimated based on an actual number of data items is used as the distribution. The probability density function may be, for example, a parametric distribution representing a normal distribution, or a distribution estimated by a non-parametric method such as kernel density estimation. Furthermore, the distribution may be expressed using the actual number of data items, or may be normalized so that the heights of the peaks of the distributions for each energy-saving level are the same. The energy-saving effect distribution information may include statistical information of the energy-saving effect indices for each energy-saving level. FIG. 6 illustrates, as examples of statistical information, the mean, median, mode, standard deviation, minimum, and maximum values.

[0085] 6 shows an example of energy saving effect distribution information including a distribution of energy saving effect indices on a system basis, but the energy saving effect distribution information may also include a distribution of energy saving effect indices on a property basis. When the distribution of energy saving effect indices on a property basis is included in the energy saving effect distribution information, it is sufficient to include a distribution of energy saving effect indices weighted according to the degree of impact on the air conditioning devices 20 installed in the property. The degree of impact may be determined based on, for example, the length of the operating hours of the air conditioning devices 20, the target of the cumulative power consumption, etc.

[0086] Returning to Figure 3, the explanation will be made. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 transmits the estimation result of the energy saving effect to the terminal device 40. The estimation result of the energy saving effect includes energy saving effect distribution information. The estimation result of the energy saving effect may include information used to estimate the energy saving effect. As an example, the information used to estimate the energy saving effect may include an estimated value of the energy saving degree of air conditioning device 20-2, operating condition frequency information of air conditioning device 20-2, attributes of air conditioning device 20-2, operating condition frequency information of air conditioning device 20-1 with the same energy saving degree, attributes of air conditioning device 20-1 with the same energy saving degree, etc.

[0087] The terminal device 40 receives the estimation result of the energy saving effect from the estimation device 10. The terminal device 40 presents the received estimation result of the energy saving effect to the user U. The terminal device 40 may display at least one of the distribution of the energy saving effect index or statistical information based on the energy saving effect distribution information included in the estimation result of the energy saving effect. The terminal device 40 may display information used to estimate the energy saving effect together with the distribution or statistical information of the energy saving effect index.

[0088] [Second embodiment] In the first embodiment, a configuration was described in which an energy saving level is estimated based on the occurrence frequency of each operating condition. In the second embodiment, a configuration will be described in which an energy saving level is estimated based on the attributes of the air conditioner.

[0089] <Estimation method> The estimation method executed by the energy saving effect estimation system 1000 will be described with reference to Fig. 7 to Fig. 9. Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the estimation method according to the second embodiment. The estimation method according to this embodiment will be described below, focusing on the differences from the estimation method according to the first embodiment (see Fig. 3).

[0090] In step S11, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 collects the operating data output by the air conditioning device 20. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 stores the collected operating data.

[0091] In step S12, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 acquires the attributes of the air conditioning device 20. The attributes of the air conditioning device 20 may be stored in advance in the storage unit 103 of the estimation device 10, etc. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may acquire the attributes of the air conditioning device 20 from the air conditioning device 20 or the control device 30. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may acquire the attributes based on the operating data collected in step S11. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may accept input of the attributes in response to an operation on the operation device 104 of the estimation device 10.

[0092] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of attributes. As shown in Fig. 8, attributes are acquired for each property and system. The attributes include information on operation conditions, installation conditions, equipment conditions, and property conditions.

[0093] The operating conditions are conditions related to the operation of the air conditioning device 20. The operating conditions may include, for example, use or control information. The use is information indicating the use of the indoor space to be air-conditioned by the air conditioning device 20. The use may include, for example, a conference room, an office, or a common area (for example, a hallway or an entrance). The control information is information regarding control that is different from the energy-saving measures. The control information is information indicating whether control that is different from the energy-saving measures is being applied, and if control that is different from the energy-saving measures is being applied, the type of control, etc. Note that the control that is different from the energy-saving measures may be an energy-saving measure that is different from the energy-saving measures applied to the applied property B-1, or may be control that does not aim to achieve an energy-saving effect. The control that is different from the energy-saving measures may include, for example, demand control that suppresses power consumption or demand values ​​below a target value, or control that prioritizes comfort.

[0094] The installation conditions are conditions related to the installation environment of the air conditioning apparatus 20. The installation conditions may include, for example, room allocation or floor spanning. The room allocation is the room allocation of the indoor space in which the indoor units of the air conditioning apparatus 20 are installed. For example, the room allocation may include a large room consisting of one large room, or multiple private rooms consisting of multiple small rooms. Floor spanning is information indicating whether the indoor units of the air conditioning apparatus 20 are installed on multiple floors. For example, floor spanning may include floor spanning, in which the indoor units are installed on multiple floors, or floor spanning, in which the indoor units are installed on a single floor.

[0095] The equipment conditions are conditions related to the equipment specifications of the air conditioning apparatus 20. The equipment conditions may include, for example, the model or capacity. The model is identification information that identifies the model of the air conditioning apparatus 20. For example, the model may include the model name or model number. The capacity is information that indicates the air conditioning capacity of the air conditioning apparatus 20. For example, the capacity may be expressed in kW, horsepower, or the number of tatami mats.

[0096] The property conditions are conditions related to property B in which the air conditioning device 20 will be installed. The property conditions may, for example, include use or area. The use is information related to the use of property B. For example, the use may include an office or a hospital. The area is information indicating the location of property B. For example, the area may be expressed by a regional division, prefecture, city, town, or village.

[0097] Returning to Figure 7, in step S13, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 calculates an energy saving effect index for each load condition for each of the air conditioners 20-1, 20-3, ... based on the operating data of the air conditioners 20-1, 20-3, ... installed in the applied property B-1. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may classify the operating data for each of the air conditioners 20-1, 20-3, ... by range of load conditions, and calculate the energy saving effect index for each load condition by comparing, for each range of load conditions, the operating data when the energy saving measure is not applied with the operating data when the energy saving measure is applied.

[0098] The load conditions may include, for example, the load factor, the outside air temperature, the difference between the indoor temperature (intake temperature) and the set temperature, or a combination of these. For example, the load factor may be calculated by dividing the actual air conditioning capacity [kW] by the rated capacity [kW] x 100.

[0099] The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may calculate an energy saving effect index for the entire operating data for each of the air conditioning devices 20-1, 20-3, .... The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may calculate an energy saving effect index for the entire operating data based on an energy saving effect index according to the load condition.

[0100] In step S14, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 determines the energy saving degree for each property or system based on the energy saving effect index calculated in step S13. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may determine the energy saving degree based on the energy saving effect index of the entire operation data. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may determine the energy saving degree by comparing the energy saving effect index for each load condition.

[0101] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of an energy saving effect index. FIG. 9 shows a power consumption reduction rate [%] as an example of the energy saving effect index. As shown in FIG. 9, the energy saving effect index is calculated for each property and each system. The energy saving effect index may include a power consumption reduction rate for each range of load factor. The range of load factor may be set at equal intervals, such as 0 to 10%, 10 to 20%, etc., or may not be set at equal intervals. The range of load factor is an example of a load condition.

[0102] As in the first embodiment, the energy saving effect index is added with an energy saving level. The energy saving level is determined for each property and each system. Fig. 9 shows an example of the energy saving level in which the power consumption reduction rate for all sections is classified into "large," "medium," and "small."

[0103] The energy saving effect index for each load condition is associated with the attributes of the air conditioning device 20 by the property or system. Therefore, the energy saving effect index for each load condition indicates the energy saving effect index for each attribute of the air conditioning device 20. The energy saving effect index for each load condition is another example of first information.

[0104] Returning to FIG. 7, the explanation will be given below. In step S15, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 constructs an estimation model. As an example, the estimation model may be a machine learning model that inputs attributes and outputs an estimated value of the energy saving level. The estimation model is not limited to a machine learning model, and may be a model based on a rule-based technique. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may construct the estimation model based on learning data including the attributes acquired in step S12 and the energy saving level determined in step S14.

[0105] The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 stores the trained estimation model. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may store the trained estimation model in the storage unit 103 of the estimation device 10. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may store the trained estimation model in an external storage device connected to the estimation device 10.

[0106] In step S16, the terminal device 40 transmits a request for estimating the energy saving effect to the estimation device 10 in response to an operation by the user U. In this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, it is assumed that the air conditioning device 20-2 installed in the target property B-2 is designated as the estimation target.

[0107] The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 receives an estimation request from the terminal device 40. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 acquires the attributes of the air conditioning device 20-2. For example, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may extract the attributes of the air conditioning device 20-2 from the attributes acquired in step S12. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may read out the attributes of the air conditioning device 20-2 from the attributes pre-stored in the storage unit 103. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may acquire the attributes of the air conditioning device 20-2 from the air conditioning device 20-2 or the control device 30-2. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may acquire the attributes of the air conditioning device 20-2 based on the operating data of the air conditioning device 20-2 acquired in step S11. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may acquire the attributes of the air conditioning device 20-2 included in the estimation request.

[0108] In step S17, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 acquires an estimation model. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may read the estimation model from the storage unit 103. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 estimates the degree of energy saving when energy saving measures are applied to the air conditioning device 20-2, based on the attributes of the air conditioning device 20-2 and the estimation model acquired in step S16. Specifically, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 inputs the attributes of the air conditioning device 20-2 into the estimation model. The estimation model outputs an estimated value of the energy saving degree based on the input attributes. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 acquires the estimated value of the energy saving degree output from the estimation model.

[0109] In step S18, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 acquires energy saving effect distribution information based on the estimated value of the energy saving degree acquired in step S17. Specifically, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 extracts the energy saving effect index to which the same energy saving degree as the estimated value acquired in step S17 has been added, from the energy saving effect indices calculated in step S13. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 generates energy saving effect distribution information based on the distribution of the extracted energy saving effect indices.

[0110] In step S17, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 estimates the energy saving degree based on the attributes of the air conditioning device 20-2, and in step S18, acquires energy saving effect distribution information based on the estimated value of the energy saving degree. Therefore, it can be said that the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 estimates the energy saving effect distribution information based on the attributes of the air conditioning device 20-2.

[0111] The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 transmits the estimation result of the energy saving effect to the terminal device 40. The estimation result of the energy saving effect includes energy saving effect distribution information. The estimation result of the energy saving effect may also include information used for estimating the energy saving effect.

[0112] The terminal device 40 receives the estimation result of the energy saving effect from the estimation device 10. The terminal device 40 presents the received estimation result of the energy saving effect to the user U. The terminal device 40 may display at least one of the distribution of the energy saving effect index or statistical information based on the energy saving effect distribution information included in the estimation result of the energy saving effect. The terminal device 40 may display information used to estimate the energy saving effect together with the distribution or statistical information of the energy saving effect index.

[0113] [Variation 1] In the above embodiment, a configuration has been described in which the energy saving level is determined based on the energy saving effect index. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may determine the energy saving level based on the energy reduction index instead of the energy saving effect index. For example, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may calculate the energy reduction index based on the operation data of the air conditioning device 20, and determine a class corresponding to the range of values ​​of the energy reduction index as the energy saving level.

[0114] The energy reduction index is an index that serves as the basis for the energy saving effect. The energy reduction index may include, for example, a refrigerant temperature relaxation range, a compressor rotation speed relaxation range, or a compressor frequency relaxation range. The refrigerant temperature relaxation range is the difference in temperature of the refrigerant sealed in the refrigerant piping of the air conditioner 20 when an energy saving measure is applied and when an energy saving measure is not applied. The refrigerant temperature relaxation range is the difference in the evaporation temperature (Te) of the refrigerant in cooling operation, and is the difference in the condensation temperature (Tc) of the refrigerant in heating operation. The energy reduction index is another example of an index related to the energy saving effect.

[0115] [Variation 2] In the above embodiment, a configuration has been described in which the energy saving effect index is calculated based on operation data. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may calculate the energy saving effect index by converting the energy reduction index based on the equipment characteristics of the air conditioning device 20. As an example, the equipment characteristics of the air conditioning device 20 may be a relational expression that indicates the relationship between the energy reduction index and the energy saving effect index.

[0116] The equipment characteristics of the air conditioning device 20 may be determined in advance through testing or the like. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may accept input of the equipment characteristics of the air conditioning device 20 in response to an operation on the operation device 104 of the estimation device 10. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 may acquire the equipment characteristics of the air conditioning device 20 by learning the relationship between the energy reduction index and the energy saving effect index based on the operating data of the air conditioning device 20.

[0117] [Variation 3] In the above embodiment, the energy saving level is determined by classifying the magnitude of the energy saving effect into predetermined ranges. However, the energy saving level may be determined by classifying the energy saving level using a clustering technique.

[0118] In this modification, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 does not need to determine the energy saving level after calculating the energy saving effect index for each operating condition for each of the air conditioning devices 20-1, 20-3, ... installed in the application-completed property B-1. Furthermore, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 does not need to construct an estimation model.

[0119] The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 calculates the occurrence frequency for each operating condition of the air conditioning device 20 to be estimated, and then calculates the energy saving effect index for each operating condition. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 applies an arbitrary clustering method to a population including the energy saving effect index for each operating condition calculated for each of the air conditioning devices 20-1, 20-3, ... installed in the application-completed property B-1 and the energy saving effect index for each operating condition of the air conditioning device 20 to be estimated, and divides the population into multiple clusters. The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 then acquires energy saving effect distribution information that indicates the distribution of energy saving effect indexes that belong to the same cluster as the air conditioning device 20 to be estimated.

[0120] [Variation 4] In the first embodiment, a configuration was described in which the energy saving level was estimated based on the frequency of occurrence for each operating condition. In the second embodiment, a configuration was described in which the energy saving level was estimated based on the attributes of the air conditioning device. In this modified example, the configuration is a combination of the first and second embodiments. That is, in this modified example, the energy saving level is estimated based on the frequency of occurrence for each operating condition and the attributes of the air conditioning device.

[0121] In this modification, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 first acquires an energy saving effect index for each operating condition of the air conditioning device 20-1. Next, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 constructs an estimation model that inputs operating condition frequency information and attributes and outputs an estimated value of the energy saving degree, based on the energy saving effect index for each operating condition.

[0122] The control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 calculates the occurrence frequency of operating conditions in the air conditioning device 20-2 and acquires the attributes of the air conditioning device 20-2. Next, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 estimates the energy saving degree by inputting the occurrence frequency information and attributes of the air conditioning device 20-2 into an estimation model. Then, the control unit 101 of the estimation device 10 acquires energy saving effect distribution information based on the estimated value of the energy saving degree.

[0123] <Summary> The estimation device 10 acquires first information indicating the energy-saving effect resulting from the application of energy-saving measures to the air conditioning device 20-1, estimates second information regarding the distribution of energy-saving effects when the energy-saving measures are applied to the air conditioning device 20-2 based on the first information and the operating data of the air conditioning device 20-2, and outputs the second information.

[0124] In one aspect, according to the present embodiment, information regarding the distribution of energy-saving effects when an energy-saving measure is applied to air conditioning apparatus 20-2 is output, making it possible to appropriately present the energy-saving effects of the air conditioning apparatus. In another aspect, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to confirm the variation in energy-saving effects when an energy-saving measure is applied before the energy-saving measure is applied, making it possible to provide the user or owner of air conditioning apparatus 20-2 with information for determining whether or not to apply the energy-saving measure.

[0125] The estimation device 10 may calculate an index related to the energy saving effect based on the operating data of the air conditioner 20-1 when the energy saving measure is applied and the operating data of the air conditioner 20-1 when the energy saving measure is not applied. According to one aspect, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to accurately calculate the energy saving effect of an air conditioner to which the energy saving measure is applied based on the operating data.

[0126] The first information may include an index relating to the energy saving effect for each operating condition of the air conditioner 20-1. According to one aspect, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to calculate the energy saving effect for each operating condition of the air conditioner to which the energy saving measure is applied.

[0127] The estimation device 10 may calculate third information indicating the occurrence frequency of an operating condition in the air conditioning device 20-2, and estimate the distribution of the energy-saving effect based on the third information. According to one aspect, this embodiment makes it possible to estimate the distribution of the energy-saving effect according to the occurrence frequency of an operating condition of an air conditioning device to which an energy-saving measure is not applied.

[0128] The first information may include an index relating to the energy saving effect for each attribute of the air conditioner 20-1. According to one aspect, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to calculate the energy saving effect for each attribute of an air conditioner to which an energy saving measure has been applied.

[0129] The estimation device 10 may acquire attributes of the air conditioning device 20-2 and estimate the distribution of the energy saving effect based on the attributes. According to one aspect, the present embodiment makes it possible to estimate the distribution of the energy saving effect according to the attributes of air conditioning devices to which no energy saving measures have been applied.

[0130] The estimation device 10 may output second information including a range of the energy-saving effect or statistical information on the energy-saving effect. According to one aspect, the present embodiment makes it possible to present the variation in the energy-saving effect in an easily understandable manner.

[0131] [supplement] Each function of the above-described embodiments can be realized by one or more processing circuits. Here, the term "processing circuit" in this specification includes a processor programmed to execute each function by software, such as a central processing unit (CPU) or a graphics processing unit (GPU) implemented by an electronic circuit, as well as devices such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a digital signal processor (DSP), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and conventional circuit modules designed to execute each of the above-described functions.

[0132] Although the embodiments have been described above, it will be understood that various changes in form and details can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0133] 10: Estimation device 20: Air conditioning equipment 30: Control device 40: Terminal device 101: Processor (control unit) 102: Memory 103: Auxiliary storage device (storage unit) 104: Operating device 105:Display device 106: Communication equipment 107: Drive device 1000: Energy saving effect estimation system

Claims

1. An estimation device (10) having a control unit (101), acquiring first information indicating an energy-saving effect resulting from application of an energy-saving measure in the first air conditioning apparatus (20-1); a step of estimating second information relating to a distribution of energy-saving effects when the energy-saving measures are applied to the second air conditioning apparatus (20-2) based on the first information and operation data of the second air conditioning apparatus (20-2); outputting the second information; Estimation method to perform.

2. The step of acquiring the first information includes: calculating an index relating to the energy saving effect based on operation data of the first air conditioning device (20-1) when the energy saving measure is applied and operation data of the first air conditioning device (20-1) when the energy saving measure is not applied; The estimation method according to claim 1 .

3. The first information includes an index related to the energy-saving effect for each operating condition of the first air conditioning device (20-1). The estimation method according to claim 2 .

4. The step of estimating the second information includes: calculating third information indicating the frequency of occurrence of the operating condition in the second air conditioning apparatus (20-2); estimating a distribution of the energy-saving effect based on the third information; The estimation method according to claim 3 .

5. The first information includes an index related to the energy-saving effect for each attribute of the first air conditioning apparatus (20-1). The estimation method according to claim 2 .

6. The step of estimating the second information includes: Acquire attributes of the second air conditioning device (20-2); estimating a distribution of the energy-saving effect based on the attributes; The estimation method according to claim 5.

7. The step of estimating the second information includes: Further acquiring attributes of the second air conditioning device (20-2); estimating a distribution of the energy-saving effect based on the third information and the attribute; The estimation method according to claim 4.

8. The step of outputting the second information includes: outputting the second information including the range of the energy-saving effect or statistical information of the energy-saving effect; The estimation method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. An estimation device (10) having a control unit (101), acquiring first information indicating an energy-saving effect resulting from application of an energy-saving measure in the first air conditioning apparatus (20-1); estimating second information indicating a distribution of energy-saving effects when the energy-saving measures are applied to the second air conditioning apparatus (20-2) based on the first information and operation data of the second air conditioning apparatus (20-2); outputting the second information; Estimation device (10).

10. A control unit (101) of an estimation device (10) acquiring first information indicating an energy-saving effect resulting from application of an energy-saving measure in the first air conditioning apparatus (20-1); estimating second information indicating a distribution of energy-saving effects when the energy-saving measures are applied to the second air conditioning apparatus (20-2) based on the first information and operation data of the second air conditioning apparatus (20-2); outputting the second information; A program for executing a process.

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