Systems and methods for performing building energy management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing building energy management systems require substantial processing resources and are complex, making them costly and difficult to implement, and often result in discomfort for occupants during load shedding.
Innovation Solution
A building energy management system that prioritizes electrical loads dynamically based on importance and adjusts power thresholds in response to demand response signals and occupancy changes, using a controller and network communication to shed or restore loads efficiently, with a focus on minimizing discomfort and reducing computational complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If existing building energy management systems are implemented, then energy management capability is provided, but substantial processing resources are required and system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments building loads into priority groups (critical, high, medium, low) and processes them hierarchically. This segmentation allows the energy management system to handle complex load management tasks through simplified, structured decision-making at each priority level, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive energy management capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary priority-based load management layer between the energy management objective and actual load control. This intermediary structure processes energy management decisions through standardized priority queues and threshold comparisons, simplifying the computational requirements while achieving effective energy management across diverse building loads.
2Adaptability or versatility
If existing building energy management systems are implemented, then energy management is achieved, but processing resources and implementation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting loads into priority categories and processing them hierarchically, the system avoids computationally intensive optimization algorithms. Each priority level can be managed with simple threshold comparisons and sequential processing, dramatically reducing processing resource requirements while maintaining effective energy management across the entire building load portfolio.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs simple, computationally inexpensive decision rules for each priority level rather than complex continuous optimization. These simple control decisions can be made rapidly and discarded, allowing frequent updates with minimal processing resources while achieving effective energy management.
3Power
If load shedding is performed to meet power targets, then power targets are achieved, but occupant discomfort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments loads by priority level, ensuring that critical and high-priority loads (which directly impact occupant comfort and safety) are protected from shedding. Only low and medium priority loads are subjected to shedding, and even then, the system attempts to restore them quickly when power becomes available, thereby achieving power targets while minimizing occupant discomfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-establishes priority classifications for all loads before load shedding is required. This preliminary organization allows the system to immediately identify which loads can be shed without affecting occupant comfort, enabling rapid response to power target requirements while protecting comfort-critical loads.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for performing energy management for a building includes generating a stack of energy loads representative of a plurality of building energy loads. The energy loads are prioritized from highest priority energy loads to lowest priority energy loads. The prioritized energy loads are then compared to a building power threshold. The lowest priority energy loads are shed until a sum of remaining energy loads is equal to or less than the building power threshold. The remaining energy loads are serviced. The processes of prioritizing the energy loads, comparing the prioritized energy loads to a building power threshold, and shedding the lowest priority energy loads is repeated in response to changes in circumstances affecting the building.