Building Energy Model Using Water Data for Occupancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in commercial buildings is accurately identifying areas for energy efficiency improvements due to uncertainties in occupancy data and varying factors affecting energy usage, leading to potential cost savings shortfalls and increased liability for ECM providers.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for generating an energy use model of a building by receiving building data, determining uncorrelated variables, and using water consumption as a proxy for occupancy to create a more accurate energy use model, allowing for better identification of potential energy savings and liability reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If occupancy data is used directly in energy use modeling, then the model can capture occupancy-related energy consumption patterns, but the uncertainty in occupancy data leads to inaccurate energy use predictions and increased liability for ECM providers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces water consumption data as an intermediary variable to indirectly estimate occupancy. Instead of using occupancy data directly, the system uses the correlation between water consumption and occupancy to derive occupancy estimates. This intermediary approach reduces the uncertainty and liability associated with direct occupancy measurement while maintaining the ability to capture occupancy-related energy consumption patterns.
2Measurement precision
If multiple factors affecting energy usage are included in the model, then the energy use model becomes more comprehensive and accurate, but the complexity of data collection and analysis increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and isolates the uncorrelated portion of building variable data from the total building data. By separating the portion of data that is not correlated with energy use from the data that is correlated, the system reduces noise and improves model accuracy without requiring complex analysis of all available data. This extraction approach simplifies the data collection and analysis process while maintaining comprehensive modeling.
3Ease of operation
If ECM providers guarantee financial savings to building operators, then customer adoption of energy efficiency measures increases, but the providers assume increased liability for any savings shortfalls
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses water consumption data as an intermediary to estimate occupancy and improve the reliability of energy use predictions. By incorporating this additional data source that correlates with both occupancy and energy consumption, the system reduces uncertainty in savings projections. This enhanced prediction reliability allows ECM providers to offer more confident financial guarantees to building operators, facilitating customer adoption while managing provider liability.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for generating an energy use model of a building includes a processing circuit operable to receive building data indicative of a first type of building variable and to receive additional building data correlated to an energy use of the building. The processing circuit is also operable to determine a portion of the building variable that is uncorrelated with the additional building data. The processing circuit is further operable to use the additional building data and the uncorrelated portion of the building variable to generate the energy use model of the building.