Integrated Building Load Control for Demand Response Energy Savings
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current load control systems lack a comprehensive solution to simultaneously manage lighting intensities, motorized window treatments, and building temperature to effectively reduce total power consumption, especially during peak demand periods.
Innovation Solution
A load control system that integrates a lighting control device, a daylight control device, and a controller to adjust the setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system in response to demand response commands, automatically reducing power consumption by controlling lighting, window treatments, and HVAC operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If load shedding technique is used to monitor and adjust power consumption, then total power consumption can be reduced, but the system requires manual intervention and complex monitoring infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The controller automatically receives demand response commands and executes control actions without manual intervention. The system self-regulates by adjusting lighting intensities, window treatment positions, and HVAC setpoint temperatures in response to utility company signals, eliminating the need for manual load shedding operations while reducing total power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback loop where the controller continuously monitors power consumption levels and receives demand response commands from the utility company. Based on this feedback, the controller automatically adjusts lighting, window treatments, and HVAC systems to optimize power consumption while maintaining comfort levels.
2Loss of energy
If multiple control devices are integrated to manage lighting, window treatments, and HVAC, then energy savings are maximized, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller serves multiple functions by managing lighting control devices, window treatment control devices, and HVAC systems through a single integrated platform. This multi-functional approach maximizes energy savings across all building systems while presenting a unified interface that simplifies overall system complexity compared to separate control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines control of lighting, window treatments, and HVAC systems into a single integrated control architecture. The controller merges these previously separate control functions into one unified system that receives demand response commands and coordinates adjustments across all building systems to maximize energy efficiency.
3Power
If demand response commands are automatically executed, then peak power consumption is reduced, but the system requires automated control capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The controller automatically receives demand response commands from the utility company and executes control actions without manual intervention. The system self-regulates by adjusting lighting intensities, window treatment positions, and HVAC setpoint temperatures in response to utility company signals, eliminating the need for manual load shedding operations while reducing total power consumption.
4Loss of energy
If lighting intensities are reduced during demand response, then power consumption decreases, but the illumination quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines control of lighting, window treatments, and HVAC systems into a single integrated control architecture. The controller merges these previously separate control functions into one unified system that receives demand response commands and coordinates adjustments across all building systems to maximize energy efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A load control system for a building having a lighting load, a window, and a heating and cooling system comprises a lighting control device for controlling the amount of power delivered to the lighting load, a daylight control device (such as a motorized window treatment) for adjusting the amount of natural light to be admitted through a window, and a controller for adjusting a setpoint temperature of the heating and cooling system to thus control a present temperature in the building. In response to receiving a demand response command, the controller controls the lighting control device, the daylight control device, and the heating and cooling system so as to decrease a total power consumption of the load control system. The load control system may comprise a controllable switching device for disconnecting power to or disconnecting the control lines to one or more components of the heating and cooling system.