Building Sustainability Scoring System for Infrastructure Prioritization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sustainable infrastructure projects for buildings face challenges in being implemented efficiently and effectively to maximize energy and resource consumption reductions, as the benefits of such projects vary widely and are limited by physical, technical, and other constraints.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves obtaining building operational data, scoring potential sustainable infrastructure projects based on utility information, climate data, and building characteristics, and providing a ranking through a graphical user interface to prioritize projects that offer the highest benefits at the lowest costs and highest success rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If multiple sustainable infrastructure projects are implemented simultaneously across all buildings, then the total environmental benefit is maximized, but the complexity of coordination and resource allocation becomes unmanageable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the portfolio of sustainable infrastructure projects into individual building-level projects, each evaluated and prioritized separately. This allows the overall energy savings to be maximized while managing complexity at the building level rather than attempting to coordinate all projects simultaneously across the entire portfolio.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a prioritization score parameter that combines multiple factors (building operational data, climate data, utility information, and project characteristics) into a single metric. This parameter transformation enables complex multi-criteria decision-making to be simplified into a manageable ranking system that guides implementation sequencing.
2Productivity
If sustainable infrastructure projects are implemented in a prioritized sequence based on scoring, then resource allocation efficiency is improved, but the time to achieve maximum environmental benefits is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary scoring and ranking of all potential projects before implementation begins. This preliminary assessment establishes an optimized implementation sequence that anticipates future resource availability and building readiness, enabling efficient resource allocation as projects are executed over time without delaying the ultimate achievement of environmental benefits.
3Measurement precision
If building operational data is extensively collected and analyzed to score projects, then the precision of project prioritization is improved, but the data processing requirements and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a multi-functional data processing system that collects building operational data not only for prioritization scoring but also for ongoing project performance monitoring, validation, and optimization. This universal data infrastructure amortizes the complexity across multiple functions, making the system more justifiable and efficient.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback loops where building operational data is continuously monitored and fed back into the prioritization scoring system. This allows the system to learn from actual project performance and operational patterns, refining its scoring accuracy over time without requiring proportional increases in system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for increasing sustainability of buildings includes obtaining building operational data from a plurality of building management systems and providing scores for a plurality of potential sustainable infrastructure projects by scoring the potential sustainable infrastructure projects based on at least one of utility information, climate data, building characteristics, or the building operational data. The scores can be generated at least in part on the building operational data. The method also includes providing, via a graphical user interface, a ranking of the potential sustainable infrastructure projects based on the scores.