Cloud Energy Management for Multi-Site Control and Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing energy management solutions for small footprint commercial sites lack centralized control and analysis capabilities, leading to inefficient energy usage and high costs due to outdated manual or custom-designed systems that are not scalable for multiple locations.
Innovation Solution
A cloud-based energy management system with a centralized service unit that collects data from various energy management devices across multiple sites, enables site groupings for data analysis, and provides a management interface for configuring and optimizing energy usage through scheduling templates and statistical views.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual or programmable thermostats are used at individual sites, then local control is available, but centralized management and analysis across multiple sites is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the energy management functionality into two segments: local energy management devices at individual sites that perform local control, and a centralized energy management server that performs centralized management and analysis. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in its function while working together as an integrated system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an energy management server as an intermediary between individual energy management devices at various sites. This server collects data from multiple devices, provides centralized control capabilities, and enables cross-site analysis without requiring direct connections between all devices.
2Manufacturing precision
If custom-designed energy management systems are implemented at individual sites, then site-specific optimization is achieved, but scalability across multiple sites is limited and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The energy management server provides universal functionality that serves multiple sites simultaneously. It can handle data collection, analysis, and control for numerous energy management devices across different locations using a single platform, making the system scalable without requiring custom designs for each site.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows the same energy management server instance to be copied and deployed to manage multiple sites. The server can replicate its data collection and analysis capabilities across unlimited sites, providing consistent site-specific optimization through a standardized, scalable architecture.
3Reliability
If professional services are bundled with energy management systems, then system maintenance is ensured, but costs become prohibitively expensive for small footprint sites
Solution Approach 1:
The energy management server provides self-service capabilities through automated data collection, analysis, and reporting functions. The system can autonomously monitor energy usage, generate insights, and provide recommendations without requiring continuous professional service intervention, reducing ongoing costs while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where the server collects data from energy management devices, analyzes performance, and automatically adjusts operations or provides recommendations. This automated feedback mechanism ensures system reliability and optimization without requiring expensive professional services for every adjustment.
4Ease of operation
If local site managers are responsible for configuring and managing energy management devices, then local responsiveness is maintained, but energy management quality deteriorates due to competing job responsibilities
Solution Approach 1:
The energy management server acts as an intermediary that handles the complex tasks of configuration, monitoring, and optimization. Local site managers can focus on high-level decisions and local responsiveness, while the server manages the detailed energy management operations that require specialized attention and time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service through automated configuration and management capabilities built into the energy management server. The server can automatically configure devices, monitor performance, and optimize settings without requiring dedicated time from local site managers, ensuring energy management quality despite their other responsibilities.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides an energy management system that is based on a distributed architecture that includes networked energy management devices located at a plurality of sites and a collection of energy management program applications and modules implemented by a centralized energy management service unit. The energy management program applications and modules are responsible for facilitating customer access to the system, configuring energy management devices, and collecting, storing, and analyzing energy management data collected from the plurality of sites. The energy management system is adaptable to a wide variety of energy usage requirements and enables customers to configure energy management devices at customer sites using scheduling templates, to define and customize site groupings for device configuration and data analysis purposes, and to request and view various statistical views of collected energy usage data.