Building Load Control With Manual Override and Auto Return
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing load control systems face challenges in automatically managing multiple variables such as lighting intensities, motorized window treatments, and HVAC temperatures to optimize energy savings, often resulting in unpredictable and suboptimal control due to non-linear relationships between these variables.
Innovation Solution
A load control system comprising a lighting control device, a daylight control device, and a temperature control device, with an input control device allowing for manual override of automatic control algorithms, enabling operation in an energy-savings mode that automatically adjusts power delivery, natural light admission, and HVAC setpoints, and switching to manual mode upon user intervention, with automatic return to energy-savings mode.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If automatic control algorithms are used to manage multiple variables (lighting, window treatments, HVAC), then energy savings are optimized, but the control becomes unpredictable and suboptimal due to non-linear relationships between variables
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the operational parameters of multiple devices (lighting intensity, window treatment position, HVAC temperature setpoints) in a coordinated manner. By adjusting these parameters together rather than independently, the system accounts for their non-linear relationships and achieves more predictable energy savings while maintaining comfort.
2Loss of energy
If automatic energy savings mode is implemented, then total power consumption is reduced, but user flexibility and comfort control are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between automatic energy savings mode and manual user control mode. During normal operation, the system automatically manages multiple variables to reduce energy consumption. When users need flexibility or comfort adjustments, they can temporarily take control, and the system seamlessly transitions between these states, providing both energy efficiency and user adaptability.
3Loss of energy
If multiple variables are controlled simultaneously to optimize energy savings, then total power consumption is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the control of multiple devices (lighting, window treatments, HVAC) into a single coordinated control algorithm. Instead of managing each device separately, the integrated approach controls all variables simultaneously based on their interrelationships, reducing total power consumption while avoiding the complexity of multiple independent control systems.
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, a daylight control device, and a temperature control device operable to be controlled so as to decrease a total power consumption of the load control system in an energy-savings mode. The energy-savings mode can be manually overridden in response to actuation of the actuator of an input control device, such that the load control system enters a manual mode for manually adjusting the loads controlled by the lighting control device, the daylight control device, and the temperature control device. The load control system is operable to automatically return to the energy-savings mode at a time after the load control system entered the manual mode.