Managing energy in a multi-dwelling unit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing energy management approaches in multi-dwelling units (MDUs) apply uniform maintenance and budgetary resources to HVAC units, leading to inefficiencies due to varying energy consumption across different spaces, resulting in reduced energy savings.
Innovation Solution
Implement a system to determine, normalize, and rank the energy consumption of each HVAC unit based on specific parameters such as occupancy, space size, sun exposure, and HVAC unit type, allowing for strategic allocation of resources to units with higher energy usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If uniform maintenance and budgetary resources are applied to each HVAC unit, then ease of operation is improved, but energy efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by transitioning from uniform maintenance across all HVAC units to differentiated maintenance based on each unit's actual energy consumption characteristics. The system identifies specific units with abnormal energy usage patterns and directs maintenance resources selectively to those units, making the maintenance approach locally adapted to each unit's needs rather than applying a blanket uniform approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by monitoring and analyzing energy consumption parameters of each HVAC unit to identify deviations from expected patterns. By detecting changes in energy consumption parameters over time and comparing them against baseline data, the system dynamically adjusts maintenance priorities based on actual performance parameters rather than static uniform schedules.
2Productivity
If time-scheduled maintenance is applied to all HVAC units, then productivity is improved through systematic coverage, but energy savings deteriorate due to lack of prioritization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring energy consumption data from HVAC units and using this information to adjust maintenance prioritization. The system collects feedback on actual energy usage patterns, compares them against expected patterns, and uses this feedback loop to identify units requiring immediate attention, thereby optimizing the allocation of maintenance resources to maximize energy savings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by transitioning from static time-scheduled maintenance to a dynamic maintenance prioritization system that adapts to changing energy consumption patterns. The system continuously updates maintenance priorities based on real-time and historical energy data, allowing the maintenance schedule to dynamically respond to actual unit performance and energy efficiency needs.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, devices, and systems for managing energy in a multi-dwelling unit are described herein. One method includes determining an energy consumption of each of a plurality of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units, wherein each of the plurality of HVAC units is associated with a different space of a multi-dwelling unit having a plurality of spaces, normalizing the energy consumption of each of the plurality of HVAC units, and ranking the normalized energy consumptions.