Occupant Feedback Control for Building Comfort and Energy Use
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing building management systems face challenges in ensuring occupant comfort and energy efficiency due to the subjective nature of comfort, which is difficult to measure and simulate, leading to inefficient heating or cooling practices and higher energy costs, as well as a lack of frictionless means for occupants to provide feedback on environmental conditions.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an internet-enabled device, such as a smartphone, running an APP that allows occupants to provide feedback on environmental conditions, which is then used to modify building settings like temperature and humidity through a building management system, incorporating a credibility system to weight occupant feedback and adjust environmental conditions accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional building control systems are used to manage environmental conditions, then system control capability is improved, but responsiveness to actual occupant comfort needs deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where occupants provide comfort feedback through mobile devices, and this feedback is used to adjust environmental conditions. The system continuously monitors occupant responses and modifies HVAC settings accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that adapts to actual occupant needs rather than relying solely on predetermined schedules or sensor data.
2Measurement precision
If occupant feedback is collected to improve comfort accuracy, then comfort measurement precision is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a mobile device as an intermediary between the occupant and the building management system. The mobile device application serves as a mediator that collects feedback from occupants and transmits it to the building management system, which then processes the information and sends control signals to HVAC equipment. This intermediary approach simplifies the overall system architecture by leveraging existing mobile devices rather than requiring complex dedicated feedback collection infrastructure.
3Loss of energy
If automated environmental adjustments are implemented based on feedback, then energy efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service mechanism where the building management system automatically processes occupant feedback and adjusts environmental conditions without requiring manual intervention from facility managers. The system autonomously interprets comfort feedback, determines appropriate HVAC adjustments, and executes control actions, thereby reducing operational complexity while improving energy efficiency through responsive automation.
Data Source
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AI summary
A computer implemented method for controlling the environmental conditions of a building in accordance with feedback from the occupants of the building is provided. The method includes detecting, by one or more processors, an occupant within a building space, and transmitting, by the one or more processors, a notification message to an occupant device associated with the occupant. The notification message includes a request to provide occupant feedback. The method includes receiving, by the one or more processors, an occupant feedback message from the occupant device. The occupant feedback message includes one or more quality ratings associated with one or more building conditions. The method includes assigning, by the one or more processors, a weighting factor to the occupant feedback message and performing an action to modify at least one of the building conditions responsive to the weighted occupant feedback message.