Residential energy efficiency rating system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional in-person energy audits for residential buildings are time-consuming, expensive, and do not easily scale for large populations, and often do not result in guaranteed energy efficiency improvements, making it difficult to identify and address energy inefficiencies in a standardized and cost-effective manner.
Innovation Solution
A residential energy efficiency rating system that uses sensors, data aggregation, and statistical modeling to calculate a residential energy efficiency rating (REER) based on HVAC data, weather data, and residential characteristics, allowing for a virtual energy audit that identifies energy performance and recommends targeted improvements without the need for additional sensors or measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional in-person energy audits are used, then detailed energy performance assessment can be obtained, but the process is time-consuming and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the physical energy audit process by collecting and analyzing data from existing connected home devices (thermostats, sensors, energy management systems). This digital replica eliminates the need for physical auditor presence while maintaining assessment capabilities through automated data processing and analytical algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of in-person audits with an automated computational system. Instead of physical measurement tools and human auditors, the system uses software algorithms to process data from connected devices, perform energy performance calculations, and generate recommendations automatically.
2Measurement precision
If conventional in-person energy audits are used, then energy performance can be assessed, but the cost is high and scalability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables homes to self-assess their energy performance by automatically collecting data from their own connected devices and processing it through the analytical platform. This eliminates the need for external auditors and allows unlimited scalability without proportional increases in human resources or costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal platform that can serve multiple functions: collecting data from various device types (thermostats, sensors, energy systems), performing energy performance analysis, generating ratings, and providing recommendations. This multi-functional system can handle any connected home without requiring specialized audit procedures for each case.
3Loss of information
If conventional energy audits are performed, then energy inefficiencies can be identified, but guaranteed improvements are not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous feedback loops by monitoring connected home devices in real-time, tracking energy consumption patterns, and comparing actual performance against optimal benchmarks. This ongoing feedback enables dynamic adjustment of recommendations and verification of improvement outcomes, increasing reliability compared to one-time audits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary analysis of energy consumption patterns and identifies inefficiencies before implementing improvement recommendations. By pre-analyzing data from connected devices and establishing baseline performance metrics, the system can predict potential improvements and track whether recommended actions achieve expected results.
Data Source
AI summary
A residential energy efficiency rating system that may incorporate one or more sensors situated at one or more residential properties, an aggregation and sending device connected to the one or more sensors, a central data receiver and processor connected to the aggregation and sending device, a historical device data storage connected to the central data receiver and processor, and a residential energy efficiency rating calculator connected to the historical device data storage.