Shared-Space Environmental Control Using Weighted Occupancy Setpoints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing building systems for shared locations often fail to accommodate individual user preferences for indoor environmental conditions, leading to inefficient energy usage and discomfort, as they rely on pre-determined schedules that do not account for actual occupancy or user feedback.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that dynamically adjust indoor environmental settings based on user preferences, complaint history, and energy efficiency constraints, using a weighted set point system that integrates with building automation to adjust settings according to occupancy schedules and user device data, allowing for real-time modifications and periodic re-evaluation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If pre-determined schedules are used to regulate indoor environmental conditions, then energy consumption is reduced during unoccupied periods, but user comfort and preferences are not accommodated
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts indoor environmental set points by transitioning from static pre-determined schedules to dynamic, real-time adjustments based on actual occupancy detection and user preferences. The building management system continuously monitors occupancy status and modifies temperature, lighting, and other environmental parameters accordingly, allowing the system to adapt its behavior rather than following fixed temporal patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates user feedback mechanisms where occupants can express their environmental preferences and comfort levels. This feedback is processed by the building management system to adjust set points in real-time, creating a closed-loop control system that responds to actual user needs rather than relying on predetermined assumptions about occupancy and preference.
2Adaptability or versatility
If individual user preferences are accommodated in real-time, then user comfort is improved, but system complexity and energy usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The building management system is designed to perform multiple functions through a single integrated platform: it detects occupancy, collects user preferences, processes complaint history, calculates weighted set points, and controls various building systems (HVAC, lighting, blinds). This multi-functional approach consolidates what could be separate complex systems into one unified system, managing complexity while maintaining high adaptability to individual user preferences.
Solution Approach 2:
The system manages complexity by focusing on adjusting key environmental parameters (temperature, humidity, lighting levels) rather than controlling every aspect of the building environment. By identifying and optimizing these critical parameters based on user preferences and occupancy, the system achieves high adaptability without requiring excessive system complexity.
3Ease of operation
If pre-determined schedules are used for all locations, then system operation is simplified, but energy efficiency is reduced due to lack of occupancy awareness
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-cooling or pre-heating spaces before scheduled occupancy events based on historical data and user preferences. For example, if a meeting room is scheduled for occupancy at 9 AM, the system can begin adjusting temperature and lighting settings in advance to ensure comfort upon arrival, while still maintaining energy-efficient operation during unoccupied periods. This eliminates the need for continuous operation while preparing the environment proactively.
Solution Approach 2:
The building management system automatically detects occupancy changes and adjusts environmental settings without requiring manual intervention or complex scheduling inputs. The system monitors sensors, processes occupancy data, and self-adjusts set points based on real-time conditions, maintaining ease of operation while achieving high energy efficiency through automatic occupancy-aware control.
4Adaptability or versatility
If continuous monitoring and adjustment of environmental settings is implemented, then user comfort is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic monitoring and adjustment cycles rather than truly continuous operation. Environmental parameters are monitored and adjusted at strategically determined intervals based on occupancy status, user preferences, and environmental conditions. For example, the system may check and adjust settings every 15 minutes during occupied periods but reduce monitoring frequency during unoccupied periods, maintaining real-time responsiveness while minimizing the energy consumption of control operations themselves.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of integrated environmental control for shared locations includes determining, by a processor of an indoor environment planning system, an occupancy schedule for users scheduled to be at a shared location. The processor of the indoor environment planning system determines a plurality of occupant indoor environmental setting preferences for the users scheduled to be at the shared location based on the occupancy schedule and a weighted set point for a building system operable to adjust an indoor environment at the shared location based on the occupant indoor environmental setting preferences for the users scheduled to be at the shared location. The processor of the indoor environment planning system determines an adjusted set point schedule for the shared location to transition between a previously planned set point and the weighted set point. A control device of the building system is operated based on the adjusted set point schedule.