Virtual Energy Metering via Building Data Bus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems face challenges in efficiently and cost-effectively registering and evaluating energy consumption separately for each room or guest in hotels, requiring separate meters and data transmission for each point of consumption.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing a building management system with a data bus to record and transmit switching commands and status messages, creating a 'virtual consumption measuring unit' that calculates energy consumption without the need for separate measuring units, leveraging existing infrastructure like EIB or similar data networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If separate meters and data transmission devices are installed for each point of consumption, then energy consumption can be registered separately for each room or guest, but device complexity and installation costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the energy consumption measurement function into the existing building management system's data bus infrastructure. Instead of installing separate meters for each room, the system utilizes the already-present data bus to transmit switching commands and status messages from room controllers to a central evaluation unit, which calculates energy consumption by multiplying power ratings by duration of operation derived from these messages.
Solution Approach 2:
The building management system's data bus, originally designed for controlling and monitoring building services, is made multi-functional by enabling it to also serve as the communication channel for energy consumption measurement and evaluation. This eliminates the need for dedicated measurement infrastructure while achieving room-level energy accounting.
2Measurement precision
If separate meters are installed for each room, then energy consumption can be measured accurately, but installation and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system leverages the existing building management infrastructure to perform the measurement function. The room controllers and data bus, already installed for building service control, are utilized to automatically generate and transmit the necessary data for energy consumption calculation, eliminating the need for separate measurement devices and reducing installation costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The building management system's data bus acts as an intermediary that carries both control commands and energy measurement data. This intermediary infrastructure enables energy consumption measurement without requiring direct physical connection of separate meters to each load, simplifying installation while maintaining measurement accuracy.
3Productivity
If multiple separate measuring units are deployed, then energy consumption can be registered for multiple rooms, but the strain on the control center and data processing load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculations at the data transmission level by using switching commands and status messages that already contain timing information. The central evaluation unit only needs to process these pre-structured messages and perform simple multiplication with power ratings, rather than handling raw data from multiple complex measurement devices, thereby reducing control center processing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Registering energy consumption in part of a building, an item of state information of at least one energy load being acquired, the state information being transmitted to a control center, and the state information, a state duration and a specific statement of the consumption of the energy load being used to determine and evaluate the energy consumption in the control center. It is possible to dispense with separate energy consumption measuring units as a result of the energy consumption being registered by multiplying the switched-on duration by a specific statement of the energy consumption (that is to say power) of the energy load.