Thermostatic HVAC and other energy management controls that are connected to a computer network. For instance, remotely managed load switches incorporating thermostatic controllers inform an energy management system, to provide enhanced efficiency, and to verify demand response with plug-in air conditioners and heaters. At least one load control device at a first location comprises a temperature sensor and a microprocessor. The load control device is configured to connect or disconnect electrical power to the an attached air conditioner or heater, and the microprocessor is configured to communicate over a network. In addition, the load control device is physically separate from an air conditioner or heater but located inside the space conditioned by the air conditioner or heater.

A dehumidifier includes a compressor, a flow path switch, a first heat exchanger, a pressure-reducing device, a second heat exchanger, a moisture adsorption member that is arranged between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, a fan, a storage unit configured to store an operation time map, and a temperature and humidity detection unit. The controller controls the flow path switch that switches a first operation mode to adsorb moisture by the moisture adsorption member and a second operation mode to desorb moisture adsorbed by the moisture adsorption member. The controller acquires a first time and a second time corresponding to the temperature and humidity detected by the temperature and humidity detection unit from the operation time map, and controls the flow path switch in accordance with the acquired first time and second time.

A method of designing an optimized heating and cooling system includes: (1) automatically importing data from an energy model into an optimization model; (2) simulating energy use of a virtual heating and cooling system operating a thermal source or sink with the optimization model based upon the data from the energy model to obtain an optimized system design; (3) developing controls for an actual heating and cooling system based upon the optimized system design; and (4) automatically exporting the controls directly to a controller for the actual heating and cooling system.

A system for modifying controllable elements of a structure based on an array of conditions, particularly a distance of a user or operator from the structure, deviations from an expected travel path to the structure, activities conducted either along or while deviating from the expected travel path, traffic, a core body temperature of the user or operator, and other factors. The controllable structure elements can include, for example, heating and air conditioning (HVAC), alarm, lights, and appliances.

A determination system includes an obtainer, a determiner, and an outputter. The obtainer obtains a result of detection by a first sensor which detects a body movement of a body part of a user exposed from a covering, and a result of detection by a second sensor which detects a body movement of the user. The determiner determines a sleep state of the user, based on the result of detection by the first sensor and the result of detection by the second sensor, which are obtained by the obtainer, the sleep state including a state of the covering. The outputter outputs information based on a result of determination by the determiner.

A sensor control method that is executed by an air-conditioning apparatus includes: acquiring a first thermal image by scanning an air-conditioned space using the infrared sensor in accordance with a first scanning scheme, the air-conditioning apparatus being placed in the air-conditioned space; extracting a subject thermal image from the first thermal image, based on a difference between a background thermal image of the air-conditioned space when no subject is present therein and the first thermal image; determining a second scanning scheme different from the first scanning scheme, when the subject thermal image has a size smaller than a threshold size; and acquiring a second thermal image by scanning an area corresponding to the subject thermal image of the air-conditioned space using the infrared sensor in accordance with the determined second scanning scheme.

A method of conditioning an environment includes generating, by a group feedback analysis system, a first comfort limit based on a first plurality of data points corresponding to user feedback of a group of users in an environment conditioned by an environmental conditioning system to identify the first comfort limit at a first extreme; generating, by the group feedback analysis system, a second comfort limit based on a second plurality of data points corresponding to user feedback of the group of users in the environment conditioned by the environmental conditioning system to identify the second comfort limit at a second extreme, the second extreme being opposite the first extreme; identifying, by the group feedback analysis system, a comfort region defined by the first comfort limit and the second comfort limit; and controlling the environmental conditioning system to maintain at least one environmental criterion within the comfort region.

An air conditioning system includes air conditioners having at least one installed function of multiple functions, a mobile terminal carried by a user, and information mediation devices configured to carry out exchange of information between the air conditioners and the mobile terminal using a public network. The mobile terminal has an air conditioning management program configured to manage the air conditioners. The air conditioners store installed function information relating to the functions installed in the air conditioners. The air conditioning management program of the mobile terminal reads out the installed function information via the information intermediation devices, and generates, in accordance with the installed function information, an air conditioner management screen image displayed on a display of the mobile terminal.

A controller unit for communicating with and controlling one or more discrete air conditioner units within a building is disclosed. In some instances, the discrete air conditioner controller may be configured to receive signals in a first signal format from a central coordinator and to transmit signals to the one or more discrete air conditioner units in a second signal format. The first signal format and second signal format may be different wireless formats. In some cases, the controller unit may store a programmable operating schedule, which may be updated via the central coordinator.

Described herein are methods and systems, including computer program products, for determining a load control schedule for energy control devices using a load shifting optimization model and applying the load control schedule to adjust the energy control devices. A server receives thermodynamic models, energy price data and energy load forecast data. The server generates price probability distribution curves based upon the price data and load probability distribution curves based upon the load forecast data. The server executes a load shifting optimization model to determine a profit probability distribution curve for demand response decision rules. The server determines a profit curve that has an optimal profit value. The server generates a load control schedule based upon the optimal profit curve and generates operational parameters for energy control devices using the load control schedule. The server transmits the operational parameters to the energy control devices to adjust operational parameters.