An in-ground geothermal heat pump (GHP) closed loop design program is disclosed for designing, analyzing, and simulating a detailed model and analysis of a building's in-ground geothermal heat pump system, including borehole length, number of boreholes, heat pump capacity, grid layout, total electric operating costs, efficiency ratios, and hybrid designs, among others. In one aspect of the disclosure described herein, the GHP design program can reliably and efficiently predict the fluctuations of the GHP equipment performance in very small increments which enable the determination of energy consumption and demand information on a specific and unique hourly schedule basis for the building design, including incorporating thermal load data for each individual zone of the building. More specifically, the small increment method here can be used to eliminate overly broad approximations by evaluating GHP performance that is specific to building dynamics, constants, and variables for all of the building individual zones and the building's hourly operating schedule, thereby providing an efficient, reliable, simple, and effective geothermal heat pump design and simulation model.

Computer-implemented systems and methods for estimating a replacement status of an HVAC air filter. Outdoor weather data (e.g., outdoor temperature information), is obtained. A Total Runtime Value of the HVAC system is determined based upon the obtained outdoor weather data. Finally, a replacement status of the air filter is estimated as a function of a comparison of the Total Runtime Value with a Baseline Value. By correlating air filter replacement status with an estimated runtime of the HVAC system, a credible predictor of air filter usage is provided. By estimating fan runtime based on easily-obtained outdoor weather data, the methods are readily implemented with any existing HVAC system and do not require installation of sensors or other mechanical or electrical components to the HVAC system.

There is provided an information processing apparatus including a control section which performs control of selecting, based on a state of a user, an ecological action capable of being carried out by the user from among a plurality of ecological actions, and of presenting the selected ecological action to the user.

A method and apparatus for providing equipment maintenance are disclosed. For example, the method receives data that is captured by at least one sensor deployed at a location, wherein the data is associated with at least one parameter, receives atmospheric data for the location, monitors the at least one parameter of the equipment and the atmospheric data for the location, determines for the at least one parameter, whether an update to a risk measure associated with the equipment is needed, when a deviation from a baseline is detected that is greater than a threshold for a maximum deviation from the baseline, performs the update to the risk measure associated with the equipment, when the update to the risk measure associated with the equipment is needed, and generates a ticket for a remedial action based on the risk measure, when the risk measure triggers the scheduling of the remedial action.

The invention provides a temporary installation of a system of RFID-based terminals and user-worn RFID devices within an event interrogation zone. At an event, terminals are located within, and associated with, vendor booths erected in the interrogation zone. User RFID devices are issued to users wishing to enter the interrogation zone. Each user RFID device includes an element worn by the user, and an attached or embedded RFID tag with a stored unique UserID. Products for sampling have unique ProductIDs. The terminals are programmed for: (1) retrieving the UserID when the user enters the vendor booth; (2) retrieving a ProductID of a product sampled by the user; and (3) retrieving the UserID when the user leaves the vendor booth. The UserID and timestamps of entry, departure, and ProductIDs of products sampled are communicated to a server. The system allows tracking of products sampled and user behavior during an event.

A system and method for minimizing indoor infection risk and improving indoor air quality (IAQ) while maximizing energy savings. The system integrates occupancy detection and forecasting, outdoor weather conditions and forecasting, indoor infection risks and air quality modeling, any tunable air filtration, the clean air delivery rate, and any portable air cleaners. The system outputs the total amount of outdoor air intake, the air temperature of the supply air into the space, the supply air flow rate into the space, the operation mode of tunable air filtration/purification/disinfection, the operation mode of the in-room air cleaner, and space/room temperature set-points, and thus can serve as the central controller for an HVAC system.

The invention comprises systems and methods for evaluating changes in the operational efficiency of an HVAC system over time. The climate control system obtains temperature measurements from at least a first location conditioned by the climate system, and status of said HVAC system. One or more processors receives measurements of outside temperatures from at least one source other than said HVAC system and compares said temperature measurements from said first location with expected temperature measurements. The expected temperature measurements are based at least in part upon past temperature measurements.

Techniques for providing an adaptive energy management system for responding to extreme weather conditions are described herein. In an embodiment, a server computer stores multiple policy datasets each representing HVAC control policy for different structure locations and one or more extreme weather conditions. The server computer receives weather condition data comprising a condition identifier of a then-current extreme weather condition in association with a location identifier specifying a particular geographical region. Based on the location identifier, a particular structure location, being within the particular geographic region, is identified. Based on the particular structure location, a particular policy dataset from among the policy datasets is identified. The particular policy dataset is transformed into HVAC equipment instructions, which the server computer transmits, over a network, to HVAC equipment at the particular structure location which, when executed, cause the HVAC equipment to execute an action in accordance with the particular policy dataset.

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to assess monitor, improve, and/or modify health and well-being as it relates to people associated with a habitable or other built environments or spaces therein. In some embodiments, an intervention assessment system and methods include one or more sensors for measuring aspects related to the built environment, a personal user device, and a control circuit configured to receive one or more measurements form the sensor(s), identify a problem with the built environment, and identify potential interventions based on the indicators associated with the problem. By one approach, a plurality of potential interventions may be ranked based on, for example, the ability to reduce the prevalence of the problem or indicator in the built environment, feasibility, cost, and timeliness. In some approaches, the system and method also select and may implement one or more interventions.

The invention concerns predominantly enclosed spaces, typically buildings, which are exposed to directionally and temporally varying levels of solar electromagnetic radiation, as well as temporally varying levels of ambient air temperature, flow velocity and direction. Such a building can include at least one primary compartment and at least one secondary compartment. The primary compartment predominantly serves to achieve the primary purpose of the building. An electronic controller can modulate air flow to and from the secondary compartment.