A first comparison-period specifier specifies a first to-be-compared period in a pre-implementation period before implementation of an energy saving control. A second comparison-period specifier specifies as a second to-be-compared period a to-be-compared candidate period having the highest similarity level between: parameters in a first parameter comparison period including a first comparison period and a first period immediately before or after the first comparison period, and parameters in a second parameter comparison period including a to-be-compared candidate period and a second period immediately before or after the to-be-compared candidate period. An energy saving diagnoser diagnoses the level of energy saving derived from the implementation of an energy saving control based on a power consumption amount in the first to-be-compared period and a power consumption amount in the second to-be-compared period.

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.

The invention comprises a system for calculating a value for the effective thermal mass of a building. The climate control system obtains temperature measurements from at least a first location conditioned by the climate system. One or more processors receive measurements of outside temperatures from at least one source other than the control system and compare the temperature measurements from the first location with expected temperature measurements. The expected temperature measurements are based at least in part upon past temperature measurements obtained by said HVAC control system and said outside temperature measurements. The processors then calculate one or more rates of change in temperature at said first location.

A method includes receiving, by a monitoring system that is configured to monitor a property, and from a sensor, sensor data, receiving data indicating an operational state of the HVAC system, determining that the HVAC system is providing air to a smart vent device, determining (i) a particular direction for the smart vent device to direct air flowing from the HVAC system and into the room of the property and (ii) a particular flow rate for the smart vent device to provide air from the HVAC system and into the room of the property, and providing, to the smart vent device, instructions to (i) direct air flowing from the HVAC system and into the room of the property in the particular direction and (ii) adjust the flow rate of air flowing from the HVAC system and into the room of the property according to the particular flow rate.

An environmental control system for a building in a geographic location and having a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system includes at least one computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by at least one processing device in communication with the external application, enables the at least one processing device to receive weather data characterizing a weather forecast over a predetermined time period for the geographic location, receive free-cooling window data, determine, based on the weather data and free-cooling window data, an available free-cooling time window, and issue to the external application an executable command to the HVAC system to enter free-cooling mode during the available free-cooling time window.

Systems, apparatus and methods for operating an environmental control system that delivers dehumidified outdoor air into a conditioned space through an air valve. The method includes establishing CO.sub.2 setpoints corresponding to a ventilation outdoor air flow rate and a dehumidification outdoor air flow rate, determining a humidity metric of the conditioned space, and delivering outside air to the conditioned space at the ventilation outdoor air flow rate or dehumidification outdoor air flow rate based upon the humidity metric. The outside air may be tempered with return air from the conditioned space. The dehumidification CO.sub.2 set point is determined by predicting the dehumidification CO.sub.2 set point based on the airflow quantity per occupant and the relationship of the occupant predicted water vapor emission rate and CO.sub.2 emission rate.

A system for a plurality of thermostats each located in a different building in a neighborhood. Each thermostat includes a processing circuit configured to receive one or more assigned operating time slots from an analytics service and operate building equipment associated with the thermostat based on the one or more assigned operating time slots. The system further includes the analytics service. The analytics service includes a processing circuit configured to receive weather forecast data from a weather service and predict a period of time during which an energy usage peak will occur for the plurality of buildings based on the weather forecast data, determine the one or more operating time slots based on the period of time, assign the one or more operating time slots to each of the plurality of thermostats, and send the one or more assigned operating time slots to the plurality of thermostats.

An apparatus control system includes a metabolic amount measurement device measuring a metabolic amount, and an apparatus control device controlling a heating-cooling combination apparatus. A control content storage unit stores thermal sensations and control contents of the heating-cooling combination apparatus. The metabolic amount measured by the metabolic amount measurement device is inputted to an input unit. A metabolic amount storage unit stores a history of the metabolic amount inputted to the input unit before. A calculation unit calculates the thermal sensation using the metabolic amount inputted to the input unit. A correction unit corrects the thermal sensation calculated by the calculation unit using the history of the metabolic amount stored in the metabolic amount storage unit. An apparatus control unit controls the heating-cooling combination apparatus according to a control content stored in the control content storage unit in association with the thermal sensation corrected by the correction unit.

A control device, an air conditioner, and a control method thereof are provided. The control device includes a communication interface configured to communicate with an external device, and a processor configured to control the communication interface to receive indoor and outdoor environment information and user control information, and the processor is configured to predict an indoor temperature over time through a temperature prediction model based on the received indoor and outdoor environment information and the user control information, obtain a corresponding candidate setting temperatures, obtain temperature control schedules, predict energy consumptions of the obtained temperature control schedules, respectively, through a trained energy prediction model, identify a temperature control schedule with the smallest predicted energy consumption as an optimal temperature control schedule, and transmit control information over time to an air conditioner during a pre-set power saving operation time based on the identified optimal temperature control schedule.

An apparatus control system includes a skin temperature measurement device configured to measure a skin temperature, and an apparatus control device that controls a heating-cooling combination apparatus. In the apparatus control device, a storage unit stores a correspondence table (correspondence relationship) between skin temperatures and control contents of the heating-cooling combination apparatus. The apparatus control unit controls the heating-cooling combination apparatus according to a control content stored in the storage unit in association with a first skin temperature that is inputted to an input unit. Thereafter, if a second skin temperature that is newly inputted to the input unit is not included in a comfortable temperature range, the update unit updates the correspondence table stored in the storage unit. In this case, the update unit changes the control content in the correspondence table such that over-control or under-control according to the control content is reduced.