Aspects direct to systems and methods for regulating illumination and temperature levels in a designated area. The system includes an internet of things (IoT) based entrance having an IoT device. The IoT device receives authentication information from an identification device, and authenticates the identification device. In response to determining the identification device to be authenticated, the IoT device controls the IoT based entrance to grant access to the user of the identification device. The IoT device also generates personnel access information of the user, and updates personnel information corresponding to the designated area using the personnel access information of the user. Then the IoT device may control lighting and heating/cooling systems based on the personnel information corresponding to the designated area and lighting and temperature rules. The personnel information corresponding to the designated area may include a total number of authenticated users physically located within the designated area.

A method includes generating a utility portal interface in response to a request from a utility computer system that receives parameters that specify a demand response event; providing a display of groups of energy-consuming locations that are available to be selected to participate in the demand response event; providing a display of an energy demand profile for the utility during the demand response event; receiving a selection of a subset of the groups of energy-consuming locations to participate in the demand response event; causing the display of the energy demand profile for the utility during the demand response event to be dynamically updated as the subset of the groups of energy-consuming locations are selected or deselected by the utility computer system to participate; and sending transmissions to thermostats associated with the subset of the groups of energy-consuming locations to execute the demand response event.

A method for controlling an economizer in a building HVAC system includes providing a manipulated variable as an input to a control process, holding the manipulated variable at a first extremum during a first portion of an evaluation period, and applying a dither signal to the manipulated variable during a second portion of the evaluation period. The dither signal causes the manipulated variable to deviate from the extremum. The method further includes monitoring a variable of interest output by the control process during the first and second portions of the evaluation period and switching the manipulated variable to a second extremum opposite the first extremum in response to the variable of interest moving toward an optimal value during the second portion of the evaluation period.

A condensate, precipitation and recycled water recovery system is described, for use in cooling applications such as air-cooled air conditioning and refrigeration systems. The recovered and recycled water system is a method designed to assist the air-cooled condenser in cooling the refrigerant, prior to the refrigerant cooling control system evaporator. The system can include an electronic control system, although not essential in all embodiments. In one embodiment, at least one condensate, precipitation, and recycled water recovery system is attached to the condenser of the refrigerant cooling control system. In another embodiment, multiple condensate, precipitation, and recycled water recovery systems are located on the condenser of the refrigerant cooling control system.

A condensate, precipitation and recycled water recovery system is described, for use in cooling applications such as air-cooled air conditioning and refrigeration systems. The recovered and recycled water system is a method designed to assist the air-cooled condenser in cooling the refrigerant, prior to the refrigerant cooling control system evaporator. The system can include an electronic control system, although not essential in all embodiments. In one embodiment, at least one condensate, precipitation, and recycled water recovery system is attached to the condenser of the refrigerant cooling control system. In another embodiment, multiple condensate, precipitation, and recycled water recovery systems are located on the condenser of the refrigerant cooling control system.

The invention involves the automated testing of HVAC units using an energy management system. The automated HVAC test is performed to understand if one or more HVAC units are operational across one or more locations. If an HVAC unit is not operational, HVAC testing could be performed to understand which component or stage of the HVAC unit is not working as designed. The automated HVAC test is also used to calculate the efficiency of the HVAC unit(s) being tested. The various HVAC tests are performed on all HVAC units as a form of preventative maintenance and diagnostics. These tests can be scheduled on-demand, for a future date and time, or on a recurring schedule (monthly or quarterly). A report is generated for each HVAC test and can be viewed and exported from a cloud-based energy management platform.

A blower for an HVAC system, the blower includes a housing with an intake and an outlet, a fan or blower wheel disposed within the housing and configured to draw air into the housing via the intake and to exhaust air from the housing through the outlet, and an adjustable cutoff plate configured to be moved between at least a first position defining a first cutoff angle and a second position defining a second cutoff angle.

A blower for an HVAC system, the blower includes a housing with an intake and an outlet, a fan or blower wheel disposed within the housing and configured to draw air into the housing via the intake and to exhaust air from the housing through the outlet, and an adjustable cutoff plate configured to be moved between at least a first position defining a first cutoff angle and a second position defining a second cutoff angle.

A method for controlling HVAC equipment for a building includes generating, based on historical building data, a discomfort tolerance defining an acceptable amount of occupant discomfort, determining a first value of an environmental condition at which the occupant discomfort is predicted to exceed the discomfort tolerance in a first direction, determining a second value of the environmental condition at which the occupant discomfort is predicted to exceed the discomfort tolerance in a second direction opposite the first direction, and controlling the HVAC equipment to maintain the environmental condition between the first value and the second value.

An apparatus and method for measuring or controlling the Outdoor Air Fraction (OAF) ratio through economizer or outdoor air dampers and cabinet to total system airflow and mixed-air humidity ratio and wetbulb temperature for HVAC equipment. An OAF exceeding the minimum regulatory requirements wastes energy and contributes to global warming. OAF is used to optimize economizer damper position either manually or automatically using an economizer Fault Detection Diagnostic controller and actuator to meet minimum outdoor airflow requirements. After the outdoor air damper position is optimized, the mixed-air humidity ratio and mixed-air wetbulb temperature are determined and used with the measured mixed-air drybulb and supply-air drybulb temperatures to evaluate evaporator airflow, cooling capacity, and heating capacity, and, if necessary, provide a visual or electronically-transmitted error code signal indicating maintenance requirements to check or correct economizer damper position, cabinet leakage, airflow, cooling or heating capacity, and/or other faults for the HVAC system.