There is provided a method of controlling an air-conditioning system associated with a building for optimizing a plurality of building performance parameters in providing an environment with respect to a zone of the building, the method comprising: obtaining zone environmental condition information including zone temperature data associated to the zone, and cooling air temperature data associated to an air handling unit associated to the zone; obtaining, from a zone model generator, zone cooling load parameters associated to the zone with respect to a plurality of time periods and a zone thermal dynamic model; obtaining, from a scheduler, a sequence of optimal cool air supply rates with respect to a plurality of subsequent time periods with respect to the zone determined based on a multi-component cost function including a plurality of components relating to the plurality of building performance parameters; determining, based on the zone thermal dynamic model, a sequence of zone controller set-points corresponding to the sequence of optimal cool air supply rates with respect to the zone using the zone cooling load parameters, the sequence of optimal cool air supply rates, the zone temperature data and the cooling air temperature data associated to the air handling unit; and sending the sequence of zone controller set-points to a zone controller for controlling a temperature of the zone.

There is provided a method of controlling an air-conditioning system associated with a building for optimizing a plurality of building performance parameters in providing an environment with respect to a zone of the building, the method comprising: obtaining zone environmental condition information including zone temperature data associated to the zone, and cooling air temperature data associated to an air handling unit associated to the zone; obtaining, from a zone model generator, zone cooling load parameters associated to the zone with respect to a plurality of time periods and a zone thermal dynamic model; obtaining, from a scheduler, a sequence of optimal cool air supply rates with respect to a plurality of subsequent time periods with respect to the zone determined based on a multi-component cost function including a plurality of components relating to the plurality of building performance parameters; determining, based on the zone thermal dynamic model, a sequence of zone controller set-points corresponding to the sequence of optimal cool air supply rates with respect to the zone using the zone cooling load parameters, the sequence of optimal cool air supply rates, the zone temperature data and the cooling air temperature data associated to the air handling unit; and sending the sequence of zone controller set-points to a zone controller for controlling a temperature of the zone.

A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a blower assembly including a blower motor; and an electronically commutated motor (ECM) controller in electrical communication with the blower motor, the ECM controller including: a rectifier electrically connected to an alternating current (AC) input source, the rectifier being configured to receive AC electricity from the AC input source and convert the AC electricity to direct current (DC) electricity; a DC electrical circuit including a first DC electrical circuit loop and a second DC electrical circuit loop, the rectifier being configured to circulate the DC electricity through the DC electrical circuit; and a relay located within the first DC electrical circuit loop, the relay being configured to open to break the first DC electrical circuit loop and close to complete the first DC electrical circuit loop in order to reduce standby power consumption of the ECM controller.

A method of and system for conserving power of a battery in a battery-powered electronic device capable of wireless communications are disclosed. The electronic device, which can be a digital video camera or other component of a monitoring system or an HVAC controller, an appliance, or another aspect of a smart home system, is wirelessly communicable with one or more hubs over a wireless local area network. The electronic device has at least a high power radio and a low power radio operating at different frequencies. Communications switch from the high power radio to the low power radio upon the occurrence of a trigger event such as battery charge dropping below a designated threshold. The electronic device may be part of a WLAN coupled to a WAN via the Internet and a cellular network.

A method of and system for conserving power of a battery in a battery-powered electronic device capable of wireless communications are disclosed. The electronic device, which can be a digital video camera or other component of a monitoring system or an HVAC controller, an appliance, or another aspect of a smart home system, is wirelessly communicable with one or more hubs over a wireless local area network. The electronic device has at least a high power radio and a low power radio operating at different frequencies. Communications switch from the high power radio to the low power radio upon the occurrence of a trigger event such as battery charge dropping below a designated threshold. The electronic device may be part of a WLAN coupled to a WAN via the Internet and a cellular network.

Methods and systems are provided for managing environmental conditions and energy usage associated with a site. One exemplary method of regulating an environment condition at a site involves a server receiving environmental measurement data from a monitoring system at the site via a network, determining an action for an electrical appliance at the site based at least in part on the environmental measurement data and one or more monitoring rules associated with the site, and providing an indication of the action to an actuator for the electrical appliance.

Methods and systems are provided for managing environmental conditions and energy usage associated with a site. One exemplary method of regulating an environment condition at a site involves a server receiving environmental measurement data from a monitoring system at the site via a network, determining an action for an electrical appliance at the site based at least in part on the environmental measurement data and one or more monitoring rules associated with the site, and providing an indication of the action to an actuator for the electrical appliance.

An air conditioning control system includes a plurality of remote control terminals and a server. The plurality of remote control terminals each calculates a time required for a user of the remote control terminal to return to a building from outside the building, and transmits information indicating the time required to the server. The server calculates an estimated time when a user who returns to the building first among the plurality of users returns to the building on the basis of the time required, and transmits a command for changing air conditioning setting to an air conditioner in stages from a time when the estimated time is calculated to the estimated time calculated.

A system includes multiple HVAC systems. After receiving a demand request, a multiple-system controller a first anticipated power consumption associated with operating a first HVAC system at a first temperature setpoint during a future period of time of the demand response request and a second anticipated power consumption associated with operating a second HVAC system at a second temperature setpoint during the future period of time. Based at least in part on the first and the second anticipated power consumptions, a staging schedule is determined that indicates when to operate the first and second HVAC systems.

A system includes multiple HVAC systems. After receiving a demand request, a multiple-system controller a first anticipated power consumption associated with operating a first HVAC system at a first temperature setpoint during a future period of time of the demand response request and a second anticipated power consumption associated with operating a second HVAC system at a second temperature setpoint during the future period of time. Based at least in part on the first and the second anticipated power consumptions, a staging schedule is determined that indicates when to operate the first and second HVAC systems.