A thermostat for a building zone includes at least one of a model predictive controller and an equipment controller. The model predictive controller is configured to obtain a cost function that accounts for a cost of operating HVAC equipment during each of a plurality of time steps, use a predictive model to predict a temperature of the building zone during each of the plurality of time steps, and generate temperature setpoints for the building zone for each of the plurality of time steps by optimizing the cost function subject to a constraint on the predicted temperature. The equipment controller is configured to receive the temperature setpoints generated by the model predictive controller and drive the temperature of the building zone toward the temperature setpoints during each of the plurality of time steps by operating the HVAC equipment to provide heating or cooling to the building zone.

A method of estimating power flexibility for a climate system includes receiving a component power flexibility measurement from one or more components of the climate system, and aggregating the component power flexibility measurement from each of the one or more components of the climate system to determine a climate system power flexibility. A method of responding to a fast demand request from an electrical power source for a climate system is also disclosed.

Techniques for instantiating energy saving setpoint adjustments are described. In an example, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is controlled via a thermostat during a first time period according to a first temperature setpoint schedule including one or more temperature setpoints and a first usage amount of the HVAC system is monitored during the first time period. After it is determined that the first usage amount of the HVAC system during the first time period has met a first predefined HVAC runtime threshold criterion, a second temperature setpoint schedule is generated with at least one of the one or more temperature setpoints being adjusted to decrease energy usage by the HVAC system compared to the first temperature setpoint schedule. The HVAC system is then controlled via the thermostat during a second time period according to the second temperature setpoint schedule.

Techniques for instantiating energy saving setpoint adjustments are described. In an example, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is controlled via a thermostat during a first time period according to a first temperature setpoint schedule including one or more temperature setpoints and a first usage amount of the HVAC system is monitored during the first time period. After it is determined that the first usage amount of the HVAC system during the first time period has met a first predefined HVAC runtime threshold criterion, a second temperature setpoint schedule is generated with at least one of the one or more temperature setpoints being adjusted to decrease energy usage by the HVAC system compared to the first temperature setpoint schedule. The HVAC system is then controlled via the thermostat during a second time period according to the second temperature setpoint schedule.

A building energy system includes HVAC equipment, green energy generation, a battery, and a predictive controller. The HVAC equipment provide heating or cooling for a building. The green energy generation collect green energy from a green energy source. The battery stores electric energy including at least a portion of the green energy provided by the green energy generation and grid energy purchased from an energy grid and discharges the stored electric energy for use in powering the HVAC equipment. The predictive controller generates a constraint that defines a total energy consumption of the HVAC equipment at each time step of an optimization period as a summation of multiple source-specific energy components and optimizes the predictive cost function subject to the constraint to determine values for each of the source-specific energy components at each time step of the optimization period.

A building energy system includes HVAC equipment, green energy generation, a battery, and a predictive controller. The HVAC equipment provide heating or cooling for a building. The green energy generation collect green energy from a green energy source. The battery stores electric energy including at least a portion of the green energy provided by the green energy generation and grid energy purchased from an energy grid and discharges the stored electric energy for use in powering the HVAC equipment. The predictive controller generates a constraint that defines a total energy consumption of the HVAC equipment at each time step of an optimization period as a summation of multiple source-specific energy components and optimizes the predictive cost function subject to the constraint to determine values for each of the source-specific energy components at each time step of the optimization period.

An integrated system and method measures building characteristics and user behavior to provide real-time and forecasted utility usages and costs. The system gathers current and historical heating and cooling load data, compares the data with current and historical weather data and a building system set point, and calculates the heating or cooling load needed for the building based on the user's call for heat or cooling and the ambient environmental conditions. The system additionally analyzes individual device usage using usage signatures and user inputted tracking to create a comprehensive real-time and forecast of utility usages with the estimated costs. Through history of selections with usage changes corresponding to user input of individual devices, the system will be able to learn various devices' usage. The system then creates a comprehensive, real-time forecast of utility costs including the foregoing characteristics.

This Patent application is based on a new method for calculating the hourly heating load for the heating elements of HVAC systems, with a potential for saving over 50% of the current fuel use by these systems. The method is based on using hourly outside air temperature from one or more thermometer installed along the vertical center of each of the building's orientations, and at the roof center. The temperature data, the building surface areas with different heat transmission characteristics in each orientation, plus hourly air infiltration rate into the building, adjusted for overall system efficiency, and Codes and regulatory requirements would yield the total hourly heating load. The fuel feed would then be automatically adjusted to release the hourly required fuel volume, or wattage, to the heating elements. The installed thermometer system could also be used to calculate the hourly cooling load for the building's air conditioning system, during the summer season.

This Patent application is based on a new method for calculating the hourly heating load for the heating elements of HVAC systems, with a potential for saving over 50% of the current fuel use by these systems. The method is based on using hourly outside air temperature from one or more thermometer installed along the vertical center of each of the building's orientations, and at the roof center. The temperature data, the building surface areas with different heat transmission characteristics in each orientation, plus hourly air infiltration rate into the building, adjusted for overall system efficiency, and Codes and regulatory requirements would yield the total hourly heating load. The fuel feed would then be automatically adjusted to release the hourly required fuel volume, or wattage, to the heating elements. The installed thermometer system could also be used to calculate the hourly cooling load for the building's air conditioning system, during the summer season.

[Object] To realize control that, in control of facility equipment, reduces electricity charges, taking into consideration fluctuation in power amount charge unit prices, and also a relation between a prediction value of power usage and a greatest value in a relevant period.

[Solution] A control device that generates control information for controlling facility equipment of a consumer includes an information acquisition unit that acquires information of a power amount charge unit price that fluctuates and information of power usage of the consumer, and a control information generating unit that, on the basis of the power amount charge unit price in an object interval that is an interval in which control of the facility equipment is performed and information of power usage of the consumer in an interval after the object interval, generates control information for the facility equipment of the consumer in the object interval.