Building Optimization Platform And Web-Based Invoicing System

Abstract

A building management and optimization system and method are disclosed. Building services data obtained at the building is received by a building optimization platform through a first communication network. The building optimization platform includes at least one server system for generating an electronic invoice based on the building services use data. A representation of the electronic invoice is transmitted to a user interface through a second communication network for web-based review, editing and approval by a property manager associated with the building.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 providing an electronic invoice template to a computer system;   generating, using the electronic invoice template, an electronic invoice for a tenant occupying at least part of a building in accordance with a lease covering at least some energy services used by the tenant as part of standard tenant services, the electronic invoice comprising a line item reflecting a tenant-incurred cost associated with an instance of above standard tenant services use, the tenant-incurred cost being determined based on usage data for energy services used in excess of that covered by the lease in the at least part of the building; and   transmitting, via a communication network, a representation of the electronic invoice for display in an electronic user interface, the representation of the electronic invoice including the line item reflecting the tenant-incurred cost associated with the instance of above standard tenant services use.   
     
     
         2 . A computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the usage data includes one or more of lighting, plugload, and HVAC use in the at least part of the building. 
     
     
         3 . A computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the usage data is provided to the computer system via a communication network comprising at least one wireless data communication link. 
     
     
         4 . A computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the electronic invoice further comprises at least one interactive control for adjusting the invoicing data. 
     
     
         5 . A computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 4 , further comprising sending invoicing data to an accounting computer system associated with the property manager, the invoicing data comprising the cost adjusted according to a selection by the property manager using the at least one interactive control. 
     
     
         6 . A computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 5 , further comprising transmitting an activity report to a system administrator computer based on the invoicing data and the selection by the property manager using the at least one interactive control. 
     
     
         7 . A computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 6 , further comprising generating an electronic a variance report comprising a variance between tenant-incurred costs and tenant-billed costs for the above standard tenant services for the building during a time period, the tenant-incurred costs comprising the tenant-incurred cost associated with the instance of the above standard tenant services use, and the tenant-billed costs comprising an amount billed to the tenant based on the selection. 
     
     
         8 . A computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein the activity report indicates whether the tenant-incurred cost associated with the instance of above standard tenant services use is billed to the tenant in whole, in part, or not at all. 
     
     
         9 . A computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising generating an approval of the electronic invoice after a period of time during which no selection by the property manager of the at least one interactive control is received. 
     
     
         10 . A computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the electronic invoice is generated using a markup language code structure. 
     
     
         11 . A computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein the representation of the electronic invoice comprises an electronic mail message that contains a hypertext transport protocol link to retrieve the representation of the electronic invoice from a storage device. 
     
     
         12 . A computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the communication network includes an electronic mail system. 
     
     
         13 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 providing an electronic invoice template to a server system;   generating, using the electronic invoice template, an electronic invoice for a tenant occupying at least part of a building in accordance with a lease covering at least some energy services used by the tenant as part of standard tenant services, the electronic invoice comprising a line item reflecting a tenant-incurred cost associated with an instance of above standard tenant services use, the tenant-incurred cost being determined based on usage data for energy services used in excess of that covered by the lease in the at least part of the building; and   formatting a representation of the electronic invoice for transmission via a communication network, and for display in an electronic user interface, the representation of the electronic invoice including the line item reflecting the tenant-incurred cost associated with the instance of above standard tenant services use.   
     
     
         14 . A computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the usage data includes one or more of lighting, plugload, and HVAC use in the at least part of the building. 
     
     
         15 . A computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the electronic invoice further comprises at least one interactive control for adjusting the invoicing data. 
     
     
         16 . A computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 15 , further comprising sending invoicing data to an accounting computer system associated with the property manager, the invoicing data comprising the cost adjusted according to a selection by the property manager using the at least one interactive control. 
     
     
         17 . A computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 16 , further comprising transmitting an activity report to a system administrator computer based on the invoicing data and the selection by the property manager using the at least one interactive control. 
     
     
         18 . A computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 17 , further comprising generating an electronic a variance report comprising a variance between tenant-incurred costs and tenant-billed costs for the above standard tenant services for the building during a time period, the tenant-incurred costs comprising the tenant-incurred cost associated with the instance of the above standard tenant services use, and the tenant-billed costs comprising an amount billed to the tenant based on the selection. 
     
     
         19 . A computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein the activity report indicates whether the tenant-incurred cost associated with the instance of above standard tenant services use is billed to the tenant in whole, in part, or not at all. 
     
     
         20 . A computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 13 , further comprising generating an approval of the electronic invoice after a period of time during which no selection by the property manager of the at least one interactive control is received. 
     
     
         21 . A computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the electronic invoice is generated using a markup language code structure. 
     
     
         22 . A computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein the representation of the electronic invoice comprises an electronic mail message that contains a hypertext transport protocol link to retrieve the representation of the electronic invoice from a storage device. 
     
     
         23 . A computer-implemented method in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the communication network includes an electronic mail system. 
     
     
         24 . A system comprising:
 a memory; and   a server computer that receives usage data for energy services used in a building, the usage data including usage data for energy services used in excess of that covered by a lease associated with a tenant occupying at least part of the building in accordance with a lease covering at least some energy services used by the tenant as part of standard tenant services, the server computer executing a program configured to generate an electronic invoice based on an electronic invoice template stored in the memory, the electronic invoice being generated for the tenant and comprising a line item reflecting a tenant-incurred cost associated with an instance of above standard tenant services use, the tenant-incurred cost being determined based on the usage data for energy services, the server computer further configured to format a representation of the electronic invoice for transmission via a communication network, and for display in an electronic user interface, the representation of the electronic invoice including the line item reflecting the tenant-incurred cost associated with the instance of above standard tenant services use.   
     
     
         25 . A system in accordance with  claim 24 , wherein the metered energy usage data are received at the server computer via a communication network comprising a wireless data communication link. 
     
     
         26 . A system in accordance with  claim 24 , wherein the usage data is sent to the server system by one or more energy management systems located at the building to monitor energy services used in the at least part of the building, the one or more energy management systems comprising one or more digital sensors. 
     
     
         27 . A system in accordance with  claim 26 , wherein the one or more energy management systems transmit the usage data to the server system through a first communication network. 
     
     
         28 . A system in accordance with  claim 24 , wherein the metered energy usage data includes one or more of lighting, plugload, and HVAC use in the at least part of the building.