Conservation modeling engine framework

Abstract

Methods, including service methods, articles of manufacture, systems, articles and programmable devices provide a conservation modeling engine framework. Programmable conservation modeling engines in communication with different customizable resource conservation modules, each resource conservation module customized to a distinct resource, select one of the modules customized to a resource identified for conservation, and user-defined criteria as a function of the identified resource and the selected module. Input data is selected and collected as a function of the resource identified and the selected module and used to weight the input data. Different optimized conservation plans are created as a function of the weighted input data and the selected module, each of the optimized conservation plans displayed having a different implementation cost, a different time for implementation and a different total amount of the identified resource saved.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer implemented method for conservation modeling, the method comprising executing on a processor the steps of:
 creating a plurality of different conservation plans for a region for a future time period as a function of a determined rate of change of availability of a resource identified for conservation, wherein the plurality of conservation plans includes a first plan that has a least implementation cost relative to implementation costs of a second plan and a third plan of the plurality of conservation plans, the second plan that has a fastest time for implementation relative to times for implementation of the first plan and the third plan, and the third plan that conserves a most amount of the resource identified for conservation relative to amounts of the resource identified for conservation that are conserved by the first plan and the second plan;   optimizing the first, second and third plans via at least one of a greedy algorithm, a penalty method algorithm and a cooperative optimization;   predicting via a Monte Carlo methodology future values of an input variable at an execution time of the first, second and third plans; and   modifying the optimized first, second and third plans to meet a threshold as a function of the predicted future value of the input variable.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising
 selecting a customizable resource conservation module from a provided plurality of different customizable resource conservation modules as a function of the selected module being customized to the resource identified for conservation, wherein the selected module includes requirements unique to the resource identified for conservation, and wherein each of the different customizable resource conservation modules are customized to different ones of a plurality of distinct resources that includes the resource identified for conservation; and   using the selected customizable resource conservation module to determine the rate of change of availability of the resource identified for conservation.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 determining the rate of change of availability of the resource identified for conservation from:   a real-time sensor input comprising a current level of usage of the resource identified for conservation;   a dynamic data feed comprising at least one of weather conditions, and demands for the resource identified for conservation that are currently predicted to occur over a future time period;   static data comprising a number of facility items using the resource identified for conservation; and   historic data comprising at least one of an average usage rate of the resource identified for conservation by the facility items, and a historic weather pattern for a region comprising the facility items; and   creating the plurality of different conservation plans for the region for the future time period by applying the selected customizable resource conservation module to the inputs of the determined rate of change of availability of the resource, the real-time sensor input, the dynamic data feed, the static data and the historic data.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying the optimized first, second and third plans in a single table diagram that:   distinguishes different values of implementation costs, times for implementation and total amounts of the resource identified for conservation that are each displayed for each of the displayed plans;   identifies the first plan as having the least implementation cost, the second plan as having the fastest time for implementation, and the third plan as conserving the most amount of the resource identified for conservation; and   displays sets of ordered pluralities of different location-specific actions to be taken to implement each of the optimized first, second and third plans and in association with respective ones of the optimized first, second and third plans, wherein each of the sets of ordered pluralities are associated with different ones of the optimized first, second and third plans and comprise different orders of the location-specific actions.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 displaying each of the sets of the ordered pluralities of different location-specific actions in association with time periods for taking the ordered actions, wherein the time periods are subsets of a total time of the time for implementation of an associated plan of the optimized first, second and third plans.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 predicting each of a plurality of values of an input variable at a time of execution of each of the optimized first, second and third plans;   predicting a future severity of a shortage of the resource identified for conservation; and   wherein the step of creating the optimized first, second and third plans is further a function of the plurality of predicted values of the input variable and the predicted future shortage severity.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 calculating and displaying an estimated return-on-investment time period for each of the optimized first, second and third plans as a function of their respective implementation costs; and   weighting the first plan, the second plan and the third plan to recommend a plan and a time duration to achieve a return on investment of the recommended plan.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 integrating computer-readable program code into a computer infrastructure comprising the processor, a computer readable memory and a computer readable storage medium, wherein the computer readable program code is embodied on the computer readable storage medium and comprises instructions for execution by the processor via the computer readable memory that cause the processor to perform the steps of creating the plurality of different conservation plans for the region for the future time period as the function of the determined rate of change of availability of the resource identified for conservation, optimizing the first, second and third plans via the at least one greedy algorithm, penalty method algorithm and cooperative optimization, predicting via the Monte Carlo methodology the future values of the input variable at the execution time of the first, second and third plans, and modifying the optimized first, second and third plans to meet the threshold as the function of the predicted future value of the input variable.   
     
     
         9 . A system, comprising:
 a hardware processor;   a computer readable memory in communication with the hardware processor; and   a computer-readable hardware storage device in communication with the hardware processor;   wherein the hardware processor executes program instructions stored on the computer-readable hardware storage device via the computer readable memory and thereby:   creates a plurality of different conservation plans for a region for a future time period as a function of a determined rate of change of availability of a resource identified for conservation, wherein the plurality of conservation plans includes a first plan that has a least implementation cost relative to implementation costs of a second plan and a third plan of the plurality of conservation plans, the second plan that has a fastest time for implementation relative to times for implementation of the first plan and the third plan, and the third plan that conserves a most amount of the resource identified for conservation relative to amounts of the resource identified for conservation that are conserved by the first plan and the second plan;   optimizes the first, second and third plans via one of a greedy algorithm, a penalty method algorithm and a cooperative optimization;   predicts via a Monte Carlo methodology future values of an input variable at an execution time of the first, second and third plans; and   modifies the optimized first, second and third plans to meet a threshold as a function of the predicted future value of the input variable.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the hardware processor executes the program instructions stored on the computer-readable hardware storage device via the computer readable memory and thereby further:
 selects a customizable resource conservation module from a provided plurality of different customizable resource conservation modules as a function of the selected module being customized to the resource identified for conservation, wherein the selected module includes requirements unique to the resource identified for conservation, and wherein each of the different customizable resource conservation modules are customized to different ones of a plurality of distinct resources that includes the resource identified for conservation; and   uses the selected customizable resource conservation module to determine the rate of change of availability of the resource identified for conservation.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the hardware processor executes the program instructions stored on the computer-readable hardware storage device via the computer readable memory and thereby further:
 determines the rate of change of availability of the resource identified for conservation from:   a real-time sensor input comprising a current level of usage of the resource identified for conservation;   a dynamic data feed comprising at least one of weather conditions, and demands for the resource identified for conservation that are currently predicted to occur over a future time period;   static data comprising a number of facility items using the resource identified for conservation; and   historic data comprising at least one of an average usage rate of the resource identified for conservation by the facility items, and a historic weather pattern for a region comprising the facility items; and   creates the plurality of different conservation plans for the region for the future time period by applying the selected customizable resource conservation module to the inputs of the determined rate of change of availability of the resource, the real-time sensor input, the dynamic data feed, the static data and the historic data.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the hardware processor executes the program instructions stored on the computer-readable hardware storage device via the computer readable memory and thereby further:
 displays the optimized first, second and third plans in a single table diagram that:   distinguishes different values of implementation costs, times for implementation and total amounts of the resource identified for conservation that are each displayed for each of the displayed plans;   identifies the first plan as having the least implementation cost, the second plan as having the fastest time for implementation, and the third plan as conserving the most amount of the resource identified for conservation; and   displays sets of ordered pluralities of different location-specific actions to be taken to implement each of the optimized first, second and third plans and in association with respective ones of the optimized first, second and third plans, wherein each of the sets of ordered pluralities are associated with different ones of the optimized first, second and third plans and comprise different orders of the location-specific actions.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the hardware processor executes the program instructions stored on the computer-readable hardware storage device via the computer readable memory and thereby further:
 displays each of the sets of the ordered pluralities of different location-specific actions in the single table in association with time periods for taking the ordered actions, wherein the time periods are subsets of a total time of the time for implementation of an associated plan of the optimized first, second and third plans.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the hardware processor executes the program instructions stored on the computer-readable hardware storage device via the computer readable memory and thereby further:
 predicts each of a plurality of values of an input variable at a time of execution of each of the optimized first, second and third plans;   predicts a future severity of a shortage of the resource identified for conservation; and   creates the optimized first, second and third plans as a function of the plurality of predicted values of the input variable and the predicted future shortage severity.   
     
     
         15 . An article of manufacture, comprising:
 a computer readable storage hardware device having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising instructions for execution by a computer system processor that cause the processor to:   create a plurality of different conservation plans for a region for a future time period as a function of a determined rate of change of availability of a resource identified for conservation, wherein the plurality of conservation plans includes a first plan that has a least implementation cost relative to implementation costs of a second plan and a third plan of the plurality of conservation plans, the second plan that has a fastest time for implementation relative to times for implementation of the first plan and the third plan, and the third plan that conserves a most amount of the resource identified for conservation relative to amounts of the resource identified for conservation that are conserved by the first plan and the second plan;   optimize the first, second and third plans via one of a greedy algorithm, a penalty method algorithm and a cooperative optimization;   predict via a Monte Carlo methodology future values of an input variable at an execution time of the first, second and third plans; and   modify the optimized first, second and third plans to meet a threshold as a function of the predicted future value of the input variable.   
     
     
         16 . The article of manufacture of  claim 15 , wherein the computer readable program code instructions for execution by the processor further cause the processor to:
 select a customizable resource conservation module from a provided plurality of different customizable resource conservation modules as a function of the selected module being customized to the resource identified for conservation, wherein the selected module includes requirements unique to the resource identified for conservation, and wherein each of the different customizable resource conservation modules are customized to different ones of a plurality of distinct resources that includes the resource identified for conservation; and   use the selected customizable resource conservation module to determine the rate of change of availability of the resource identified for conservation.   
     
     
         17 . The article of manufacture of  claim 16 , wherein the computer readable program code instructions for execution by the processor further cause the processor to:
 determine the rate of change of availability of the resource identified for conservation from:   a real-time sensor input comprising a current level of usage of the resource identified for conservation;   a dynamic data feed comprising at least one of weather conditions, and demands for the resource identified for conservation that are currently predicted to occur over a future time period;   static data comprising a number of facility items using the resource identified for conservation; and   historic data comprising at least one of an average usage rate of the resource identified for conservation by the facility items, and a historic weather pattern for a region comprising the facility items; and   create the plurality of different conservation plans for the region for the future time period by applying the selected customizable resource conservation module to the inputs of the determined rate of change of availability of the resource, the real-time sensor input, the dynamic data feed, the static data and the historic data.   
     
     
         18 . The article of manufacture of  claim 15 , wherein the computer readable program code instructions for execution by the processor further cause the processor to display the optimized first, second and third plans in a single table diagram that:
 distinguishes different values of implementation costs, times for implementation and total amounts of the resource identified for conservation that are each displayed for each of the displayed plans;   identifies the first plan as having the least implementation cost, the second plan as having the fastest time for implementation, and the third plan as conserving the most amount of the resource identified for conservation; and   displays sets of ordered pluralities of different location-specific actions to be taken to implement each of the optimized first, second and third plans and in association with respective ones of the optimized first, second and third plans, wherein each of the sets of ordered pluralities are associated with different ones of the optimized first, second and third plans and comprise different orders of the location-specific actions.   
     
     
         19 . The article of manufacture of  claim 18 , wherein the computer readable program code instructions for execution by the processor further cause the processor to display each of the sets of the ordered pluralities of different location-specific actions in the single table in association with time periods for taking the ordered actions, wherein the time periods are subsets of a total time of the time for implementation of an associated plan of the optimized first, second and third plans. 
     
     
         20 . The article of manufacture of  claim 15 , wherein the computer readable program code instructions for execution by the processor further cause the processor to:
 predict each of a plurality of values of an input variable at a time of execution of each of the optimized first, second and third plans;   predict a future severity of a shortage of the resource identified for conservation; and   create the optimized first, second and third plans as a function of the plurality of predicted values of the input variable and the predicted future shortage severity.