Conditions based scheduling in an hvac system

Abstract

A method for automatically generating an HVAC schedule for a building includes storing a thermal model for the building, the thermal model including an indication of the energy efficiency of an HVAC system of the building, receiving a weather forecast predicting future weather at the location of the building, receiving a cost estimate for energy that will be supplied to the HVAC system, receiving from a user a desired budget for a cost of operating the HVAC system over a future period of time, using the thermal model, the weather forecast, the cost estimate for energy and the desired budget of the user to generate an HVAC schedule covering the future period of time that is predicted to meet the desired budget of the user and controlling the HVAC system using the generated HVAC schedule.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for automatically generating an HVAC schedule for a building, wherein the HVAC schedule includes two or more time periods, wherein each time period includes a temperature set point, the method comprising:
 storing a thermal model for the building, the thermal model including an indication of the energy efficiency of an HVAC system of the building;   receiving a weather forecast predicting future weather at the location of the building;   receiving a cost estimate for energy that will be supplied to the HVAC system;   receiving from a user a desired budget for a cost of operating the HVAC system over a future period of time;   using the thermal model, the weather forecast, the cost estimate for energy and the desired budget of the user to generate an HVAC schedule covering the future period of time that is predicted to meet the desired budget of the user; and   controlling the HVAC system using the generated HVAC schedule.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the HVAC schedule covering the future period of time includes defining temperature set points for one or more of the two or more time periods of the HVAC schedule. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein generating the HVAC schedule covering the future period of time includes defining a beginning and/or an ending time for one or more of the two or more time periods of the HVAC schedule. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the HVAC schedule covering the future period of time includes adding and/or eliminating time periods of the HVAC schedule. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the HVAC schedule covering the future period of time includes defining a ventilation setting and/or a humidity setting for one or more of the two or more time periods of the HVAC schedule. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cost estimate for energy that is supplied to the HVAC system is provided by a utility. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cost estimate for energy that is supplied to the HVAC system includes a cost forecast predicting future energy costs over the future period of time. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal model is tailored to the building, and is based at least in part on a historical performance of the HVAC system. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the indication of the energy efficiency of the HVAC system in the building is entered by a user. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the indication of the energy efficiency of the HVAC system in the building is generated based on a historical performance of the HVAC system. 
     
     
         11 . A method for generating a conditions based setback temperature, the method comprising:
 storing a thermal model for a building, the thermal model including an indication of the energy efficiency of the HVAC system in the building;   receiving an outdoor temperature at the location of the building;   receiving a cost estimate for energy that will be supplied to the HVAC system;   using the thermal model, the outdoor temperature, and the cost estimate for energy to generate a conditions based setback temperature; and   controlling the HVAC system using a comfort temperature set point when comfort is desired in the building and using the conditions based setback temperature when energy saving is desired.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the conditions based setback temperature changes during a period of time when energy savings is desired. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising receiving a weather forecast predicting future weather at the location of the building, wherein the weather forecast includes the outdoor temperature at the location of the building. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising using the thermal model, the outdoor temperature, and the cost estimate for energy to generate the comfort temperature set point. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the comfort temperature set point and the conditions based setback temperature are part of a programmed HVAC schedule that includes at least one comfort time period that uses the comfort temperature set point and at least one energy saving time period that uses the conditions based setback temperature, wherein the method comprises using the thermal model, the outdoor temperature, and the cost estimate for energy to adjust a beginning and/or an ending time of one or more of the at least one energy saving time period. 
     
     
         16 . A server configured to:
 generate a thermal model for a building, the thermal model including an indication of the energy efficiency of an HVAC system of the building;   receive an outdoor temperature at the location of the building;   receive a cost estimate for energy that will be supplied to the HVAC system;   using the thermal model, the outdoor temperature, and the cost estimate for energy to generate a conditions based setback temperature for the HVAC system of the building; and   sending the conditions based setback temperature to an HVAC controller of the HVAC system of the building.   
     
     
         17 . The server of  claim 16 , configured to:
 generate a thermal model for each of a plurality of buildings, each of the thermal models including an indication of the energy efficiency of an HVAC system in the corresponding building;   receive a weather forecast predicting future weather at the location of each of the plurality of buildings;   receive a cost estimate for energy that will be supplied to the HVAC system of each of the plurality of buildings;   for each of the plurality of buildings, use the thermal model, the outdoor temperature, and the cost estimate for energy associated with a corresponding building to generate a conditions based setback temperature for the HVAC system of the corresponding building; and   for each of the plurality of buildings, send the corresponding conditions based setback temperature to an HVAC controller of the HVAC system of the corresponding building.   
     
     
         18 . The server of  claim 17 , wherein the thermal model for each of the plurality of buildings is based on indoor temperature readings received via the HVAC controller of the HVAC system, on/off times of the HVAC system of the corresponding building, outdoor temperature conditions at the corresponding building. 
     
     
         19 . The server of  claim 17 , wherein the thermal model for a particular one of the plurality of buildings is based on information received from at least one other of the plurality of buildings. 
     
     
         20 . The server of  claim 17 , further comprising receiving from each of the plurality of buildings:
 one or more equipment settings for the corresponding HVAC system;   one or more user settings for the corresponding HVAC system; and   one or more recorded user interactions for the corresponding HVAC system.