Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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ENGINEERED MULTI-UNIT HEATING AND COOLING ENERGY
MONITORING AND COST ALLOCATION SYSTEM
FIELD
[0001] The
specification relates generally to systems and methods for the
determination of an energy usage cost for a unit of a multi-tenanted building.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0002] Some
multi-tenanted buildings such as condominium buildings incorporate a
central monitoring system that attempts to establish the individual energy
usage of each
unit in the building in order to establish a billing system where each unit
pays for their
individual amount of energy usage. However, systems that have been proposed
for the
task have several deficiencies. Some proposed systems incorporate BTU meters,
which are meters that attempt to measure the precise amount of heat energy
consumed
by measuring precise inlet and outlet temperatures and the inlet or outlet
flow rate.
However, some BTU meters are notoriously inaccurate, unreliable and are
subject to
operations failures during use. Furthermore, BTU meters are relatively complex
and
expensive. Accordingly, there has been relatively poor adoption of these
devices for
this purpose. There is currently a need for a system and method of determining
the
energy usage cost for individual units in multi-tenanted buildings that is
reliable,
accurate, and cost effective.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0003]
According to an aspect, a method is provided for determining an energy
usage cost over a time period for a selected unit of a multi-tenanted building
having a
plurality of units including the selected unit and a plurality of other units,
wherein each
unit has an air mover associated therewith that is selectably operable at a
plurality of
pre-selected volumetric flow rates to deliver airflow to the associated unit,
the method
comprising:
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a) detecting any uses of the air movers for any of the units and detecting
the
pre-selected volumetric flow rate at which the air mover whose use is detected
is
operating;
b) monitoring, for each use of the air movers, duration of use of the air
mover;
c) determining an energy usage cost for the selected unit over the time
period based on the durations of use during any detected uses of the air mover
for the
selected unit over the time period, based on the pre-selected volumetric flow
rate
associated with each detected use, and based on the durations of use during
any
detected uses of the air movers for the other units over the time period, and
based on a
total energy usage cost for all the units of the multi-tenanted building; and
d) indicating to an occupant of the unit the energy usage cost for the unit
for
the time period.
[0004] In another aspect, a system is provided for determining an
energy usage cost
over a time period for a selected unit of a multi-tenanted building having a
plurality of
units including the selected unit and a plurality of other units, the system
comprising:
an air mover for the selected unit configured to operate at a plurality of pre-
selected volumetric flow rates to deliver airflow to the selected unit; and
a monitoring system configured to:
a) detect any uses of the air movers for any of the units and detecting the
pre-selected volumetric flow rate at which the air mover whose use is detected
is
operating;
b) determine, for each use of the air movers, duration of use of the air
mover;
c) determine an energy usage cost for the selected unit over the time
period
based on the durations of use during any detected uses of the air mover for
the selected
unit over the time period, based on the pre-selected volumetric flow rate
associated with
each detected use, and based on the durations of use during any detected uses
of the
air movers for the other units over the time period, and based on a total
energy usage
cost for all the units of the multi-tenanted building; and
d) indicate to an occupant of the unit the energy usage cost for the unit
for
the time period.
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[0005]
Optionally, for each of the aspects described above (and for any other
aspects described herein), step c) may include:
e) multiplying the pre-selected flow rate by the duration for
each use of the
air mover for all the units to arrive at an energy usage value for each use of
the air
mover for the all the units in the time period;
summing all the energy usage values for all the uses of the air mover for
the selected unit over the time period, to arrive at a total energy usage
value for the
selected unit over the time period;
g) summing all the energy usages for all the uses of the air movers for all
the
units of the multi-tenanted building;
h) obtaining the total energy usage cost for all the units of the multi-
tenanted
building; and
i) determining the energy usage cost for the selected unit based on
multiplying the total energy usage cost by the ratio of the value determined
in step f) to
the value determined in step g).
[0006]
In another aspect, a system is provided for determining an energy usage
cost
over a time period for a selected unit of a multi-tenanted building having a
plurality of
units including the selected unit and a plurality of other units. The system
includes a
fluid mover for the selected unit configured to operate at at least one pre-
selected
volumetric flow rate to deliver fluid flow to the selected unit; and a
monitoring system
configured to:
a)
detect any uses of the fluid movers for any of the units and detect the pre-
selected volumetric flow rate at which the fluid mover whose use is detected
is
operating;
b)
determine, for each use of the fluid movers, a duration of use of the fluid
mover;
c)
determine an energy usage cost for the selected unit over the time period
based on the durations of use during any detected uses of the fluid mover for
the
selected unit over the time period, based on whichever of the at least one pre-
selected
volumetric flow rate is associated with each detected use, and based on the
durations of
use during any detected uses of the fluid movers for the other units over the
time period,
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and based on a total energy usage cost for all the units of the multi-tenanted
building;
and
d) indicate to an occupant of the unit the energy usage
cost for the unit for
the time period.
[0007] According to another aspect, a method is provided for determining an
energy
usage cost over a time period for a selected unit of a multi-tenanted building
having a
plurality of units including the selected unit and a plurality of other units,
wherein each
unit has an fluid mover associated therewith that is selectably operable at at
least one
pre-selected volumetric flow rate to deliver fluid flow to the associated
unit, the method
comprising:
a) detecting any uses of the fluid movers for any of the units and
detecting
the pre-selected volumetric flow rate at which the fluid mover whose use is
detected is
operating;
b) monitoring, for each use of the fluid movers, duration of use of the
fluid
mover;
c) determining an energy usage cost for the selected unit over the time
period based on the durations of use during any detected uses of the fluid
mover for the
selected unit over the time period, based on whichever of the at least one pre-
selected
volumetric flow rate associated with each detected use, and based on the
durations of
use during any detected uses of the fluid movers for the other units over the
time period,
and based on a total energy usage cost for all the units of the multi-tenanted
building;
and
d) indicating to an occupant of the unit the energy usage cost for the unit
for
the time period.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] For a better understanding of the various embodiments
described herein and
to show more clearly how they may be carried into effect, reference will now
be made,
by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings in which:
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[0009] Figure 1 is a schematic layout of a system for determining an
energy usage
cost for one or more selected units of a multi-tenanted building according to
a non-
limiting embodiment;
[0010] Figure 2 is a schematic view of an air mover that may be part of
the system
shown in Figure 1;
[0011] Figures 3a-3d are schematic view of a terminal block and
connections to the
terminal block that are part of the system shown in Figure 1;
[0012] Figure 4a is a table of values that are determined and stored by
an energy
monitoring panel that is part of the system shown in Figure 1;
[0013] Figure 4b is another table of values that are determined and stored
by
another energy monitoring panel that is part of the system shown in Figure 1;
[0014] Figure 5 is a flow diagram of a method of determining an energy
usage cost
for one or more selected units of a multi-tenanted building according to
another non-
limiting embodiment; and
[0015] Figure 6 is a flow diagram of a group of steps that optionally make
up one of
the steps shown in Figure 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] Reference is made to Figure 1, which shows a system 10 for
determining an
energy usage cost for one or more selected units 12 (and shown individually in
the
example shown in Figure 1 at 12a, 12b, 12c and 12d) of a multi-tenanted
building
shown at 14. The units 12 and the multi-tenanted building 14 (and all other
elements) of
Figure 1 are shown schematically. The term 'unit' is contemplated to cover any
type of
individual location that is separated from the other units or locations. For
example, each
unit may be an apartment, a condo, a strata unit, an office, or a commercial
space that
holds one or more people. Each unit 12 has an air mover 16 in it, which may be
any
suitable type of air mover, such as, for example, a four-pipe fan coil unit, a
two-pipe fan
coil unit, a hybrid heat pump, a water source heat pump or a perimeter heating
unit.
Each air mover 16 is referred to individually at 16a, 16b, 16c and 16d.
[0017] An example of a suitable air mover 16 is shown in Figure 2, and is a
four-pipe
fan coil unit 17 and has a heating liquid inlet 18, a heating liquid outlet
20, a cooling
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liquid inlet 22 and a cooling liquid outlet 24. The air mover 16 also includes
a fan 26
with a fan motor 28. The fan motor 28 may be a constant flow rate motor, which
is
configured to provide a constant volumetric flow rate of air from the fan 26,
substantially
regardless of the conditions in which the fan coil unit 16 is operating. For
example, if
the fan motor 28 is set to drive the air mover 16 to deliver 500CFM, then the
motor 28
will control the fan to deliver 500CFM regardless of whether the air filter on
the air
mover 16 is a new air filter or whether it is clogged, and regardless of
whether the
ductwork downstream from the fan coil unit 16 is longer in one unit 12 than it
is in
another unit 12. In other words, regardless of the upstream and downstream
conditions, the fan motor 28 will speed up and slow down as needed in order to
keep
the air mover 16 operating to deliver 500CFM. An example of such a motor is an
ECM TM constant airflow motor sold by Regal Beloit of Fort Wayne, Indiana,
USA, or any
suitable equivalent. The fan motor 28 may be configured to have a plurality of
available
pre-selected flow rate settings for driving the fan to deliver airflow to the
associated unit
12. For example, the fan motor 28 shown in the example in Figure 2 has three
flow rate
settings, including a first setting at 35% of maximum output, a second setting
at 65% of
maximum output and a third setting at 95% of maximum output. For the air mover
16a,
which may, for example, have a maximum output of 1000CFM these settings may
correspond to 350CFM output, 650CFM output, and 950CFM output respectively.
The
air mover 16b may be larger than the air mover 16a in order to service the
unit 12b,
which is larger than the unit 12a. For example, the air mover 16b may be sized
to
provide a maximum output of 1500CFM. The fan motor 28 for the air mover 16b
may
have a first setting at 35% of maximum output which would correspond to a
525CFM
output for the fan, a second setting at 65% of maximum output which would
correspond
to 975CFM, and a third setting at 95% of maximum which would correspond to
1425CFM. The third air mover 16c may be smaller than the air mover 16a for
servicing
the unit 12c and may have a maximum output of, for example, 500CFM and may
have
first, second and third flow rate settings of 35%, 65% and 95% of maximum
output
respectively, which would correspond to outputs of 175CFM, 325CFM and 475CFM
respectively. The fourth air mover 16d may be sized the same as the first air
mover 16a
and may service a unit that is the same size as the first unit 12a.
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[0018] Referring to Figure 1, a control panel 30 may be provided in
each unit 12 to
permit occupants of each unit 12 to control the operation of the associated
air mover 16
for that unit 12. The control panels 30 are shown individually at 30a, 30b,
30c and 30d
in the units 12a, 12b, 12c and 12d. The control panel 30 may be configured to
permit
an occupant to select one of the speed settings for the fan 16 and to select
whether
heating or cooling is desired. This selection by the occupant may be carried
out
indirectly. For example, the occupant may select a desired temperature for the
unit 12
that is lower than a current temperature for the unit 12. As a result, the
control panel 30
initiates cooling for the unit 12. Alternatively, if the occupant selects a
desired
temperature that is higher than a current temperature, then the control panel
30 will
initiate heating of the unit 12. The control panel 30 may include any suitable
user
interface for the purpose of permitting control by the occupant, such as a
touch screen
32 (Figure 2) which acts as both an input device to permit an occupant to
enter the
above inputs, and an output device to indicate data such as the currently
selected
desired temperature and the current temperature in the unit 12 (Figure 1). The
control
panel 30 may include a microprocessor 34 (Figure 2) and a memory 35 which
permit it
to store and execute programs in order to receive user inputs and to control
the
operation of the air mover 16 for the unit 12 (Figure 1).
[0019] The terminal block 36 is shown in more detail with reference to
Figures 3a
and 3b. The terminal block 36 includes an input region 38 that receives
signals from the
air mover 16 that are indicative of the requested fan speed and whether
heating or
cooling has been selected by the unit occupant. In the example embodiment
shown,
the terminal block 36 includes a first (heating) input 38a that indicates
whether heating
is currently selected for the unit 12 (Figure 1), a neutral input 38b, a
second (cooling)
input 38c that indicates whether cooling is selected for the unit 12 (Figure
1), and at
least one third (flow rate) input, which is indicative of the volumetric flow
rate for the air
mover 16. In the example shown, there are three flow rate inputs, including a
first (low)
flow rate input 38d that indicates whether the low flow rate setting is
currently selected
for the air mover fan motor 28 (Figure 2), a second (medium) flow rate input
38e that
indicates whether the second (medium) flow rate setting is currently selected
for the air
mover fan motor 28 (Figure 2), and a third (high) flow rate input 38f that
indicates
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whether the third (high) flow rate setting is currently selected for the air
mover fan motor
28 (Figure 2).
[0020] If heating is currently selected, a heating solenoid 150 (Figure
3a) is moved
to a position shown in Figure 3c, in which the solenoid 150 closes a circuit
with electrical
conduits 152 and 154 so that a 24 VDC signal is sent to the input 38a, while a
cooling
solenoid 156 is in a position shown in Figure 3a so that there is no voltage
at input 38c.
If cooling is currently selected, the solenoid 156 (Figure 3a) is moved to a
position
shown in Figure 3d, in which the solenoid 156 closes a circuit with electrical
conduits
158 and 154 so that a 24 VDC signal is sent to the input 38c, while the
solenoid 150 is
in a position shown in Figure 3a so that there is no voltage at input 38a.
Additionally,
conduits 160, 162 and 164 are connected to inputs 38d, 38e and 38f
respectively.
Depending on which fan speed setting is selected, a fan speed switch which has
three
contacts (not shown) causes one of the three conduits 160, 162 or 164, and
therefore
one of the three contacts or inputs 38d, 38e, or 38f to carry a 24 VDC signal.
[0021] A circuit represented by block 166 sends suitable signals to an
output region
40 of the terminal block 36 based on the signals received at the input region
38. In the
example embodiment shown, the output region 40 includes a cooling output 40a
that
transmits a signal if the cooling input 38a receives a signal, a heating
output 40b that
transmits a signal if the cooling input 38c receives a signal, and a neutral
output 40c.
The cooling output 40a may connect to a first output conduit 170 (e.g. a two-
wire,
twisted, shielded electrical conduit) that connects between the cooling output
40a and
an input on the associated energy monitoring panel 42 (Figure 1). The heating
output
40b may connect to a second output conduit 172 (e.g. a two-wire, twisted,
shielded
electrical conduit) that connects between the cooling output 40b and another
input on
the associated energy monitoring panel 42 (Figure 1). If the heating input 38a
receives
a signal, then the heating output 40b transmits a signal to the energy
monitoring panel
42 that is based on which flow rate input 38d, 38e or 38f receives a signal.
For
example, if the first flow rate input 38d receives a signal, then the heating
output 40b
transmits a signal at a first voltage (e.g. 1.5V). If the second flow rate
input 38e
receives a signal, then the heating output 40b transmits a signal at a second
voltage
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(e.g. 3V). If the third flow rate input 38f receives a signal, then the
heating output 40b
transmits a signal at a third voltage (e.g. 5V).
[0022] The energy monitoring panel 42 is configured to receive the
output signals
from the terminal block 36 and includes a processor 44 and a memory 46. The
processor 44 may convert the signals to energy usage data and may store the
data in
memory 46. The energy monitoring panel 42 may be configured to receive the
output
signals from the terminal blocks 36 from a plurality of units 12. Depending on
how
many units 12 are in the multi-tenanted building 14, a plurality of energy
monitoring
panels 42 may be provided. In the example shown in Figure 1, a first energy
monitoring
panel 42a is provided to receive output signals from the terminal blocks 36
from units
12a and 12b, and a second energy monitoring panel 42b is provided to receive
output
signals from the terminal blocks 36 from units 12c and 12d.
[0023] The panel 42 includes a clock 48 so as to determine the duration
that it
received a signal that the heating or cooling was on. Additionally, the panel
42 has
stored in memory the flow rate values (e.g. in CFM) that correspond to the
different flow
rate settings for each air mover 16. With this information, the output signals
from each
terminal block 36 to the associated energy monitoring panel 42 can be
converted to
energy usage data by the panel 42. For example, the panel 42 may, using its
clock 48,
determine that it received a signal (e.g. a 3V signal) from output 40b from
the terminal
block 36 of unit 12a for a total of 64 minutes at which point the signal from
output 40b
from the terminal block 36 of unit 12a stopped (e.g. went to OV). The 3V
signal
indicates that the medium flow rate was selected during that period. The panel
42
determines, using the information stored in memory 46, that a 3V signal for
the air
mover 16a corresponds to a flow rate of 650CFM. Thus, the panel 42, for each
unit 12
that it monitors, may store in a table in memory 46, an indication of what
type of signal
was received (e.g. heating or cooling), the duration that it received the
heating or
cooling signal, and a flow rate value based on the flow rate setting of the
fan 16 that
was used, while obtaining very simple outputs from the terminal block 36 from
each unit
12. Any time that an occupant changes a selection at the local control panel
30, the
energy monitoring panel 42 receives that selection change and records the new
usage
information in a separate data entry. In the example tables shown in Figures
4a and 4b,
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the unit number is stored as a numeric value, such that Unit 1 in the table,
would
correspond to unit 12a in Figure 1. Similarly Units 2, 3 and 4 in the table
would
correspond to units 12b, 12c and 12d respectively, in Figure 1.
[0024] It will be noted that, in the example embodiment shown
herein, only two pairs
of wires need to be routed between the terminal block 36 and the energy
monitoring
panel 42, while providing all the information needed for the energy monitoring
system
(Figure 1) to accurately determine the energy usage for each unit.
[0025] Figure 4a shows an example table of data that the example
energy
monitoring panel 42a could record for a hypothetical time period, denoted by
TP (a
10 value, which is not shown in the figures). The first entry into the
table is based on the
conversion described above. In the table:
Unit 12a spent 64 minutes of cooling with the air mover 16a set at 350CFM;
Unit 12b spent 114 minutes of cooling with the air mover 16b set at 1425CFM;
Unit 12b also spent 23 minutes of cooling with the air mover 16b set at
525CFM;
Unit 12a spent 18 minutes of heating with the air mover 16a set at 350CFM;
and so on. In the table in Figure 4a, Unit 1 refers to unit 12a and Unit 2
refers to unit
12b. Figure 4b shows an example table of data that the example energy
monitoring
panel 42b could record for the same hypothetical time period TP, where Unit 3
in the
table refers to unit 12c and Unit 4 refers to unit 12d.
[0026] Regularly, the data may be sent to a central energy cost
determination
system 50 that collects data from all of the energy monitoring panels 42 via a
transmitter
shown at 52. In the event that a problem occurs with the transmission of the
data, the
energy monitoring panels 42 may each be capable of storing a selected amount
of data,
such as, for example, 35 days worth of data, while polling every 3 seconds.
Any other
suitable polling frequency and storage capacity may alternatively be provided.
[0027] The central energy cost determination system 50 collects
the data from the
panels 42 and determines the energy usage factor and an energy usage cost for
the
unit based on the data. The energy usage factor may be determined separately
for
heating and for cooling for each unit. The energy usage factor for cooling for
the unit
12a may be determined as the sum of the CFMs x time for each entry relating to
cooling
of unit 12a in the data, divided by the sum of the CFM's x time for each entry
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for all the units 12 combined. For example, using the example data from
Figures 4a
and 4b, the system 50 can determine that the cooling energy usage factor for
unit 12a
is: ((350 x 64)) / ((350 x 64) + (1425 x 114) + (525 x 23) + (1425 x 14) +
(525 x 24) +
(350 x 64) + (175 x 80) + (650 x 56) + (325 x 80) + (175 x 97)), which equals
22400 /
362225, or 0.062. The cooling energy usage factor for unit 12b using the data
in
Figures 4a and 4b is: ((1425 x 114) + (525 x 23) + (1425 x 14) + (525 x 24)) /
((350 x
64) + (1425 x 114) + (525 x 23) + (1425 x 14) + (525 x 24) + (350 x 64) + (175
x 80) +
(650 x 56) + (325 x 80) + (175 x 97)), which equals 207075 / 362225, or 0.572.
The
other cooling energy usage factors (for units 12c and 12d) can be determined
in an
analogous manner. The heating energy usage factor for unit 12a using the data
in
Figures 4a and 4b is: ((350 x 18) + (350 x 48))! ((350 x 18) + (350 x 48) +
(525 x 32) +
(475 x 24) + (325 x 112) + (350 x 24)), which equals 23100 / 96100, or 0.240.
The
heating energy usage factor for unit 12b using the data in Figures 4a and 4b
is: ((525 x
32)) / ((350 x 18) + (350 x 48) + (525 x 32) + (475 x 24) + (325 x 112) + (350
x 24)),
which equals 16800 / 96100, or 0.175. The other heating energy usage factors
(for
units 12c and 12d) can be determined in an analogous manner.
[0028] To determine the cooling energy usage cost for each unit for the
time period
TP, the energy cost determination system 50 may be provided with the total
cooling cost
associated with the units 12a-12d and it can determine the energy usage cost
for each
unit 12 for the time period TP, by multiplying the total cost by the cooling
energy usage
factor associated with each unit. For example, if the total cost for cooling
the units 12a-
12d was $1000 for the time period TP, the system 50 can determine the cooling
energy
usage cost for unit 12a to be 0.062 x $1000, which is $62.00, and the cooling
energy
usage cost for unit 12b to be 0.572 x $1000, which is $572.00. Similarly, to
determine
the heating energy usage cost for each unit 12 for the time period TP, the
energy cost
determination system 50 may be provided with the total heating cost associated
with the
units 12a-12d and it can determine the energy usage cost for each unit 12 for
the time
period TP, by multiplying the total cost by the heating energy usage factor
associated
with each unit. For example, if the total cost for heating the units 12a-12b
for the time
period TP is $400, the system 50 can determine the heating energy usage cost
for unit
12a to be 0.240 x $400, which is $96.00, and the heating energy usage cost for
unit 12b
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to be 0.175 x $400, which is $70.00. Similar calculations may be performed to
determine the cooling and heating energy usage costs for the units 12c and
12d.
[0029] It will be noted that the methodology described above is useful
particularly in
relation to a four pipe fan coil unit which permits each unit 12 to heat or
cool as the
occupants wish, while others of the units 12 may also heat or cool as their
occupants
wish, independent of one another. Because the unit cost for heating energy is
not the
same as the unit cost for cooling energy, the system 50 determines a separate
heating
energy usage factor and cost for each unit 12, and a separate cooling energy
usage
factor and cost for each unit 12. By contrast, in embodiments in which the air
movers
16 are two pipe fan coil units, the energy cost determination panel 50 has
reduced
complexity since all the units 12 in the dwelling 14 are consuming the same
type of
energy, (e.g. energy for heating the units 12).
[0030] A method for determining an energy usage cost over a time period
(e.g.
period TP) for a selected unit (e.g. unit 12a) of a multi-tenanted building
such as
dwelling 14, is shown at 100 in Figure 5. The method 100 may be used in
embodiments
particularly where each unit has an air mover associated therewith that is
selectably
operable at a plurality of pre-selected volumetric flow rates to deliver
airflow to the unit.
The air mover utilizes an air mover motor (e.g. such as motor 28) that is
controlled to
automatically adjust its speed to maintain whichever of the pre-selected
volumetric flow
rates it was set at. The method starts at 101, and includes a step 102, which
is to
detect any uses of the air movers for any of the units and detect the pre-
selected
volumetric flow rate at which the air mover whose use is detected is
operating. Step
104 is monitoring, for each use of the air movers, a duration of use of the
air mover.
Step 106 is determining an energy usage cost for the selected unit over the
time period
based on the durations of use during any detected uses of the air mover for
the selected
unit over the time period, based on the pre-selected volumetric flow rate
associated with
each detected use, and based on the durations of use during any detected uses
of the
air movers for the other units over the time period, and based on a total
energy usage
cost for all the units of the multi-tenanted building. Step 108 may optionally
be to
indicate to an occupant of the unit the energy usage cost for the unit for the
time period.
Step 108 may include, for example, billing the occupant of the unit based on
the energy
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usage cost for the selected unit. Alternatively, the occupant may be able to
access
information relating to their energy usage cost on a website developed for
that purpose.
The method 100 ends at 110.
[0031] Optionally, step 106 of the method 100 may be carried out
as shown in
Figure 6. For example, step 106 may include a stop 120, which is multiplying
the pre-
selected flow rate by the duration for each use of the air mover for each of
the units to
arrive at an energy usage for each use of the air mover for each unit in the
time period.
Step 122 is summing all the energy usages for all the uses of the air mover
for the
selected unit over the time period, to arrive at a total energy usage value
for the
selected unit over the time period. Step 124 is summing all the energy usages
for all
the uses of the air movers for all the units of the multi-tenanted building.
Step 126 is
obtaining the total energy usage cost for all the units of the multi-tenanted
building.
Step 128 is determining the energy usage cost for the selected unit based on
multiplying the total energy usage cost by the ratio of the value determined
in step 122
to the value determined in step 124.
[0032] It will be noted that, by incorporating air movers 16 that
include consistent
volume airflow rates, the signals that can be sent to the panel 42 to
determine the
usage may be relatively simple signals such as a digital signal (e.g. 0 or 5V)
for each of
the heating and cooling to indicate whether the heating or cooling had been
turned on,
and a second signal that may have any one of a plurality of pre-selected
voltages to
indicate the flow rate setting for the air mover.
[0033] The control panels 30 in the units 12, the energy
monitoring panels 42, the
transmitter 52 and the energy cost determination panel 50 may all together be
considered a monitoring system.
[0034] It has been determined that the above described system and method
are
accurate and does not require the measurement of the temperature of water that
may
be used for the purpose of cooling or heating air used by the air movers 16 to
cool or
heat the associated units 12, or the measurement of the temperature of air
moving
through the air movers 16.
[0035] It is possible to provide the system described above as a retrofit
to existing
multi-tenanted buildings. For example, in a situation where a multi-tenanted
building
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exists with a multi-speed fan for each unit, one could supply panels 42, could
optionally
replace the motors on the fans with motors that can maintain a selected flow
rate, and if
needed could supply terminal blocks 36 and control panels 30. The programming
of the
panels 42 and 30 and the user interface on the panels 30 may be similar to
that which is
shown in the figures.
[0036] In an embodiment, the system 10 could be configured so that the
flow rate
settings are selectable by the occupants of the unit.
[0037] While the disclosure above provides examples of air movers, it
is
alternatively possible to provide any suitable type of fluid mover instead of
an air mover
specifically. For example, the fluid mover may be a liquid mover (which may
include a
pump, for example) could alternatively be provided for moving liquid through
each unit
12.
[0038] Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that there are yet
more alternative
implementations and modifications possible, and that the above examples are
only
illustrations of one or more implementations. The scope, therefore, is only to
be limited
by the claims appended hereto.
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