System for heating or cooling a building

Abstract

A building having a plurality of rooms in at least one zone is heated or cooled by heating or cooling a heat-transfer, medium outside the rooms, conducting the heated or cooled medium through conduits to the rooms, and providing a respective controller for each zone. Respective heating/cooling parameters are established for each zone by predetermination or measurement, and the heating or cooling of each zone with the heat-transfer medium is controlled by means of the controllers in accordance with the respective parameters by regulating the amount of the medium conducted to the zone or a temperature of the medium conducted to the zone.

1 . A method of heating or cooling a building having a plurality of rooms in at least one zone, the method comprising the steps of: 
 heating or cooling a heat-transfer medium outside the rooms;    conducting the heated or cooled medium through conduits to the rooms;    providing a respective controller for each zone;    establishing respective heating/cooling parameters for each zone by predetermination or measurement; and    controlling the heating or cooling of each zone with the heat-transfer medium by means of the respective controller in accordance with the respective parameters by regulating the amount of the medium conducted to the zone or a temperature of the medium conducted to the zone.    
   
   
       2 . The method defined in  claim 1  wherein the heat-transfer medium is heated or cooled by means of a heat pump.  
   
   
       3 . The method defined in  claim 1  wherein the heat-transfer medium is only heated outside the room.  
   
   
       4 . The method defined in  claim 1  wherein the conduits are in the floor, walls, or ceiling of the rooms.  
   
   
       5 . The method defined in  claim 1  wherein each room has its own zone and controller and the heating or cooling each room by the heat-transfer, medium is controlled by means of the respective controller.  
   
   
       6 . The method defined in  claim 1  wherein the parameters include priority parameter for each room.  
   
   
       7 . The method defined in  claim 1  wherein one of the parameters of each room represents a heat-storage capacity of the respective room.  
   
   
       8 . The method defined in  claim 1  wherein one of the parameters of each room represents a conductivity of a floor covering of the respective room.  
   
   
       9 . The method defined in  claim 1  wherein one of the parameters of each room is an actual-temperature of the room and another of the parameters of each room is a desired temperature for the room.  
   
   
       10 . The method defined in  claim 1  wherein the conduits are provided with flow regulators operated by the controllers.  
   
   
       11 . The method defined in  claim 1  wherein the heating or cooling of each zone is regulated so as to minimize the output level of a heating or cooling appliance serving to heat or cool the heat-transfer medium.  
   
   
       12 . An apparatus for heating or cooling a building having a plurality of rooms in at least one zone, the apparatus comprising: 
 means for heating or cooling a heat-transfer medium outside the rooms;    conduits connected to the heating/cooling means for conducting the heated or cooled medium to the rooms;    a respective controller in each zone; and    control means connected to the controllers and to the heating/cooling means for controlling the heating or cooling of each zone with the heat-transfer medium by means of the respective controller in accordance with respective parameters established by predetermination or measurement by regulating the amount of the medium conducted to the zone or a temperature of the medium conducted to the zone.