Comfort-Optimized Demand Response

Abstract

A method of improving a comfort level of a participant in a demand-response program for a facility. The method includes providing a sensor to a participant of a demand-response program, the sensor for sensing a comfort indicator at a facility, the comfort indicator including at least an air temperature; providing instructions for installing the sensor at a facility of the participant; and causing a load-control event communicated to the LCD to be modified, the modification causing the comfort indicator to increase or decrease at the facility, thereby improving the comfort level of the participant in the demand-response program.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A method of improving a comfort level of a participant in a demand-response program for a facility having a heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system and a communicative load-control device (LCD) in communication with a load of the HVAC system and an electrical utility provider, the method comprising:
 providing a sensor to a participant of a demand-response program, the sensor adapted to sense a comfort indicator at a facility, the comfort indicator including at least an air temperature;   providing instructions for installing the sensor at a facility of the participant; and   causing a load-control event communicated to the LCD to be modified at least in part in response to the comfort indicator as sensed by the sensor, the modification causing the comfort indicator to increase or decrease at the facility, thereby improving the comfort level of the participant in the demand-response program.   
     
     
         11 . A method of modifying a load-control event to maintain a space temperature at or below a discomfort threshold at a facility having a heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system and a communicative load-control device in communication with a load of the HVAC system and an electrical utility provider, the method comprising:
 monitoring a first space temperature with a thermostat having a first temperature sensor;   obtaining first periodic comfort indicator data from a second temperature sensor sensing a comfort indicator, the comfort indicator including at least a temperature and obtained during a first predetermined time interval;   determining a first profiled interval value for the first predetermined interval value, the first profiled interval value derived from the periodic comfort indicator data;   obtaining second periodic comfort indicator data from the second sensor, the comfort indicator including at least a temperature and obtained during a second predetermined interval;   determining whether the second periodic comfort indicator data exceeds a sum of the first profiled interval value and a comfort interval differential value; and   causing a load of the HVAC system to receive a control signal from the thermostat prior to an expected termination of an off-cycle of a load-control cycle when the second periodic comfort indicator data exceeds a sum of the first profiled interval value and the comfort interval differential value, thereby modifying a load-control event.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising determining the comfort differential value. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 providing a sensor to a participant of a demand-response program, the sensor for sensing a comfort indicator at a facility, the comfort indicator including at least an air temperature; and   providing instructions for installing the sensor at a facility of the participant.   
     
     
         14 . A method of modifying a load-control event for a facility having a heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system and a communicative load-control device in communication with a load of the HVAC system and an electrical utility provider, the method comprising:
 determining a comfort profile for the facility, the comfort profile comprising an average profiled interval value;   calculating a comfort differential value based on previously-measured climate data;   receiving periodic comfort indicator data from a first sensor; and   modifying a parameter of a predetermined load-control event communicated to a comfort-optimizing load-control device from an electrical utility provider when the periodic comfort indicator data exceeds a sum of the average profiled interval value and the comfort differential value.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein calculating a comfort differential value based on previously-measured climate data comprises calculating a comfort differential value based on weather data. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein calculating a comfort differential value based on previously-measured climate data comprises calculating a comfort differential value based on temperature data of the facility. 
     
     
         17 . A device for modifying a load-control event according to any of the methods of  claims 11  and  14 . 
     
     
         18 . A system for controlling a space temperature of a facility, comprising:
 an electrical load configured to receive power from a power distribution network of an electric utility provider;   a control device in communication with the electrical load and configured to selectively cause the electrical load to receive the power from the power distribution network of the electric utility provider;   a thermostat having a first controller and a first temperature sensor, the thermostat in communication with the control device of the electrical load and configured to control a temperature of the facility with a first feedback loop that includes the first temperature sensor sensing the facility temperature at a first location; and   a comfort-optimizing load control device (LCD) having a second controller and in communication with a second temperature sensor, the LCD configured to influence the temperature of the facility with a second feedback loop that includes the second temperature sensor sensing the facility temperature at a second location.   
     
     
         19 . A method of improving a comfort level of a participant in a demand-response program for a facility having a heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system and a communicative load-control device (LCD) in communication with a load of the HVAC system and an electrical utility provider, the method comprising:
 providing a sensor to a participant of a demand-response program, the sensor adapted to sense a comfort indicator at a facility, the comfort indicator including at least an air temperature, wherein the comfort indicator further includes a relative humidity;   providing instructions for installing the sensor at a facility of the participant; and   causing a load-control event communicated to the LCD to be modified at least in part in response to the comfort indicator as sensed by the sensor, the modification causing the comfort indicator to increase or decrease at the facility, thereby improving the comfort level of the participant in the demand-response program.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising calculating the relative humidity by measuring a dry-bulb temperature and a wet-bulb temperature and comparing the temperatures to determine the relative humidity. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising providing a processor to calculate an average temperature, relative humidity, and heat index for time intervals for developing a comfort profile comprising a data array of average comfort values. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising modifying a load-control event based on the comfort profile.