The University of California is Looking at Transaction-Based Energy Controls

A recently published patent from the University of California suggests they are looking to address issues faced with achieving energy savings with buildings. A transaction-based control system has been developed to reduce energy waste due to lack of coordination among current building control systems, miscellaneous equipment not being controlled with spatial and temporal precision in relation to occupant needs, and the inability to adjust building operations to conserve constrained energy resources.

However, transitioning to a new system is no small task. Moving to transaction-based controls requires a shift in the way that controls are designed. One key factor in such a system is the need for a building’s systems to be self-aware. Buildings need to be able to understand their current operational status and predict their future operational needs. This would enable individual buildings to understand the trade-off between energy usage and services delivered. Simply put: this type of interaction does not exist today.

The University of California is looking to change this through a transaction-based control system that would provide buildings with their own local energy controls, increasing overall energy savings.