BACKGROUND

Buildings, such as university buildings, office buildings, residential buildings, commercial buildings, and the like, incorporate one or more electrically powered systems and devices. The electrically powered systems and devices, or loads, can be powered at least partially by electricity supplied from a centralized electrical power source or utility (“electrical grid”). The electrically powered systems and devices communicate with the electrical grid regarding power demand and availability.

SUMMARY

A method for controlling power consumption according to an example of this disclosure includes estimating power flexibility for one or more electrical systems in a building, presenting one or more power flexibility options to a user in the building, and communicating power set points to the one or more electrical systems based on a power flexibility option selected by the user.

In a further example of the foregoing method, at least one of the one or more power flexibility options includes a comfort trade-off.

In a further example of any of the foregoing methods, power flexibility points are discovered in the building, and power flexibility is estimated at the power flexibility points.

In a further example of any of the foregoing methods, estimating is based on historical electrical power consumption data of the one or more electrical systems.

In a further example of any of the foregoing methods, estimating includes developing a mathematical model of electrical power consumption of the one or more electrical systems based on the historical electrical power consumption data.

In a further example of any of the foregoing methods, the power set points are optimized.

In a further example of any of the foregoing methods, a check is performed to determine whether a fast demand request from an electrical power source is in progress.

In a further example of any of the foregoing methods, a check is performed to determine whether the power set points are within a new power demand of the fast demand request if a fast demand request is in progress.

In a further example of any of the foregoing methods, one or more new flexibility options are presented to the user if the power set points are within the new power demand.

In a further example of any of the foregoing methods, the one or more electrical systems include at least one of a climate system, a lighting system, and a security system.

A system for predicting energy consumption of a building according to an example of this disclosure includes one or more electrical systems, one or more interfaces at each of the electrical systems, and a computing device in communication with the one or more electrical systems that is configured to estimate power flexibility for the one or more electrical systems, present one or more power flexibility options to a user via the one or more interfaces, and communicate power set points to the one or more electrical systems based on a power flexibility option selected by the user at the one or more interfaces.

In a further example of the foregoing system, the building energy management system is configured to estimate power flexibility at flexibility points in the building, and one or more flexibility points are controllers of the one or more electrical systems.

In a further example of any of the foregoing systems, the one or more electrical systems includes a controller, and the controllers receive the power set points from the computing device.

In a further example of any of the foregoing systems, the computing device is configured to model electrical power consumption of the one or more electrical systems based on historical electrical power consumption data of the one or more electrical systems.

In a further example of any of the foregoing systems, at least one of the one or more flexibility options include a comfort trade-off.

In a further example of any of the foregoing systems, the computing device is in communication with an electrical power source.

In a further example of any of the foregoing systems, the electrical power source is a smart grid.

In a further example of any of the foregoing systems, the electrical power source is configured to determine whether a fast demand request from the electrical power source is in progress.

In a further example of any of the foregoing systems, the electrical power source is configured to present new flexibility options to a user if a fast demand request is in progress.

In a further example of any of the foregoing systems, the one or more electrical systems include at least one of a climate system, a lighting system, and a security system.

