U.S. patent application number 10/527314 was filed with the patent office on 2005-10-20 for method and device for controlling the thermal balance in buildings.
Invention is credited to Rietschel, Johannes.
Application Number | 20050234596 10/527314 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31983664 |
Filed Date | 2005-10-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050234596 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rietschel, Johannes |
October 20, 2005 |
Method and device for controlling the thermal balance in
buildings
Abstract
A method for controlling thermal flows in at least one building,
according to which a mechanism for influencing the temperature
within the building is controlled based on a plurality of input
parameters. Controlling can be done in the most economical manner
by triggering the mechanism that regulates the temperature of a
specific monitored space or the at least one area of a specific
space by using a) at least one target value, especially the desired
temperature of the specific space, b) at least one general
parameter characteristic of at least one variable inside and/or
outside the building, which at least indirectly influences the
temperature within the specific space, and c) at least one special
parameter characteristic of the specific thermal flow conditions of
the specific monitored space or the area of the specific space, as
input parameters, and calculating the controlling of the mechanism
from the input parameters in a control unit.
Inventors: |
Rietschel, Johannes;
(Zurich, CH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OBLON, SPIVAK, MCCLELLAND, MAIER & NEUSTADT, P.C.
1940 DUKE STREET
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
31983664 |
Appl. No.: |
10/527314 |
Filed: |
March 10, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
September 9, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/CH03/00607 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
700/276 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24D 19/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
700/276 |
International
Class: |
F24D 019/10 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 14, 2002 |
CH |
1559/02 |
Claims
1-14. (canceled)
15. A method for controlling thermal flows in at least one
building, according to which means for controlling temperature
within the building are controlled based on a plurality of input
parameters, wherein the means for controlling the temperature
control the temperature of a specific space, or at least of an area
of a specific space, under consideration and are actuated by using,
as input parameters, a) at least one target value and/or a desired
temperature of the specific space; b) at least one general
parameter characteristic of at least one variable inside and/or
outside the building, which parameter at least indirectly controls
the temperature within the specific space; and c) at least one
specific parameter characteristic of specific thermal flow
conditions of the specific space, or of the area of the specific
space, under consideration; and control of the means for
controlling the temperature is calculated from these input
parameters in a control unit.
16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the means for
controlling the temperature includes at least one heater and/or at
least one air conditioning system and/or at least one ventilation
system and/or at least one device for controlling solar radiation
into the space.
17. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the control unit has
access to a database in which historical values of the parameters
(b, c) and the target values (a) of the specific space under
consideration and/or the specific building under consideration are
contained, and wherein the control of the means for controlling the
temperature is carried out based on the input parameters taking
into account these historic values, wherein the control of the
means for controlling the temperature based on the input parameters
is in an adaptation process while taking into account these
historic values.
18. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the at least one
general parameter (b) is a parameter, or a selection from the
following parameters, measured by sensors: temperature on the
outside of the building under consideration; humidity on the
outside of the building under consideration; wind on the outside of
the building under consideration; solar radiation on the outside of
the building under consideration; wherein these general parameters
(b) are measured at a plurality of locations with different
climatic controls.
19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein information about
the weather forecast, of the region, is additionally used as a
general parameter (b), and/or wherein sunrise and sunset are
additionally calculated and are used for the control.
20. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the general
parameters (b) are transferred periodically or continuously to the
control unit at least partially via a cabled or cableless network,
via at least one of a LAN, wireless LAN, GPRS, using standard
protocols of at least one of SMTP, ftp, http.
21. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the general
parameters (b) are measured at at least one other building, and are
further used as input parameters, wherein the at least one other
building is arranged adjacently or at a distance that is relevant
for the climate of the building under consideration, wherein such
general parameters (b) of the at least one other building are taken
into account as a function of the weather forecast and/or the wind
direction and/or the wind speed.
22. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the input parameters
from the at least one other building are transmitted, or made
available, to the control unit of the building under consideration
via the at least one of the www, a WAN, a LAN, and wherein the
building under consideration itself makes its data available to the
at least one other building in the same way.
23. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein a plurality of
buildings make available their general parameters (b) to a database
and in each case the control units of other buildings can access
the totality of this data.
24. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the value of the
temperature in the specific space under consideration and/or the
value of the temperature in adjacent specific spaces under
consideration are used as input parameters.
25. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the at least one
specific parameter (c) is one of, or a selection from, the
following parameters: window face; insulation state; orientation of
the space under consideration with respect to a cardinal direction
and solar radiation; shadowing by adjacent buildings and/or
vegetation--if appropriate season-specifically--or topography;
height of building above sea level; coordinates of the building;
wherein these specific parameters (c) are either determined once
and input into the control unit and/or wherein an entire control of
at least some of the specific parameters (c) is determined
automatically by the control unit in a continuous adaptation
process taking into account the control of the general parameters
(b) and the executed actuation of the means for temperature control
on the value that is actually brought about in the specific
space.
26. A device for controlling the thermal flows in at least one
building using a method as claimed in claim 15, comprising: at
least one control unit with which means for controlling the
temperature within the building under consideration are controlled,
a plurality of sensors for determining the parameters (b, c),
configured to access a weather forecast, and a communications
network, in a form of a LAN, WAN, www, via which the parameters (b,
c) are transferred from the sensors to the control unit or via
which the weather forecast is transferred to the control unit.
27. A control unit for carrying out a method as claimed in claim
15, comprising: at least one processor, internal means for storing
data, and at least one network interface, wherein a database on
which the data of the input parameters and the actually achieved
target values are continuously recorded is provided in the means
for storing data, and wherein the control unit is configured such
that means for temperature control are actuated based on
instantaneous input parameters taking into account the history
contents of the database in an optimizing and learning fashion.
28. A data processing program for carrying out a method as claimed
in claim 15 in a control unit.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a method for controlling
the thermal flows in at least one building, according to which
method means for controlling the temperature inside the building
are controlled on the basis of a plurality of input parameters.
PRIOR ART
[0002] Optimizing the thermal flows in a building is something with
which residents have always been intensely concerned. The modern
means for air conditioning
[0003] (cooling, heating, setting the humidity of the air) have
significantly simplified the control of the thermal flows but great
importance is attached to saving energy, in particular in view of
the economic and ecological aspects. In particular heating houses
(private, commercial and public) entails a large consumption of
energy at central European latitudes, and any optimization in this
area is potentially highly attractive.
[0004] As a result of the large mass/volume of the heated objects
they react extremely slowly, and in particular in the case of
underfloor heating with a low temperature of the previous cycle
switching on/off of the heating has an effect only over hours.
[0005] Conventional systems for controlling the heating in a
building have temperature sensors on the outside of the building
and inside the building.
[0006] The heating is correspondingly set as a function of the
external temperature, with a target value being predefined and the
internal temperature being regulated to this target value. With
such methods it is usually not possible to perform short-term and
predictive control, for example when there is a sudden increase in
the input of heat from the outside (period of sunny weather) or a
sudden decrease in the application of heat the control reacts
slowly and the temperature inside the building differs greatly from
the target value. Correspondingly there is an urgent need to make
heater control devices available which permit the process of
controlling the means for setting the temperature inside the
building to be carried out in an optimum way and as efficiently and
predictively as possible.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The invention is accordingly based on the object of making
available a method and a device for controlling the thermal flows
in at least one building in which means for controlling the
temperature inside the building are controlled on the basis of a
plurality of input parameters. The control is to be as predictive
and efficient as possible here.
[0008] This object is achieved in that the means for controlling
the temperature of a specific space under consideration or at least
one area of a specific space are actuated by using, as input
parameters: a) at least one target value, in particular the desired
temperature of the specific space; b) at least one general
parameter which is characteristic of at least one variable inside
and/or outside the building which at least indirectly controls the
temperature inside the specific space; and c) at least one specific
parameter which is characteristic of the specific thermal flow
conditions of the specific space under consideration or the area of
the specific space; and the control of the means is calculated in a
control unit on the basis of these input parameters.
[0009] The core of the invention is to configure the control
specifically for each space in an adaptive fashion. For this
purpose, a target value is defined for each space, and said value
may be different for different spaces. This target value may either
be defined in a fixed way by the user, possibly as a function of
the time of day and the day of the week etc. (timetable). Or else
it is also possible to derive this target value as it were from a
history, i.e. the control unit "observes", possibly additionally by
means of movement sensors, the effective use of the corresponding
space and automatically adapts the thermal flows to the use which
is actually expected. If, for example, a space is never used at the
weekend and usually also not on a Monday morning, the control unit
detects this and after a certain number of repetitions of such
regular behavior the control unit reacts automatically by setting
the target value to a minimum value which is to be correspondingly
defined if typically there is no person in the space, and to
another target value if typically it is to be expected that the
person will be present. The presence of persons may be determined,
as already mentioned, by means of sensors in a way which is
space-specific, but it is also possible to derive this, for
example, by means of indirect variables such as presence of the
person who usually works in the space under consideration, as can
be determined from a time monitoring system or by means of
interrogations in the local computer network as to whether or not
the person under consideration is logged in.
[0010] Furthermore, at least one general parameter is used as an
input variable, which parameter is representative as it were, of
external variable factors which influence the thermal flows of the
space under consideration. Such factors are typically, for example,
the temperature outside the building, with this temperature being
preferably measured as far as possible at locations which are
particularly relevant for the space under consideration.
[0011] However, in particular specific parameters are additionally
provided as an input variable for the control, with these specific
parameters being characteristic of the input of heat into the room
under consideration, or the outflow of heat from it. The parameters
here are typically variables such as, for example, the window areas
of the space under consideration and their insulation state, or
such similar variables. The temperature control means are typically
at least a heater. Alternatively or additionally it is possible for
these means to comprise at least an air conditioning system and/or
at least a ventilation system and/or at least a device for
controlling the solar radiation (for example sun blinds) into the
space.
[0012] According to a first particularly preferred embodiment of
the present invention, the control unit has access to a database in
which historical values of the parameters (b, c) and the target
values (a) of the specific space under consideration and/or the
specific building under consideration are contained.
Correspondingly, the control of the means for controlling the
temperature is carried out on the basis of the input parameters
taking into account these historic values, wherein the control of
the means for controlling the temperature on the basis of the input
parameters in an adaptation process while taking into account these
historic values is particularly preferred. The process here is, as
it were, an intelligent learning process which takes place in the
control unit and which takes into account, in an optimum way, the
microclimate which is typical of the specific building and of the
specific room. Inter alia, this embodiment has the advantage that
such a system does not need particular installation steps which are
to be adapted to the specific object since, after a specific
learning time period in which the system optimizes itself
automatically, the control is set in a specific optimum way. A
combination is of course possible if an approximate data record,
which is assumed for the specific object, is already stored during
installation as a starting value for the history, in order to avoid
the transient response behavior of the control which usually occurs
during such learning processes being too pronounced.
[0013] Typically the at least one general parameter is a parameter,
or a selection from the following parameters, measured in
particular by means of sensors: temperature on the outside of the
building under consideration (temperature sensors on different
facades at different heights on the outside of the building);
humidity on the outside of the building under consideration
(humididity sensors likewise at the different facades); the wind,
and the direction of the wind in particular, on the outside of the
building under consideration (e.g. wind wheel on the roof); the
solar radiation on the outside of the building under consideration
(brightness sensors likewise on different facades on the outside or
possibly inside the space at locations where owing to the windows
solar radiation can be expected). Herein these general parameters
are particularly preferably measured at a plurality of locations
with different climatic controls such as, for example, at different
facades and/or on the roof of the building, possibly at different
heights.
[0014] It is particularly advantageous if in addition information
about the weather forecast, in particular of the region (under
certain circumstances a combination of global weather forecasts,
for example for the country, and of local weather forecasts, for
example for the region) is used as a general parameter. This data
may consist, for example, in precipitation probabilities,
probabilities of hours of sunshine etc. made available by a
corresponding provider in a defined form as a function of the time
of day. In addition it is possible to calculate sunrise and sunset
from the data and to use it for the control.
[0015] A system such as this can be particularly easily implemented
with the contemporary technical means if the general parameters are
periodically or continuously transferred to the control unit via a
cabled or cableless network, in particular preferably by means of a
LAN, wireless LAN, GPRS or the like using standard protocols such
as SMTP, ftp, http. It is particularly easy to integrate, for
example, the weather forecast into the system by periodically
accessing the corresponding provider by the control unit via the
WWW in order to achieve the corresponding information, or by the
information being actively transmitted to the specific control
units by a provider. This may be done by using standard protocols
such as, for example, SMTP or HTTP, with the information being
transferred in a defined form (e.g. XML/SOAP) so that it can be
further processed automatically by the control units.
[0016] Another preferred embodiment of the present invention uses
not only the parameters measured at the building under
consideration but also uses parameters from other buildings which
are integrated in a system of the same type. This permits wide
ranging adaptation of the control to the microclimate which is
valid for the object in question. Thus, general parameters such as
those described above can correspondingly also be used as input
parameters, said parameters being measured at at least one other
building and these other buildings being preferably arranged
adjacent or at a distance which is relevant for the air
conditioning system, in particular the microclimate, at the
building under consideration. Again, it proves particularly easy
and efficient to transfer these input parameters from other
buildings via the www, WAN, LAN or similar network to the control
unit of the building under consideration or to make it available to
said control unit. This may be done, for example, in such a way
that each building of corresponding grouping makes its data
available to the control units of other buildings in a general
database administered by a provider. The control units of other
buildings can then correspondingly access the totality of this data
and optimize the process of controlling it, which may be attractive
in particular in conjunction with the abovementioned learning
process using a history if not only the current values but also
historic data is included in this database of the building.
[0017] In order to ensure feedback between the target value and the
value which is actually reached for the temperature in the space
under consideration, the value of the temperature in the specific
space under consideration and/or the value of the temperature in
specific adjacent spaces should also be used as input
parameters.
[0018] Typically, the at least one specific parameter (c) mentioned
at the beginning is one of, or a selection from, the following
parameters: window face; insulation state; orientation with respect
to the cardinal direction and solar radiation; shadowing by
adjacent buildings and/or vegetation--particularly if appropriate
season-specifically--or topography; height of building above sea
level; coordinates of the building. In this context, these specific
parameters (c) can either be determined once and input into the
control unit and/or the entire control of at least some of these
specific parameters can be determined automatically by the control
unit in a possibly continuous adaptation process taking into
account the control of the general parameters and the executed
actuation of the means for temperature control on the value which
is actually brought about in the specific space. In this respect
the sensing of historical data is again a great help.
[0019] Further preferred embodiments of the method according to the
invention are described in the dependent claims.
[0020] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a device for
controlling the thermal flows in at least one building using a
method such as is described above. In this context, the device
comprises at least one control unit with which means for
controlling the temperature within the building under consideration
are controlled, a plurality of sensors for determining the
parameters, preferably also the possibility of accessing a weather
forecast, and a communications network or at least coupling to a
communications network, in particular in the form of a LAN, WAN,
www, via which the parameters are transferred or made available
from the sensors to the control unit or via which the weather
forecast is transferred to the control unit.
[0021] In addition, the present invention relates to a control unit
for carrying out a method such as is described above or for use in
a device such as is described above. The control unit comprises in
this context at least one processor, internal means for storing
data and at least one network interface, wherein a database on
which the data of the input parameters and the actually achieved
target values are continuously recorded is preferably provided in
the data storage means, and wherein the control unit is configured
in such a way that means for temperature control are actuated on
the basis of the instantaneous input parameters taking into account
the history contents of the database in an optimizing and learning
fashion. Correspondingly, the present invention also comprises a
data processing program for carrying out such a method in such a
control unit.
[0022] Further preferred embodiments are described in the dependent
claims.
EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0023] A system in which a control unit which is configured, as it
were, as a computer is to be described as an exemplary embodiment
for the present invention, regulates heating devices such as, for
example, heating elements in their supply either with heating fluid
or electric current. The control unit has for this purpose a CPU,
i.e. a processor, and the possibility of controlling the
corresponding controlling means for the heating elements
(continuous-flow control or flow control). These control means can
be connected to the control unit by means of cabling which is to be
especially provided for that purpose but it is also possible to
configure these control means as autonomous units which communicate
with a local network (LAN, possibly wireless, GPRS) by means of
standard protocols (SMTP, http etc.). The expenditure on
installation can be significantly simplified by using a network
(possibly wireless or PoE) which is usually already present.
[0024] Furthermore, the control unit has a network connection via
which other data sources can be accessed using standard protocols
such as SMTP or http with standard data formats (XML/SOAP), and via
which access is also made possible to the control unit from the
outside. This network connection may be implemented, for example,
by means of a modem. As a result it is also possible to configure
the control unit remotely from the outside, i.e. from any desired
computer in the same house or elsewhere, which may be beneficial,
for example, at holiday times (preheating of a house in winter
before people arrive). Furthermore, the system has sensors which
are arranged on the outside of the building under consideration and
which are capable of measuring the external temperature and
possibly also the external humidity. The sensors are attached to
different locations on the outer skin of the building, in
particular there is a separate sensor on each facade which has its
own climatic characteristics (exposure to the sun, to the wind, to
the rain, etc.). Furthermore, if a different climatic
characteristic also occurs at a different level of the building on
a facade owing to vegetation or the position on a slope, or if the
insulation state at different heights is different, sensors are
additionally arranged at different heights on the facade.
Furthermore, an air speed indicator is located as a wind sensor
(direction and strength) on the roof. It is optionally possible
also to provide brightness sensors on the outside in order to
determine direct solar radiation.
[0025] In addition, at least one further temperature sensor is
arranged in each of the spaces to be controlled separately in order
to permit control to the target value.
[0026] The measured values of the individual sensors are
transferred to the control unit via cables or lines which are to be
specially provided for that purpose, or else it is possible, and
this proves particularly advantageous with respect to the
expenditure on installation, to integrate the sensors directly into
a network (for example LAN, possibly wireless). For this purpose it
is possible to configure the individual sensors directly as small
autonomous units which themselves have an actual sensor, small
processor, possibly storage facilities and in particular a network
connection (possibly wireless or alternatively generally by means
of GPRS) so that for the purpose of installation the sensor simply
has to be mounted and a connection is then made to the local
network via a corresponding network cable or in a wirefree fashion.
This method is particularly simplified if such sensor units are
configured in such a way that when they are connected they sign on
automatically in the network and correspondingly then make the
determined data available without further manual configuration of
the control unit which is also connected to the network. The use of
a network simplifies the installation considerably since nowadays
corresponding networks are usually already available by means of
hardware, in particular in commercial buildings, and it is
therefore not necessary to lay any further cables to install such a
control system. In a completely simplifying way it is also possible
to consider a network connection via the power supply since of
course a sensor generally also has to be supplied with current.
Likewise, only one cable is necessary when using PoE (Power over
Ethernet) or with wireless technology. The same of course applies
to connecting the control means for the heating elements to the
control unit. Such a sensor box, comprising a temperature sensor
and/or humidity sensor and/or air pressure sensor and possibly
further sensors which are relevant to determining the climate, also
comprising a processor, possibly means for local data storage (RAM,
ROM, hard disk, SANDISK or the like), a network card (modem also
possible) for connection to a cabled or wireless network
(alternatively connection is also possible to a general radio
network with GPRS) as well as, if appropriate, a housing and an
internal power supply (battery or accumulator) or external power
supply is novel and inventive per se and independent of the system
considered above. In particular if such a sensor box is equipped
with a data processing program which establishes automatic
integration, which does not require any further configuration, into
a network, the installation is particularly simple. Thus, for
example an IP address can be assigned automatically (or it is
possible to cause it to be assigned using, for example, DHCP) as
well as automatic signing on can be carried out at a server which
is provided for that purpose and which can either be the control
unit or which can be a data server which subsequently makes the
data available to one or more control units (in different buildings
if appropriate) or else to weather evaluation centers.
[0027] The control unit uses the data which is made available in
this way to control the heating elements, specifically in a way
which is specific to each space. In order to regulate each space
ideally in this respect, the specific parameters which are
characteristic of the space and which are typical of the input of
heat into the space under consideration or the outflow of heat from
it, are additionally determined and used. These include, inter
alia, the insulation state, window face of the room etc. In
addition, the data of those sensors which are actually relevant to
the climatic conditions of the room under consideration are
considered. In other words, for example the sensors on the outside
of the facade which are located at the same height which are
arranged on facades on which the space under consideration actually
borders are used. It is possible to continuously adapt which
sensors are actually of thermal relevance, to which degree, for the
space under consideration, i.e. it is possible to cause the control
unit to successively learn such considerations or weightings.
[0028] The objective here is the most precise possible prediction
PER SPACE as to whether said space
[0029] a) is used
[0030] b) how the application of heat from the outside will be in
the next hours (this being solar radiation etc. which can also be
considered as a function of the time of the year because of the
different length of day and/or because of different vegetation)
[0031] c) wind chill, to what extent a space is cooled from the
outside by windows etc
[0032] d) etc.
[0033] In order to implement this, the following procedure is
adopted: each of the sensors transfers its data with object
designation and orientation (cardinal direction) via a
communications network (Internet, LAN.) into a central database
(the central database can either be arranged in the control unit or
separately)--the altitude of the object above sea level, precise
coordinates, position (on the slope etc.) are also indicated in
said database.
[0034] The CONTROL of each room is carried out on the basis of the
following data:
[0035] a1) predefined temperature, possibly with timed control
(program control)
[0036] a2) "history"--was the space used yesterday, the day before
yesterday etc.? Other regularities which can be used?
[0037] b1) Weather forecast for the day (since the control unit has
a network connection, corresponding data can be automatically
integrated periodically by a provider via the Internet and
interpreted for the requirements).
[0038] b2) Spatial orientation (specific parameter) and
input/cooling factor (general parameter)
[0039] b3) trajectory of the sun (when does solar radiation start
to enter the space etc.)
[0040] Basically, the control process can be based here exclusively
on the actual values of the sensors and on a corresponding
extrapolation based on the weather forecast which has been
consulted. The extrapolation can also be improved by taking into
account the trends observed in the measured values of the
individual sensors over the last time periods. Typically the trend
over the last minutes to hours is referred to.
[0041] Further improvement in the control process can be achieved
by taking into account not only the data of the sensors of the
building under consideration as input variables for the control
process but also by taking into account the corresponding measured
values of further buildings. This data can be retrieved here by the
control units either directly from other buildings which are
similarly equipped or else it is possible for each building in such
a grouping to store its data on a central server and for all the
control units of the respective buildings to be able to access the
data at this server. In this context the other buildings can either
be in the direct vicinity of the building under consideration but
it is also possible to take into account buildings which are
located in the same region or even further away and thus, as it
were, to improve further the weather forecast by means of
corresponding regional tendencies or draw more detailed conclusions
for the building under consideration.
[0042] A further way of improving the control process may be
achieved, and this seems particularly interesting, in that the
control unit is, as it were, capable of learning and successively
takes into account the microclimate which is relevant to the
respective building. This learning capability can be achieved by
storing the collected data from the sensors, target values and the
corresponding weather forecasts in a database as part of a history.
It is then possible to have the control unit search in a history
database for respective similar scenarios of the microclimate which
have already taken place (pattern matching). If a similar situation
of this type or an identical situation is found in the database it
is possible to look up in what respect the control process which
was then implemented there was not optimum and to adopt the control
process correspondingly for the anticipated behavior in the near
future. Values of sensors are therefore retrieved from the database
which contains historical data as data which correspond to a
maximum degree from the quantity of all the available sensors (with
shifting on the time axis) and as a function of the general weather
situation, wind direction, wind speed. This may be carried out in a
decentralized fashion in the regulator or centrally.
[0043] A specific example will serve as an illustration of
this:
[0044] There is a west wind with an average speed of 20 km/h and
the weather forecast is for "40% cloud and no precipitation". Later
in the day a westerly front is to arrive. The regulator looks
through the database for the sensors which, given this specific
weather situation with a run in time of 2 hours, adds the greatest
degree of correspondence to the local weather (in this case
presumably buildings in the westerly direction, approximately 40 km
away). The data of these sensors are used, in the case described,
to start up the heating in good time, said heating being assumed to
take approximately 2 hours to take effect, before the weather front
will greatly cool the building from the outside. Depending on the
orientation of the external wall, a significantly greater degree of
heating is carried out on the west side than on the east side of
the building since the wind cools the building from the west.
[0045] A further example relates to the control of sunshades in
sultry summer weather. The specific room is shaded by the sunshade.
However, since severe thunderstorms may occur locally, the sunshade
is retracted in good time if sensors on other buildings in the
surroundings of approximately 1 m "wind distance" indicate swirls
of wind.
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