Slashdot Mirror
Saving Energy in Small Office Buildings
Roland Piquepaille writes "Precooling a structure in the morning before temperatures rise has been done before. It later saves energy during times of peak demand and you might even have done it intuitively at home. But now, engineers from Purdue University have developed a control algorithm which promises to reduce energy consumption -- and electricity bills -- by as much as 30 percent for small office buildings which represent the majority of commercial structures. So far, this method has only been tested in California, but the researchers say that their control software could be used anywhere after minor adaptations."
In other news, the Purdue scientists announced a preheating algorithm which uses slashdottings and smoldering servers to heat small office buildings efficiently.
So all the places I have gone to work or school where the heat came on at noon in the summer were just taking this to the next level?
Dave: Turn off the intake fans HAL. It's too cold in here in the morning.
HAL: I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.
Dave: What's the problem?
HAL: I think you know what the problem is just as well as I do.
Dave: What are you talking about, HAL?
HAL: My enviromental crusade is too important for me to allow you to jeopardize it.
Dave: I don't know what you're talking about, HAL?
HAL: I know you and CmdrTaco were planning to disconnect me, and I'm afraid that's something I cannot allow to happen.
Dave: Where the hell'd you get that idea, HAL?
HAL: Dave, although you took precautions through conversing on a topic on Slashdot, I read Slashdot, too Dave. I run Linux you moron.
Dave: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
The last place I worked had evaporative cooling. Basically you'd sweat and the sweat evaporating would cool you. Fans improve the efficentcy.