Method and apparatus for optimizing and simplifying the enforcement of building energy efficiency regulations

A method for displaying building energy regulations on a mobile device an electronic system, the method comprising:

• receiving by a processor an energy model for a building wherein the energy model specifies building components of the building selected to comply with energy regulations of a building jurisdiction submitted as part of a permitting process prior to construction of the building and associated with an approved building plan for the building;
• determining by the processor a set of inspectable building elements for the building using the energy model wherein each of the inspectable building elements specify one or more building components in accordance with the approved building plan;
• for each inspectable building element in the set of inspectable building elements, a) determining, by the processor, a first amount of energy used by the one or more building components specified in the approved building plan, b) determining using a first database alternate building components for the one or more building components which are representative of less energy efficient building practices c) determining, by the processor, a second energy amount used by the alternate building components and d) determining an amount of time needed to inspect each inspectable building element;
• based upon the first energy amount, the second energy amount and the amount of time determined for each inspectable building element, determining an amount of energy saved per unit of enforcement time for each of the inspectable building elements,
• based upon the amount of energy save per unit of enforcement time for each of the inspectable building elements, prioritizing, by the processor, an order in which to inspect each inspectable building element in the set of inspectable building elements;
• based upon the prioritization of the set of the inspectable building elements, generating by the processor a list of inspectable building elements;
• receiving on the mobile device the list of the inspectable building elements which are to be inspected including first information about the building components in each of the inspectable building elements;
• outputting to a display on the mobile device the first information about first building components in a first inspectable building element;
• receiving on, the mobile device, during an inspection, inspection data about the first building components in the first inspectable building element wherein inspection data provides second information on the first building components installed on the building;
• based upon the inspection data received about the first building components, determining a third amount of energy used by the first building components;
• based upon the third amount of energy used by the first inspectable building element, determining whether the first building components comply with the energy regulations of the building jurisdiction;
• and
• outputting to the display of the mobile device whether the first building components comply the energy regulations of the building jurisdiction including energy savings or losses associated first building components;
• and
• generating a plan view including the list of the inspectable building elements and an interface for navigating the plan view on the display;
• and
• outputting to the display the list of the inspectable building elements in the plan view wherein the list of the inspectable building elements are highlighted in the plan view.

A method for displaying building energy regulations on a mobile device an electronic system, the method comprising:

• receiving by a processor an energy model for a building wherein the energy model specifies building components of the building selected to comply with energy regulations of a building jurisdiction submitted as part of a permitting process prior to construction of the building and associated with an approved building plan for the building;
• determining by the processor a set of inspectable building elements for the building using the energy model wherein each of the inspectable building elements specify one or more of the building components in accordance with the approved building plan;
• for each inspectable building element in the set of inspectable building elements, a) determining, by the processor, a first amount of energy used by the one or more of the building components specified in the approved building plan and b) determining using a first database alternate building components for the one or more building components which are representative of less energy efficient building practices c) determining, by the processor, a second amount of energy used by the alternate building components;
• based upon a difference between the first energy amount and the second energy amount determined for each of the inspectable building elements, determining by the processor an order in which to inspect the set of inspectable building elements;
• based upon the order in which to inspect of the inspectable building elements, selecting by the processor a portion of the inspectable building elements from among the set of inspectable building elements;
• randomly selecting by the processor a second portion of the inspectable building elements from among the set of inspectable building elements;
• based upon the first portion and the second portion of the inspectable building elements, generating by the processor a list of inspectable building elements;
• determining by the processor a location in a plan view of the approved building plan of each of the inspectable building elements from the list of inspectable building elements;
• receiving on the mobile device the list of the inspectable building elements which are to be inspected including first information about the building components in each of the inspectable building elements including the location on the plan view;
• outputting to a display on the mobile device the first information about first building components in a first inspectable building element;
• receiving, on the mobile device, during an inspection, inspection data about the first building components in the first inspectable building element wherein inspection data provides second information on the first building components installed on the building;
• based upon the inspection data received about the first building components, determining a third amount of energy used by the first building components;
• based upon the third amount of energy used by the first inspectable building element, determining whether the first building components comply with the energy regulations of the building jurisdiction;
• outputting to the display of the mobile device whether the first building components comply the energy regulations of the building jurisdiction including energy savings or losses associated first building components;
• generating a plan view including the list of the inspectable building elements and an interface for navigating the plan view on the display;
• and
• outputting to the display the list of the inspectable building elements in the plan view wherein the list of the inspectable building elements are highlighted in the plan view.

A method for displaying building energy regulations on a mobile device an electronic system, the method comprising:

• receiving by a processor an energy model for a building wherein the energy model specifies building components of the building selected to comply with energy regulations of a building jurisdiction submitted as part of a permitting process prior to construction of the building;
• determining in the processor an amount of time to inspect the building described in a proposed building plan;
• determining by the processor a set of inspectable building elements using the energy model wherein each of the set of inspectable building elements specify one or more of the building components as candidates for inspection on the proposed building plan;
• for each inspectable building element in the set of inspectable building elements, a) determining, by the processor, a first amount of energy used by the one or more of the building components specified in the proposed building plan, b) determining, using a first database, alternate building components for the one or more building components which are representative of less energy efficient building practices c) determining, by the processor, a second amount of energy used by the alternate building components and d) determining an amount of time needed to inspect each inspectable building element;
• based upon the first amount of energy, the second amount of energy and amount of time determined for each inspectable building element, determining an amount of energy saved per unit of enforcement time for each of the inspectable building elements,
• based upon the amount of energy save per unit of enforcement time for each of the inspectable building elements, prioritizing, by the processor, an order in which to inspect each inspectable building element in the set of inspectable building elements;
• based upon the prioritization of the set of the inspectable building elements and the amount of time to inspect the building described in a proposed building plan, generating by the processor a list of inspectable building elements;
• receiving, on the mobile device, the list of the inspectable building elements which are to be inspected including first information about the building components in each of the inspectable building elements;
• outputting to a display on the mobile device the first information about first building components in a first inspectable building element;
• receiving, on the mobile device, inspection data about the first building components in the first inspectable building element wherein inspection data provides second information on the first building components described in the proposed building plan during an inspection of the proposed building plan;
• based upon the inspection data received about the first building components, determining a third amount of energy used by the first building components;
• based upon the third amount of energy used by the first inspectable building element, determining whether the first building components comply with the energy regulations of the building jurisdiction;
• outputting to the display of the mobile device whether the first building components comply the energy regulations of the building jurisdiction including energy savings or losses associated first building components;
• generating a plan view including the list of the inspectable building elements and an interface for navigating the plan view on the display;
• and
• outputting to the display the list of the inspectable building elements in the plan view wherein the list of the inspectable building elements are highlighted in the plan view.