Computer program and method for reducing HVAC demand for energy

A computer-implemented method of providing a limited consumable energy resource to a plurality of individual users located at geographically discrete user locations, the method comprising the steps of:

• aggregating the plurality of individual users at said geographically discrete locations into an energy resource-consuming block;
• arranging for the availability of the resource from at least one supplier of the resource, said resource being a consumable energy resource;
• and
• using a computer system to regulate real-time use of an amount of the resource by each of the individual users based on each of the user's need for the resource at the user's discrete location so that a particular user having a greater need for the resource receives a greater provision of the resource while controlling usage of the resource by said block to maintain aggregated usage of the resource below a predetermined level wherein regulating the real time use of the amount of the resource by each of the users includes the steps of:
• monitoring all of the users' demand for the resource;
• aggregating the users' demand for the resource;
• comparing the aggregated demand for the resource to a demand limit;
• if the aggregated demand for the resource is rising to the demand limit, increasing a first variable representing an allowed maximum difference in a measurement of need for the resource between a setpoint and the current condition;
• and
• if the aggregated demand for the resource is lowering from the demand limit, decreasing the first variable.

A computer-implemented method of limiting aggregate use of a consumable energy resource by a plurality of energy-consuming locations, said method comprising the steps of:

• aggregating the locations into an energy resource-consuming block, each of said locations having an initial setpoint related to energy need at the location and a maximum allowable variance from the initial setpoint;
• arranging for the availability of said consumable energy resource;
• and
• using a computer system to regulate real-time use of the resource at said locations based upon the need at each location for the resource in order to affect the energy consumption as desired at the locations, so that a particular location having a greater need for the resource receives a greater provision of the resource while controlling usage of the resource by said block to maintain aggregated usage of the resource below a predetermined limit, said regulating step comprising the steps of:
• monitoring the aggregated level of use of the resource from all of the locations;
• and
• comparing the aggregated level of use of the resource with said predetermined limit, and, in response to such comparison, controlling the permitted use of the resource by at least certain of said locations, in order to insure that the aggregated level of use of the resource does not exceed said predetermined limit, said controlling step comprising the steps of increasing or decreasing the maximum allowable variances of the locations as necessary.