System and method for using a network of thermostats as tool to verify peak demand reduction

A system for predicting the thermal performance of a structure as conditioned by an HVAC system, comprising:

• at least one HVAC control system that measures temperature at at least one location conditioned by said HVAC system, and reports said temperature measurements as well as status of said HVAC control system;
• a database that stores said temperature measurements and said status;
• at least one remote server that transmits changes in programming to said HVAC control system based at least in part on a demand reduction request,
• one or more processors that compare said temperature measurements at said location with predictions of changes to temperatures when said HVAC system reduces output in response to the demand response request, wherein said predictions are based at least in part on outside weather data obtained from a remote source comprising a weather database, previous temperature measurements and previous status wherein said comparisons are used to determine whether said status of the HVAC system is consistent with said predictions, said previous temperature measurements, said previous status, and said outside weather data to confirm whether the HVAC system is functioning according to the changes in programming associated with the demand reduction request, or to confirm whether the HVAC control system is not functioning according to the changes in programming associated with the demand reduction request.

A system for verifying that the operating parameters of an HVAC system have been adjusted as requested in response to a control signal comprising:

• at least one HVAC control system capable of measuring temperature at at least one location conditioned by said HVAC system, and reporting said temperature measurements as well as the status of said HVAC control system;
• means by which said temperature measurements and HVAC status may be stored in a database;
• means for transmitting a control signal comprising changes in programming to said HVAC control system based at least in part on a demand reduction request;
• means by which such temperature measurements and HVAC status may be compared with outside weather data obtained from a remote source and previous temperature measurements and HVAC status;
• and
• means for determining whether the reported temperature information and status of the HVAC system are consistent with predictions of changes to temperatures when said HVAC system reduces output in response to the demand response request, wherein said predictions are based at least in part on the outside weather data obtained from the remote source, previous temperature measurements and previous status, to confirm whether the HVAC system is functioning according to the changes in programming associated with the demand reduction request, or to confirm whether the HVAC control system is not functioning according to the changes in programming associated with the demand reduction request.