ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF USE

1 . A method of designing an optimized heating and cooling system, the method comprising:

simulating energy use of a virtual heating and cooling system operating a first potential thermal source or sink under a plurality of conditions;

simulating energy use of the virtual heating and cooling system operating a second potential thermal source or sink under a plurality of conditions;

optimizing the energy use of the virtual system operating the first potential thermal source or sink or the second potential thermal source or sink using neural network optimization; and

designing a heating and cooling system based upon the optimization of the energy use of the virtual system.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising virtually connecting each of the potential thermal sources or sinks in a model to simulate the performance of the entire system as a whole before the simulating steps.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein designing the heating and cooling system comprises selecting a plurality of thermal sources or sinks for use in the heating and cooling system.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein designing the heating and cooling system further comprises determining an optimum sequence of operation of the selected plurality of thermal sources or sinks.

5 . (canceled)

6 . (canceled)

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of conditions includes a plurality of flow rates to or from the first or second potential thermal source or sink.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of conditions includes a plurality of capacities of the first or second potential thermal source or sink that may vary over time or over a range of conditions.

9 . (canceled)

10 . (canceled)

11 . (canceled)

12 . (canceled)

13 . (canceled)

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the neural network optimization is particle swarm optimization.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the thermal sources or sinks is a geothermal borefield.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the thermal sources or sinks is a closed-circuit cooling tower.

17 . (canceled)

18 . (canceled)

19 . A method of controlling a plurality of thermal energy sources or sinks of a heating and cooling system, the method comprising:

activating the plurality of thermal sources or sinks of the heating and cooling system based upon a predetermined control plan;

tracking the performance of the heating and cooling system and each of the thermal sources or sinks under the predetermined control plan;

modifying the predetermined control plan based upon the tracked performance; and

activating the plurality of thermal sources or sinks based upon the modified control plan.

20 . (canceled)

21 . (canceled)

22 . (canceled)

23 . (canceled)

24 . A method of controlling a plurality of thermal sources or sinks of a heating or cooling system, the method comprising:

predicting an increase or decrease in the temperature of one of the plurality of thermal sources or sinks;

determining an impact of the predicted increase or decrease on a capacity of the system, efficiency of the system, energy consumption of the system or cost; and

adjusting a temperature of one of the plurality of thermal energy sources or sinks based upon the determined impact.

25 . (canceled)

26 . The method of claim 24 , wherein determining an impact of the predicted increase or decrease further comprises determining if a thermal mass of one of the plurality of thermal energy sources of sinks may be depleted or overfilled as a result of the increase or decrease in air temperature.

27 . (canceled)

28 . (canceled)