Patent ID: 8386369

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for determining an optimal award schedule for satisfaction of energy efficiency and energy supply requirements for a portfolio of one or more buildings, where the energy requirements of the portfolio are known, the method comprising: a) receiving over a computer network, from one or more prospective efficiency suppliers, a plurality of first bids for the provision of energy efficiency measures that save energy use in the portfolio of buildings, each such first bid specifying an amount of energy saved and a cost for providing the energy efficiency measures; b) determining by a computer a schedule of energy supply requirements in the form of one or more of electricity, oil and natural gas for the building portfolio that would remain after the provision of the energy efficiency measures from at least a plurality of the first bids; c) receiving over the computer network, from one or more prospective suppliers of energy in the form of one or more of electricity, oil and natural gas, one or more second bids for a some or all of the remaining building portfolio energy supply requirements based on at least some of the first bids, each such second bid specifying a cost for providing the bid amount of energy in the form of one or more of electricity, oil and natural gas; and d) determining by a computer a combination of a first bid and a second bid that together satisfies the portfolio energy requirement.