Patent ID: 6879883

Claim:
A method for managing power consumption in a building, the method comprising: receiving a data signal that indicates that a user has entered or left the building; determining, based upon at least the data signal, whether the user is the only user from one or more users of a shared resource disposed in the building who is currently in the building; if the user is the only user from one or more users of the shared resource who is currently in the building, then causing the shared resource to transition from a first state to a second state, wherein when operating in the first state, the shared resource consumes relatively less power relative to when the shared resource is operating in the second state; determining, based upon at least the data signal, whether the user is the last user of the one or more users of the shared resource to leave the building; and if the user is the last user of the one or more users of the shared resource to leave the building, then causing the shared resource to transition from the second state to the first state.