Patent ID: 7409303

Claim:
A method of identifying at least one unknown energy driver, the method comprising: receiving quantity metadata and energy usage data; receiving a time interval; determining at least one relationship between the quantity metadata and energy usage data by analyzing the quantity metadata and energy usage data within the time interval; assessing the quality of the at least one relationship to determine the quantity metadata contributing to the determined at least one relationship; identifying the at least one energy driver from the quantity metadata contributing to the determined at least one relationship by comparing the quantity metadata contributing to the determined at least one relationship with a predetermined list of potential energy drivers, wherein the at least one energy driver is a cause of energy consumption reflected by the energy usage data; outputting the identified at least one energy driver, wherein the outputted at least one energy driver is a variable that influences the energy consumption as reflected in the energy usage data; calculating a cost from the identified at least one energy driver; and controlling the identified at least one energy driver to reduce the cost of energy usage from the identified at least one energy driver.