Energy Saving Butler

A group of students is working on the design of a system that would control the consumption of electric energy in a house. This software should minimize the cost of energy while behaving like the perfect butler, i.e. it should:

• Know what needs to be done (dishwasher loaded, laundry, heating)
• Learn the household preferences
• Detect changes in the routines
• Be told of changes from normal schedule
• Supervise the appliances
• Negotiate with the suppliers (i.e. the retailers of electrical energy)
• Be discrete
• Do some things without having to be told what needs to be done
• Have a brief daily meeting with his boss to receive instructions and bring up things that it has noticed
• Take instructions over the phone when needed.