Conceptual Design Specification Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Conceptual Design Specification - Essay Example It is also Canada's largest natural gas distributor, providing gas to commercial, industrial, and residential customers in Ontario. The primary functions of the design are the ability of the device to monitor and control energy consumption in an Ontario household and advise the user about the economical use of energy sources namely electricity and gas. Moreover, this wall-mounted device should also be safe, reliable and easy to use for a variety of users including the disabled and multiple ethnic groups. The proposed conceptual design is the knob controller that will perform all the functions and meet the objectives mentioned above. The design will be able to monitor the energy usage in real time and give consumers information on their usage and control of energy consumption. The user then can control the use of energy by setting limits in the system. It should also be able to shut on and off the power to any major location in the household. The design will also be able to collect and analyze data of energy consumed in the household. The design accommodates various ethnic groups and the people with visual and hearing problems. The interface is intended to be used in a high traffic area such as living room or kitchen in a household. This system will be linked to hardware providing connections with various appliances in the household. The system is for use by people above the age of 12 years. A detailed design report for this suggested solution will follow soon. During this process, more information will be gathered either through further research or directly from the client. We are also planning design a model to be tested by the client to ensure quality. 1. Problem Definition This section is based upon the client's statement and describes design objectives and requirements, establishes functions and identifies the constraints that the design must follow. Different environments that the design will work in have also been defined in this section. 1.1. Problem Statement The University of Toronto Engineering Strategies and Practice (ESP) design team has been asked by a consortium, a group of energy companies in Ontario (primarily Enbridge and Ontario Power Generation) to develop an interface that will monitor the use of energy in a household in Ontario. Owing to the escalating energy prices and growing awareness about economical use of non- renewable energy sources, there has been a rising demand for some type of monitoring system for efficient and optimal use of energy sources such as gas and electricity. In order to fulfill this potential need, Ontario group of energy companies is looking for a system that can provide the necessary monitoring and controlling functions. The interface should also be programmable so the user can specify whether or not to automatically turn off certain appliances within the household. The design should also be able to give advice to the user on how to save energy based on its ability to collect real time data on temperature, electricity and gas usage in the house. The design should have access to information such as community demand for electricity, gas usage and pricing. This interface system should be