Abstract: Tree assessment systems and methods are disclosed. An example of a method includes building a system tree in computer-readable medium, the system tree having a plurality of nodes, each node in the system tree representing a characteristic of a component of a system under consideration. The method also includes comparing nodes of the system tree stored in computer-readable medium, with nodes in other trees to identify at least one similar node for identifying similar trees. The method also includes extracting extracting a most similar tree from the similar trees based on the at least one similar node. The method also includes assigning characteristics from the most similar tree to the system tree.

Abstract: Tree creation systems and methods are disclosed. An example of a method includes building a system tree in computer-readable medium, the system tree having a plurality of nodes, each node in the system tree representing a desired range of characteristics of a component of a system under consideration. The method also includes identifying probable nodes in other trees that satisfy the desired range of characteristics of the component of the system under consideration. The method also includes creating in computer-readable medium at least one new tree for the system under consideration by replacing at least one of the nodes in the system tree with at least one of the probable nodes from the other trees.

Abstract: Systems and methods of determining sub-tree similarity for component substitution. An example of a method may be carried out by program code stored on non-transient computer-readable medium and executed by a processor. The method includes assigning a similarity metric to a plurality of trees stored in computer-readable media. The method also includes constructing a distance matrix in computer-readable media, the distance being between sub-trees. The method also includes correlating sub-trees in the computer-readable media based on the distance matrix.

Abstract: Systems and methods of determining node similarity for component substitution. An example of a method may be carried out by program code stored on non-transient computer-readable medium and executed by a processor. The method includes estimating a normalized similarity metric between the plurality of nodes in the system tree and nodes in other trees. The method also includes assigning a similarity score to each compared node using at least one of: domain based rules, attribute based similarity metrics, and machine learning. The method also includes combining results for cluster analysis.

Abstract: Component substitution systems and methods are provided. An example of a method includes building a system tree having a plurality of nodes, each node in the system tree representing a characteristic of a component of a system under consideration. The method also includes comparing nodes of the system tree with nodes in other trees to identify common nodes. The method also includes generating a new tree for the system under consideration by replacing at least one of the common nodes in the system tree with at least one of the nodes in the other trees.

Abstract: Systems and methods of supplying missing impact factors in a database. An example of a method is carried out by program code stored on non-transient computer-readable medium and executed by a processor. The method includes providing a matrix of each tree in the database in computer-readable medium, with each dimension in the matrix representing a node of the tree, and each of another dimension in the matrix representing an impact factor for a component of a system under consideration. The method also includes identifying at least one missing impact factor in the matrix. The method also includes estimating the missing impact factor and populating the estimated impact factor in the matrix in the computer-readable medium.

Abstract: In a method for managing energy demand in an infrastructure, a coefficient of performance (COP) of the infrastructure as a function of time is determined. The COP is a measure of efficiency of the infrastructure. In addition, an energy demand on the infrastructure as a function of time is determined and an energy demand schedule for the infrastructure that temporally reallocates the energy demand based upon the determined COP of the infrastructure is determined.

Abstract: In a method for managing an infrastructure, a utilization of a plurality of infrastructure components in performing an objective is simulated. In addition, a resource demand for the infrastructure associated with the simulated utilization of the infrastructure components is determined and a supply of resources by a plurality of available sources to meet the determined resource demand is simulated. Moreover, at least one metric associated with the determined resource demand and the simulated supply of resources by the plurality of available sources is determined.

Abstract: In a method of managing replacement of at least one existing component with at least one replacement component, in which the at least one replacement component comprises a different number of components than the at least one existing component, at least one cost associated with implementing the at least one existing component is obtained. The at least one cost includes an environmental cost and a utility cost associated with implementing the at least one existing component. An existing net benefit of continuing implementation of the at least one existing component is calculated based upon the obtained at least one cost. A new net benefit of at least one of procuring and implementing the at least one replacement component is calculated.

Abstract: In a method for generating a resource management plan for an infrastructure, a resource supply available from a combination of resource sources is determined, an operation of the infrastructure in performing an objective using the determined supply of resources is simulated, in which the simulation is to simulate resource demand of a plurality of infrastructure components in performing the objective, a metric(s) associated with operating the infrastructure based upon the simulation is determined, a determination as to whether the metric(s) satisfies a predetermined goal(s) is made, the resources supplied and/or the simulation of the resource demand of the plurality of infrastructure components is modified in response to the at least one metric failing to satisfy the predetermined goal(s), and a resource management plan for the infrastructure that has been determined to result in the metric(s) satisfying the predetermined goal(s) is generated.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments relate to determining environmental impact. For example, a method for determining environmental impact may include receiving, by an electronic device, environmental information indicative of an aggregate environmental impact of an activity performed by multiple entities, receiving, by the electronic device, financial information related to an entity's association with the activity, and determining, by the electronic device, the environmental impact of the entity based on the environmental information and the financial information. The method may further include outputting, by the electronic device, the determined environmental impact.

Abstract: A virtual power infrastructure for managing distribution of power to a plurality of power demanding units from a plurality of power generators includes a demand manager having logical descriptions of the power demanding units, in which the demand manager is configured to determine power load demands of the power demanding units using the logical descriptions of the power demanding units, and a capacity manager having logical descriptions of the power generators. The capacity manager is configured to determine allocation of power capacity supplied to the power generators from one or more of the power generators to meet the power load demands of the power demanding units, while satisfying one or more predetermined constraints associated with at least one of the power demanding units and the power generators.

Abstract: A thermal management system includes a first thermoelectric module, a second thermoelectric module, and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger has a pipe having a first section, a second section and an intermediate section arranged between the first section and the second section. The intermediate section maintains the first section and the second section in spaced apart planes and the first thermoelectric module is thermally attached to the first section and the second thermoelectric module is thermally attached to the second section. The first thermoelectric module is spaced apart from the second thermoelectric module to enable fluid to flow between the first thermoelectric module and the second thermoelectric module.

Abstract: An apparatus for managing an infrastructure having one or more three-dimensional (3D) packages and a plurality of cooling resource actuators, each of the 3D packages including a plurality of heat sources, includes a heat source manager configured to determine heat load profiles of the heat sources. The apparatus also includes a cooling resource manager configured to determine capabilities of the plurality of cooling resource actuators to meet heat load demands of the plurality of heat sources based on the heat load profiles of the plurality of heat sources and an integrated thermal manager configured to match the capabilities of the plurality of cooling resource actuators to the heat load profiles of the plurality of heat sources.

Abstract: In a method for distributing cooling resources to a plurality of locations using a plurality of hierarchically identified cooling microgrids, conditions detected at the plurality of locations are received. Each level of the hierarchically identified cooling microgrids is a plurality of resource actuators configured to vary distribution of the cooling resources. Settings for the plurality of resource actuators in each of the levels in the cooling microgrid hierarchy that substantially maintain conditions at the plurality of locations within predetermined ranges are determined using a processor, while substantially optimizing at least one measure of performance associated with supplying the cooling resources to the plurality of locations.

Abstract: A system for managing distribution of a cooling medium includes a sensor configured to detect a condition, a first agent configured to receive the detected condition and to determine whether a characteristic of the cooling medium controlled via a first actuator is to be manipulated based upon the detected condition. The system also includes a second agent configured to receive at least one of the detected condition and the flow manipulation determination of the first actuator and to determine whether a characteristic of the cooling medium controlled by a second actuator is to be manipulated based upon the at least one of the detected condition and the characteristic manipulation determination of the first actuator.

Abstract: A method for automated design of an IT infrastructure, includes a) identifying IT equipment to support services to be provided to meet one or more user requirements; b) identifying one or more auxiliary infrastructures to meet requirements of the identified computer equipment; c) synthesizing the IT equipment and the one or more auxiliary infrastructures to generate a candidate design; d) analyzing one or more operating characteristics of the candidate design; e) repeating steps a)-d) on at least one additional candidate design that differs from the candidate design generated at step c); and f) storing at least one of the candidate design and the at least one additional candidate design.

Abstract: In a method of managing a structure having an infrastructure system, a plurality of candidate components configured to provide redundancy to the infrastructure system are identified. Reliability levels of the structure are evaluated with a plurality of different combinations of candidate components. In addition, the structure is managed based upon the evaluated reliability levels.

Abstract: In a method for assessing an environmental footprint of an object, economic data and environmental data of the object is aggregated and complexity of the object is determined. In addition, the economic data, the environmental data, and the complexity of the object are correlated and a model of an environmental footprint of the object is created based upon the correlation. Moreover, the environmental footprint of the object is assessed through application of the model.

Abstract: In a method of estimating a replacement cost associated with an existing technology performed by a processor, one or more costs associated with implementing the existing technology are obtained, in which the one or more costs include an environmental cost and a utility cost associated with implementing the existing technology. In addition, an existing net benefit of continuing implementation of the existing technology based upon the obtained one or more costs are calculated.