A comprehensive evaluation framework for building energy systems considering economic efficiency, independence, and building–grid interaction performance indicators

Abstract

Modern buildings are faced with many new external challenges, such as the development of the electricity market, which require buildings to have additional capabilities, such as grid friendliness and the ability to operate independently. The development of these capabilities requires an assessment method for guidance; however, most of existing evaluation methods for building energy systems are one-dimensional and thus cannot meet the needs of buildings. This study presents a comprehensive evaluation framework for building energy systems that accounts for economic efficiency, independence, and building–grid interaction performance. Initially, dimensionless indicators are developed based on the consideration of basic and grid-friendly performances. Subsequently, a multi-level indicator system is established. Additionally, an evaluation approach based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process is introduced for the evaluation of grid-friendly building energy systems. The proposed method is then applied to evaluate various building energy system scenarios under various boundary conditions with variable weight strategies. The impact of different energy technologies on stability, independence, flexibility, and economic efficiency is discussed. The findings ultimately indicate that grid-friendliness, as an inherent attribute, is not incompatible with the basic performance of building energy systems.