A field study of space heating control using acceptable set-point temperature estimation: winter experiment in Japan office

M.C Gameiro Da Silva,H Zhang,G Cao,S.I Tanabe,Toru Yano,Miho Sako,P Wargocki,L Mazzarela,C Inard,J Kurnitski,I Nastase

doi:10.1051/e3sconf/201911105001

Abstract

Energy conservation for space heating is important because a large portion of total energy consumption is used for space heating in cold regions. For example, space heating accounts for 40% and 18% of energy consumption in non-residential buildings in the EU and Japan, respectively. We have recently proposed a new space-heating control method that estimates acceptable set-point temperature based on survival analysis of historical data on set-point temperature adjustments by occupants in a space. By using survival analysis to estimate acceptable set-point temperatures, the proposed method adjusts the setpoint temperature of the space to the estimated minimum acceptable value. We present the results of a field study of the proposed method which was performed in winter 2017-2018 in Japan. In this study, we applied the proposed method in two office rooms and assessed energy savings and occupant acceptance ratios for the proposed method. Performance evaluation experiments were carried out twice in the winter. The energysaving rate was from 3% to 45%, and the occupant acceptance ratio exceeded 80% in both experiments. The results obtained in this study confirm that the proposed method is acceptable to occupants, while having a possibility of energy-saving.

Highlights

Appliances for space heating are among the most important targets for energy conservation, because space heating accounts for a large proportion of total energy consumption in some regions
To develop a control method that combines occupant feedback with duration of set-point temperature, we have proposed a control method based on estimated acceptable set-point temperature [13,14,15], where effectiveness of the proposed method was evaluated for residential area
We have confirmed the effectiveness of energy conservation through the proposed method in a residential area of a building in France [14,15]. This building was used as a demonstration experiment for realizing a positive-energy building (PEB), a concept similar to that of Zero energy buildings (ZEBs), but for buildings that consume less energy than they generate The results showed that the proposed method can reduce energy consumption for space heating by about 20% by following occupant adjustments of set-point temperature and updating acceptable set-point temperature as learned from this occupant feedback

Summary

Introduction

Appliances for space heating are among the most important targets for energy conservation, because space heating accounts for a large proportion of total energy consumption in some regions. Space heating is expected to use 35 000 PJ worldwide and consume energy the most among energy-consuming objects by 2050, despite the fact that energy consumption for space heating is declining year-by-year [3]. Zero energy buildings (ZEBs) are increasing popular [4,5,6], and energy conservation for space heating is an important factor in realizing ZEBs in cold regions. Limits on power generation in ZEBs make it necessary to save as much energy as possible. Energy-saving technologies for space heating are indispensable for ordinary buildings, and for ZEBs

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