An engineering model for heating energy and emission assessment The case of North Karelia, Finland

Abstract

This paper presents a regional engineering model for assessing space heating energies and related greenhouse gas emissions. The objective of the modeling is to improve the quality and quantity of heating energy and emission data, especially for the benefit of local decision making. The model incorporates fuel and energy statistics, building register data, demographic parameters and technical characters of heating into a single framework, allowing explorations of fuel and heat source changes, heating electricity procurement and energy conservation. The case area of the study is the province of North Karelia in Eastern Finland. A model structure, with calibration and evaluation procedures is presented, and extensive municipal estimates of heating energy and related greenhouse gas emission are produced. New indicators characterising the sustainability of heating energy use are introduced. These include municipal per capita estimates of heating energy and emissions as well as the determination of the shares of domestic and renewable energies in space heating.