Contextual operational energy performance indexing of district heating consumers

Abstract

Energy performance indices are widely used methods for determining and assessing the efficiency of buildings in operation. However, methodologies for indices that compare heat consumption among buildings and at higher temporal granularity than yearly are needed. This makes it possible for consumers to compare themselves to others to encourage them to improve their energy efficiency. For a district heating system, it also provides the district heating company with an overview of consumers’ energy efficiency (and consumers’ efficiency must be comparable). This is critical due to the interconnectedness of district heating systems, as consumers can indirectly have negative impacts on each other’s operations. Having an overview of the efficiency of consumers can provide useful information for the district heating companies to detect unusual consumption and possible faults. This paper therefore has created a framework for the comparison of heat consumption among buildings, by taking into account various contextualities to make comparisons possible. The framework has been tested on a case study, and its capabilities are showcased.