Abstract
To foster the transition to more sustainable energy systems, policymakers have been approving measures to improve energy efficiency as well as promoting smart grids. In this setting, building managers are encouraged to adapt their energy operations to real-time market and weather conditions. Yet, most fail to do so as they rely on conventional building energy management systems (BEMS) that have static temperature set points for heating and cooling equipment. In this paper, we investigate how effective policy measures are at improving building-level energy efficiency compared to a smart BEMS with dynamic temperature set points. To this end, we present an integrated optimisation model mimicking the smart BEMS that combines decisions on heating and cooling systems operations with decisions on energy sourcing. Using data from an Austrian and a Spanish building, we find that the smart BEMS results in greater reduction in energy consumption than a conventional BEMS with policy measures.
Highlights
Concerns about climate change stemming from increased anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases such as CO2 have catalysed a transition to a more sustainable energy system
The expertise required to benefit from smart grid opportunities is beyond the capabilities of most building managers who rely on commercially available building energy management systems (BEMS) that typically have static set-point temperatures for the heating and cooling equipment regardless of external conditions
Regardless of the policy measure and building type, we find that the smart BEMS results in greater reduction in energy consumption than a conventional BEMS with policy measures
Summary
Concerns about climate change stemming from increased anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases such as CO2 have catalysed a transition to a more sustainable energy system. Focusing on conventional radiators and the ventilation aspect of HVAC systems, Groissböck et al [12] demonstrate that energy consumed for meeting buildings’ heating requirements may be reduced by over 10% by operating the equipment in a way that is more responsive to external conditions They implement their socalled dynamic temperature set point method, which allows the zonal temperature to fluctuate in a user-specified range, on one public building in Austria and another in Spain. At the same time as the promotion of smart grids, policymakers at the national level advocate measures to improve demand-side energy efficiency, e.g., regulations on internal temperatures and subsidies for the installation of embedded renewable energy technologies An advantage of these policy measures is that they do not require changes to the buildings’ existing BEMS and either lower the thermostat or install subsidised technologies that provide energy to offset market purchases.
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