scholarly journals How to Achieve Positive Energy Districts for Sustainable Cities: A Proposed Calculation Methodology

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 710
Author(s):  
Andrea Gabaldón Moreno ◽  
Fredy Vélez ◽  
Beril Alpagut ◽  
Patxi Hernández ◽  
Cecilia Sanz Montalvillo
Keyword(s):  
Energy Balance ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
District Level ◽  
Design Stage ◽  
Positive Energy ◽  
Energy Technologies ◽  
Energy Factors ◽  
Calculation Methodology ◽  
Current Standards

In this paper, a methodology for calculating the energy balance at the district level and energy performance of those districts aspiring to become a Positive Energy District (PED) is proposed. PEDs are understood as districts that achieve a positive energy balance on an annual basis by means of exporting more energy than is consumed within their limits. The main issue to standardize the concept, besides which characteristics should be considered, is that current standards to calculate an energy balance are not applied at the district level. This paper reviews the current standards and adapts them to propose an energy balance calculation methodology. Calculation of an energy balance at the district level is complex since it includes several parameters, such as which loads (or elements) should be included, which renewable energy technologies should be considered on-site production, and which primary energy factors should be used. The proposed methodology is thought to help cities at the design stage of a district and to evaluate its annual energy balance. The methodology is performed in eight steps, and all the needed assumptions that affect the calculation of the annual energy balance are discussed in each step.

scholarly journals Positive Energy Balance Calculation in Two Case Studies

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Andrea Gabaldón ◽  
Rosamaria Olivadese ◽  
Beril Alpagut ◽  
Cecilia Sanz ◽  
George B. Huitema
Keyword(s):  
Energy Balance ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
District Heating ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Positive Energy ◽  
Implementation Phase ◽  
Critical Elements ◽  
Energy Factors ◽  
Calculation Methodology ◽  
Positive Energy Balance

The calculation of the energy balance at the district level is complex since it includes a diverse set of loads, technologies, energy carriers, trading interactions between users and external grids (power, district heating/cooling, gas, etc.) and assumptions such as the identification of Primary Energy Factors (PEFs) in different contexts. This research validates the H2020 MAKING-CITY methodology for calculating the energy balance of Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) in two case studies: the cities of Groningen and Torrelago. For each case, the steps defined in the methodology are followed, dealing with assumptions on non-renewable Primary Energy Factors and critical elements regarding the district boundary. This research shows the applicability of the developed calculation methodology for cities in the design phase as well in the implementation phase of PEDs.

scholarly journals Primary Energy Balance driven Integrated Energy Design Process of Positive Energy Building

2021 ◽  
Vol 246 ◽  
pp. 13001
Author(s):  
Meril Tamm ◽  
Joana Ortiz ◽  
Jordi Pascual ◽  
Jarek Kurnitski ◽  
Martin Thalfeldt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Balance ◽  
Design Process ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Evaluation Framework ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Design Stage ◽  
Positive Energy ◽  
Energy Calculation

The ISO 52000–1:2017 is the overarching Energy Performance of Buildings (EPB) standard, providing the general framework of the EPB assessment. It is applicable to the assessment of overall energy use of a building, by measurement or calculation, and the calculation of energy performance in terms of primary energy or other energy-related metrics. ISO 52000–1 provides general profound guidelines, but also gives the freedom to adapt the guidelines with national standards and regulations. This article focuses on design stage energy performance assessment in the framework of syn.ikia project, which aims to deliver a blueprint for an Integrated Design Process of sustainable plus energy buildings and neighbourhoods, leading the way to plus energy districts and cities. This project has four demonstration sites and the one being in focus of this article is located in Catalonia, Spain. Even though this project and Spanish Technical code both are based on ISO 52000–1, the criteria of calculation boundaries of those two vary in some degree, and that can cause great difference in the primary energy balance. In the calculation of the energy balance the criteria of syn.ikia considers all common energy uses in a building, including heating, cooling, ventilation, dehumidification, domestic hot water and lighting, while the Spanish Technical Code excludes lighting consumption. The main difference however is caused due to the fact that in syn.ikia hypothesis the exported energy is being considered in the calculation of how much non-renewable energy is avoided from the grid, while Spanish Technical Code excludes it. For the evaluation of these differences, a simplified monthly primary energy calculation tool is developed during the evaluation framework of key performance indicators of the project. The analysis of the calculation framework hypothesis is presented, analyzing the effects of the assessment boundaries, different primary energy balance calculation hypothesis and building design alternatives.

scholarly journals A Critical Perspective on Positive Energy Districts in Climatically Favoured Regions: An Open-Source Modelling Approach Disclosing Implications and Possibilities

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (16) ◽  
pp. 4864
Author(s):  
Axel Bruck ◽  
Santiago Díaz Ruano ◽  
Hans Auer
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Energy Balance ◽  
Open Source ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Positive Energy ◽  
The European Union ◽  
La Palma ◽  
Energy Factors

Urban areas have been responsible for the majority of the European Union (EU)-wide primary energy demand and CO2 emissions. To address this issue, the European Union introduced the concept of Positive Energy Districts (PEDs). PEDs are required to have an annual positive primary energy balance. However, if directly addressed in the literature, this energy balance only includes annually fixed primary energy factors and often neglects grid impacts. To bridge this gap, this work proposes a mathematical optimisation approach for PEDs, working towards an open-source model. The model’s main novelty is an hourly primary energy balance constraint. The performed case study on the island La Palma for both an urban and a rural neighbourhood show that the PED concept has a higher net present value (NPV) than solely buying electricity from the grid in all feasible cases. Depending on the space available for PV installations, the NPV increases between 29 and 31% and 25–27% for the rural and urban PED scenarios, respectively. However, in the scenarios with reduced grid impact, the NPV decreases due to the expensive battery installations. Comparing the significantly fossil-based electricity grid mix of La Palma with the renewable-based one of El Hierro shows that the primary energy-based optimisation has more room for flexibility in the high renewable mix. While the dynamic primary energy balance constraint appears promising for operational optimisation, the allocation of correct primary energy factors is crucial.

scholarly journals An Investigation on the Feasibility of Near-Zero and Positive Energy Communities in the Greek Context

Smart Cities ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 362-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vasileios Sougkakis ◽  
Konstantinos Lymperopoulos ◽  
Nikos Nikolopoulos ◽  
Nikolaos Margaritis ◽  
Paraskevi Giourka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Pump Energy ◽  
District Heating ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Positive Energy ◽  
Zero Energy ◽  
Geothermal Heat ◽  
Energy Technologies ◽  
Heating And Cooling ◽  
Geothermal Heat Pump

Near Zero Energy and Positive Energy communities are expected to play a significant part in EU’s strategy to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Within this context, the work presented in this paper aims to investigate the feasibility of: (a) a new-built positive energy neighborhood; and (b) the retrofit of an existing neighborhood to near zero energy performance in the city of Alexandroupolis, Greece. Proposed measures involve the rollout at the community scale of renewable energy technologies (PV, geothermal heat pump), energy efficiency (fabric insulation, district heating and cooling networks) and storage systems (batteries). A parametric analysis is conducted to identify the optimum combination of technologies through suitable technical and financial criteria. Results indicate that zero and near zero emissions targets are met with various combinations that impose insulation levels, according to building regulations or slightly higher, and consider renewable energy production with an autonomy of half or, more commonly, one day. In addition, the advantages of performing nearly zero energy retrofit at the district, rather than the building level, are highlighted, in an attempt to stimulate interest in community energy schemes.

A framework for building-related carbon coefficients and primary energy factors for networked electricity supplies

2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 492-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger Hitchin
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Building Energy ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Building Energy Performance ◽  
Energy Factors ◽  
Energy Codes ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Supply Systems ◽  
Building Energy Codes

This Technical Note describes a framework for handling the inherent complexities of carbon emission and primary energy factors for networked electricity supply systems within building energy codes and similar policy instruments. The proposed framework reflects the main characteristics of carbon emissions from such networked supplies, while retaining a level of complexity (and simplification) comparable to that of procedures used in existing building energy codes. The main issues that are addressed are the time-varying nature of factors for networked supply, the impact of variability and curtailment for variable and intermittent renewable sources of electricity and relationship between “marginal” factors and “average” factors. These are important issues as the currently common use of annual system-average factors can result in misleading guidance as to the most effective ways of reducing carbon emissions or primary energy demand. The note first explains the relationship between building energy performance ratings and networked electric supplies. It then discusses the characteristics of electricity demand and the networked supply systems before proposing and discussing the framework. Practical application: A framework that can improve the reliability of building energy performance rating based on carbon emissions or primary energy factors.

scholarly journals The Effect of Dynamic Primary Energy Factors On Building Energy Performance

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kjartan Van den Brande ◽  
Sam Hamels ◽  
Jelle Laverge ◽  
Michel De Paepe ◽  
Arnold Janssens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Building Energy ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Building Energy Performance ◽  
Energy Factors

scholarly journals THE INFLUENCE OF SCHEDULES OF OPEN OFFICE OCCUPANTS’ PRESENCE ON BUILDING’S ENERGY DEMAND

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonas Bielskus ◽  
Violeta Motuzienė
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficient ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Simulation Software ◽  
Design Stage ◽  
Sustainable Buildings ◽  
Standard Case ◽  
Primary Energy Demand ◽  
Performance Calculation

Many studies show, that there is a difference between actual and design energy consumption in energy efficient and sustainable buildings. As a rule, buildings consume more energy than it has been foreseen at the design stage. Occupants’ behaviour in buildings is also identified as one of the main reasons causing the so called Performance Gap. Having mobile workstations, opened plan offices are becoming more popular in design solutions in sustainable buildings. Here we have studied one of such office spaces. Monitoring of real occupancy was performed and real occupation schedules were statistically generated. The schedules were compared to the ones given by European Standard for energy performance calculation as well as with default schedules proposed by simulation software DesignBuilder. The comparison shows a significantly lower measured occupancy compared to the above-mentioned schedules. To compare the influence of occupancy related assumptions on predicted energy demand, DesignBuilder model was created and simulated for 3 different occupancy schedules. The results have shown that primary energy demand of a building due to assumptions related with an occupancy, compared to default DesignBuilder schedules are: 111 kWh/m² (32%) higher than the standard case and 152 kWh/m² (44%) than the actual one.

Primary Energy Factors and the primary energy intensity of delivered energy: An overview of possible calculation conventions

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 198-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger Hitchin
Keyword(s):  
Energy Use ◽  
International Comparisons ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Practical Application ◽  
Energy Performance Of Buildings ◽  
Energy Factors ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Statistical Metrics

The related concepts of Primary Energy and Primary Energy Factors (which describe how much Primary energy is contained in each unit of delivered energy) are used for international comparisons of national energy use and have become increasingly important regulatory and statistical metrics, especially in relation to the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. As concepts they contain a mixture of technical, political and economic dimensions, so it is perhaps unsurprising that reported values from different organisations and countries do not seem to be calculated in the same way. This review aims to clarify the origins of such differences by identifying, summarising and commenting on alternative conventions that are or can be applied. In particular, it aims to provide a starting point for the development of a transparent means of reporting the procedures and conventions that are employed. Such a framework would provide a basis for understanding the reasons for differences. The review does not recommend specific conventions or procedures – preferences will vary, depending on a number of factors. Practical application: Primary Energy Factors are central to international comparisons of national energy consumption and to several aspects of European energy policy. In the context of buildings, they are especially important to the newly revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive which requires primary energy to be the primary metric, rather than, for example, carbon emissions. It is known that different countries use different methodologies and that this can have substantial repercussions. The methodologies used are rarely reported and range of possible options has not previously been set out. This paper sets out to do this in order so that choices can be made with greater transparency and clarity.

scholarly journals Measurements and Simulation Study of Daylight Availability and Its Impact on the Heating, Cooling and Lighting Energy Demand in an Educational Building

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 2555
Author(s):  
Joanna Rucińska ◽  
Adrian Trząski
Keyword(s):  
Energy Balance ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Calculation Model ◽  
Simulation Software ◽  
Zero Energy Building ◽  
Lighting Energy ◽  
Lighting Systems ◽  
The Impact

This paper deals with the impact of the use of daylight on the overall energy demand for heating, cooling, and lighting in educational buildings. The energy performance of buildings is currently of the utmost importance as current European regulations, starting from 31st December 2020 impose that all new buildings must meet nearly zero-energy building requirements. This paper presents a study of the illuminance distribution in an educational room obtained from measurements and simulation results using two different models. One of the models, integrated with a thermal simulation software, was used to estimate the impact of daylight on the energy demand. The analysis included the use of various window types, lighting control system, reference point location, and daylight calculation model for a sample room in an educational building. Results of the analysis indicate that, due to the high share of lighting demand (reaching up to 78% of the primary energy balance), there is a need to take into account the efficiency of lighting systems during the design process to correctly determine the actual energy balance of a building, increase the quality of the design of lighting systems, as well as to select the optimal parameters of windows.

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