A System Perspective on Energy End-Use Measures in a District Heated Region : Renovation of Buildings and Hydronic Pavement Systems

Abstract: A district heating and cooling (DHC) system can be a viable piece of the puzzle in the efforts of reducing the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Especially if the DHC system include combined heat and power (CHP) plants which enable electricity production from renewable resources. This is set forth in national energy targets and sustainable development goals (SDGs), adopted by the United Nations in 2015. Moreover, improved energy efficiency and energy savings are important factors in fulfilling the national targets of decreased energy intensity as well as reducing the use of fossil fuels.The aim of this thesis is to analyze the impacts of two energy end-use measures in a DHC network and their consequences on the efforts towards sustainable development. The end-use measures studied are (1) renovation of a multifamily building stock and (2) the use of a hydronic pavement system (HPS) including analysis of different control strategies. The end-use measures are assessed in terms of energy use and efficiency, use of renewable and fossil resources, and local and global GHG emissions. Lastly, it is analyzed how the results relate to national energy targets and SDGs. By using simulation and optimization models, several scenarios of end-use measures are analyzed in the two studies. In the first study, six scenarios are analyzed, as the renovation packages include measures on the envelope, ventilation and conversion from district heating to ground source heat pump. In the second study three scenarios are analyzed, where the HPS are operated all-time at a temperature below 4°C or are shut down at temperatures below -10°C or at temperatures below -5°C.The results of the study regarding the renovation of a multifamily building stock indicate a future reduction in heat demand. All scenarios show energy savings of the studied building, which ranged from 11% to 56%. All scenarios show a reduction in local GHG emissions, as well as reduced fossil fuel use. Although the largest reduction was found in the use of renewable resources. From a global perspective on GHG emissions, the scenarios with district heating out-performed measures with heat pump solutions in the studied system. Moreover, the study point to positive impacts on the efforts towards SDGs.To mitigate the reduced heat demand from the renovation of the building stock, an HPS may be used. The results show mostly renewable resources were used for the HPS. The use of HPS was found to generate a positive impact on global GHG emissions. A control strategy that shuts down the HPS at temperatures below -10°C would result in 10% energy saving and would maintain acceptable performance of the HPS. Furthermore, it would reduce the use of fossil fuel and reduce local GHG emissions by 25%. Moreover, an HPS may contribute to SDGs.It is concluded that energy end-use measures of renovating a multifamily building stock are vital in the work towards an improved energy intensity. However, these measures result in a decreased demand for heat in the DHC network. This can then lead to reduced electricity production from renewable resources in the CHP plants, which in turn have a negative impact on the global GHG emissions. By finding new applications, like HPS, the infrastructure of DHC networks could be utilized efficiently and serve as one piece of the puzzle that is the efforts towards sustainable development.