Behaviour Demand Response in District Heating—A Simulation-Based Assessment of Potential Energy Savings

• Main Authors: Christian Beder, Julia Blanke, Martin Klepal
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-07-01
• Series: Proceedings
• Subjects: behaviour demand response; district heating
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/20/1/2

Behaviour Demand Response (BDR) is an approach that enables the adaptation of operation of the district heating assets to dynamic market and capacity constraints by asking building occupants to participate and temporarily alter their demand profiles. In this paper we will present an explicit behavioural occupant model that considers motivational factors beyond financial incentives and that integrates with the district heating simulation model of the CIT Bishopstown campus, which has been used as a testbed for the E2District project. Both models have been calibrated to reflect the actual occupant population and energy consumption of the campus for the 2018/2019 heating period. This allows an accurate simulation-based assessment of potential energy savings through different dynamic behaviour demand response (BDR) triggers. We will show how a generic district simulation model can be integrated with the occupant behaviour model to quantify the potential additional energy savings that can be achieved through better demand-side management of the heating system.