Energy and Comfort Performance Assessment of Monitored Low Energy Buildings Connected to Low-temperature District Heating

• Published in: Energy procedia Vol. 78; pp. 3465 - 3470
• Main Authors: Himpe, Eline, Janssens, Arnold, Rebollar, Julio Efrain Vaillant
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2015
• Subjects: Low-temperature district heating; monitoring analysis; zero-carbon neighbourhood; Low-temperature district heating; monitoring analysis; zero-carbon neighbourhood
• ISSN: 1876-6102; 1876-6102
• DOI: 10.1016/j.egypro.2015.12.331

Examples of district heating systems are scarcely found in the Belgian housing sector. However in the current evolution towards renewable energy supply, district heating networks are seen as a promising solution. In 2013, the first phase of a low-temperature district heating system was used for the first time in the city of Kortrijk as part of a demonstration zero-carbon neighbourhood with about 200 dwellings that is under construction in the context of the CONCERTO ECO-Life project. This study deals with the energy performance assessment of the first phase of the zero-carbon community and low-temperature district heating system. The present paper presents the analysis of the data from the on-site monitoring system and short-term specific measurement campaigns by stressing the influence of relevant parameters such as the performance of components, building load characteristics, space heating comfort, domestic hot water comfort and the implemented control strategies. Hence, this paper describes the monitoring approach, the challenges faced during analysis of the first year of implementation and the solutions applied to the challenges. Furthermore, the analysis aims to point out the potential of integrating low-temperature district heating systems and low energy buildings as an effective solution towards sustainability in the building sector.