Reducing energy consumption in urban office buildings with localised heating and heating set-point temperature reductions

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Rida, Mohamad and Kelly, Nicolas (2024) Reducing energy consumption in urban office buildings with localised heating and heating set-point temperature reductions. In: uSIM2024, 2024-11-25 - 2024-11-25, Edinburgh Climate Change Institute.

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Abstract

Traditional heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems are ubiquitous in our urban environment, and rely heavily on indoor air temperature modulation to maintain thermal comfort in buildings such as offices, hotels and retail spaces. However, achieving human comfort involves multiple factors, and alternative approaches are being explored. This paper looks at one such approach: integrating localized radiant heating through a heated desk surface while lowering HVAC air temperature set points to achieve comfort with reduced energy use. The study adopts a multi-stage modelling approach. Initially, a detailed model of a typical office was created within the ESP-r building simulation tool, incorporating an advanced human thermo-physiology model. This model was used to determine the extent to which air temperature setpoints could be lowered while maintaining occupant comfort with desk heating, under various realistic operating conditions. Further, a set of archetype models representing diverse office types commonly found in urban settings was developed. These archetype models were then utilized to evaluate the potential for energy savings at a larger scale, extrapolating from the temperature setpoint findings of the initial model. The findings indicate that incorporating a heated desk allows the background setpoint temperature to be lowered to 18°C without compromising thermal comfort. Minor adjustments, such as a 1°C decrease in the heating set-point temperature, can lead to significant reductions in HVAC heating demand, ranging from 10% to 20%. These reductions translate directly to proportional savings in carbon emissions. The analysis reveals that older buildings present greater potential for energy savings compared to newer constructions, highlighting the importance of factoring in building age and thermal characteristics when implementing energy-saving strategies.

ORCID iDs

Rida, Mohamad ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9301-7079 and Kelly, Nicolas ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6517-5942;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)