Assessing the thermal demands and flexibility of buildings under changing climate - typical and extreme weather conditions
Thesis event information
Date and time of the thesis defence
Place of the thesis defence
OP-Pohjola auditorium (L6)
Topic of the dissertation
Assessing the thermal demands and flexibility of buildings under changing climate - typical and extreme weather conditions
Doctoral candidate
M.Sc. (Tech) Jari Pulkkinen
Faculty and unit
University of Oulu Graduate School, Faculty of Technology, Water, Energy and Environmental Engineering
Subject of study
Environmental Engineering
Opponent
Associate Professor Jonathon Taylor, Tampere University
Custos
Professor Eva Pongrácz, University of Oulu
Assessing the thermal demands and flexibility of buildings under changing climate - typical and extreme weather conditions
Buildings in the future are expected to participate in climate change mitigation through the improvement of their energy efficiency levels. Concurrently, a changing climate requires adaptation measures in buildings to ensure healthy living conditions. To ensure the correct end result of these actions, the thermal behavior of buildings under future conditions needs to be evaluated.
This doctoral thesis investigates the thermal demands of future buildings in Finland. The work uses future weather data with a thermal building model to evaluate the total and peak thermal energy demands of different energy efficiency leveled detached houses in the near, medium and long-term in Vantaa and Sodankylä. Then, the benefits of load shifting in the heating of domestic hot water tanks were evaluated.
The results from this work emphasize the need to include future and extreme weather data, and suitable building energy models, in the assessment of long-term changes in total thermal and peak demands in buildings. The results show that future thermal energy demand is projected to decrease in Finland in the future, even in the long-term, due to decreasing heating demand. Unlike currently, cooling peaks may become the dominant thermal peak in the future in highly energy efficient buildings in South Finland. The warming climate is also starting to require more adaptation measures from buildings to ensure a thermally comfortable environment for the tenants. The improvements to the energy efficiency level of a detached house remain beneficial in the future, reducing the energy and peak demands in all scenarios, with the saving potential being higher with earlier actions. From an energy management point-of-view, heating of domestic hot water tanks was found to be a source of flexibility, allowing the usage of demand response actions.
The results from this work emphasize the need for more local level policies in the future for determining suitable building adaptation measures, while delivering supporting information for the selection of correct energy efficiency levels for buildings to meet climate targets. Overall, this can help in deciding suitable design, operation, and renovation measures for future buildings. As a future recommendation, this work should be extended to include different renovation strategies and be used in the assessment of building stock level changes, while the used models should be developed further.
This doctoral thesis investigates the thermal demands of future buildings in Finland. The work uses future weather data with a thermal building model to evaluate the total and peak thermal energy demands of different energy efficiency leveled detached houses in the near, medium and long-term in Vantaa and Sodankylä. Then, the benefits of load shifting in the heating of domestic hot water tanks were evaluated.
The results from this work emphasize the need to include future and extreme weather data, and suitable building energy models, in the assessment of long-term changes in total thermal and peak demands in buildings. The results show that future thermal energy demand is projected to decrease in Finland in the future, even in the long-term, due to decreasing heating demand. Unlike currently, cooling peaks may become the dominant thermal peak in the future in highly energy efficient buildings in South Finland. The warming climate is also starting to require more adaptation measures from buildings to ensure a thermally comfortable environment for the tenants. The improvements to the energy efficiency level of a detached house remain beneficial in the future, reducing the energy and peak demands in all scenarios, with the saving potential being higher with earlier actions. From an energy management point-of-view, heating of domestic hot water tanks was found to be a source of flexibility, allowing the usage of demand response actions.
The results from this work emphasize the need for more local level policies in the future for determining suitable building adaptation measures, while delivering supporting information for the selection of correct energy efficiency levels for buildings to meet climate targets. Overall, this can help in deciding suitable design, operation, and renovation measures for future buildings. As a future recommendation, this work should be extended to include different renovation strategies and be used in the assessment of building stock level changes, while the used models should be developed further.
Last updated: 23.5.2024