Energy Use in Residential Buildings: Characterisation for Identifying Flexible Loads by Means of a Questionnaire Survey

Abstract

This work shows the outcomes of a research activity aimed at the energy characterization of residential users. Specifically, by data analysis related to the real energy consumption of sample buildings, the flexible loads amount has been identified so as to investigate on the opportunity to implement a demand/response (DR) program. The most meaningful input data have been collected by an on-line questionnaire created within an Excel spreadsheet allowing one to simulate and compare the calculations with the actual dwellings’ consumption; 412 questionnaires have been used as statistical sample and simulations have been performed based on single-zone dynamic model. Additionally, once the energy consumptions have been sorted by the different services, reference key performance indicators (KPIs) have been also calculated normalising those ones by people and house floor surface. From data analysis, it emerges how the Italian residential users are not very electrified. Furthermore, the flexible loads are low and, implementing minor maintenance interventions, the potential of flexibility can decrease up to 20%. For that reason, the current research can be further developed by investigating on suitable flexibility extensions as well as on the automation system requirements which is needed managing the flexible loads.

How Climate Change Affects the Building Energy Consumptions Due to Cooling, Heating, and Electricity Demands of Italian Residential Sector

“…The same building sample was used in other recent works of the authors so as to identify what are the flexible loads [39], to analyse the energy retrofitting effects on the potential of flexibility on the grid [40], and to evaluate the impact of building automation control systems on energy performance [41]; Section 3.1 provides a more extensive description of the sample characteristics.…”

“…The sample buildings consists of 419 dwellings with uneven characteristics in terms of construction year, size, and occupation rate [39].…”

“…The energy characterization reported in [39] shows that energy consumption for the inner space heating is on average equal to 43.5% of the total; energy consumption for cooling, in dwellings where the service is present, is on average 3.6%; the other services have a total incidence of 52.9% characterised by relative shares equal to 14.1% for DHW, 12.4% for cooking purpose, 5.6% for washing machines, and 4.1% for computer/Internet refrigeration 3.8%; thereafter the cleaning and ironing use represents only 3.5% while the care person lighting, audio/video, and the other equipment are equal to 2.9%, 2.7%, 1.8%, and 1.9%, respectively. For more information on the building sample characteristics and its energy characterization see [39][40][41].…”

Analysis on the potential of an energy aggregator for domestic users in the Italian electricity system

“…In Italy, they represent a quarter of the energy end uses, approximately and therefore they constitute a considerable share in which action is needed to get energy savings and flexibility. Comparing Italy to other countries, it emerges that the Italian domestic sector is not electrified so much [38,54,60]:…”

Solar Energy Data Analytics: PV Deployment and Land Use

“…Nowadays, the majority of fuel supply is fossil, with the perspective on including different forthcoming renewable alternatives at different scales [5]. Contemporary, large-scale electrification of stationary users as well as transportation by means of Electric Vehicles (EV) [6] draws the attention to electricity sectors entailing new players in new markets such as the flexibility services offered by the buildings [7].…”