Demand Response and Building Renovations as a Way to Reduce CO₂-emissions of Electric Heating: Abstract

This paper presents results that are based on a calculation model for the power of thermal losses in the building stock. By power of thermal losses we mean the amount of power required to maintain desired indoor temperature when considering the thermal and technical characteristics of the building envelope and ventilation. Finnish reference year weather data and data of the residential building stock are used to demonstrate the model. We have compared demand response and building renovations as a way to reduce CO2-emissions of heating in the building stock. The demand response analysed in this paper is about replacing part of the electric heating by using convective fireplaces in the single family houses. The renovation measure described in this paper is the impact of window renovations in the building stock level. We modelled the situation where the thermal transmittance of windows is equal to the requirements set for the new buildings by the National Building Code of Finland. This model is a step towards more complex power modelling in the building stock level. For more holistic approach the effects of the residents’ energy use and thermal loads caused by the sun and wind could be added to the model.