IEA EBC Annex 82: Energy flexible buildings towards resilient low carbon energy systems

In the future, buildings and building clusters should be able to provide energy flexibility services for different types of energy systems. The project increases knowledge about the obstacles and motivation for the stakeholders involved. Their constructive engagement is a key to making the energy flexibility of buildings a value for the resilience of future energy networks.

Short Description

Starting Point

Fortunately, in many countries, the share of renewable energy sources (RES) is increasing in parallel with an extensive electrification of the energy demand. The electrification of the demand results from for example the replacement of traditional cars with electric vehicles (EVs) or the displacement of fossil fuel heating systems with energy efficient heat pumps. These changes, on both the demand and supply sides, impose new challenges to the management of energy systems. System operators must now design solutions to counter the increased variability and limited control of the energy supply as well as the increased load variation over the day. Energy system electrification also threatens to exceed already strained limits in peak demand and stability.

Targets and content of the IEA EBC Annex 82

Investigating models that integrate decentralized storage and demand response into the energy market
Investigating resilience strategies to ensure the security and reliability of energy supplies
Analyzes on the management of distributed energy resources (DERs), energy storage and flexible loads connected to intelligent distribution networks (electrical as well as thermal networks) and their contribution to the energy flexibility of building clusters and districts
Further development of the characterization methodology at the district level
Analysis of demonstration districts and models as well as literature research on the topic of energy flexibility in districts
Analysis of services that can be provided by buildings for new cooperation and business models
Analysis of motivation and obstacles for the stakeholders involved

As a result of the international cooperation, the characterization methodology for energy-flexible buildings was rolled out to neighborhoods. The motivation and obstacles for the stakeholders involved were examined to determine how they can be involved in the development of practical technical solutions, cooperation and business models. The findings from participation in the Annex were directly incorporated into the implementation of a national Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) methodology.

The key international results of the IEA EBC Annex 82 will be published in three international reports in 2025:

D1 Methodologies and evaluations of energy flexibility for clusters of buildings
D2 Review and assessment of market, policy and stakeholder participation in building energy flexibility
D3 Summary report

In addition, numerous dissemination activities such as an international website for the project, presentations at conferences, seminars, writing cross-country papers, conferences and summer schools for doctoral students trained during the Annex were carried out. The Austrian participation actively supported the work with the management of Subtask C and technical and dissemination activities.

Project Images

Terms of use: The pictures listed underneath the header “Project Pictures” originate from the projects in the frame of the programmes City of Tomorrow, Building of Tomorrow and the IEA Research Cooperation. They may be used credited for non-commercial purposes under the Creative Commons License Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC).

Participants

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark (Operating Agent), Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Turkey, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, USA

Contact Address

Armin Knotzer
AEE – Institut für Nachhaltige Technologien (AEE INTEC)
Feldgasse 19, 8200 Gleisdorf
E-Mail: a.knotzer@aee.at

Constanze Rzihacek, Bernahrd Kling, Magdalena Wolf
Institute of Chemical and Energy Engineering (IVET)
Department of Material Sciences and Process Engineering (MAP)
Universität für Bodenkultur Wien (BOKU)
Muthgasse 107A, 1190 Wien
E-Mails: constanze.rzihacek@boku.ac.at, bernhard.kling@boku.ac.at, magdalena.wolf@boku.ac.at

Carolin Monsberger
Center for Energy
AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH
Giefinggasse 6, 1210 Wien
E-Mail: carolin.monsberger@ait.ac.at