IEA EBC Annex 84: Demand Management of Buildings in Thermal Networks
Short Description
Objectives
Integrating buildings and occupants into district heating and cooling (DHC) systems requires a deeper understanding of energy demand and user behaviour. While flexibility has already been demonstrated in the electricity sector, in the heating and cooling sector it is more strongly influenced by comfort requirements, control systems, and external conditions.
The overall objective of IEA EBC Annex 84 was therefore to provide knowledge and tools for the successful implementation of demand response in buildings and to establish buildings as flexible elements within thermal networks. Technical, socio-economic, and regulatory aspects were considered in an integrated manner, and solutions were developed for different building types and boundary conditions.
Content / Subtask Activities
To achieve these objectives, four key areas were addressed:
- Analysis of stakeholders, user behaviour, and collaboration models for implementing demand response.
- Classification and evaluation of technological solutions at building level (e.g. storage, substations, control systems).
- Development of data-driven methods to utilise monitoring and sensor data (e.g. smart meters) for modelling and controlling flexibility potentials.
- Analysis of international case studies to derive best practices.
The work combined literature reviews, empirical analyses, simulations, and case studies, enabling a comprehensive assessment of demand response in thermal networks.
Results
The results clearly demonstrate that demand response in DHC systems is technically feasible and offers significant potential for flexibility and decarbonisation. Buildings can act as decentralised thermal storage units and actively contribute to load shifting.
Key innovations lie in the integration of building technologies, digital infrastructure, and system-level approaches: substations, thermal storage, and building mass enable flexibility, while data-driven methods, digital twins, and predictive control strategies support their effective utilisation.
At the same time, implementation is often hindered not by technical limitations but by regulatory, economic, and organisational barriers. User acceptance is generally high, provided that comfort, transparency, and fair tariff structures are ensured.
Internationally, similar challenges can be observed (e.g. data availability, lack of standardisation), while countries with a more modern building stock are further advanced in implementation. For Austria, key needs include integrating flexibility options into the existing building stock, advancing data infrastructures, and establishing appropriate regulatory frameworks.
Overall, Annex 84 provides a robust foundation for further development of demand response in thermal networks and delivers concrete recommendations for research, energy policy, and practical implementation.
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
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Singapore, United Kingdom
Contact Address
Project leader
Keith O'Donovan
AEE Intec
Feldgasse 19, Gleisdorf 8200
E-Mail: k.odonovan@aee.at
Project partners
Dr. Ingo Leusbrock
Head of department Cities and Networks
AEE - Institute for Sustainable Technologies
Feldgasse 19, Gleisdorf 8200
E-Mail: i.leusbrock@aee.at
LinkedIn-Profile
Gundula Weber
AIT
Giefinggasse 4, 1210 Wien
E-Mail: gundula.weber@ait