Monitoring results of innovative energy-efficient buildings in Austria

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to present real-world energy monitoring and sustainability assessment results of innovative energy-efficient service buildings in Austria. In the investigated buildings, the energy flows for the supply and distribution of heating, hot water and cooling energy, the object-related electricity consumption and, if available, energy generation with PV and solar thermal systems were recorded during a period of at least twelve months. The room parameters temperature and relative humidity, and in some cases the CO2 content were also monitored. The use behavior was described based on the users of the building as well as on the operation and parametrization of mostly fully automated energy facilities. The buildings were classified in a sustainability assessment according to the Austrian Total Quality Building (TQB-) system. The buildings investigated are three office buildings, a research laboratory building, a supermarket, a hotel, a nursing home, a culture and event center and a student dormitory. The main findings presented in this paper include energy efficiency potentials identified in the automated operation of the energy facilities in the investigated service buildings. Recommendations also relate to challenges of energy monitoring itself.