Analysis of the methodology to obtain several Key Indicators Performance (KIP), by energy retrofitting of the actual building to the district heating fuelled by biomass, focusing on nZEB Goal: Case of study

Abstract

In order to achieve the objectives of the European 20/20/20 strategy, and to obtain a greater energy efficiency, integration of renewable energies and the reduction of carbon emissions, a District Heating (DH) system has been designed by the University of Valladolid (UVa), Spain, one of the most important DH fed by biomass fuel in Spain, supplying heating and domestic hot water (DHW) to 31 buildings in Valladolid, the majority of them, educational buildings on the University Campus. The aims of this paper were to study the change from an energy system fueled by natural gas to District Heating by biomass in a building on the campus of the University of Valladolid—the School of Engineering (EII)—studying its consumption from its connection to the District Heating system. An energy management methodology such as ISO 50001 is carried out, applied to efficiency systems in buildings, thus establishing new criteria of sustainability and economic value. In this paper, energy management will also be analyzed in accordance with the proposed tools of an Energy Management System (EMS) applied to the EII building, through the measurement of energy parameters, calculation of thermal consumption, thermal energy savings as a result of the change from system to District Heating by biomass, economic savings, reduction of environmental impact and indicators of thermal efficiency I100 and CUSUM indicator. Finally, the primary renewable and non-renewable energy efficiency indicators for the new District Heating system will be determined. The concept of the near Zero Energy Buildings is defined in the European Union (EU) in order to analyze an approach to an nZEB which results from replacing the natural gas heating system by a biomass District Heating system.