The Impact of Weather-Forecast-Based Regulation on Energy Savings for Heating in Multi-Family Buildings

Abstract

In this study, based on 19 years of research, an analysis of thermal energy consumption for heating was carried out on a group of 22 residential multi-family buildings located in a temperate continental climate. The buildings were constructed with two different technologies based on prefabricated elements, and most of them were equipped with central heating cost allocators. A predictive control system for the central heating system was installed in the analyzed buildings, followed by a deep thermo-modernization. An evaluation was made regarding whether the use of a change in the method of central heating control, from the traditional one, which takes into account only the variable external temperature, to weather control, increases the energy efficiency of the thermo-modernized buildings. In addition, the cost-effectiveness of the modernization measures was analyzed by determining economic efficiency indicators; therefore, it was possible to identify the modernization variant that, with limited investment costs, could achieve the best energy efficiency resulting from the European energy policy.