Permanent field analysis to optimize the operation of heat supply in multi-family houses

The building sector accounts for around 35 percent of Germany’s total final energy consumption. In order to reduce this consumption, the efficient operation of heating systems is a decisive factor in addition to improvements to the building envelope. More than 50 percent of Germany’s apartments are in multi-family buildings. In these, the usable heat is usually made available centrally. This is where the FeBOp-MFH research project starts, in which the Institute for Solar Energy Research, proKlima, Corona Solar and the Climate Protection and Energy Agency of Lower Saxony work together.

In cooperation with companies of the housing industry, a method for permanent and automated analysis of the final energy consumption for heat in the heating centres of multi-family buildings will be developed and tested in practice. The aim is to obtain a measuring system which capacitates the housing companies and the service providers and craftsmen working for them to evaluate the efficiency of the heating systems themselves, to effectively implement cost-saving measures and to optimize operation.

The planned method is based on a cost-effective, easy-to-install measurement technology in the individual buildings and a central monitoring system. A measuring system will be installed in over 30 apartment buildings. With the help of the collected data, analysis methods are developed which determine the efficiency indicators of the plant operation on the basis of actual-target comparisons.

The findings are communicated openly to support energy savings in buildings through a well-founded presentation of effective and cost-efficient measures. The Climate Protection and Energy Agency of Lower Saxony (KEAN) has published project information and fact sheets for the housing industry, energy consultants, the heating trade, planners and interested private persons that answer the question of when a heating system is efficient.