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Preface

Smart and zero-energy buildings and communities have a major role to play in the evolution of the building sector and of the electric grid (i.e. the smart grid) toward the necessary transition in line with current carbon neutrality policies, climate change mitigation and adaptation. In this sense, the goal for the reduction of greenhouse emissions in the built environment can be pursued through a holistic approach whereas the consumption of energy in buildings is drastically reduced. State of the art in this field relates, on the one hand, to the implementation of energy efficient design methodologies and innovative technologies which guarantee the maximum energy saving potential in buildings. On the other hand, the advancement of ICT technologies, along with the integration of renewables and storage at building and at district level, provide the means for zero or positive net energy buildings and districts by producing, storing, managing and exchanging energy at the local level. In this direction, the challenges related with the volatility of renewable energy sources at grid level can become more manageable. New and emerging roles and services linking the building sector with smart grids in the future should be transparent and promote sustainability. This requires inspiring, fair, effective and innovative policies providing the roadmap for this transition and major research, innovation and training initiatives that will (1) support the market in providing solutions supporting mass scale deployment of environmentally friendly, energy efficient technologies and (2) educate the society about the importance of this transition and the role each and every one of us has to play.

Why this book?

This book is a collaborative work between research and industrial partners in the framework of the Smart GEMS Marie Curie project (2015–2020). Research and training activities in Smart GEMS were implemented through the physical mobility (secondments) of staff between academic and industrial partners during a five-year period. It provided academic staff with the opportunity to expand their views by working with leading companies in the fields of advanced building/district energy management, renewable technologies and storage integration, as well as in the production of smart metering systems. Likewise, industrial personnel had the opportunity to work in different academic environments across Europe and establish a more coherent understanding about the broader scientific and technological capabilities outside their field of specialization, thus complementing their field of expertise and in various cases diving deeper into co-developing and exploring state-of-the-art techniques and methodologies. This book provides a thorough reading of many of the concepts dealt with in Smart GEMS through the close collaboration of industrial and academic partners. Adding to the first publication, entitled Smart Buildings, Smart Communities and Demand Response, published by ISTE Ltd and John Wiley & Sons, this book provides complementary material and an insight into the fields of smart grids, smart and zero-energy buildings, integrated design, data analysis and energy modeling, indoor environmental quality, user engagement and energy storage in smart communities and smart grids.

Who is this book for?

This book focuses on smart nearly zero-energy buildings (NZEB), smart communities and smart grids. Therefore, it is mainly valuable for experts, professionals and researchers with an interest in (1) energy efficient buildings and communities; (2) smart building systems and innovative applications; and (3) integration of renewable energy technologies and storage at the building and district level.

Structure

First, smart grids are defined and their role in integrating more renewable energy sources, smart buildings and distributed generators, thereby revolutionizing the electric power network, is presented. Concepts such as smart and zero-energy buildings and communities along with smart metering, demand response and distributed systems are outlined to provide the state of the art, opportunities and the challenges for minimizing buildings' carbon footprint.

Second, the main principles of integrated design and decision making for smart zero-energy buildings and grids are documented and explored with the aid of best practice examples. Benefits, barriers and methodologies for addressing the potential and evaluating the impact of integrated design are explained.

In Chapter 3, with the aid of case studies, we present data analysis and energy modeling of smart and zero-energy buildings and communities for the evaluation and management of energy operations in buildings integrating innovative renewable energy technologies.

In Chapter 4, the impact of human presence to the energy consumption and indoor air quality within an educational building of the National University of Singapore (NUS) is investigated. An experimental campaign took place and data was analyzed with respect to the energy consumption and air quality of three rooms, each one with different usage and occupancy. The impact of different occupancy patterns on the energy demand, the illuminance of the building, as well as the internal levels of temperature, relative humidity and CO₂, are examined.

In Chapter 5, the energy consumption and indoor environmental quality of one of the three buildings of the Design and Environment School (SDE3) of the National University of Singapore is evaluated and cross-correlated based on a different perspective. Prediction algorithms based on artificial neural network models are tested.

In Chapter 6, objective and subjective evaluation of thermal comfort is analyzed in the context of a unique smart zero-energy industrial facility in Italy.

In Chapter 7, the user engagement of residents in a smart zero-energy building in the same area of Italy is investigated in order to provide the framework for analyzing individual preferences, identifying consumption patterns and assessing the utilisability of information provided to users as well as how effective this is in supporting behavioral change.

Chapter 8 deals with the integration of energy storage in smart communities and smart grids. The various energy storage technologies are presented including electrical, mechanical, chemical and thermal. Energy storage and optimization of its utilization in smart grids integrating renewable energy technologies is explored through state-of-the-art case studies.

Finally, the conclusion outlines the main and overall conclusions and recommendations stemming from the findings of the presented research.

Acknowledgments

The editors express their deepest appreciation and gratitude to all partners, personnel, and researchers for their unique contributions, time and efforts which altogether resulted in making this publication happen. We are also very thankful to the European Commission and the EU taxpayer for devoting the necessary financial resources for the implementation of the Smart GEMS project.

Nikos KAMPELIS

November 2021