Grid-Interactive, Efficient and Connected Buildings (GEBs)

Grid-Interactive, Efficient and Connected Buildings (GEBs)
File:Grid-Interactive, Efficient and Connected Buildings (GEBs) Grid-Interactive, Efficient and Connected Buildings (GEBs)
Team Organizations	GCTC
Point of Contact	Jiri Skopek
Participating Municipalities	World
Sectors	Buildings
Status	Development
Last Updated	November 22, 2024

Summary

[[Has description::This section explores why the buildings need to be efficient, responsive, and able to interact with the electrical grid in a way that benefits both the building owner and the grid as a whole and what KPIs can be used to measure the effectiveness of the grid-connected buildings. The respective parts of the document consist of the following:

• The benefits of Grid-Connected Responsive Buildings section identifies the community benefits
• What are GCEB describes the various features and technologies further addressed in detail in the Grid-Interactive, Efficient and Connected Buildings Infrastructure section.
• The KPI section identifies the criteria by which the performance of the GECB can be measured.
• Finally Case studies section provides examples of the GECB implementation.]]

Benefits of Grid-Connected Responsive Buildings

The need for rapid decarbonization, feasible primarily through electrification, calls for grid-connected buildings. The potential benefits of grid-connected responsive buildings are :

• Reduced peak demand: By shifting energy consumption to off-peak hours, grid-connected responsive buildings can help reduce peak demand on the electrical grid. This can help avoid power outages and prevent the need for new power plants to be built.
• Improved grid reliability: Grid-connected responsive buildings can help make the grid more resilient and reliable. For example, they can provide backup power to the grid during periods of high demand or when there is a power outage.
• Increased use of renewable energy: Grid-connected responsive buildings can help increase the use of renewable energy by optimizing energy usage when renewable energy sources are available.
• Energy savings: Grid-connected responsive buildings can use real-time data and communication with the grid to optimize their energy consumption and reduce carbon emissions. For example, they can shift energy usage to off-peak hours when electricity is cheaper or reduce energy consumption during periods of high demand.
• Cost savings: By optimizing energy usage and reducing peak demand, grid-connected responsive buildings can save money on energy bills. They may also be eligible for incentives or rebates from utilities for participating in grid programs.

Overall, grid-connected responsive buildings can help create a more sustainable, reliable, and cost-effective electrical grid, as well as provide greater resiliency and adaptability in the face of increasing disasters. An introduction of AI systems now expands the operational capabilities and even suggests the possibility of fully autonomously operated buildings connecting with and responding to the signals from the grid.

What are Grid-Interactive, Efficient and Connected Buildings

Grid-Interactive, Efficient, and Connected Buildings (referred to as GECB) are designed to optimize energy efficiency, interact with the electrical grid, and leverage smart technologies to enhance performance and sustainability. These buildings incorporate various features and technologies to reduce energy consumption, maximize the use of renewable energy sources, and enable two-way communication with the grid. Buildings consume a lot of electricity, and more importantly, building energy use drives a comparable share of peak power demand. The electricity demand from buildings results from various electrical loads that serve the occupants’ needs. However, many of these loads are flexible to some degree. With proper communications and controls, loads can be managed to draw electricity at specific times and different levels while still meeting occupant productivity and comfort requirements . At the same time, with the increase of on-site renewable and both stationary and mobile energy storage systems, the buildings can be, for some period of time, entirely grid independent or connected to a localized microgrid. Here are some key aspects of GECB:

1. Grid Interactivity: GECB are designed to interact with the electrical grid dynamically and intelligently. They can adjust their energy usage based on grid conditions, pricing signals, and demand-response programs. By participating in demand-side management, these buildings can help stabilize the grid and reduce the need for additional power generation during peak periods.
2. Renewable Energy Integration: GECB promotes integrating renewable energy sources such as solar panels, wind turbines, or geothermal systems. These buildings can generate their own electricity on-site and even feed excess energy back into the grid.
3. Energy Storage and Management: GECB often incorporates energy storage systems such as batteries. These storage systems allow buildings to store excess energy for later use, especially from intermittent renewable sources. The stored energy can be utilized during periods of high demand or low renewable energy generation.
4. Smart Building Management Systems: GECB utilizes advanced building management systems that integrate sensors, automation, and data analytics. These systems monitor and control various building parameters, including temperature, lighting, occupancy, and energy consumption. They optimize building operations and enable real-time energy efficiency and occupant comfort adjustments.
5. Electric Vehicle Integration: GECB may include infrastructure to support electric vehicle (EV) charging. This facilitates the adoption of electric transportation by providing convenient and efficient charging options within the building premises.
6. Microgrid integration: GECB may be integrated in a microgrid as a group of interconnected loads and distributed energy resources with defined electrical boundaries, which form a local electric power system able to operate in either grid-connected or island mode.
7. Occupant Comfort and Well-being: GECB aim to provide enhanced comfort and well-being for occupants. They may incorporate features such as natural daylighting, indoor air quality monitoring, efficient ventilation, and occupant-responsive controls.
8. Energy Efficiency: GECB prioritize energy efficiency through efficient HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems, LED lighting, optimized building designs and advanced glazing and insulation. They aim to minimize energy wastage and reduce the overall demand for energy.
9. Data Monitoring and Analysis: GECB generate vast amounts of data regarding energy consumption, grid interaction, and building performance. This data can be analyzed to identify further energy-saving opportunities, optimize operations, and inform future design and retrofitting decisions.

Integrating grid interactivity, energy efficiency, and connectivity in buildings helps create a more sustainable and resilient energy infrastructure. GECB play a vital role in supporting a clean energy transition and addressing the challenges of climate change and energy management.

The Grid-Interactive, Efficient and Connected Buildings KPI’s

How do we evaluate the effectiveness of the Grid-Interactive, Efficient and Connected Buildings? The key KPI’s for the GECB are:

• Reduced Peak Demand. (RPD %) is a key performance indicator (KPI) used to measure the effectiveness of energy management strategies in reducing the peak electricity demand of a building. It represents the amount by which the peak demand is reduced compared to the baseline or reference peak demand.

The RPD KPI is typically expressed as a percentage and calculated using the following formula: RPD (%) = [(Baseline Peak Demand - Actual Peak Demand) / Baseline Peak Demand] * 100 Here, the Baseline Peak Demand refers to the maximum electricity demand that would have occurred without implementing any energy management measures. The Actual Peak Demand is the maximum measured demand after implementing the energy-saving strategies. A higher RPD percentage indicates a more significant reduction in peak demand, which can have several benefits, such as:

1. Cost savings: By reducing peak demand, organizations can avoid or reduce peak demand charges imposed by utilities, resulting in cost savings on electricity bills.
2. Grid stability: Lowering peak demand helps alleviate strain on the electrical grid during times of high demand, reducing the risk of blackouts or brownouts.
3. Environmental impact: Peak demand reduction can contribute to a more sustainable energy system by reducing the need for additional power generation capacity, which often relies on fossil fuels.

To track the RPD KPI, organizations typically monitor and analyze their energy consumption patterns, implement energy-efficient technologies, demand response strategies, load-shifting techniques, and other measures to reduce peak demand. Regular monitoring and analysis of energy data are crucial for evaluating the effectiveness of implemented strategies and identifying areas for further improvement.

• Improved grid reliability can be measured through various key performance indicators (KPIs) that assess the quality and stability of the power supply. Here are some commonly used KPIs for evaluating grid reliability improvements:

1. System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI): SAIDI measures the average duration of power outages per customer. It indicates the average time in minutes that a customer experiences an interruption within a specified period, such as a year. A lower SAIDI value indicates improved reliability.
2. System Average Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI): SAIFI measures the average number of interruptions per customer within a specified period, typically a year. It represents the frequency of power outages per customer. A lower SAIFI value indicates improved reliability.
3. Customer Average Interruption Duration Index (CAIDI): CAIDI calculates the average duration of power outages for customers who experience interruptions. It is obtained by dividing SAIDI by SAIFI. A lower CAIDI value indicates quicker restoration and improved reliability.
4. Momentary Interruption Frequency Index (MIFI): MIFI measures the number of momentary interruptions or voltage dips per customer within a specified period. These are brief disturbances in power supply that last for a short duration. A lower MIFI value indicates improved reliability.
5. Frequency and Duration of Voltage Deviations: This KPI assesses the frequency and duration of voltage variations or deviations from the standard power supply levels. It includes over- and under-voltages, which can affect the performance and longevity of electrical devices.
6. Circuit Breaker Failure Rate: This KPI measures the failure rate of circuit breakers or protective devices responsible for isolating faulty sections and preventing widespread outages. A lower failure rate indicates improved reliability.
7. Power Quality Events: Power quality events refer to disturbances like voltage sags, swells, harmonics, and flickers. Power quality events are typically measured using specialized instruments known as power quality analyzers or power quality meters. Monitoring the frequency and severity of these events provides insights into the stability and reliability of the grid.
8. Customer Satisfaction Index: While not directly related to the technical aspects, customer satisfaction is an important measure of grid reliability. Surveys and feedback from customers can provide valuable insights into their perception of reliability and overall satisfaction with the power supply.

These KPIs can vary depending on the specific needs and regulations of a particular grid or utility company. Monitoring and improving these indicators help utilities identify areas for enhancement, plan maintenance activities, and prioritize investments to ensure a reliable power supply to customers.

Using the holistic H-KPI framework, provides a more comprehensive view, enables aggregation and normalization of Grid-Interactive, Efficient, and Connected Buildings (GECB) indicators, and allows better quantification and comparison of different types of buildings, The H-KPIs use three levels: Level 1- technology, Level 2- infrastructure and level 3 – benefits. The interaction across the three levels of analysis is a central component of the H-KPI methodology. For example, sensors deployed at Level 1 inform the grid-connected building infrastructures at Level 2. The benefits of deploying the GECB are then manifested at level 3.

File:Diagram 1

Figure 1: Relationship of the three H-KPI levels of the Grid-Interactive, Efficient, and Connected Buildings

The Grid-Interactive, Efficient and Connected Buildings Infrastructure

Utilities

It is not just cities and buildings that are embracing Smart Technology to improve the services they provide; utility companies across the globe are also taking advantage of innovative technology solutions to provide better uninterrupted electrical supply networks. They are enhancing resiliency with a new generation of distributed energy resources – energy storage, micro-CHP, and even Non-Wire Induction Alternatives. This section will highlight recommended focus areas for utility companies that want to aid municipalities in becoming smarter.

At the basic level, electric utility companies can implement demand response programs where consumers are able to reduce or shift electrical usage during peak periods. Time-based rates and even financial incentives may reduce building owners' costs. Advanced smart meters can easily be installed and monitored along with facility generation equipment to reduce or eliminate the potential for downtime.

Different utilities may have different attitudes toward embracing grid-connected buildings. However, several factors may influence a utility's willingness to adopt connected building technology:

1. Cost: The upfront cost of implementing connected building technology can be high, and some utilities may hesitate to invest in new infrastructure without a clear return on investment.
2. Complexity: Connected building technology can be complex and may require significant changes to existing systems and processes. Utilities may be reluctant to take on this level of complexity without clear benefits.
3. Regulatory issues: Regulations governing energy usage and data privacy can be complex and may vary by jurisdiction. Utilities may be hesitant to adopt connected building technology if they are uncertain about the regulatory landscape.
4. Data management: Connected building technology generates large amounts of data, which can be difficult to manage and analyze. Utilities may be hesitant to adopt this technology if they are unsure how to effectively use and interpret the data.

That being said, many utilities are starting to embrace grid-connected building technology as a way to improve energy efficiency, reduce costs, and provide better services to their customers. As the technology continues to evolve and become more accessible, it is likely that more and more utilities will adopt grid-connected building technology.