About this Research Topic
Building sector is responsible for approximately 30-40% of global energy consumption, which has surpassed the transportation and industrious sectors as the biggest energy consumer in the world. Newly built buildings generally meet the latest building energy-saving regulations, which can better achieve energy saving and consumption reduction. However, considering the huge volume of existing buildings, the transformation of existing buildings and their energy systems has great energy-saving potential, and will be a hot research topic in the future. At present, many researchers have studied the energy-saving renovation of single buildings, while energy system retrofits in small energy communities have great potentials for energy savings. Buildings constructed in different eras are connected to the same heating/cooling networks but require water temperature levels differently. Thus, under these circumstances, the energy community is a promising solution for integrating energy systems that combines different buildings, heating/cooling networks, and energy systems.
Overall, the goals of building energy system retrofit and optimization are to improve energy efficiency, reduce operational costs, enhance occupant comfort, promote sustainability, and align with regulatory requirements. The research topic focuses on the small energy communities instead of single building, and takes the following points into consideration:
-Consider and optimize energy systems more holistically, including aspects such as power supply, heating, cooling, and energy storage.
-Consider the share and exchange of energy through energy interconnection in different buildings.
-Holistically consider the energy demands and infrastructure planning for different buildings
-Encourage more cooperation and engagement of community residents and stakeholders
-Consider economic benefits (high initial investment, but low energy consumption and operating costs).
This research topic aims to bring together experts in the field to propose and discuss the up-to-date technologies to achieve energy efficiency improvement, energy savings and building decarbonization in small energy communities through sustainable and healthy energy system retrofitting technologies. The scope of this research topic includes, but is not limited to, the following themes:
• Demand side management to optimize energy use, improve grid reliability, reduce costs, and promote sustainable energy practices.
• Assessment of renewable energy systems (e.g., solar, geothermal energy and waste heat) for energy conversion and storage.
• Building automation systems to manage and monitor various building systems and equipment to ensure their efficient operation and occupant comfort.
• Building performance simulation to evaluate and predict the performance of buildings (focused on energy consumption and occupant comfort).
• Life cycle assessment to evaluate the environmental impacts associated with building energy system throughout its entire life cycle.
Overall, the goals of building energy system retrofit and optimization are to improve energy efficiency, reduce operational costs, enhance occupant comfort, promote sustainability, and align with regulatory requirements. The research topic focuses on the small energy communities instead of single building, and takes the following points into consideration:
-Consider and optimize energy systems more holistically, including aspects such as power supply, heating, cooling, and energy storage.
-Consider the share and exchange of energy through energy interconnection in different buildings.
-Holistically consider the energy demands and infrastructure planning for different buildings
-Encourage more cooperation and engagement of community residents and stakeholders
-Consider economic benefits (high initial investment, but low energy consumption and operating costs).
This research topic aims to bring together experts in the field to propose and discuss the up-to-date technologies to achieve energy efficiency improvement, energy savings and building decarbonization in small energy communities through sustainable and healthy energy system retrofitting technologies. The scope of this research topic includes, but is not limited to, the following themes:
• Demand side management to optimize energy use, improve grid reliability, reduce costs, and promote sustainable energy practices.
• Assessment of renewable energy systems (e.g., solar, geothermal energy and waste heat) for energy conversion and storage.
• Building automation systems to manage and monitor various building systems and equipment to ensure their efficient operation and occupant comfort.
• Building performance simulation to evaluate and predict the performance of buildings (focused on energy consumption and occupant comfort).
• Life cycle assessment to evaluate the environmental impacts associated with building energy system throughout its entire life cycle.
Keywords: Sustainable and healthy retrofit strategies, Renewable energy integration, Demand side management, Energy storage, Building automation systems, Building performance simulation, Smart Grid Technology, Life Cycle Assessment, Optimization methodologies
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
