Assessing the potential of ecobee smart thermostats to save energy through load shifting

2014年，建筑约占加拿大温室气体(GHG)排放量的12%。超过12%的家庭是共管公寓，预计在未来20年内这一比例将上升至53%。暖通空调能耗占这些建筑能耗的一半以上，因此减少这一领域的温室气体排放可以显著影响建筑部门的排放。在安大略省，与非高峰时段用电相关的运营成本和温室气体排放要高得多。因此，将多单元住宅楼(MURB)的电力负荷转移到非高峰时间具有降低成本和温室气体排放的潜力。此外，研究表明，集中供热厂通常在低负荷时段以较低的效率运行，因此平坦化锅炉负荷分布可以潜在地提高系统效率，并将减少过度循环。采用负载转移策略的智能恒温器可用于优化空间空调配置文件，以降低成本和排放。为了确定负荷转移和基于占用的控制机制对MURB的影响，将在两栋共管建筑中安装80个Ecobee3智能恒温器和能源监测设备。该项目将评估智能温控器的负荷转移算法如何减少MURB的温室气体排放，并开发一个模型来估计这种影响在其他建筑中的影响。这项研究可用于制定未来基于证据的MURB能源节约和需求响应方案，并将用于调整生态技术，以用于不断增长的MURB部门。

In 2014, buildings accounted for approximately 12% of Canadas greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Over 12% of households arecondominiums, which is projected to rise as high as 53% within the next 20 years. HVAC energy use represents more than half ofenergy consumption in these buildings, so reducing GHG emissions in this area can significantly affect building sector emissions.In Ontario, operational costs and GHG emissions associated with incremental electricity consumption during on-peak hours aremuch higher those associated with consumption during off-peak hours. As a result, shifting electrical load in multi-unit residentialbuildings (MURBs) to off-peak hours has the potential to reduce costs and GHG emissions. Additionally, studies have shown thatcentral heating plants often operate at lower efficiencies for low loading periods so flattening the boiler load profile can potentiallyimprove system efficiency and will reduce excessive cycling. Smart thermostats employing load shifting strategies can be used tooptimize space conditioning profiles to reduce costs and emissions. In order to determine the impact of load shifting andoccupancy-based control mechanisms in MURBs, 80 ecobee3 smart thermostats and energy monitoring equipment will beinstalled in two condominium buildings. This project will assess the how the smart thermostat's load shifting algorithm can reduceGHG emissions in MURBs and develop a model to estimate this impact in other buildings. The study can be used to developfuture evidence-based energy conservation and demand response programs for MURBs and will be used to adapt ecobee`stechnologies for use in the growing MURB sector.