A Tool for the Optimal Design of Climate Resilient Thermal Energy Networks. Part 1: The District Building Energy Performance Module

Commonly recognized calculation standards and open-source tools can help design district-scale energy systems, such as those envisioned in urban regeneration initiatives. District-scale challenges include shallow geothermal system design, ultra-low temperature district heating and cooling, PV system design, building resilience to climate change, and lifecycle analysis for carbon emissions. This paper presents, as part of an open-source tool developed in the framework of the PNRR project NEST, the district building energy performance module which is based on EN 52016-1 standard (hourly method) complemented by solar radiation raytracing and a library of commonly used HVAC plants compliant with operating principles stated in EN 16798-5-1 standard for ventilation systems. The buildings comprising the district are represented in 2.5D geometry and their input data enriched with structural archetypes, hourly schedules, and HVAC types for each zone. Special attention is dedicated to the calculation of HVAC heating and cooling inputs starting from building energy needs, a step that might impact significantly on the overall final energy demand.