CarbonZero4IMS – Energiewende im Quartier – CO2-freie Versorgung durch NutzerInnen-Integration und sektorenübergreifende Optimierung

The Inge Morath settlement in Graz comprises 108 residential units and 51 individual buildings (built between 2001 and 2009), spread over five homeowners’ associations (HOAs). Currently, 108 residential units in three HOAs are centrally supplied with room heat via three gas boiler heating centers. The heat is distributed as a low-temperature system via underfloor heating, while hot water is produced decentrally and electrically. Decentralized gas boilers are used for space heating and hot water in the 51 individual buildings.

The five HOAs are looked after by a joint property management company, which is already examining options for converting the gas supply to renewable energy sources. A connection to the Graz district heating system was rejected for economic reasons. Due to the existing low-temperature supply network, heat pumps are a technically and economically sensible alternative; In addition, they enable moderate cooling to avoid overheating in summer.

The plan is to set up probe fields that are connected via an anergy network and serve as sources for central heat pumps. This is intended to provide heat and cold for room conditioning in contracting. The decentrally supplied buildings can also be supplied with source energy for their own heat pumps via the anergy network.

Several prerequisites are essential for implementation: decision-making in the HOAs, collection and evaluation of suitable heat sources including intelligent control, techno-economically optimized dimensioning of the sources taking into account load profiles and regeneration, the development of an Model Predictive Control (MPC) concept for load shifting and the use of thermal storage masses in buildings and hot water boilers – also with a view to participation in energy markets.

An interdisciplinary consortium brings together all relevant competencies and creates a clear competitive advantage through joint further development of the demonstrator.