Non-profit housing organization Boligselskabet Sjælland is committed to improving the efficiency of the heating supply in multi-storey dwellings to ensure better comfort, lower costs, and greener operations.
As part of DTU’s HeatCheck research and development project, the company is therefore now testing AI models to improve heat utilization in the apartments. Combining data from heat distribution and indoor climate meters with digital solutions, the housing company can supply the heat more accurately and efficiently—for the benefit of both residents and the climate.
The AI models facilitate detecting and correcting errors if heating systems are not working optimally. Boligselskabet Sjælland also avoids unnecessarily high temperatures and ensures that the buildings are ready for the low-temperature heating solutions of the future.
“The buildings can make a big difference by adapting the heating system to lower flow temperature from around 50°C instead of 70°C. If we want to move away from coal, gas, and biomass to district heating based on wind power, solar cells, geothermal energy, and waste heat, we must lower the temperature in the district heating network. Green heat sources work best at lower temperatures—heat pumps, for example, become much more efficient when they do not need to raise the temperature that much. So lower temperatures are key to integrating sustainable heat sources and making district heating both greener and cheaper,” says Christian A. Hviid, Associate Professor at DTU Construct and project manager for HeatCheck.
Older appartments a challenge
The project is developing HeatCheck—a digital platform with AI tools that collect and analyse data that can locate heating installations right down to radiator level and help building owners identify where to focus their efforts. The partners are currently testing the tool in nine older buildings and the lessons learned will form the basis for a new version, which will be tested in up to 30 multi-storey buildings.
Older apartments are often the biggest obstacle to low-temperature district heating. Many of them have heating systems dimensioned for high temperatures, and a lack of balancing means that the heat is distributed unevenly between the apartments. Worn valves and thermostats make temperature control even harder. HeatCheck will help prepare the older multi-storey buildings for the flow temperature that the district heating companies see as ideal for their customers in the future.
“The unique thing about HeatCheck is that we build new value on top of the data already collected from wireless heat cost allocator. Utilizing AI tools, we can calculate exactly how much heat each radiator needs to deliver—without installing thousands of new sensors or operating Internet of Things networks. This makes the solution simple, less expensive, and much more scalable than traditional operational optimization projects,” says Christian A. Hviid.
Savings of DKK 2.5 billion
He sees great potential in the solution. DTU’s preliminary experiments show that multi-storey buildings can run at much lower temperatures without compromising on comfort—something which pleases Ulrik Eggert Knuth-Winterfeldt, Head of Sustainability at Boligselskabet Sjælland:
“HeatCheck fits well into our long-term strategy for green transition and energy efficiency. We have three focus areas: people, homes, and climate—and HeatCheck can contribute to all three. This provides a better and more stable indoor climate, reduces the risk of mould and moisture, and reduces carbon emissions. I knew the potential was great, but the preliminary results are far better than expected.”
DTU estimates that the annual savings by lowering the district heating temperature in Denmark will be approximately DKK 2.5 billion.
