Energy flexibility evaluation for building passive thermal storage mass

Abstract

This study proposes a systematic methodology to evaluate the energy flexibility and operational performance of air-conditioning systems (ACSs) in residential buildings, leveraging the passive thermal storage capacity of building thermal mass through indoor temperature setpoint adjustment. A comparative analysis was conducted between inverter-controlled and intermittent on-off air conditioners under a baseline indoor temperature of 24 °C. Two additional temperature setpoint scenarios (26 °C and 28 °C) were tested to quantify variations in the building’s electricity consumption demand. To characterize the dynamic thermal response across different floor levels, ground-floor, middle-floor, and top-floor apartments were investigated in a three-story residential building, enabling a controlled, floor-level comparison under identical control logic and climatic conditions. Dymola simulation software was employed to model and calculate ACS energy consumption and energy flexibility under the three temperature setpoint conditions (24 °C, 26 °C, and 28 °C). Results indicate that a strategy of scheduled ACS shutdown and automatic restart, enabled by the thermal inertia capacity of building thermal mass, effectively enhances ACS energy flexibility. Specifically, adjusting the zone temperature setpoint reduced the total ACS load by approximately 40% in two hours of a demand response event. This temperature setpoint adjustment strategy demonstrates significant potential to mitigate grid peak-load demand without compromising indoor thermal comfort and requiring additional building retrofitting investments. The findings provide a technical basis for optimizing residential ACS operation and promoting demand-side management in power systems.