There are ways to save money while using more energy to heat a building. The only condition: raise the heat during the nighttime.
Aarhus University researchers created this environmentally-friendly, financially-winning system by using simulations and calculation models.
Increasing the use of 10 percent more energy will save the same percentage on the heating bill. This can happen without increasing carbon dioxide emissions, evidenced by models meant to predict the cost of energy as well as the carbon dioxide intensity of the energy.
It is better to use more energy during the nighttime in order to heat up the thermal mass of the building and still cater to consumer comfort. The heat does not need to be on at all during the daytime when the power consumption and energy costs are highest.
This effective strategy is good news for those looking to reduce their heating costs and increase in profit. In other words, the construction industry can plan to adopt this strategy in the internal workings of the building construction and increase ‘green’ benefits for consumers. Associate Professor Petersen puts it, “If you choose to focus in the management plan on reducing carbon dioxide emission slightly, you’ll achieve a significant environmental gain for a very small price.”
Simple households can plan to save on energy costs as well but must take into account its specific thermal conditions. Current energy-saving procedures involve turning the heating systems down at night, which does save on cost. However, carbon dioxide emissions are still at unwanted levels and the savings on energy isn’t optimized.
Future buildings should have efficient systems that increase the temperature at night in order to receive the cost and energy benefits. The researchers plan to try out the system in buildings in Aarhus within the year in order to assess their predictions.
