CM: Technologies And Measures

Introduction

👉 Click here to access the online tutorial for this module

This page provides an overview of the methodology, inputs, and outputs of the Technologies and Measures Calculation Module. The module estimates the electricity consumption of air conditioning technologies required to meet space cooling (SC) needs across the EU-27. It allows users to analyze cooling demand for both the residential and non-residential sectors and evaluate the impact of energy efficiency measures in mitigating cooling needs.

The calculation is based on Cooling Degree Days (CDD) and predefined SC demand relationships, enabling users to explore different diffusion rates, technology efficiencies, and mitigation strategies. The module also supports scenario-based assessments, helping policymakers, planners, and researchers understand the effects of cooling adoption and efficiency improvements on overall energy demand.

The module works at NUTS1, NUTS2, NUTS2, LAU2 as well as hectare level.

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Method

The calculation principle is based on an assessment of the space cooling needs (SC needs) from the cooling degree-days (CDD) data in the selected area. The relations between CDD and SC needs (in kWh/(m²)) are derivated from the works done by Dittmann et al., 2017 for:

the residential sector: SC needs = -3E-8 × CDD² + 0.053 × CDD + 6.105
the non-residential sector: SC needs = -9E-9 × CDD² + 0.142 × CDD + 40.12

The user can also obtain an evaluation of the cooling capacity (kW/m²) needed to supply the estimated cooling needs, based on Dittmann et al., 2017 for:

the residential sector: SC capacity = -2E-7 × CDD² + 0.0713 × CDD + 79.625
the non-residential sector: SC capacity = -5E-9 × CDD² + 0.1416 × CDD + 159.19

The calculation module also offers the possibility to observe the impacts of measures uptake to mitigate the cooling needs in both sectors. Based on the findings of the deliverable 2.1 (Duplessis et al., 2023), the following mitigation measures have been considered :

the window opening, allowing natural free cooling during the night, the evening and the early morning,
the solar shading, reducing solar direct radiations during the day,
the use of fans use, especially ceiling fans, which increase the air circulation in rooms and then the summer comfort.

The user must bear in mind that the implementation of these measures does not provide the same service as SC technologies, but does ensure summer comfort at an acceptable level for buildings occupants, and therefore avoids the use of SC technologies. In the simplified approach presented here, we consider that these measures, when implemented, are taken together and make it possible to reduce the space cooling needs by up to 50%.

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Input

Input parameters

The user shall define the following inputs (defauts value are also suggested):

Building sector selection
Space cooling diffusion rate
Average Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) of SC technologies
Measures uptake scenario.

Building sector selection indicates the building sector selected in the current calculation. There are 3 options: residential, non-residential and both sectors. The residential sector comprises single family houses, multifamily houses and appartment blocks. The non-residential sector comprises buildings of offices, trades, education, health, hotels and restaurants sectors as well as other non-residential buildings. Default value: residential.

Space cooling diffusion rate [%] indicates the share (in %) of the cooled area among the total floor area of the selected sector. Default value: 7,5 % in the residential sector and 23,5 % in the non-residential sector (average values of cooled area in EU27).

There are considerable differences in equipment levels within the EU residential sector. The southernmost countries (Cyprus, Malta) have SC diffusion rates in excess of 60%, while the countries around the Mediterranean (Spain, Italy, Greece, South of France) know SC diffusion rates of 20 to 30%. Continental countries currently have SC diffusion rates of around 10% and this rate falls to a few percent for other countries, mainly in northern Europe (Dittmann et al., 2017).

In the non-residential sector, similar differences can be observed. The Mediterranean countries have SC diffusion rates of 70% to 85% in services sector. Most continental countries currently have SC diffusion rates of around 20%-30% in the service sector while in Northern Europe the SC diffusion rate in around 10-15 % (Dittmann et al., 2017).

Average SEER of SC technologies [-], indicates the average (in installed capacity) Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio of the space cooling technologies stock. Default value: 4,7 in the residential sector and 4,4 in the non-residential sector (average values of installed cooling capacities in EU27)

The average SEER of SC technologies stock is estimated around 4.7 in the residential sector and around 4.4 in the service sectors (Dittmann et al., 2017). Nevertheless, this efficiency is expected to increase in the coming years as shown in (Figure CM - Technologies and Measures, Average performance of the space cooling technologies stock).

Figure CM - Technologies and Measures, Average performance of the space cooling technologies stock Stock EEU 28 SEER

Measures uptake scenario, represents the level of adoption by the buildings' occupants of measures that reduce the space cooling needs. Default value: no measure.

No measure: the buildings' occupants take no action to reduce the cooling needs
Low adoption: the buildings' occupants moderatly use a mix of measures to reduce the cooling needs. 40% of occupants use systematically windows opening strategies for reducing cooling needs, and 20% among them also use both fans and shading.
High adoption: the buildings' occupants widely use a mix of measures to reduce the cooling needs. 80% of occupants use systematically windows opening strategies for reducing cooling needs, and 40% among them also use both fans and shading.

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Input layers

The calculation module relies on the 3 following layers:

Cooling degree days shows the Cooling Degree Days for the reference period 2002-2012 in EU28 on hectare (ha) level. Information on the layer can be found here.
Gross floor area residential shows the residential gross floor area in EU28 on hectare (ha) level. Information on the layer can be found here.
Gross floor area non-residential shows the residential gross floor area in EU28 on hectare (ha) level. Information on the layer can be found here.

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Output

The calculation module shows the following indicators:

Residential or non-residential cooled area [m2]: gives the residential and/or non-residential sectors area which is equipped with space cooling technologies.
Cooling demand [MWh/year]: gives the cooling demand of the selected cooled area (ie. of the residential and/or non-residential cooled area).
Cooling demand with measures [MWh/year]: gives the cooling demand reduced by the impact of mitigation measures implemented by the occupants.
Space cooling final energy consumption [MWh/year]: gives the electricity consumption of the space cooling technologies.
Cooling capacity [MW]: gives the cooling capacity installed in the selected cooled area.
Cooling power capacity [MW]: based on the cooling capacity, the power capacity of the installed SC technologies is based on an average SEER of SC technologies stock.

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Sample Run

Step 1: Area selection

Select the scale of the study : the CM works at NUTS1, NUTS2, NUTS2, LAU2 as well as hectare level.

Select the area of the study : the selection tool available in the “Tools” section on the left enables you to select specific study areas. Let's select Slovenia for this analysis.

Step 2: Open the CM tab

Go to Calculation Module Tab and select "CM - Technologies & Measures"

Step 3: Building sector selection

Select the sector you want to cover : residential, non-residential or both sectors. By default, the residential sector is selected. If you choose "residential", enter only the parameters relevant to "residential" (the paramters of non-residential will not be considered in such a case) and vice versa.

Step 4: Input data information

For each sector you want to cover in the study, you must enter the following parameters (See Figure CM - Technologies and Measures, Input parameters):

Set the diffusion rate of the floor area which is equiped by space cooling technologies. By default, the EU-27 average value is taken. For this example, select 12 %.
Set the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) of the space cooling technologies stock. By default, the EU-27 average value is taken. Enter the value of 5.
Set the scenario of active and passive measures uptake by the buildings occupants: no measure, low adoption or high adoption (see Method and Input parameters sections above. By default, "no measure" scenario is considered. For this example, select Low adoption.

Figure CM - Technologies and Measures, Input parameters

Step 5: Run the CM

The outputs are displayed in the "Results" section which shows all the outputs described in the section Outputs above. See Figure CM - Technologies and Measures, Results for the results of this example. If both buildings sector are covered in the same run, the outputs are displayed together in the same results section.

Figure CM - Technologies and Measures, Results

Repository of the calculation module

You can access the open-source code for this calculation module here.

How To Cite

Bruno Duplessis in CoolLIFE-Wiki, CM Technologies and Measures.

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Authors And Reviewers

This page was written by Bruno Duplessis ARMINES / Mines Paris - PSL University.

This page was reviewed by Simon Pezzuto EURAC Research and Ardak Akhatovae-think.

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License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 International License.

SPDX-License-Identifier: CC-BY-4.0

License-Text: https://spdx.org/licenses/CC-BY-4.0.html

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Acknowledgement

We would like to convey our deepest appreciation to the LIFE Programme CoolLIFE Project (Grant Agreement number 101075405), which co-funded the present investigation.

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