Optimization of Heat Delivery to Apartment Buildings Using an Improves Building Model

In Utrecht, the company PEGUS operates some 100 large apartment buildings (about 10000 apartments). The thermal power (primary energy) is provided by the Combined Heat and Power Station (CHP) in Utrecht. There is a deep believe that by lowering the installation water temperature during the night decrease the heating cost can be reduced. In fact this leads to a huge morning peak in power consumption. Because of the higher cost of power during the peak hours the total heating cost can even be higher than keeping the installation temperature constant during the whole night. The aim of our research was to elaborate an optimal control policy avoiding the morning power peak (so reducing energy and costs) meanwhile satisfying some temperature requirements concerning the apartments.