In the quest to balance the growing demands of renewable energy integration and residential comfort, a recent study published in *Scientific Reports* (translated from Korean as *Scientific Reports*) offers a groundbreaking perspective on human-building interactions (HBIs) and their impact on demand response (DR) strategies. Led by SungKu Kang of the Department of Mechanical and Aircraft System Engineering at Korea Aerospace University, the research delves into the spatiotemporal dynamics of thermal comfort and thermostat use, challenging conventional models and paving the way for more effective grid management.
The study monitored 20 homes across two climates, collecting data from 41 participants over six months. By synchronizing timestamps from app-based thermal comfort surveys and thermostat interactions with time-series building systems data, the researchers amassed the largest dataset of its kind. This comprehensive approach revealed that current thermal comfort models, which rely on steady-state assumptions, often fall short when faced with real-world variability.
“Our analysis found that these models tend to yield greater error magnitudes and biases when spatiotemporal temperature variations exceed 2°F,” Kang explained. “Given that the mean spatial variation within homes in our dataset was 4°F, it’s clear that current models are not fully capturing the complexity of human-building interactions.”
The implications for the energy sector are significant. Traditional demand response approaches, such as adjusting thermostat setpoints during peak demand periods, can inadvertently create discomfort and frustration for occupants. By understanding and incorporating the dynamic nature of occupant behavior and thermal comfort, utilities can develop more nuanced and effective DR strategies.
“Our results highlight opportunities for improving DR load-control algorithms,” Kang noted. “A paradigm shift to modeling discomfort rather than comfort, increasing the use of low-cost sensors, and incorporating dynamic models of occupant behavior could revolutionize how we manage energy demand.”
This research underscores the need for a more holistic approach to grid-interactive efficient buildings, where the interplay between human behavior and building systems is fully recognized and leveraged. As the energy sector continues to evolve, the insights from this study could shape the development of more sustainable and responsive demand management strategies, ultimately benefiting both utilities and consumers.
By embracing these findings, the industry can move towards a future where energy efficiency and occupant comfort are not mutually exclusive, but rather, are intrinsically linked components of a smarter, more resilient grid.