Cutting-edge research

The Chair of Building Energy Systems and Heat Supply is committed to current research questions of energy and heat supply for buildings, districts and municipalities, and represents these specialist contents in teaching and student training. Many questions are investigated using numerical methods. We also use a wide variety of laboratory and experimental facilities.

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Forschungsschwerpunkte

Building energy technology

Building energy technology covers the energetic evaluation, development and optimisation of the technical heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, deployed in buildings. The complex interactions between buildings, equipment technology and users are examined with the help of theoretical views and empirical analyses. Apart from the gas and sanitary engineering, the chair deals in detail with thermal comfort, drinking water hygiene and the usage of regenerative energy sources.

Heat supply

Innovative concepts for district and community heating system are central for the energy revolution in the heat sector. The optimisation of power plants and cogeneration plants, combined with heat stores, solar and geothermal energy as well as "power to heat" are the subject of research. Simulations for network hydraulics of systems with 1000 customers and more, as well as the development and testing of components (heat exchangers, house connection stations, prosumer technologies, heat pumps, pressure maintenance, degasser) in the pilot plant and field test monitoring complete the portfolio.

Numerische Methoden der Energiesystemtechnik

Numeric methods

Numeric methods are used in building energy technology and heat supply, in order to develop and apply analysis and forecasting tools. Based on mathematical-numerical approximations, appropriate building, plant and flow simulations as well as optimisation and load calculations can be realised. The spectrum of calculations, often performed as coupled simulations, range from virtual test booths for radiators to regional, virtual power plants and application and network optimisation, as well as feed-in options into heat networks.

Our main focus

The energy and heat supply of buildings, neighborhoods and communities encompasses the entire balance area from the primary energy source to the use of thermal energy for space heating and cooling, domestic hot water heating and process heat supply. We therefore deal equally with the provision of heat from fossil and renewable energy sources, heat distribution via local and district heating systems and heating and ventilation technology in buildings. Rational energy conversion and the integration of Renewable Energy Systems into existing energy systems are important areas of our work. This also includes building automation, predictive energy and load management including the optimization of energy supply systems, building and system simulation, as well as thermal comfort and drinking water hygiene.