Building decarbonization based on building loads flexibility and clusters’ collaboration

The decarbonization of the building sector is crucial for global sustainable development because it is responsible for about 40% of global carbon emissions and has been growing continuously at a rate of 2% to 3% per year. Over time, significant energy-saving milestones have been achieved through technologies such as improving equipment efficiency, building envelope performance, and utilization of sustainable energy. However, as energy consumption transitions towards low-carbon solutions with large-scale utilization of renewable energy sources, the stereotyped optimization of equipments and components inside buildings may no longer be the best solution. Wind and photovoltaic power have strong volatility and intermittency. Therefore, it is vital for the building sector to adapt to an unstable energy supply. Building flexibility and the coordinated energy management of building clusters are essential to drive the further development of decarbonization in the building sector.