From consumer smart monitoring to demand response in the domestic sector: Italian case studies

The contribution of households’ electricity pattern loads into demand response logics is nowadays a crucial issue. However, one of the specific challenge is to increase the use of energy management technologies, as well as the market deployment of real time optimization of energy demand response intelligent building automation systems, balancing energy loads to reduce the peak power demand in homes. In this context, electricity consumption in the residential sector can be reduced by providing consumer with tailored information about their energy-using practices at home, also by using peer comparisons among clusters of user types. Moreover, when user engagement techniques are coupled with demand response logics, the benefit of such programs may exceed greatly. Final goal of the presented study is hence twofold. Firstly, by means energy visualization and persuasive communication, to endow domestic users to understand if their electricity loads are comparable to the typical consumption patterns identified among peer clustered families. Secondly, by means the implementation of demand-response logics, to manage more efficiently their electric energy loads at home. On the one hand, experimental data gathered from a smart monitoring in-home system installed in 31 homes in Italy, are used to evaluate global energy savings at the dwelling level. On the second hand, by means a dynamic demand response building energy model, the modulation of heating and cooling loads at home – for typical Italian household family types and climate locations – is simulated, in order to balance energy consumption and costs, without affecting household’s comfort, habits, needs and routine.